Extreme Flame Wizard

“Who was that just now?”

“That was our informant on the Elves’ side.”

The [Demon Race] girl answers the Marionette’s question as she stares into the crystal ball.

“Marionette. Your face looks awful. Is the Mission going as planned?”

“Yeah…...Somehow. ……..that really took a toll on me.”

“The [Quasi-Magic]? Of course it would. How much grudges and curses do you think was stuffed in that?”

“Yeah, I totally underestimated it.”

The Marionette’s sticks his tongue out and smiles, but his face looks paler than usual.

He’s even refrained from the cigarette he would always have in his mouth.

“Were there three [Extreme]’s? Oh, but one got away, right?”

“Yes, my apologies. But the other two are trapped completely.”

“Make sure they can’t escape.”

“That was my intention from the start～”

And with that the Marionette laughs awkwardly.

“But that girl just now, she was so cute.”

The Marionette stares into the crystal ball as he makes the comment and laughs.

Just before, there was a picture of a young Elf girl who had a pained expression on her face.

“Do you like them young?”

“No, it’s not that. She doesn’t realize that she experienced love at first sight…….but in order to help resolve this [inexplicable] feeling inside of her, she was willing to give us intel on the Elves’ [Extreme] so we can capture her. How innocent of her.”

“Just hearing you talk about love makes me cringe.”

“Harsh～”

“But in any case, it’s easy to manipulate someone in love or holding a grudge.”

The [Demon Race] girl shrugs as she makes the comment.

“Scary, scary. You really are like the Devil.”

“I am a Devil.”

As they chat casually, the 3rd person in the room wakes up.

“...........where am I?”

“Oh, good morning. Glad to see you’re awake, Miss [Saint].”

Rose: “You…..you’re the Marionette!”

“You remembered me? How sweet. You’ll make a old man like me cry with such sentiment.”

The Marionette takes out a cigarette as he says so, and plucks one into his mouth.

Rose: “And……...you are…..”

Rose inhales sharply seeing the girl sitting down.

Rose: “A [Demon Race]......”

“That’s right.”

Her silvery hair waves as she stares back at Rose.

Rose has to make an effort to resist the mysterious eyes of the girl, but they both continue to stare at one another.

“Oh, we haven’t even properly introduced ourselves yet. I am Kuro. I am working to resurrect our Great [Demon King].”

Rose: “Resurrect….? The [Demon King]? That’s impossiーー”

Kuro: “I can’t blame you for thinking that way, but have you forgotten? In the [Ancient Spells], we studied the Spells concerning Dead Spirits - [Necromancy].”

Rose: “........the abhorring Spell that toys with the souls of the dead.”

Kuro: “That’s a terrible way to put it～ It’s a wonderful Spell that gives Spirits a chance of a lifetime to come back to the present world to complete their revenge and fulfill all their grudges ♪”

Rose: “What would you accomplish by resurrecting the [Demon King]?!”

Kuro: “It’s the right of any [Demon Race] kin to seek revenge, you know? I haven’t done anything to deserve it. My kin hasn’t done anything to deserve it. So why should we be persecuted all this time?”

Rose: “That’s because the [Demon Race] sided with the [Demon King] during the Great War…..”

Kuro: “But that WASN’T us.”

Kuro taunts Rose with a malicious laugh very much like her [Demon Race] appearance.

Kuro: “Or is the Great [Saint] saying that children of criminals should be prosecuted as criminals as well?”

Rose: “That’s not true!”

Kuro: “But the humans do. And it’s not just humans. The [Beast Race], the Elves, and the Dwarves do not think any differently. And that’s why we continue to be persecuted.”

Rose: “................” Kuro: “That’s why I’m going to ask for a wish from the [Demon King].”

Rose remained silent after Kuro’s words…

Kuro: “<IT CAN’T BE HELPED>”

Kuro laughs with deep resignation.

Kuro: “My life was already determined from the moment I was born. I’m from the [Demon Race] so no matter what I do, I can’t ever live happily beneath the sun.”

Rose: “You……..”

Kuro: “Miss [Saint], you and I are very similar.”

Kuro approaches very close to Rose.

Kuro: “You also accepted your fate that was already determined for you.”

Rose: “...........”

Kuro: “So that’s why I want you to give up. I don’t have any intention of giving up my pursuits.”

Rose: “Igni will come.”

Kuro: “?” Rose: “Igni will most certainly come to save me. Igni and I are tied together by destiny.”

Kuro: “Yes, I’m sure he’ll come.”

Kuro spats out the fact as if it means nothing to her.

Kuro: “But it’s not like we’re not preparing something special for him either.”

<<<<>>>>

Yoori: “Igni! Go right at the next corner!!”

Igni: “Understood!”

Floria: “I’ll lead the way.”

As they chase behind the [Dark Soul Cloud], the group runs through the Marionette’s [Workshop] where the layout was designed like a labyrinth.

Floria: “There’s a trap!”

Floria guides the group and lowers her head as a metal spike thrusts right over her head.

Igni: “Thank you so much!”

Floria: “Of course, I am an [Extreme] after all.”

At the next turn, the [Dark Soul Cloud] is hovering in place as if to wait for the group to come around.

Igni: (It’s such a clever Spell～).

Igni: (I wonder if my {Fireball} would ever become that clever～)

Pointless thoughts cross Igni’s mind.

Igni: “A straight pathway?”

Floria: “Maybe…..a trap?”

After making the last turn, the hallway stretched straight down for about 30 meters (100 ft).

There is a faint glow from the ground that is lighting the path.

Floria: “I will go ahead of and run through the hallway first.”

Igni: “Please be careful.”

As soon as Floria runs down the 30 meter (100 ft) hallway…

<WHOOSH!!!>

The roof came crashing down!!

Igni: “Miss Floria!”

Floria: “[Strong Stream] {Hard Water}”

<SNAP!!!!>

And with an incredible sound of impact, the roof pauses in place.

Looking closely, a pillar of water was in between the ground and the roof.

Floria: “Sir Igni, please run through while I hold this.”

Igni: “ThーThank you so much.”

While Floria held the roof in place, Igni and his group ran quickly past.

Igni: “We’re through. Let’s go.” Floria: “Yes.”

The two give short exchanges.

Igni: (Yoori’s face is turning pale with fear, but he should still be okay. She….I mean, HE is still a student of the [Rolmod Wizard Academy].)

The three continue to follow after the [Dark Soul Cloud]’s guidance, and they reach a certain room.

Igni: “It’s an unusually spacious room.”

Yoori: “It reminds me of a Combat Training Room.”

Igni: “Yeah, now that you say that, it does.”

It’s at least 50 meters (54 yards) long and wide.

The roof is 30 meters (100 ft) high.

“Hey, I’ve been waiting for you.”

At the center of the room was the Marionette.

Igni: “Where is Rose?!”

At Igni’s question, the Marionette exhales a long smoke from his cigarette.

“She’s in the back.”

The next moment, a water bullet pierces the Marionette’s body.

“So quick to engage as always, [Extreme] of [Water].”

The dirt that composed the Marionette’s body crumbles to the floor.

In other words, it was a fake made from a Golem.

Floria: “It’s a decoy. Let’s keep going.”

“Oh, I’m not letting you go further.”

As the Marionette’s voice echoes into the air, the ground envelopes the doorway and closes it shut.

“Unless you beat me, I have no intention of letting you pass through.”

Floria: “Such a tiresome man……..!!”

Floria mumbles to herself.

“Igni, the [Extreme] of [Water]. I have a question for you.”

“ “....................... ” ”

“Can an ordinary person defeat an [Extreme]?”

The two stop at the Marionette’s words.

“Today, I will prove to youーーthat it's possibly.”

The Marionette raises both his arms.

From the ground, countless Golems emerge.

Igni: “<IT’S POSSIBLE>.”

Without even giving a second glance to the Golems, one young man answers him back.

Igni: “An ordinary person can beat an [Extreme].”

“You say that as though you’ve won against an [Extreme] before, Igni.”

Igni: “<I HAVE>.”

Igni takes a step forward.

Igni: “Even if you can only use one Spell, you can winーーas long as <YOU MASTER THAT SPELL>.”

“...........................”

Igni: “I am proof of that.”

And with that, the battle began.