Antagonist Protection Service

――He arrived far too quickly.

There was no time for her to act before she―

CLANGG~!!

"Kgh...!"

―Was sent flying.

Fortunately for her, her body's battle instincts kicked in just in time, jumping alongside the attack to redirect the majority of its destructive force and successfully avoiding the worst of fates.

Rolling backwards through a wave of thick fog and jumping to her feet, she slid for just a short distance before coming to a halt, having quickly recovered but now positioned far away from both her opponent and her comrade, booted alone to the middle of the open boss chamber.

The impenetrable visage of that dull mask spared her but a single glance before turning to said companion.

"Gh... You...!"

Her voice resounded, eliciting no hint of a reaction from anyone.

In fact, whether anyone other than herself heard it, even, was doubtful.

Despite that small humiliation, she only bared white teeth towards that ignoring opponent. That opponent who was now targeting someone else.

"Anders! You, stop! Now...!"

Reflected in the visual sensation of her eyes, such an awful scene was progressing. She had to put a stop to it.

A sensation of that villain grasping the other's neck.

A sensation of the other building his resistance.

A sensation of the world around her slowing, of her own legs moving to end the struggle.

And then, before she could have a chance of reaching that faraway reflection, she was met with it.

A sensation of―――

❖─────★★★★☆─────❖

One individual was successfully removed from the field.

That left two.

Buried in the fog that shrouded the floor of the crystal cavern, a live body was surely present, but for all intents and purposes, it might as well be dead.

"..."

Having watched the girl who was shouting at nothing suddenly start charging at the chamber wall, seemingly out of nowhere, followed by that frankly pitiful fall, the masked figure appeared to pause.

Using that opportunity of evident confusion, the sole remainder hurriedly opened his mouth.

"Before you kill me... I have a proposal."

Naturally, alongside the gained attention turned the masked figure's head.

Although it was certainly unsettling, that flat and ominous face right before his eyes, the fact that the individual hadn't immediately dismissed his words and killed him anyway was already a blessing.

It meant there was a chance.

"You... You are not here explicitly to kill us all... is my understanding."

"..."

"My assumption comes from observation. I am not confident I wouldn't already be dead, or my colleague, if it weren't for your gracious mercy... Anyway, because of that, I have something I wish to offer."

Perhaps they both understood that the masked devil could end Anders' life at any time, as neither moved. After all, physically speaking, he was very weak for a Frontliner, and even his strong magical capabilities were more fit to be called the skills of a support than a fighter―it was only natural that he would wish to avoid direct confrontation with such a clear-cut conclusion.

Fortunately, the masked figure recognised this sheer power imbalance, knowing well that they could end things at a moment's notice.

As such, there appeared to be no reason to rush into battle, not for either party.

...Or, maybe that wasn't quite the case.

The fog magician's full hands were indeed fidgeting, albeit only slightly, before the masked figure's presence. Although, perhaps that was rather due to the growing weight of the weakly blazing egg that was placed there.

The masked figure's eyes too inched down to that unignorable object.

Certainly, didn't it appear to have gotten slightly bigger?

"Do you want it? I'll give it to you. No qualms about it whatsoever."

"..."

He was putting on a voice as if he wasn't, but it wasn't as if they both didn't realise how obviously anxious he appeared.

In any case, holding that fiery egg out to the other, a few silent seconds passed.

Before long, the stalemate broke when the masked figure slowly reached an arm out towards it. At the same time, Anders' eyes subtly narrowed.

But then, the masked figure's arm paused.

Just inches shy of touching the Phoenix that had turned into an egg, their eyes bore deep into Anders' own―

"...How long?"

―And for the first time, a voice was heard.

"..."

It was terribly distorted, and although completely comprehensible, it was obvious to a highly proficient mage like Anders that there was an extraordinary degree of magic concealment that was going on to disguise the speaker's real identity, even at a glance.

And despite just two words being spoken, he could immediately tell that the masked figure wasn't someone stupid.

'...I suppose it isn't outrageous to make the connection.'

"Not long... Although, it's not always the same duration, you see. I cannot provide you a certain or accurate time."

"Based on magic energy then?"

"...That's right. More or less."

In reality, it was a mixture of both time and magic energy, but there was no need to say that. This person could probably infer that much, after all.

However...

"So? Won't you take it? I would ask that you spare my life in return..."

"..."

"...Excuse me. This is what you were chasing us down for... isn't it?"

There was no verbal response for a while. Only, after sheathing that awfully sinister black blade, they went and positioned themself at the middle of the entrance to the chamber, properly blocking it off.

"Let it hatch."

With those three words being all there was, Anders was left slightly sweating.

"Can I take that to mean you will not kill me?"

"..."

'Is that not too much of a presumption to make...?'

Regardless, any sign of an answer ended there.

However, perhaps no telling of certainty was rather more reassuring. After all, there was no need for this powerful individual to lie... Right?

Anders suppressed his own instinctual desire to guarantee his own safety and gathered his magic power.

Directing it towards the egg in his hands, the orange flames subsequently grew brighter, intensifying rapidly.

Sophie was only present in body not mind, already buried below that fog over there.

So, it should be fine, no matter the result.

Since, well.

It wasn't like an egg had ears.

Fwooar~!

As more magic energy was supplied, the flames continued to burn fierce, individual streaks surging further and wider, its radiance swelling with a blaze, harmless to the touch yet exceptionally warm.

Following, the cold air surrounding began to steam, and then more furiously, eliciting a natural barrier that feebly attempted to disguise the blatant tremendous power.

"..."

The masked just watched as the flames grew too blinding for an ordinary observer. On their waist, a single, veiled hand was placed firmly on the hilt of that black blade.

Eyeing that obviously battle-ready figure, Anders placed the egg on the ground before swiftly distancing himself, its sheer brilliance piercing even through his usually impenetrable fog.

'...What a demon.'

The masked person's magic energy, which he could sense flowing around his body even now, was truly odd.

For one, the sheer amount of magic energy they appeared to possess easily rivalled that of a high-level mage-class Challenger like himself... Although, it was also true that something about that magic energy felt odd in a way he couldn't quite pinpoint, and even something else entirely mixed in with it, or perhaps overlapped?

In any case, that in itself was one thing, but regardless, to have that much and to maintain its consistent flow around one's body, efficiently and more skillfully, more naturally than anyone he had ever witnessed, as a mage, it was difficult to not be impressed.

It only made the inevitable decision even more unpleasant.

Fwooaaar~!

As he was thinking so, the egg flashed again, and maintaining that momentum, the flames surged out to form a protective barrier.

A few seconds passed; the two individuals stood separately, yet both intensely watched the proceedings between them, until――

Crack-!

Finally, it happened.

Crack--!!

A rebirthing before their very eyes.

...Thud.

A light, dull sound quietly echoed throughout the chamber.

The flames all died down; concurrently, their brilliance ceased, and all the crystalline walls and ceilings of the chamber subsequently concluded their generous reflections of that amber glow, the newly-introduced warmth into the vast space likewise terminated.

Like that, the chamber returned to a state of sterile coldness. A place unforgiving.

It was an odd juxtaposition, as the one who seemingly introduced this cold state of affairs was none other than the brightest spark of humanity himself.

"...You are the one who shot me down before, am I correct?"

With a patently exhausted crimson bird in his arms, the blond man faced the masked figure head-on.

"..."

Shiiinng~

There was no response―only the dreadfully slow draw of that sinister blade.

His snow-white armour, freshly worn as if it was never brutally penetrated and covered in the blood of his innards just a short while prior.

And, though it wasn't currently visible anywhere, the wielder of that characteristic azure spear.

"You like to hold your tongue? Fine."

"..."

"I won't let you get one up on me a second time."

Without a shadow of a doubt, John Pierce had somehow returned.