Chapter 38: Decisive Battle! Forming an Alliance with Aldebaran

“…Well, it seems like Irine had a premonition last night.”

The next morning.

I shared the vision I saw—the one where this town is destroyed—with the entire party.

“So? What are you going to do, Karl?”

“Sorry, Maika. If the town’s going to get hit, I’m staying to fight. …What about you?”

“Ugh, I knew you’d say that. That’s why I made such a fuss yesterday.”

Maika puffed out her cheeks and glared at Karl.

It stung a little. I’d made a request without considering how Maika felt.

“I’m staying too. Not like there’s a whole lot I can do, but still.”

“That’s reassuring. Thanks!”

“Jeez… seriously, you big idiot.”

Karl gave her a wide smile, and Maika gave him a light jab in response.

“Sorry, Maika. I’m the one who asked him.”

“…Whatever. It’s Karl’s decision, right?”

Even as she said that, Maika glanced at me and turned her face away with a huff.

She clearly still had thoughts about it.

“Alright then, with the change in plans, the decisive battle’s happening tomorrow. Lev, Master—are you two good with that?”

“The lady’s already on board. I don’t exactly have veto power here.”

“…I planned to follow Karl’s lead anyway. If he says fight, I’ll fight.”

“Appreciate it. But I’ll be at the frontlines, so don’t push yourselves. Irine, you stay in a safe spot and blast ‘em with spirit cannons. Everyone else, protect Irine.”

Everyone nodded at Karl’s instructions.

Last time, the spirit cannon didn’t work, but that was without my staff. With it, I might be able to blow away a few of the demons.

“But still, that means…”

The others didn’t have the firepower I did. Which meant they’d have to protect me. And even then, I’d only be able to take out a few of the demons myself.

And Karl… would charge into the enemy ranks alone.

“So basically, we’re just Karl’s sidekicks.”

“Th-That’s not true!”

Honestly, with roles like this, it was tempting to say Karl could just do everything on his own.

“Karl tends to lose sight of his surroundings when he charges in, so we’ll handle the retreat signals from the back. We’ll shoot up flares, so don’t miss them.”

“G-Got it. I’m counting on you, Maika.”

“The other hero’s a mage, right? If you get caught up in his spells, it’s game over. Don’t go too deep. Our priority is minimizing damage to the town.”

She’s got a point. We’re the ones in a safe position, so it’s on us to judge when to pull back.

From what I’ve heard, Aldebaran is a pretty skilled mage. If Karl pushes in too far, he might actually get in the way of any area-of-effect spells.

“By the way, did the goddess say anything?”

“…Nothing last night. Maybe she’s mad at me.”

“I’m sure she understands.”

The goddess, huh… If Irine’s premonition is right, then this town, Youin, is going to be reduced to ash.

And there’s no way a goddess wouldn’t be able to foresee that. She foresaw the last town’s attack and sent Karl.

Which means she’s choosing to abandon Youin, even knowing what’s coming.

It’s like dealing with a cold, bureaucratic office—“That’s not my department.”

Maybe each goddess has her own assigned region or something. And Youin just happens to be under Aldebaran’s goddess.

Maybe that’s why our goddess, Sefa, is trying to keep Karl away—because this isn’t her jurisdiction?

“…Hah.”

Maybe I’m overthinking it. More likely, she just doesn’t want to cooperate with an enemy.

The idea that gods protect humanity based on some kind of bureaucratic zoning system… yeah, I’d rather not believe that.

“Well, let’s prep our gear and rest up for tomorrow.”

“I’ll go let Lady Yuri know, too.”

Either way, I’m ready to fight.

For Yuri. For the people who live here.

“Alright, everyone—let’s give it our all.”

With those words, I clenched my fist in determination.

---

“…I see.”

Aldebaran’s face darkened. She glared at me, frustration simmering in her eyes.

“So in the end, I couldn’t protect Yowin on my own, could I?”

“Ah, well, that’s not— I mean, prediction magic isn’t absolute…”

“But it wasn’t just any prediction,” she cut in sharply. “Irine saw a spirit’s prophecy. That’s not something you can doubt.”

I had come to explain everything to Aldebaran directly. With Karl involved, we couldn’t risk him getting caught in the crossfire. She had to know why we weren’t evacuating.

“…Truly pathetic of me.”

“Wh-what? Wait—Yowin is really going to burn down!?”

“That’s what the vision showed.”

Aldebaran looked genuinely shaken. After all, my prophecy wasn’t just predicting the city’s fall—it was telling her she would lose.

Her pride must have taken a hit. The disappointment in her eyes said everything.

“I see. If that’s the future you saw, then I can’t very well ask you to leave.”

“What kind of enemy are we even talking about? No offense, but I can’t picture our boss losing to anyone.”

“It looked like a humanoid mage. I didn’t get a good look—it was from far away.”

“A mage, huh…”

One of Aldebaran’s companions grimaced at that. If I remembered right, he was the pervy old man who once invited me to bed.

“You’re saying Al lost to a mage? Hard to believe there’s a magician out there stronger than her.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean… maybe I’m overthinking this, but… it was a fire mage, right?”

“Yes, they were using fire. Wait… fire?”

Flames. That mage had been cloaked in a swirling inferno, and the town of Yowin had been swallowed in a sea of fire—

“Ahh!? Wait, wait—don’t tell me that was… Aldebaran-san!?”

“Eh—me!? Don’t be ridiculous!”

“L-Lea… Leader!? D-Don’t tell me you’ve been working with the demons all along!?”

“Al’s a demon…? Well, now that you mention it, her magical aura is kind of…”

“No it’s not! I didn’t do it!!”

Wait a second—she does call herself the ‘Hero of Flame,’ and she does specialize in fire magic…

Don’t tell me… the one who burned down Yowin was this woman!?

“If we take her down right now, we might still be able to save Yowin—!”

“Stop it, Irine! Don’t you dare raise your fists at me!”

“Also, you’re a mage! Why are you using your fists? Use your staff!”

“Al… so you were the traitor after all. Then let me end this—my spear will be swift.”

“I wasn’t!! Radzikka, you bastard, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you!?”

Aldebaran flailed, eyes wide, shaking her head in panicked denial.

The pervy old man drew his spear with a sorrowful look, while the young mage stood frozen in wide-eyed disbelief.

Unforgivable. How dare she—how dare this woman burn Yowin to ash.

“Let’s think logically—how many mages in the world could burn down an entire town? Not many.”

“It wouldn’t be me! I’m a hero! A protector of humanity!”

“…I don’t believe Al would do such a thing either. Radzikka, what exactly are you suggesting?”

“You get it, don’t you? I’m saying—what if it wasn’t her? What if it was mind control? Or a demon parasite?”

…Huh? Mind control? Parasites?

“Gross. What kind of demon does that?”

“There are records. Old texts mention demons capturing powerful warriors and brainwashing them into fighting for their side.”

“……Ah.”

“When I think of a fire mage strong enough to burn a city, the only name that comes to mind is Aldebaran. So maybe what Irine saw wasn’t her—it was her under demon control.”

“M-Me… brainwashed…?”

Demons can do that? That’s horrifying. The idea of the strongest hero turning traitor—it gave me chills.

“Al got brainwashed…? No way! That’s bad! That’s seriously bad!”

“Hm. Not impossible.”

“If our leader turns against us, we’re done for. I’m out. I’ll run off with my beloved—just the two of us, eloping in the name of love!”

“No.1, I know who you mean by beloved. It’s me, isn’t it—OW!”

A slap rang out as the rabbit-masked girl smacked him across the face.

So that guy’s the straight man of the group… who would’ve thought?

“Anyway,” Aldebaran muttered, “if I really was brainwashed and used like that… it’s a possibility we have to take seriously.”

“Al getting brainwashed… and then wearing a revealing villain outfit… No! That’s totally wrong!!”

“Shut up! Puberty doesn’t give you a pass to spout garbage, you damn closet perv!”

“I’m not a perv!”

Smack! Another crisp slap. The rabbit girl’s hand moved fast.

At least they’re consistent in their chaos.

“Anyway, we’ll begin prepping anti-brainwashing measures. Thanks for the warning, Irine.”

“Of course. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Our only goal is defeating the demons. Don’t expect friendliness outside that.”

With a huff, Aldebaran turned her back.

“…But don’t die, Irine von Weltmund.”

“Obviously.”

She’s got her own responsibilities, her own burdens as a hero. And I’m stuck in the middle of their power games.

Tch. Being the sane one is exhausting.

---

—The next morning.

“Ugh.”

“Ah.”

Our group—Karl, myself, and the others—ran straight into Aldebaran out on the outskirts of town.

“Hey, this is where the demon army’s expected to hit, right? You lot should back off. A mage like you should be hiding in the rear lines.”

“That’s my line. Swordsmen are only good up close—let me handle the first strike.”

We’d anticipated this area becoming the battlefield. Yuri’s foresight had shown us stationed in the southwestern outskirts.

It made tactical sense. The “Forest of Mana” stretches out in that direction—an ideal route for the enemy to approach undetected compared to the other paths.

So we took up a watch here, only to find Aldebaran had the same idea.

“My goddess instructed me to fortify this position.”

“So they really are coming from this direction…”

Looks like Aldebaran’s team had also tracked the demon army’s movement and chosen the same spot. A complete overlap.

“……”

“……”

Before we knew it, Aldebaran and I stood shoulder to shoulder.

A girl with blazing red hair dressed in deep crimson, and a rather average-looking male adventurer.

Our goddesses might not see eye to eye, but we’re comrades-in-arms, facing a common enemy. Who cares if we double-booked the site?

“Didn’t I just tell you to move somewhere else? Unless you want your whole party blown to pieces, I suggest you listen.”

“Oh, come on. If you plan to harm anyone in my group, don’t think I’ll just stand by.”

“Heh. You think you can stop my rapid-fire incantations?”

“At this range? Before you finish a single spell, I’ll have already cut you down.”

…Wait a minute. These two are way more aggressive than I expected.

“Hey! This is not the time to be picking fights—we’re about to face the demon army!”

“She’s right, Al, cool it.”

“I am calm. The problem is that idiot over there.”

“I refuse to stand down unless this woman promises she won’t harm my allies.”

…Okay, seriously—why do they already hate each other?

Is this what Yuri meant when she said they’re “fundamentally incompatible”?

“Enough bickering, Aldebaran, Karl,” Yuri suddenly cut in, stepping between them. “Personally, I’d rather keep you two where I can see you. Isn’t it a rare treat to witness two heroes causing chaos side by side?”

“…Yuri?”

Finally fed up with the pettiness, Yuri stepped forward to mediate. Thank goodness. She had connections to both parties and could serve as the neutral bridge here.

“Wait—Yuri!? Why are you here!?” Aldebaran cried. “Karl! Why on earth did you bring a child to the battlefield!?”

“I didn’t! I told her to go home—like, five times! She just wouldn’t listen!”

As soon as Yuri peeked out from behind us, Aldebaran exploded.

Totally fair. Dragging a kid into a battlefield sounds insane.

“This isn’t a playground, Yuri! Why would you follow this fake hero!?”

“Isn’t it obvious? This is the latest chapter in the Hero’s Legend. As a scholar, I have to witness it firsthand. Fear not—I shall chronicle every detail for the sake of posterity.”

“She’s just here to sightsee.”

“You idiot!! Go back home, Yuri! Do you want to die!?”

Aldebaran’s scolding was fierce—and justified. A battlefield is no place for someone chasing academic curiosity.

We’d told her as much ourselves, but she kept insisting:

“Still, wouldn’t it be useful to have someone in the rear lines who can see the future?”

“…Huh?”

“I haven’t mastered interfering with fate directly. But if I relay my visions to Irine, we can alter the outcome.”

Now that she brought it up… having Yuri in the back could be a huge asset.

She’d be safely away from the frontlines with the rest of us, and if she spotted danger ahead of time, we might actually avoid it.

“I’m not one to withhold help when it comes to defending my city. And besides, I trust you’ll protect me if things go sideways—won’t you?”

“…So yeah, that’s how she is.”

“Yuri, you'd better be ready. You do realize you might die here, right?”

“I’m not prepared for death—but I am ready to risk my life in the pursuit of truth. Knowledge worth dying for is knowledge worth sharing.”

Yuri was serious. Her sense of justice, her thirst for insight—it wasn’t for show. She genuinely wanted to help defend the city.

And honestly? A future-seer might be our most powerful weapon.

So, in the end, we caved and let Yuri join the formation.

“…Sigh. You’d better protect her, fake hero.”

“Don’t need to tell me twice.”

Though really, Karl was the one rushing into danger. The rest of us would be the ones shielding her.

Still, our frontline was thin… Maybe we could quietly nudge her over toward Aldebaran’s group and let them cover her.

“Um, you’re Karl, right? I’m Inon, the swordsman in Hero Al’s party.”

“Huh? Oh—uh, nice to meet you.”

While I was plotting that little tactical swap, the most normal-looking guy in Aldebaran’s group came over and bowed politely.

He seemed like the peacemaker type.

“The grumpy spear guy is Radzikka. The youngest one, the little mage? That’s Kichou.”

“Sup. Looking forward to working with you.”

“H-Hello…!”

Right, introductions. We didn’t even know their names until now.

“And the two wearing masks are…”

“The Blade of Judgment who melts into the night! Rabbit Warrior No. 1—slayer of wicked illusions!”

“The Tracker who dashes through the shadows! Rabbit Warrior No. 2—always creeping, always watching!”

“…That’s what they said.”

“…Isn’t No. 2 just a stalker?”

There was way too much pointless information in their introductions. Yeah—these people were definitely not right in the head.

“Anyway, picking up where we left off, I still think it’s best if we put some distance between our formations.”

“Uh, sure…”

“Kichou and Usagi are both mages, and their spells have pretty wide ranges. Since we haven’t coordinated our tactics with your group, there’s a real chance you’ll get caught in the crossfire.”

“…Wait, that bunny-mask girl’s a mage? I thought you said she was a warrior?”

“Well, technically she is. But also, she’s completely out of her mind.”

“I see. That tracks.”

“Who are you calling out of their mind, you fake pretty boy!?”

You, obviously.

“It’s not that we dislike you,” the swordsman continued. “We just want to avoid friendly fire. Let’s each take some space and wait for the enemy to come to us.”

“Hmph. Put like that, I guess it makes sense…”

“How about this? We’ll split the incoming demons evenly—your group handles one half, we take the other. As long as we don’t get in each other’s way, we’re less likely to earn the goddess’s wrath.”

“Fine by me.”

So much for forming a united front. And they had more melee fighters, too…

Oh well. I’ll just fight hand-to-hand. Not exactly ladylike for a noblewoman—but desperate times, right?

“You heard them, everyone. Let’s reposition.”

“…Agreed. How about we each move a hundred steps in opposite directions—east and west?”

“That sounds reasonable.”

In the end, we went along with the plan proposed by the handsome swordsman. Karl and Aldebaran turned away from each other, ready to part.

We’d walk a hundred paces straight out from this spot. That would be the divide.

And just like that, we split from Aldebaran’s group—

“…Hm?”

The moment I turned my back, a chill ran down my spine. Something felt wrong—deep in the magical forest.

“…Irine? Is something the matter?”

“There’s magical turbulence. Sakura-san, do you feel it too?”

“Oh yeah. That’s enemy presence, no doubt about it.”

Even Sakura, another mage, had sensed it.

The air had shifted. There was tension—raw, magical pressure—and something darker. A creeping presence seeping from the depths of the woods.

“There’s a huge magical signature forming… Al, what do you think?”

“Mmm? No… that can’t be…”

Even Aldebaran and her team had stopped moving, their eyes narrowing at the overwhelming surge of magic.

This wasn’t like the demons we’d fought before. This was something else—something massive.

“…What…?”

I found myself staring, frozen, at the direction the magic was pouring from.

For a moment, the maelstrom of power went still.

Then—it erupted.

A massive surge of magic flared up from deep within the forest, expanding rapidly.

“────re.”

My entire body tensed. It felt like a noose of death had wrapped around my nerves, pulling tight.

“Hide.”

Aldebaran’s voice was barely a whisper, pale-faced and trembling. Then suddenly—

“EVERYONE—GET BEHIND ME!!!”

She rushed to the front, staff raised, red gem glowing like a warning beacon.

I could only gape for a moment, stunned, before the realization struck me.

“Wait, Al!? What are you—”

“Karl! Behind Aldebaran, now!!”

“Wh—uh, r-right!”

No way… That magical swell from the forest—it couldn’t be…

It was too far. That kind of reach shouldn’t be possible.

“What? What’s going on!? Is something bad happening!?”

“It’s the magic! There’s an insane amount of it coming from deep inside the forest!!”

I recognized this kind of magical pattern. Any trained mage would.

But the distance—it was absurd. Whatever it was, it was originating from at least ten kilometers away. Maybe more.

And yet… this pressure… this rhythm of flow…

“Then what’s coming!?”

“This magic… there’s no doubt—it's the signature of a long-range bombardment spell────!!”

Yes. That was a fundamental spell—basic magic that every mage learns.

You gather the swirling mana, expand it, then release. That sequence just now was textbook offensive casting.

But normally, the range is short. Even my so-called high-level spell, Spirit Cannon, only reaches a few dozen meters at best.

So how? Could someone really fire a long-range artillery spell from tens of kilometers away?

“En, flames. En, blaze. En, burn. En, heat. Spirits of fire who gather before me, deliver your merciless judgment!”

Aldebaran stood firm, sweat beading on her brow as she chanted. She faced forward, shielding us and the others behind her, her full concentration locked onto the spell.

“O hammer of dragons, divine sentence of gods, may the frenzy of scorching hellfire bring down a cleansing inferno upon this world—”

The spirits around her began to resonate in harmony. The density of mana swelling around her was unreal—something I couldn’t replicate no matter how hard I tried.

“Empress of twilight, atone for your sins. Wretched dark steed, ignite your oil with hellfire and be reduced to ash!”

So this... this is Aldebaran’s power.

A stupidly vast reservoir of mana—enough that even the combined forces of humanity might not stand a chance. And more than that, her total command over it. That’s what makes her a real mage.

This is the Hero of Hellfire—

Suddenly, a beam of light ignited deep in the forest.

A colossal surge of magic—utterly incomprehensible—raced forward in a straight line like a laser, aimed directly at Yowin.

Gods, how pathetic. Compared to that, my Spirit Cannon is a water pistol.

That firepower. That scale of destruction.

The aurora-colored beam tore through the forest, obliterating everything in its path as it hurtled toward us—

“Ooooooh! Let the curtain of carnage rise! Flame God Overlord: Aldo Break!!”

The explosion that followed came from Aldebaran—a red-haired girl radiating fury and brilliance.

“Wh-What is this? Am I dreaming?”

“Please don’t ask me, Sakura-san.”

Ah… This feeling—I’ve felt it before.

That overwhelming absurdity. That distance between us. A hero so far beyond my reach, no matter how hard I try. Someone truly blessed by the gods.

“Guh—ghhh—wh-what power! Even I’m being pushed back…!”

“Al! Hang in there!!”

The enemy’s magic was already absurd. To fire something that far—tens of kilometers? That alone was ridiculous.

And now Aldebaran was facing it down. Alone. Spell for spell. How?

“Agh—ghaaaahhh!!”

Even Aldebaran was reaching her limit. It was obvious. Matching something like that with pure strength was borderline suicidal.

But—she was doing it. And she was winning.

The aurora blast was thinning. Fading.

“Aaah… aaAAAAHHHH!!”

Aldebaran let out a final scream. The flames from her staff began to dim, shifting from brilliant red to pale ash.

Then—silence.

Both spells unraveled. The magic from the depths of the forest dissipated. And Aldebaran, soaked in sweat and trembling, dropped to her knees.

“Hah… haah… D-Did we… stop it?”

“Are you alright, Aldebaran!? Here, drink—take this mana potion! Quickly, restore yourself!”

“Ahh… Thanks, Inon…”

Somehow, we made it through. That was the impression we got as we looked at Aldebaran, who was down on one knee and being supported by her comrades.

The enemy was probably a mage. And not just any mage—one on par with Aldebaran in sheer power.

They never showed themselves and attacked us from a distance. No, to be precise, their original plan might have been to “burn the town to the ground before anyone could even detect the ambush.”

“…Ah, magical energy—”

“A second shot!? Don’t tell me they’re already ready to fire again!?”

And once again, massive mana began to swirl deep within the forest.

Aldebaran hadn’t even fully recovered yet, and the enemy was already preparing their second blast.

“Ggh, all of you, get behind me! Irine, aim your Spirit Cannon at that bastard and fire!”

“U-Understood. But I’m not sure how much my magic will help…”

“It’s better than nothing! Honestly, I don’t even know if I can block the next one!”

Prompted by Aldebaran, I gripped the staff I’d just made. Damn it—please, even my measly magic, just add something to the defense.

“What are we supposed to do? At this rate, we’re getting worn down! If they’ve got more mana than us, then we’re just gonna lose!”

“Then we’ve got no choice but to fight back! Hand me all the potions you’ve got—I’ll overpower them in a battle of mana and burn that bastard to ash!!”

“Can you win, Captain!?”

“We have to win!!”

Faced with that ridiculously swelling mass of magical energy, Aldebaran and I took deep breaths.

We have to win. That’s right. We have no other choice but to win.

“Irine, match my timing!”

“Y-Yes!”

That overwhelming bombardment—we had to block it again and then push it back. That was our only shot at victory.

Last time, Aldebaran fought them alone and came out even. If I added my strength, maybe we could repel it.

…No, deep down, I already knew the truth. That probably wasn’t possible.

What good is it to bring a water pistol to a shootout between magnums? At best, it would be a comfort. A placebo.

But we had no other means of attack. The enemy was too far. Only Aldebaran and I had long-range magic capable of reaching them—

“…No, there’s no need to force a win. Conserve your magic and just make sure the town doesn’t take any damage.”

“Huh? Maika?”

We were ready to stake everything on the next strike.

Just as we were about to begin our chants, steeling ourselves for what was to come, Maika whacked both Aldebaran and me on the head.

“What are you doing? What are you saying? If we don’t push back their attack, there’s no way to stop them—”

“You two are forgetting—we’re here too. That guy’s already gone, you know.”

With an exasperated voice, Maika pointed to the strip of scorched, barren land that cut right through the battlefield.

Aldebaran and I followed the direction of her finger.

Dust clouds trailed behind.

It was the path of destruction left by that bombardment spell, a scar etched into what had once been forest, connecting the enemy in the depths of the woods to us.

He was running.

Most likely, he’d started the moment Aldebaran and the enemy had begun their magical duel.

—Karl, the Hero with the greatest offensive power in history.

A man who never loses once he gets close, was already sprinting headlong toward the enemy mage.