Chapter 4: The Battle in the Sky

—That day.

The veil of twilight finally lifted, and the seemingly endless long night—at last, gave way to dawn.

Normally, Fejite would buzz with life at the break of dawn, but today, not a single soul could be seen on the streets. A hollow sense of desolation dominated the silent morning.

Since yesterday, the Fejite Patrol Agency had thoroughly broadcast evacuation orders to every corner of the city. Now, most residents were holed up in their basements or public shelters, holding their breath in hiding.

Though, in the face of [Megiddo’s Flame], such evacuations were likely as futile as pouring water on a burning stone.

Looking up at the dawning sky, one could see the illusory sky castle, faintly glowing under the light of the aurora.

And—in the same sky, asserting its oppressive presence, was the《Ship of Flames》.

Its red hull reflected the morning sun, revealing its sinister grandeur.

In the breathless silence, time passed slowly, ever so slowly.

And this suffocating stillness, bearing the desperate prayers of Fejite’s residents, spared not even the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy.

“…”

On the rooftops, courtyards, and surrounding areas of the academy’s buildings in all four directions.

A large number of students participating in today’s defense of Fejite, along with the academy’s instructors, stood in orderly formation.

All the students were equipped with mantle-like “Mage’s Robes” retrieved from the academy’s storage and rapier-like “Mage’s Staves.”

These robes were permanently enchanted with strong defensive protections and physical enhancement, and the students had layered on as many magical defenses as they could muster, their preparations for battle impeccable.

They awaited the moment of the decisive battle with tense, rigid expressions, nerves taut with anticipation.

Atop the north building of the academy—

“Hey… is Halley-sensei’s barrier really… gonna hold up…?”

“…Who knows.”

“What if we end up doing nothing and just… poof, evaporate into thin air…?”

Among the students standing shoulder-to-shoulder, Kash fidgeted with his staff restlessly, speaking to Gibul, who stood calmly beside him.

“Hmph… Scared? Then go hide in the basement with the other cowards.”

“S-shut up! That’s not what I meant!”

At that moment.

“Fuhahahahaha—! Now, now, rest easy, my dear students!”

“Gah!? Professor Schuzer!?”

With a dramatic flourish of his white coat, a man appeared—his hair wild like a barbarian’s, an eyepatch over one eye. It was Orwell Schuzer, the eccentric master of magical engineering and professor at the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy.

Apparently so engrossed in his research that he hadn’t noticed the commotion from the day before yesterday, Orwell had learned of the situation only yesterday. Despite the desperate pleas of those around him to do nothing and stay out of it, he had forcefully declared his participation.

“Halley-sensei and Christoph-kun’s work! It was absolutely flawless! This genius professor of magical engineering, Orwell Schuzer, guarantees it! While I excel at the latest magic, I’m hopeless with ancient spells—this was a feat I could never have accomplished! So rest assured!”

“Uh, sure…”

“And don’t worry! In this unprecedented crisis, as a mage sworn to Her Majesty the Queen, I promise to be your strength! Behold this!”

With a flourish, Orwell whipped off a cover from something nearby.

What appeared from beneath was—

“The pinnacle of magical engineering, crafted with all my expertise: the Super Magical Automaton! Its name—‘Glenn-Robo’!”

A rectangular torso with arms and legs, a cylindrical head with triangular eyes and nose, and a token tuft of hair at the back… it was a shoddy robot that screamed “thrown together from random junk.”

The robot was awkwardly dressed in Glenn’s clothes, standing stiffly.

“Cease this foolish commotion.”

“Whoa… it talked…”

“Heh, isn’t it obvious? This is a semi-autonomous combat magical automaton modeled after my greatest rival and soulmate, Glenn-sensei! It’s the ultimate robot, designed to give you the same reassurance as having the dependable Glenn-sensei fighting alongside you!”

“Don’t lay a hand on my students.”

“…Glenn-sensei’s gonna be pissed about this…”

Kash, Gibul, and everyone else present could only stare in stunned disbelief.

“For today’s battle, I disassembled twenty military-grade magical automatons I’d… acquired from the imperial army and hastily built this Glenn-Robo! As long as Glenn-Robo is here, you can rest easy as if you’re on a grand ship! Fuhahahahahaha—!”

Just then, the robot’s right arm fell off at the joint with a dull thud.

“This is not reassuring at all…”

“Wouldn’t it have been better to just deploy those twenty automatons as they were?”

Orwell Schuzer. Undoubtedly a genius on par with Halley among the younger generation, but his talents were, as ever, misdirected.

Already, the students could only sigh, their unease mounting before the battle even began.

Atop the east building of the academy—

“Well, this has turned into quite the mess, hasn’t it, Zest-kun?”

“Indeed, Headmaster.”

Baron Zest, serving as the frontline commander of the east building, and Rick exchanged words with a sense of gravity.

“To think, at my age, I’d find myself in such a battlefield… I never imagined I’d have to dig out my old gear from my youth…”

Rick tapped the worn longsword hanging at his rotund waist. It seemed to be some kind of magical blade.

“Oh? Quite the fine weapon, isn’t it?”

“Heh… Back when I was a reckless treasure hunter, this beauty made quite a name for itself.”

Rick gave a sheepish smile, subtly hinting at his past exploits.

“—Ahem, Headmaster.”

Zest straightened himself and addressed Rick.

“Who, pray tell, is that lovely young lady by your side?”

Standing beside Rick was a petite girl, perhaps eleven or twelve years old.

She was an otherworldly beauty with long, shimmering aqua hair, clad in a diaphanous garment that emphasized her delicate frame. Her translucent white skin and pointed ears were striking, and everyone on the rooftop couldn’t help but steal glances at the out-of-place girl, wondering who she could be.

“Could she be your granddaughter, perchance?”

“Nah, not quite.”

“Ah, I see! Your daughter, then! My, at your age, that’s quite impressive! And such a lovely… Haa, haa… As a gentleman of the empire, I simply must be introduced—”

Baron Zest’s breathing grew heavy, his eyes gleaming as he stared at the girl… when suddenly.

“I am Sylphie. …His wife.”

The girl spoke in a crystalline voice, her innocent smile radiant as she clung tightly to Rick’s arm.

In that instant, the air froze, Zest included—

““““A crime! A criiiiiime—!?””””

““““Officer! Over here!””””

“No, no! You’ve got it all wrong! She’s not human! She’s a water spirit! You all know I was a spirit summoner in my prime, don’t you!? This girl was my adventuring partner back in the day—she’s been in this world far longer than any human! It’s legal, perfectly legal!”

“Legal or not, Headmaster!? That’s just too enviable—er, I mean, ethically unacceptable! You’ve disappointed me, you lolicon! As a noble of the empire, I’ll bring you to justice! And then, I’ll claim that girl’s binding contract for myself! As a gentleman, of course!”

“Wait, what!? Zest-kun!? You’re picking a fight with the wrong guy! Damn it, this is exactly why I didn’t want to summon her at the academy!”

Atop the west building of the academy—

“Honestly… the north and east buildings are so noisy… No sense of tension, none at all!”

Furrowing his brow, Halley, the frontline commander of the west building, spoke with irritation.

“A mage must always remain calm—it’s the most basic of basics!”

“Now, now, Halley-sensei.”

Rize, the student council president, tried to soothe him.

“Thanks to that, the people in the west building seem to be relaxing a bit.”

“Pathetic! To think a mage’s power could be swayed by such mental weaknesses—disgraceful!”

Rize gave a wry smile at Halley’s typical response before glancing to her side.

“Still… I never expected you to join the fight, Jaill-kun.”

“Tch…”

There sat Jaill Wolfheart, a rough-looking delinquent with a muscular build unbefitting a mage, arms crossed and legs folded confidently.

Slung over his shoulder was a bastard sword, sturdy in its craftsmanship. Though it seemed to lack any special magical properties, its well-worn appearance exuded an intimidating aura beyond its mere performance.

“To think you’d be so brimming with school pride.”

“I owe Rumia Tingel from Class Two a debt from the Magic Tournament. This is just settling it.”

He replied curtly to Rize, closing his eyes as if to say, Don’t talk to me anymore.

“Jaill-san… you’re not as bad as the rumors make you out to be, are you?”

“God, women are so damn chatty… Just shut up for a bit.”

“Hehe… Everyone here’s got such strong personalities, don’t they?”

Rize could only offer a wry smile at Jaill’s gruff retort.

And at the south building’s rooftop—

“Ugh… I’m getting nervous… Maybe I should’ve backed out after all.”

“It’s okay, Wendy.”

Teresa spoke gently to the trembling Wendy.

“You tend to stay in Sistine and Gibul’s shadows, but you’re actually really strong, you know? Being chosen for this rooftop interception team is proof of that.”

In this strategy, the rooftop interception team consisted only of students whom Albert and Bernard had personally vetted and deemed “capable in actual combat.”

“If you can avoid messing up at critical moments, you’ve got the skill to aim for top of the class. If you avoid messing up.”

“Hmph! Don’t rub it in about my slip-ups!”

“I’ll be by your side the whole time, Wendy. So… let’s survive this battle together, okay?”

“…Obviously.”

Wendy nodded firmly at Teresa’s warm smile.

“Phew… That aside.”

Wendy glanced in a certain direction.

“…”

At the end of her gaze stood Eve.

She stood listlessly, devoid of any vigor, repeatedly clenching and unclenching her left hand, staring at it blankly… occasionally letting out a petulant sigh.

“Our frontline commander here… Eve-san, was it? No energy, no motivation… and so gloomy… Is she really okay? Can we actually rely on her?”

“Apparently, she’s the head of the Special Missions Annex… Bernard-san and the others’ leader, from what I’ve heard.”

“What!? She’s the head!? Not Bernard-san or Albert-san!?”

Despite Wendy’s incredulous outburst.

(…Hmph. Whatever… I’m just…)

Eve didn’t respond, merely standing there, listless and vacant.

And in the academy’s courtyard—

“All units, how’s the deployment? …Good, I see. Keep it up.”

Bernard issued orders to the frontline commanders of the four buildings via a magical communication device.

Given Eve’s poor condition and his own experience as a commander during the Divine Reverence War forty years ago, Bernard had been appointed the overall commander for this defense of Fejite.

“Yare yare, deployment’s done, Chris-boy.”

“Good work, Bernard-san.”

“Man, being the big boss is as much of a pain as ever!”

“Haha, don’t say that. With Eve-san out of sorts, you’re the only one who can do this.”

Christoph, who said this, was kneeling with one hand on the ground, quietly meditating.

At the center of the courtyard sprawled a magical array, intricately woven with blue beams of light—already coursing with vast amounts of mana, humming with a deep resonance.

Built upon the [Mana Dam] that Lazare had installed at the academy, this azure barrier array—[Luciel’s Sanctuary]—had been hastily constructed by the academy’s instructors, professors, and doctoral students.

Named after the Shield of the Power Angel, this barrier, analyzed by Halley, was the final trump card against the [Megiddo’s Flame] descending from the《Ship of Flames》. It would form an energy reduction field over Fejite’s skies, neutralizing the [Megiddo’s Flame]—such was its design.

This was made possible by Halley’s genius, Christoph’s knowledge of barrier magic, the academy’s technical prowess, fragments of the [Shield of the Power Angel] as a catalyst, Fejite’s abundant ley lines, the pre-existing massive [Mana Dam], and…

“The students of this academy.”

“Aye.”

Inside the four buildings, fortified with magical arrays and layered with defensive spells, volunteer students stood ready. By touching the magical patterns densely inscribed within the buildings and supplying mana, they sustained [Luciel’s Sanctuary].

It was a miracle achievable only in this place, under these circumstances—

“I’m in charge of the main control for this barrier… but a grand ritual barrier like this is far beyond what I could maintain alone. It’s only possible because of the students’ cooperation.”

“But if the buildings take too much damage, the mana supply drops… Same if the students maintaining it can’t hold out and retreat to the underground shelters, right?”

“Yes. I’ve tentatively dubbed this the ‘Barrier Maintenance Rate,’ based on the buildings’ condition and the students’ withdrawal status. If this rate falls below 40%… we won’t be able to fend off [Megiddo’s Flame].”

“So the strike team’s gotta take down that demon before that happens, huh? Phew, heavy stuff… Glenn-boy, I’m seriously counting on you…”

Bernard scratched his head with a sigh.

“It’ll be fine. Senpai’s insanely strong in do-or-die situations. …Though, he’s not exactly great unless it’s a do-or-die situation.”

Christoph smiled with calm, unwavering trust.

And then—

The time came at high noon, when the sun reached its zenith.

“…The time has come.”

High above Fejite, within the《Ship of Flames》, at its deepest core.

It was a vast, semi-elliptical chamber, crafted from a mysterious material that seemed both metallic and stone-like.

Along the curve of the semi-ellipse, countless massive black monoliths stood in rows. The floor was etched with sinister, overlapping geometric patterns.

At the chamber’s deepest end was a throne-like seat, surrounded by monoliths of varying sizes and cubic stone tablets inscribed with dense text, all pulsating with mana.

The upper part of the semi-elliptical space projected countless magical images of Fejite’s various locations, floating like windows.

“The soul of the

The demon, seated leisurely on the throne, muttered to no one in particular.

“Now is the time to fulfill my long-cherished ambition—to eliminate Rumia… and reduce Fejite to ashes.”

There was, however, one minor concern…

The demon glanced irritably at its left hand. When it had crushed Jatice’s heart the other day, his blood had stained its hand… and for some reason, it wouldn’t wash off.

“Well, no matter… It’s not a problem.”

Indeed, the blood caused no actual issues. The demon began efficiently manipulating the monoliths and stone tablets around the throne, ready to do what must be done.

Magical runes began flowing like a torrent across their surfaces—

—and the《Ship of Flames》trembled, coming to life.

“It’s… coming…”

“Damn… It’s finally happening…”

Kash and Gibul, looking skyward, trembled with undeniable tension.

Far above Fejite, at the bottom of the《Ship of Flames》.

A massive concentration of energy gathered there, palpable even from a distance, slowly forming a crimson sphere of light.

The blinding energy sphere, like a second sun, sent high-frequency vibrations rippling through Fejite as it grew, grew, and kept growing—

The sense of impending doom heightened, intensified, surged…

“God…”

Everyone, like Wendy, offered prayers to a higher power…

And then…

The sphere was unleashed, falling upon Fejite at the speed of light.

White heat.

In that moment, on that day, all sound and color vanished from the world—

—and Fejite was enveloped in an infinite white void.

“…It’s over. …Humans are, as expected, so fragile.”

The shockwave from the cataclysmic energy explosion reached high into the sky, violently shaking the《Ship of Flames》. Temporarily, all the monoliths’ magical functions ceased, and all projected images vanished.

Amid this, the demon alone spoke with deep satisfaction.

“…This is the signal for the beginning. For the sake of our Grandmaster… and my true master. A new war shall now commence… a one-sided slaughter, utilizing this invincible《Ship of Flames》…”

The demon laughed, unable to contain its glee.

Gradually.

The ship’s functions, momentarily halted, began to recover.

The projected images in the air above flickered back to life, one by one…

“…What… the…?”

The demon could only stare in stunned disbelief at the unexpected sight.

Where Fejite should have been, there should have been nothing but an endless scorched wasteland.

There could be no other outcome.

Yet, in the images—Fejite stood intact.

Unscathed.

““““Oooooooohhhhhh—!?””””

As the white light fully cleared, the academy trembled with a thunderous roar of cheers.

“We did it! We’re alive! We’re alive!”

“Thank goodness! Oh, thank goodness—!”

Students and guards alike embraced, overcome with joy.

Spreading above Fejite, like a protective membrane, was a mana field glowing a radiant blue, shimmering like a beacon of hope.

It rippled beautifully, asserting its undeniable presence.

“Phew…”

Christoph, overseeing the barrier’s main control, looked up at the sky and sighed in relief.

“Hmph… An expected outcome.”

As if the uproar itself was offensive, Halley snorted irritably.

“Impossible…!”

The demon, trembling with shock and awe, smashed a nearby stone tablet in frustration.

“[Megiddo’s Flame]! The nightmare fire that destroys all! Why!? How are they unscathed!? It can’t be…! Grr…!”

With rough movements, the demon operated the monolith beside the throne, sending analytical magic toward Fejite below. Instantly, the results of the analysis were projected as images above.

The demon froze in further astonishment.

“Th-this is the same as《Shield of the Power Angel》… Could it be!? Did someone recreate the magical formula of the martial artifact I abandoned in Fejite’s skies!? That’s absurd…! Could there really be a magician capable of such a feat!? Impossible…!”

But it was the truth. It had to be acknowledged. This happened because such a person existed.

“However… Hmm… I see… As expected, it’s merely an inferior replica…”

While observing the analytical results projected above, the demon gradually regained composure.

“The barrier is maintained by the magical formulas spread across the four academy buildings… And this inferior force field has no physical interference effect… Meaning, physical objects can pass through it…”

The demon manipulated the monolith once more.

“…Then, I’ll destroy those four academy buildings, neutralize the magical field, and drop [Megiddo’s Flame] again—that’s all it takes.”

Through the demon’s operation, a round door at the bottom of《Ship of Flames》creaked open.

From it, countless spherical objects were released one after another.

As they fell, the spheres restructured like bricks, transforming—and soon, they became flying golem dolls with single eyes on their heads and arms functioning as wings, descending toward the academy buildings.

Meanwhile—

“…It’s begun.”

North of the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy, in the Forest of the Lost.

At a certain open, steep spot on the mountain slope extending from there.

Facing the sight of golem dolls being dropped from《Ship of Flames》and closing in on the academy, Glenn muttered.

“…Are you sure it’s okay? Can the students hold them off?”

To the anxious Glenn, Nameless replied curtly.

“It’s fine. I’ve told you multiple times, haven’t I?《Ship of Flames》was originally a weapon designed to conquer the lands of fools… ordinary human nations ignorant of magic.

Its ground attack power is almost entirely reliant on [Megiddo’s Flame]. The ground suppression forces it carries, though numerous, are of mediocre quality. The guardians deployed in what you call the underground labyrinth,《Tower of Lament》, are far more dangerous.”

“W-Well, if you say so…”

“More importantly, focus. It’s your turn.”

Glenn turned around.

There stood Sistine, Rumia, Re=L.

And… Celica.

“…”

Celica sat in meditation within a magical circle drawn on the mountain slope, her hands forming seals.

Her entire body was covered in patterns drawn with some kind of blood. Her form, gathering the mana of the natural world through meditation, was quietly filled with heightened magical power.

“Hey, Celica. You ready?”

“…Yeah, it was close, but… I can manage.”

Celica opened her eyes slightly, as if attaining enlightenment.

“Let’s begin.”

“Alright…”

With that murmur, Celica began chanting a spell softly.

A high-pitched metallic sound rang out, causing the air around Celica to tremble.

The magical circle where she sat glowed crimson, and rising red light enveloped her as if burning her.

Then, the patterns on her body gradually heated red and began to glow… until her body’s outline melted into the dazzling light, becoming invisible.

Pop, pop, crack…

From a certain moment, Celica’s body began to change with audible sounds.

Her body swelled larger and larger… growing enormous, transforming into something otherworldly.

Eventually, the immense power amassed in her colossal form burst forth, unleashing a shockwave of tremendous force that swept through the surroundings.

“Kuh…!?”

As Glenn and the others clung to the ground, desperately enduring the storm-like winds…

“ROOOOAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR—!”

A terrifying roar shook the air and trembled the soul.

Ah… Glenn couldn’t help but let out a sound.

Before him spread massive wings. Golden scales gleamed brilliantly, searing the eyes. A colossal body like a small mountain, thick limbs like logs. A long neck, sharp, rugged claws, and rows of jagged teeth.

Its legendary majesty—its roar shook the earth, its tail felled giant trees with a single strike. The sound of its gnashing teeth was sharper than steel, and a swipe of its claws could rend the ground.

Before this being, there were no enemies or allies—only those who bowed equally before its overwhelming power.

Let those far away hear its sound. Let those near come and behold it with their eyes.

This merciless embodiment of violence, this child of absolute power that crushed the weak.

This was it—this was a dragon.

The king standing at the pinnacle of all creation.

A myth, a legend, now manifested here before them—

“—It’s not that big a deal, you know?”

As Glenn was overwhelmed by its presence, lost in poetic awe, a somewhat deflated telepathic voice echoed in his head… It was Celica’s voice.

“Shut up, don’t peek into my head! Let me savor this! It’s a dragon, a dragon! No boy wouldn’t get excited about this!”

When Glenn looked up at the fearsome dragon, the golden dragon gazed back at him with strangely charming crimson eyes.

“Still… To think you’d transform into a dragon with [Self-Polymorph]… You’re seriously something else, huh…”

Then, the dragon—Celica in truth—replied telepathically.

“It requires precious dragon blood as a catalyst, and it’s just a hollow shell that can’t use Dragonic Magic. Well, the breath ability and raw power are on par with a mature dragon, at least.”

Normally, transformation magic that alters the body grants the abilities of the transformed form, but Dragonic Magic is a skill and knowledge dragons acquire over their long lives, making it unusable.

“Whatever. As long as you can get us to that damned ship.”

Then, Glenn turned to Sistine and the others and said.

“Alright, let’s go! Now’s our chance! Hurry up and climb onto Celica’s back!”

“Mm, climbing.”

“I know it’s a bit late to ask, but… is this really safe? We won’t get thrown off, right?”

As Celica lowered her body and back, Glenn nimbly leaped on, followed swiftly by Re=L, while Sistine climbed up cautiously.

And then.

“Rumia!”

To Rumia, who was about to climb onto Celica’s back, Nameless called out.

“…Please, don’t forget what I told you last night.”

“…”

At Nameless’s almost pleading words, Rumia paused for a moment… but without turning back, she climbed onto Celica’s back.

“What’s wrong, Rumia?”

“No, it’s nothing. …I’ll do my best.”

Though Glenn asked, Rumia was her usual self, unchanged.

“Glenn!”

Then, Nameless called out to Glenn this time.

“…Please take care of Rumia.”

“…I don’t quite get it, but… leave it to me.”

And then.

“Alright—here we go! Hold on tight!”

Celica spread her massive wings toward the sky—

With inhuman, overwhelming power, she kicked off the ground, flapping her wings forcefully and taking flight.

The tremendous gravity pressing on Glenn and the others, the sudden rush of blood from their heads, the dizzying sensation of floating, and the rapidly shrinking ground below—

“W-WOAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH—!?”

“KYAAAAAHHHHHHHH—!?”

Their pitiful screams were swallowed by the sky as Celica’s unimaginable, overwhelming power carried them upward—

“…I’m counting on you, Glenn. Truly…”

Nameless muttered to no one in particular, watching those heading to the decisive battle in the sky.

Rising—rising—surging upward—

With Glenn and the others on her back, Celica, now a dragon, completely broke free from the chains of gravity, soaring ever higher with overwhelming strength.

Compared to this power and speed, human flight magic seemed so trivial and feeble.

The icy, ferocious wind blasting from above stole their body heat, its intense force making it impossible to keep their eyes open.

Her relentless ascent seemed to know no bounds.

Each powerful flap of Celica’s wings propelled them upward, accelerating their climb.

Had they not enchanted their throats with breathing-assistance magic beforehand, the rapid drop in oxygen levels and air pressure would have quickly caused altitude sickness and breathing difficulties.

“Kuh… ugh…”

As Glenn and the others endured the violent ascent—

“…We’re entering turbulence. I’m going to punch through it!”

The moment Celica’s telepathic voice reached Glenn’s mind,

Celica flapped her wings with exceptional force, pushing Glenn’s body even higher into the sky—

“Guh—!?”

Their vision went white as a storm unlike any before assaulted them. They had plunged into thick clouds swirling with turbulence.

The intensifying wind pressure gradually robbed them of their sense of direction and skin sensation.

Slowly, their consciousness began to fade—

“Hey, don’t give out so soon! Show some grit!”

Clinging desperately to Celica’s back, they held onto her scolding words as their anchor.

Higher. Even higher. Higher still—

The raging wind toyed with their bodies—though in reality, it was likely just a dozen seconds, it felt like an eternity to Glenn and the others—

And then—

—.

—.

Suddenly, their vision cleared.

“—!?”

There stretched an infinite expanse of azure sky.

Below, a carpet of clouds and, far beyond, the landscape of the ground.

Above, a majestic illusory castle reflected the sunlight from the zenith—

A breathtaking panorama of the sky’s domain.

It was a scene that made them feel as if they were at the center of the world.

The biting wind remained cold and fierce, but the stunning vista gripped Glenn’s heart and soul, rendering it trivial.

“…No time to gawk, Glenn.”

As Celica turned her head forward,

Far ahead loomed《Ship of Flames》—the cursed existence that had always looked down on them, now at eye level with them.

In a world dominated only by the howling wind streaming backward and the rhythmic beat of Celica’s powerful wings, Glenn stared straight at it.

“…Here we go…”

As Glenn swallowed hard,

“…!? Hold on tight!”

Celica suddenly warned them, veering into a sharp, high-speed turn.

“WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH—!?”

At that moment, several parts of《Ship of Flames》’s side gleamed red—

Several thick crimson beams of overwhelming heat shot straight toward Celica at high speed.

“WAAAAHHHHHHHH—!?”

Thanks to her quick foresight and evasive trajectory, the beams missed Celica widely, punching large holes through the cumulonimbus clouds behind her—

But the sheer energy of the beams, felt through their eyes and skin up close, was terrifying to imagine being struck heard-on.

“Tch!?《Ship of Flames》’s anti-air fire!?”

As Celica banked sharply, tilting their view 90 degrees, Glenn shouted.

Enhancing his magical vision, he could see what appeared to be magical cannons mounted along the ship’s side.

They seemed to be retractable, with ports opening like doors to reveal the cannons—

“They’re coming again!?”

Sistine’s warning cry came from behind.

Once more, parts of《Ship of Flames》’s side flashed red—

“GYAAAAAHHHHHHHH—!?”

This time, Celica dove sharply before climbing again, dodging the barrage of heat beams.

“Tch… Those things pack more punch than I thought… Like mini versions of [Megiddo’s Flame].”

“What did you say!?”

Glenn let out a dumbfounded yell at Celica’s words.

“This is bad… One hit, and we’re done. Charging in recklessly won’t work.”

“Seriously…? To think《Ship of Flames》had a trump card like that…!?”

According to Christoph, the spatial distortions within《Ship of Flames》made external analysis difficult, leaving many unknowns—but to think it hid something this troublesome.

While they grappled with this, a swarm of tiny, bean-like objects approached from the direction of《Ship of Flames》, filling the sky in overwhelming numbers.

The golem dolls—different from those dropped to the ground, with larger winged arms specialized for flight.

Likely deployed to intercept Celica’s dragon form.

“And now a whole crowd shows up!?”

“Glenn, you’re too loud. Be like Sistine. She’s so quiet.”

“Ugh… I see big stars… munya…”

“She’s just passed out, you idiot! Wake up, White Cat!”

“S-Sistie, hang in there!”

As chaos erupted on Celica’s back,

“Tch… More cannon fire! Hold on tight!”

Celica sent a sharp telepathic warning.

With a single flap of one wing, she entered another ultra-high-speed turn.

The ferocious centrifugal force nearly threw Glenn and the others off—

Countless heat beams streaked past, chasing her tail.

While Celica was preoccupied with dodging the cannon fire,

The swarm of golem dolls closed the distance with Celica’s dragon form.

“Damn… We’re surrounded…! No choice but to fight!”

High in the sky, a fierce aerial battle began—

“KAA—!”

Celica’s dragon form opened its massive jaws, unleashing a fiery breath.

The radiating flames incinerated the swarm of golem dolls ahead in one sweep.

“《O fierce thunder emperor, with the spear of auroral light, pierce through》—!”

Sistine, now awake, unleashed Black Magic [Lightning Pierce].

Lightning bolts struck down the golem dolls approaching from behind Celica’s soaring form, felling them one by one.

“《O silver Ice Wolf, clad in blizzard, charge through》—!”

Glenn’s Black Magic [Ice Blizzard] unleashed a storm of freezing air and ice shards, sweeping aside the flying dolls closing in from the side—

“Mm—”

As they passed through a cloud, Re=L swiftly forged a greatsword from the mist—

“Ei. Attack magic.”

She hurled it with a swing. The greatsword, spinning fiercely, cleaved a flying doll that had nearly reached Celica’s dragon form, soaring off into the distant sky.

“They’re coming again!?”

At that moment, far ahead,《Ship of Flames》’s side flickered red once more—

“Tch—!”

Instantly, Celica’s dragon form spiraled into a barrel roll, swiftly shifting her trajectory to the left.

Several heat beams narrowly grazed her right side.

She tried to close the distance with《Ship of Flames》in one swift flight—

Flicker, flicker, flicker!

The ship’s bombardment showed no sign of stopping.

Countless heat beams closed in as if to strike Celica’s dragon form head-on.

“Ugh, so annoying!”

Flapping her wings, she climbed sharply—

Performing a full loop, she temporarily retreated from the airspace upside-down.

From Glenn’s inverted perspective, the countless heat beams streaked past overhead.

Celica’s dragon form rolled, banking diagonally—then turned, facing《Ship of Flames》head-on again.

But the golem dolls swarmed toward her from all directions once more.

Celica veered into a high-speed turn, trying to shake them off.

“Damn it! We’re not getting any closer!”

Atop Celica’s dragon form, Glenn grits his teeth in frustration.

“At this rate, we’ll be exhausted before we can even break through! We’ve got to do something—!”

‘Sorry… As long as those anti-air cannons are firing, getting close is impossible. Glenn, what’s the plan?’

“Tch…”

Glenn peers through his magical vision, gazing at the distant《Ship of Flames》.

The gun ports on the side of the《Ship of Flames》’ hull are fitted with sliding doors, opening only for the brief moment they unleash their heat rays before slamming shut again. This makes it impossible to take them out with magic sniping.

(Damn it…! What do we do…!?)

Transformation magic consumes a vast amount of mana, even more so for a formidable entity like a dragon.

If this drags on, Celica will eventually run out of time, forcing them to retreat without accomplishing anything… A burning sense of urgency scorches Glenn’s back.

—It was at that moment.

A single streak of light, blazing straight upward from the ground, catches the corner of Glenn’s vision.

“—Sensei, what was that!?”

“Yeah… That was… [Lightning Pierce]…? Who in the world…?”

For a moment, Glenn stares blankly at the lingering afterimage of the thunderbolt that shot into the sky…

Then, as if something clicks into place, he grins and says,

“…Celica, I’ve got a favor to ask.”

‘What is it?’

“From now on, fly exactly as I tell you. …You might think I’ve lost my mind… but trust me.”

‘…Kukuku…’

In the deepest part of the《Ship of Flames》—a control room resembling a throne chamber.

The demon gazes at the image of the sky projected above, smirking smugly.

To think that mere fools of the mortal realm would dare to invade the skies with such audacity.

The sight feels oddly familiar, momentarily catching the demon off guard.

But once the demon calms down and operates the fire-control monolith beside the throne, unleashing anti-air barrages, the dragon predictably flounders, unable to approach the ship, scrambling pathetically.

According to the memories of the Demon General Star, in the distant past, a mage had attempted to assault this ship with a similar strategy. Humans never change. What a ridiculous notion.

‘Kukuku… Soon enough, they’ll grow desperate from being unable to get close and charge in recklessly… Just like before.’

The moment the demon smirks with that thought,

The image above shows the golden dragon flapping its wings powerfully, charging straight toward the《Ship of Flames》.

‘Hmph, see? …A perfect target.’

The demon manipulates the fire-control monolith, aligning all the magic cannons mounted on the《Ship of Flames》toward the golden dragon in unison.

‘Hah… You can’t dodge them all… It’s over.’

The demon traces mana-infused letters onto the monolith, issuing the firing command—

“Here it comes—!”

‘Tch! If I die, you’re taking responsibility, got it!?’

The instant the magic cannons fire, Celica’s dragon form shifts from its fierce charge into a high-speed turn, as per Glenn’s instructions.

With the dragon’s tremendous power, it forcibly tilts its trajectory 90 degrees to starboard.

The barrage of heat rays chases after Celica’s dragon form, relentless in pursuit.

The heat rays slice through the clouds trailing from the dragon’s tail, flashing past one after another.

“N-no good! They’re catching up!”

Sistine lets out a scream.

The heat rays, streaking by in succession, close in on Celica with each shot.

Soon, they begin grazing the tip of her tail, then the base—

“W-we’re done for—!”

As the heat from the massive heat rays grows close enough to feel on their skin—

‘Damn… Is this it…!?’

When a heat ray finally grazes her underbelly, Celica braces for death—

The next shot, certain to shoot them down, is inevitable.

Sistine and the others brace themselves—at that very moment.

“…Huh?”

The final, fatal shot—never comes.

‘What…? A misfire?’

As everyone blinks in confusion,

“Kukuku… I figured they’d pull it off, but man, what a bunch of idiots.”

Glenn, alone, chuckles with a knowing grin.

On the ground—

Slightly removed from the front lines at the Alzano Imperial Magic Academy’s campus—

Atop the academy’s tallest structure, the transfer tower, a group gathers.

A select few—around a dozen—handpicked through a rigorous selection process, including Cecil, a male student from Glenn’s class, and Heinkel, a second-year student whose grades rival Sistine’s. This is the support sniping team.

“…”

Leading them, Albert glares sharply at the sky.

Albert carries an unusual staff.

It’s a massive staff, taller than a person, resembling a rifle in shape. Its surface is etched with countless runes, and a small hexagonal indentation on the side holds a magic crystal.

Albert holds the staff like a rifle, aiming it toward the distant sky.

The surrounding students stare at him, wide-eyed and dumbfounded.

“Report. …Hurry up.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

Spurred by Albert’s curt command, Cecil hurriedly refocuses on his far-seeing magic to confirm.

“H-hit confirmed. The leftmost cannon is destroyed!”

“I see…”

Albert pulls a lever on the side of the staff.

The depleted magic crystal pops out, and he slots in a new one.

(Glenn flew at a constant speed horizontally relative to the cannons… Thanks to their straightforward, predictable barrage, I’ve gauged the lag between the gun ports opening and firing… With one hit, I’ve calculated the distance, angle, and time to impact… I’ve got all the data I need.)

Raising the staff overhead again, a blinding blue light begins to gather at its tip in a spherical form.

“In that case—Easy.”

The moment Albert mutters this, a thick blue laser beam shoots from the staff’s tip, streaking straight into the sky.

This staff is Albert’s magic sniping weapon, reserved for truly critical moments.

Its name: Magic Staff《Blue Lightning》.

Its function is simple: it amplifies the power of magic sniping spells to their absolute limit.

Designed for anti-material rather than anti-personnel use, Albert had applied for permission to bring this staff, kept under compressed freezing, when departing from the capital for this mission.

The blue flash Albert unleashes becomes a meteor soaring through the sky, vanishing into the clouds—

“…Report.”

Having fired the《Blue Lightning》, Albert removes the spent magic crystal without checking the result, slots in a new one, and calmly prepares for the next shot.

“Y-yes, sorry! The cannon next to the last one—hit and destroyed!”

“Good.”

From then on, it’s pure routine.

Albert fires shot after shot into the sky, swapping magic crystals and firing again.

The stunned students, watching through far-seeing magic, see every shot hit its mark.

The《Ship of Flames》’ magic cannons are destroyed one by one.

The sniping window is a mere instant when the gun ports open to fire their heat rays. Predicting which port will open and when is nearly impossible, and there’s a slight lag between firing and impact, making the task extraordinarily difficult.

But—

“Hmph… The cannons’ firing pattern is monotonous… Plus, Glenn’s expertly baiting their shots. Reading them is simple. I could hit them with my eyes closed. …Easy.”

Albert anticipates every move, landing shots with prophetic precision.

Cecil feels a shiver run through him at the sight of Albert’s prowess.

(Incredible…! Sure, Albert-san assigned me as a spotter, but… this guy doesn’t even need me! What an amazing person…!)

Thanks to Glenn’s guidance, Cecil’s talent for magic sniping is slowly blossoming, making him all the more aware—many times over—of just how extraordinary Albert’s skill is.

Cecil has no particular desire to join the military or become a magic soldier.

But hitting a distant target with precision—a feat that pure magical knowledge alone can’t achieve, a kind of artistry honed to perfection, its beauty—

He can’t help but admire it like a child in awe.

“What… is that…?”

Buffeted by the wind atop Celica’s dragon form, Sistine stands in stunned disbelief.

Countless blue thunderbolts rise from the ground, relentlessly pummeling the《Ship of Flames》.

Its gun ports are being systematically crushed, one after another.

Undoubtedly, unmistakably, this is Albert’s doing.

But this isn’t a feat Albert could pull off alone.

“Alright, Celica, let’s try starboard next! It’s fine, it’s fine, I swear!”

‘Hey, you! Spare a thought for me here!’

Glenn expertly guides Celica’s dragon form, deliberately stepping into the《Ship of Flames》’ firing range.

And when the《Ship of Flames》can’t resist and opens its gun ports—

At that precise moment, Albert’s blue thunderbolt streaks in, destroying the magic cannon.

The wordless coordination between Glenn and Albert completely overwhelms the《Ship of Flames》.

(That [Lightning Pierce] earlier was Albert-san’s signal… To think they could pull off this level of teamwork with just that…)

To begin with, the《Ship of Flames》’ anti-air barrage was an unforeseen problem.

Yet, they’ve handled it with this flawless, improvised response… Sistine feels a mix of exasperation and, for some reason, intense frustration.

And then—

“Alright! We’ve smashed all the gun ports! No idea who did it, but nice work!”

Glenn grins widely.

‘…So, what now, Glenn?’

As Celica shakes her head, the airspace around the《Ship of Flames》swarms with countless golem dolls.

But the answer is already clear.

“Heh… Without those cannons, that junk heap’s ours…”

Standing tall and majestic atop Celica’s back—

“Charge—!”

“H-hey! Don’t pose so dramatically, it’s dangerous, Sensei!”

Sistine snaps at Glenn, who roars and points toward the《Ship of Flames》in the distance.

‘Hmph… Time for the final big job, then—!’

Celica’s dragon form flaps its wings powerfully, its massive body accelerating rapidly.

Awaiting them is a swarm of golem dolls rushing to intercept.

Plunging into their midst, scattering them head-on—

Glenn and the others charge straight toward the《Ship of Flames》.