—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
—————————————————————–
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Things always happened suddenly.
Magic, by its very nature, was heavily influenced by the user’s mental state.
And so, incidents involving magic often arose abruptly.
A black byproduct from a failed incantation was considered a good day.
If a powerful mage botched a high-level spell, their mind could fracture.
And even that wasn’t the worst-case scenario.
There was still the phenomenon known as “Mana Rampage.”
This bluntly named phenomenon was the reason why powerful mages were simultaneously revered as heroes, and treated like ticking time bombs.
The uncontrolled release of mana circulating within the body could inflict massive damage, potentially engulfing a radius of several kilometers in its wake.
Of course, this usually happened due to a string of failed incantations or lax self-care.
I had never failed an incantation, nor had I experienced any mental lapses that could lead to such failures.
That’s why I used to think those mages who hurt others with their magic were foolish.
Why couldn’t they focus?
Why didn’t they monitor their condition?
Why did they push their bodies to such extremes?
And now, as if mocking my past arrogance, our journey through the Demon Realm continued to push me to the limits of exhaustion.
The demonic energy interfered with spellcasting.
Body reinforcement magic, requiring constant focus and draining mana, couldn’t be maintained indefinitely.
On top of that, we had to maintain defensive spells against potential ambushes, so body reinforcement, already a lower priority, had to be sacrificed.
It was safe to say that maintaining constant body reinforcement while trekking through a demon-infested land was an impossible feat.
“Gasp… Huff… Huff…”
As a result, I was enduring a level of physical exertion I had never experienced before.
My clothes clung to me, drenched in sweat, and I had to constantly wipe my eyelashes to clear my vision.
My legs felt like lead, and my heart pounded against my ribs, threatening to burst.
I gasped for breath, each inhale a shallow struggle against the crushing pressure in my chest.
I desperately wanted to stop, to rest, but the sight of my companions, pushing forward, forced me to move.
And then, Ron, the one who had been tirelessly scouting ahead, approached me.
He was a whirlwind of motion, moving with a frantic energy that made me want to retch.
Thanks to my mana sight, I had a clear view of his actions.
The terrain was open, but demons could emerge from anywhere – the ground, the sky, the very shadows themselves.
It made sense that Ron, responsible for scouting, would be moving at such a frantic pace.
But even so, the sheer volume of his movements was astounding.
He was like a man possessed.
He would press his ear to the ground, then crane his neck to scan the sky, constantly moving, always alert.
He must have covered more ground than the rest of us combined.
And then, this man, who had been a blur of motion, stopped and approached me.
As soon as he did, the others paused as well.
It was a testament to their trust in his abilities.
By now, even I could acknowledge his value to the party.
But I still hadn’t forgiven him for that patronizing gesture.
I might not have liked my stunted growth, but I hated being treated like a child.
“You alright? You look exhausted.”
“Huff… Huff… You… Huff… You too…”
I managed to choke out a response, my vision blurry with sweat and exhaustion.
And it was true, he didn’t look so good himself.
His legs were trembling, and his usually sharp, black eyes were clouded with fatigue.
Beads of sweat trickled down his face, leaving clean streaks on his dust-covered skin.
He was clearly exhausted, his entire body pushed to its limit.
Why was he pushing himself so hard?
I wanted to ask.
A scout who diligently carried out his duties was a valuable asset, ensuring our safety and providing us with a place to rest.
It was a matter of life and death in this unforgiving land.
And everyone was giving it their all.
But that was usually during combat.
Ron, on the other hand, maintained this level of dedication outside of battle as well.
He was exceeding Rain’s expectations, I was sure of it.
“Gasp… Huff… Huff…”
“Here, have some water.”
He offered me his waterskin, a precious commodity in this parched wasteland.
Did he trust me, even after my cold demeanor, after my initial rejection of him and the others?
“No… Huff… It’s fine.”
I refused.
It was bad enough that he had to adjust his pace to mine; I didn’t need his pity.
It made me feel insignificant.
“You need to conserve your strength. You have the most important role in battle. Hey, Rain!”
“…What is it?”
“We can head straight to the spot you found, right? I’ll catch up later with Sola. Scouting might take a bit longer.”
“Huff… Don’t… Don’t underestimate me…”
“Hey, we’re just helping each other out. I’m useless in a fight, so I have to pull my weight somehow, right?”
For a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something in his eyes.
Regret?
Resignation?
But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, lost in the blur of his movements and the sound of his heavy footsteps.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Even during our encampment at the spot Ron had found, his self-sacrifice continued.
Sentry duty.
The bane of any adventurer, depriving them of much-needed sleep.
The others, considerate as always, had given me, the physically weakest member, the option to take either the first or last shift.
I had readily agreed to the last shift, aware of my limitations.
Lian, also not known for her physical prowess, took the first.
“I’ll take the shift before yours. Is that alright?”
At that time, none of us, except maybe Ron, enjoyed those late-night shifts.
And yet, he always volunteered for the most grueling schedule.
I usually took the last shift, so I had a clear view of his face whenever he woke me.
He would have been awake for hours, enduring the monotony of a thankless task, followed by a brief, unsatisfying period of sleep.
And yet, he never complained, always maintaining a facade of composure, as if trying to convince himself of his own worth.
It was a level of self-sacrifice bordering on madness.
But back then, I told myself it was fine.
After all, it was for the best.
My well-being during those long marches was secondary to the safety of the group, and my role in battle, alongside the others, was far more critical.
…At least, that’s what I told myself, conveniently ignoring the burden he was shouldering.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
We pressed on through the Demon Realm.
The oppressive weight of the demonic energy had lessened somewhat, but the journey remained arduous.
I felt a strange fog settling over my mind.
As a mage, this was an ominous sign.
I started to feel lightheaded, my vision blurring.
I was about to request a break when I heard his voice beside me, calm and collected, listing the enemy’s positions with unnerving accuracy.
“Two enemies approaching, fifty meters ahead. One is a heavily muscled minotaur with a large sword. The other is a slender female demon with a high concentration of demonic energy. Likely a magic user.”
“Ah… Ugh…”
“Sola?”
Lian, who had taken to addressing me more casually as we spent more time together, noticed my discomfort.
She saw the pallor of my face and immediately alerted the others.
“Rain! Something’s wrong with Sola!”
“…No! Not now…”
Combat had begun.
Of all the times, it had to happen now.
Lian began channeling her healing magic, trying to stabilize my condition.
But even she had to join the fight soon.
Ron, his small daggers already drawn, had charged into battle.
I couldn’t afford to be dead weight, especially after witnessing his tireless efforts.
If I allowed my condition to worsen, I would be nothing more than a liability, a burden on the very people I had been trying so hard to impress.
Magic.
Just once.
With overwhelming force.
End this quickly.
No regrets.
No time for guilt.
Think.
What spell would be most effective in this situation?
Analyze.
What incantation would yield the best results?
Execute.
Be decisive.
Even if I failed, it would only result in a harmless byproduct.
There was no risk.
And so, I chose
, a basic but powerful spell.
I preferred to enhance simpler spells with additional incantations rather than risk losing control of a high-level spell.
“…Ah… Uh…?”
But as I began to chant, my mind went blank.
I had pushed myself too hard, my body already at its limit from the demonic energy and the constant strain of maintaining my magic.
The clarity I felt was nothing more than my mind’s final, desperate attempt to cling to control.
And it failed.
Uncontained magic surged through my body, threatening to erupt.
“Ah… No… Stop…”
We were surrounded, outnumbered, and outmatched.
And now, in the worst possible scenario, I was on the verge of a mana rampage.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
[I really like these backstories off the pasty, it really adds depth to these characters and keeps them from being just unstable hollow stereotypes]
Thanks for the chapter!