5. The power of Lexia
“But, how do I go up ……?”
Lexia muttered, looking up at the sky.
But she couldn’t see the desired sunlight – no, she didn’t even know if it was daytime in the first place. How long had she been unconscious since her fall?
In any case, the moonlight would not reach here.
“If we follow the path, we can go up.”
“Is that so? What path? ……”
“This way. Follow me.”
Lochness urged Lexia to follow her.
In the dim abyss, all she could hear were eerie voices.
『Ooooh, ooh, ooooh, oh…』
『Gi, gugugu, gushi, gigu.』
“…… Huh?”
Lexia shuddered.
Even when she was up above, it was a burden on Lexia.
And yet, now, at the bottom of the abyss, voices can be heard endlessly, as if calling for help nearby.
But Lochness doesn’t seem to mind at all――doesn’t she feel anything?
“Hey, Lochness.”
“What?”
“The voices, don’t they scare you?”
“Voices?”
“You’ve been hearing them for a while, haven’t you?”
“Maybe something like ‘Oh’?”
“Ah, yes, that’s it.”
“I’m not scared. And no, it’s not a voice.”
“……? Not a voice?”
At Lexia’s question, Lochness nodded stiffly.
“Un. That’s the sound of the plants here.”
“Huh, plants, do that…!?”
It was a shocking fact for Lexia. No, perhaps it would be shocking for humans in general.
The truth of this voice, which is the reason why it is called the “Lamenting Corsesta”: is because of the plants.
“Why are plants…?”
“I don’t know that much. They seem to imitate ‘human voices’, so maybe they’re trying to lure us in.”
“I, is that right.”
In fact, even the atmosphere seemed unapproachable. However, when she realized that the voice was a plant, her fear eased somewhat.
The biggest fear comes from the fact that this is so much uncharted territory.
For Lexia, Lochness walking in front of her suddenly felt like a reliable presence.
(Thanks to Lochness, I was able to defeat the Kushna…)
Suddenly, Lexia remembers the earlier battle.
Maybe it couldn’t be called a battle. The blow fired by Lexia left every Kushna stabbed in the mouth.
“Blood Needle”— that phrase flowed into her head when she wielded Lochness, who had become a sword. And Lexia treated it as if it were her own technique.
Using the magic that flowed naturally through her body, Lexia used magic she did not know she had.
――Lexia had little talent for anything other than using Recovery Magic. Besides, there was something else that worried her.
“Um, my wounds…”
“Wounds?”
“Y, yes. I was badly injured when I fell here… but now I’m healed. Do you know why, Lochness?”
She couldn’t have used recovery magic, but before she knew it, she was walking normally.
Lexia herself was late in checking because too much had happened.
Obviously, this was no ordinary event.
“It’s one of your powers, Lexia.”
“Me…?”
“Yes, Lexia uses ‘blood’ as a weapon. You already know that, don’t you?
“?”
“Blood, of course, flows through your body, so it can be used for offense, defense, and recovery.”
“R, recovery… even though I was dying?”
“With me by your side, Lexia, and you won’t die.”
“Huh? What do you mean—”
『Gigigigigigigigigigigigigi!!』
“……!”
What interrupted Lexia’s words was a piercing squeal. It was different from the voices coming from the surroundings ――this time, it was unmistakably a monster.
Then, Lochness approached Lexia’s side,
“It’s easier to understand in a real battle than with a verbal explanation. Lexia――I will help you.”
As she said this, she was enveloped in purple light and transformed her form into a sword.
Lexia holds Lochness, which has become a sword, in her hand.
“R, real battle…”
『It’s coming.』
“—!”
『Gigigigigigigigigigigigigigigigigi!』
With Lochness’ words, ‘it’ appeared. No, it had already attacked.
In front of Lexia’s eyes, a huge blade approached. Quickly, Lexia prepared her sword and tried to block the blow. Then, a “red wall” appeared in front of her and stopped the huge blade.
“! This is…”
『Lexia blocked it.』
“I, I did this…?”
『Yes. You know what I mean, don’t you?』
At Lochness’ words, Lexia nods.
The “Blood Wall” ――It consumed her own blood and coagulated it into a wall.
Of course, the blood flowing through Lexia’s body alone is not enough to cover everything.
Soil mixed with Lexia’s blood appeared in front of her as a wall. If you look, there was bleeding from the hilt of Lochness that Lexia was holding.
From the palm of her hand, Lochness seemed to have received Lexia’s blood.
『Gigigigigigigigigigi!』
Perhaps because the blow was blocked, the “main body” appeared.
A series of thin, white, bone-like objects stood on the ground on four legs.
Its face was also small, but two sharp fangs were visible.
Lexia had never seen this monster before, but it was like a praying mantis.
The mantis monster swings its other arm wide.
『Just right, Lexia. Let’s try this one.』
“What do you mean try……? What do I do?”
『Don’t move. Hold still.』
“! Th, that’s not possible—what!?”
Before she could protest Lochness’ words, Lexia’s body was blown away by a sharp blade that was swung down.
The reason it didn’t hit her was because the Blood Wall she created earlier blocked it.
However, with her slender body, Lexia was easily blown away and rolled on the ground.
An intense pain shot through her entire body.
“Gu, uuuugh…! I-it hurts…”
『It’s okay, Lexia.』
“This, okay… it hurts, so much…!”
『That pain is your strength. Come on, get up.』
“I, I can’t… “
Of course it’s impossible. Even though she tried to answer that, Lexia’s body was able to move even slightly against the pain.
“Oh, why…? It, doesn’t hurt, anymore…?”
The pain had vanished, even though the injury should still be there.
Instead, the purple glow of Lochness intensified.
『I have absorbed your pain.』
“Pain…?”
『Yes. The wound heals quickly ――and the pain I absorb is converted into my magic. With it, you can…』
“…… I can attack, with more power.”
Following Lochness’ words, Lexia muttered.
The mantis monster raised both arms this time ――sharp blades were about to be swung down at Lexia.
But faster than that, Lexia swung her sword.
“『Blood Blade』”
A small thud echoed around the area.
What was released from Lexia’s sword was the Blood Blade.
The blade, which flew straight up, sliced through the Mantis monster’s arms and neck, easily cutting through the trees and rock walls growing around it.
The person most surprised by the sight was Lexia.
“Th, this is…”
『Right? Real battle is the fastest.』
“Amazing… it’s so amazing, I don’t know how to say it…”
『Don’t be surprised. This is the power of Lexia.』
“Mine…?”
『Yes, that’s right. There are still many monsters around here. So, let’s get used to it little by little from now on.』
True to Lochness’ words, there were signs of monsters nearby.
Lexia hadn’t fully embraced her powers yet ――but the situation wouldn’t wait.
The forced ‘training’ in the abyss had begun.
Sads Translates 