Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Volume 2  Chapter 36   The ‘World’s Strongest’ and the ‘Hero’

“Wait, wait a minute!”

Despite being overwhelmed by the aura emanating from Nina, Mizuki managed to explain the sequence of events.

“I see. I understand. Then let’s eliminate the pests.”

Although Nina showed some understanding after hearing the explanation, she still realized that traitors were lurking everywhere. She glanced around, then slowly raised her hand, preparing to cast a spell.

At that moment, one person among those present screamed in fear and started running, prompting others to follow suit, fleeing the scene in a panicked rush.

“Wait, hold on!”

Realizing that Nina was about to cast a spell towards the school building and the other students present, Mizuki hastily tried to stop her.

“Why are you interfering?”

“Why? Because are you planning to destroy the entire school building?”

“Well, yes. It would be troublesome if they could hide. If we turn it into a vacant lot, there would be no need to search.”

Upon hearing Nina speak with such nonchalance about destroying the school building, Mizuki’s expression contorted. Nevertheless, she desperately tried to persuade her to reconsider.

“I agree that we should take action to help Igami-san, but are you planning to involve innocent students in the process?”

“? So what?”

“…But if you were to burn down the entire school building, Igami-san would be caught up in it too, wouldn’t he? Wasn’t your purpose to come and help Igami-san?”

“Yes, indeed. But rest assured, I have a general idea of where he is. I’m only getting rid of things that would hinder the search.”

Mizuki said what needed to be said.

In the first place, Nina considered this exchange of words to be unnecessary.

However, the reason she engaged in conversation was solely because Mizuki was associated with Igami.

Deciding that she had said enough, Nina shifted her gaze away from Mizuki and resumed constructing the spell to turn everything into a vacant lot except for the location where Igami’s reaction was detected.

For Nina, killing enemies along with the entire school building was no different from her usual tasks. This time, she needed to be a bit more cautious, but it was just a minor inconvenience within the margin of error.

Creating magic as usual, burning as usual.

However…

“Could you please step aside? If you continue to obstruct me, I will consider you as an enemy.”

Nina once again had to pause her work.

“I won’t allow it. If you destroy the school building, many people will be affected. I can’t overlook that!”

“I believe I mentioned that it’s none of your concern…”

Mizuki stood before Nina, speaking just like a true hero. However, Nina frowned at her words.

After a brief moment of contemplation, Nina lightly nodded as if she had reached some sort of conclusion.

“But yes, obstructing me means becoming my enemy, doesn’t it?”

With those words, Nina continued constructing the interrupted spell.

“A world that harms the person who stands beside me… the person who stays by my side, let it be destroyed. You should disappear with it as well.”

Observing Nina’s demeanor, Mizuki moistened her lips with her tongue, made up her mind, and spoke.

“Kana, Haruka, Yuzu. Please step aside.”

Upon Mizuki’s request, Kana and the others hesitated for a moment before moving away from the scene.

There were many things Mizuki wanted to say, but they understood that staying there would only be a hindrance.

However, even as they watched Mizuki and the others move away, Nina’s hands did not stop. She continued constructing the spell, bringing it to completion.

All that remained was to unleash it, and this woman would disappear.

But…

“If that’s the case, would you stop this commotion if I can be by your side?”

“What are you saying?”

The moment Nina heard those words, she couldn’t comprehend their meaning.

It was so inexplicable that it caused her to halt the maintenance of the completed spell, utterly perplexed.

However, as soon as she grasped the meaning behind Mizuki’s words, anger surged within Nina, and she glared fiercely at Mizuki.

It seemed as if Mizuki was disregarding Igami’s existence, and that thought was particularly aggravating in the current situation where something might have happened to Igami.

Give up on Igami. Instead, be satisfied with the fact that I’ll take his place.

That’s what it seemed like Mizuki was saying to Nina.

That’s why Nina became acutely aware of her intention to kill this unpleasant woman. But before she could act on her impulse, Mizuki uttered some words.

“But that’s how it is, isn’t it? You care about Igami-san because you’ve fought him and he didn’t die. So, if I can endure your attacks and survive, you’ll move to protect me, right?”

“…”

“Let’s become friends. I’ve been wanting to talk to you.”

That’s what Mizuki had been thinking ever since she saw Nina before. To some extent, they were both called “monsters,” and Mizuki wanted to talk to her, and if possible, become friends.

After all, she knew how lonely it was to be alone.

“Misguided words,” replied Mizuki.

For someone who didn’t know Mizuki’s true feelings, her words might have seemed like mere improvised lies or deceptions. In fact, Nina thought the same.

However, for some reason, Nina couldn’t dismiss those words as mere misguided utterances. She couldn’t help but feel that there was something more to them.

“…You said let’s become friends… Well then, I would like to see the power that matches those words. If you can’t stand by my side and easily die… then I can’t possibly become your friend.”

Immediately after uttering those words, Nina made a flicking motion as if swatting a bug, and from her hand, white flames scattered toward Mizuki.

It was a simple magic spell that caused a phenomenon, nothing particularly unusual.

But Nina’s magic was different from that of other magicians. Not just in color, but especially in its power.

What appeared to be a mere observation or a casual test had firepower equivalent to that of a first-class sorcerer’s serious attack.

“Ugh!”

However, Mizuki managed to evade the white flames by leaping diagonally forward.

It was a move that could easily result in death if miscalculated, but Mizuki deliberately chose it.

She could have avoided it by stepping back. However, in that case, the flames might have followed her as she retreated. If she ran around and the damage caused by the flames spread, she wouldn’t be able to fulfill her goal of “protecting everyone.”

That’s why Mizuki deliberately jumped into the dangerous front.

“Quite impressive. However– Ahh!”

Just as Nina was about to unleash a new flame towards Mizuki, a sudden burst of electricity sparked in Nina’s hand. It was a mere static shock, insignificant and harmless.

Yet, the unexpected sensation caused Nina to emit a small shriek and swiftly pull her hand back towards her chest.

It was Mizuki’s doing. She had used magic to release a bolt of lightning, intending to disable Nina’s ability to use her hand.

However, for an ordinary person, the magic should have been far more than a mere static shock. Yet, for Nina, it only amounted to a mildly surprising experience.

–Nevertheless, an opening had been created.

And naturally, Mizuki was not about to let such an opportunity slip away.

“Seeyaaaaah!”