Cokue's Point of View:
This woman is dangerous. As an enemy, the princess would be a nightmare to deal with, and as an ally, she'd be the most dependable one you could ask for. Just listening to her reasoning made me realize two things: she's inexperienced, yet at the same time she knows exactly what needs to be done. She's only hesitating because she lacks practical experience.
I never understood how someone as strong as her was never considered a limit-breaker back when she was Sapphire rank. Later, after I got to know her better and she told me her story, I finally understood.
For most of her time at the academy, she only trained the bare minimum, during the very stage when she should have unlocked her full potential and become as strong as the other prodigies her age. It wasn't until she met Maki that she truly took her growth seriously and devoted herself to becoming stronger.
The princess had simply paused her progress to catch her breath from the constant pressure. Living under relentless expectations is something only people with strong minds can endure. It doesn't matter whether you're rich or poor—if you can't withstand the pressure of your problems, you'll eventually sink to the bottom.
I've seen people born into poverty climb out of that pit and change their lives because they endured every hardship thrown at them. I've also seen the descendants of minor nobles fall into ruin because they lacked the mentality needed to carry on their family's legacy.
Brendu was never close to falling that far. She simply wanted a break before making one final push in the future. That push came much sooner than expected, and its name is Maki.
I need to make a mental note to never stand against the princess. Strategically, she'll become vastly superior once she gains enough experience, and in such a short time she's already almost as strong as I am. I don't even want to imagine how powerful she'll become in the future.
A shiver runs down my spine just thinking about what this world's future would've looked like if Maki had been evil or raised by a criminal organization. Just imagining the possibilities is torment enough. He could easily inflict enough damage upon the Empire and the kingdoms to become the most wanted man alive.
Lady Eisty is probably one of the few people who has come close to facing a similar situation. According to what Maki told me, she'll now become his master. I'll pray for any fool who decides to make an enemy of that young noble. They have no idea what kind of swamp they're stepping into.
Lady Eisty, her husband, and her brother are all capable of standing against anyone—or anything—to avenge someone precious to them.
I finally reach the five monsters who appear to be the leaders of this assault. The five Escamus stare directly at me. They're intelligent, and they understand exactly what I'm here to do... dealing with smart monsters is a nuisance.
Several earth and fire constructs come flying toward me. The wind around me compresses, forming a wall of air that repels every attack. One of the constructs manages to break through my defense, grazing my cheek. I can feel the blood flowing from the wound.
I'm genuinely surprised. Escamus aren't good at ranged attacks. They're specialists in close combat. It's rare to find one capable of breaking through my defenses with mid-range constructs.
You're special, aren't you?
That's the thought that crosses my mind as I look at the leader of the five Escamus—the one carrying the staff. He seems to specialize in ranged combat or command. Just from the cross-shaped formation protecting him, I can tell as much.
I know he barely put any effort into that opening attack. It was nothing more than a test of his power, and it still managed to breach my defenses. Though, to be fair, neither was I fighting seriously.
I release the wind mana stored throughout every part of my body. Small tornadoes form around my arms and legs, while the pressure surrounding my spear makes it far more threatening.
I have no intention of holding anything back. If I do, I won't be able to hold these five off. My time magic, usually my greatest trump card, also comes into play. Without it, I won't stand a chance.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
My body moves instantly, disappearing from its position in the blink of an eye. I reappear beside the Escamus carrying the staff, launching a surprise attack with every intention of inflicting as much damage as possible.
My time mana slows the movements of the other Escamus around me as I try to buy myself every second I can. The clash between our Dominion and Imra makes me click my tongue. The combined pressure of five Dominions from five powerful monsters is truly difficult to withstand.
One of them manages to break free from the slowing effect. He moves to block my spear, but realizing he won't make it in time, he changes targets midway through. I have to duck and twist my body to avoid his claws slashing straight toward my face.
That sudden movement causes my spear to veer slightly off course. At the very last moment, the staff-wielding Escamus manages to move just enough. My spear pierces through the side of his abdomen, and blood bursts from the wound instantly.
My surprise attack didn't go as planned. I had intended to inflict enough damage to remove him from the battle for several minutes, or perhaps prevent him from rejoining the fight entirely. Still, it wasn't a complete failure. It would've been a real problem if he'd dodged altogether.
Time returns to normal, allowing the other three monsters to move freely again. They're still somewhat slower than usual, but at least they aren't completely frozen anymore.
I can't maintain this ability indefinitely. It consumes far too much mana and places an enormous burden on my brain. I'd become monster food long before defeating all five of them. The biggest issue is that their Imra and Dominion can interfere with my ability, and having five of them gives them a tremendous advantage.
My spear slams into one monster's arm, knocking aside his attack. I sidestep to avoid another claw aimed at my neck, and as I retreat, I have to use my spear to block another Escamus' strike.
I'm thrown several meters backward, giving me a brief moment to rethink my strategy. If I take on all five head-on, I'll lose. I need to fight intelligently—one or two at most, striking quickly and moving precisely so I never get surrounded.
I keep my eyes on the staff-wielding Escamus. If he recovers quickly, he'll be the reason I die here. Fighting one or two while the others pursue me is something I can manage. I don't know if I can do that while one of them bombards me with powerful constructs.
I don't think he'll be joining the fight again anytime soon. That wound affected him more than I expected. The monster has coughed up blood several times and is kneeling while clutching his injury.
I have time before he recovers. I need to cripple one of these remaining four before that happens. That's the only way to keep them occupied for as long as possible. I have to hold out until Brendu or Joaki comes to help... or, in the best-case scenario, until Maki finishes off the grade 5 monster and still has enough strength left to keep fighting.
Our battle unfolds at an astonishing pace. Every attack from both me and the monsters is precise, each one intended to inflict maximum damage. My spear is the perfect weapon for this situation. It's incredibly sharp and pierces defenses far better than a sword or an axe.
The minutes pass quickly. I was a fool for underestimating these monsters. They're stronger and far better organized than I expected. Without my time mana, I'd already be food for newborn Escamus.
My body is covered in scratches from which blood continues to flow. The deeper wounds have already been healed thanks to my time mana. I learned that trick from the anomaly that nearly killed me. Using time mana to heal yourself is a known technique, but an incredibly difficult one to master. Even after witnessing it firsthand, it still took me a long time to learn.
My most serious injuries have been closed. I can't afford to waste mana on the shallower wounds. That would be an unnecessary expense. I look at the four Escamus standing before me. They're not in much better condition. The only thing healing them is the natural regeneration all monsters possess.
One of them has lost half an arm, another has lost an entire arm, and all four are riddled with holes across their bodies from my spear.
My hands feel unbearably heavy, and my head burns. Using time mana this many times has been essential for my survival, but the price is finally beginning to take its toll.
I force both my body and my mind to activate the ability once again. Time slows just enough for me to dodge a claw from the one-armed monster. I seize the opportunity and drive my spear straight through his head.
His companions can't stop me. I feel his brains burst out the back of his skull. I let out an inward sigh. That's one less opponent.
I force myself to maintain the ability a little longer, despite every protest from my brain. I have to eliminate another one as quickly as possible. My instincts suddenly scream that something is wrong. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot several fire constructs flying straight toward me.
I do everything I can to block them, abandoning all thoughts of killing another Escamus. The compressed wind surrounding me forms a wall once more, stopping as many of the deadly fire projectiles as possible.
Thanks to the combination of wind and time magic, I block most of them. Only two break through my defenses. One buries itself into the side of my abdomen, the other into my forearm. I bite my lip to endure the pain. At least I managed to reduce their power as much as possible.
The staff-wielding Escamus is still wounded. It seems he's weaker in close combat than I first thought, but he's recovered enough to create constructs and harass me from afar.
"Damn it... I'm going to need help." My voice disappears into the wind as I dodge more constructs and the claws of another Escamus.
The second round begins.