Love Letter From The Future

The two girls’ new forms surged forward. Their opponent was a gigantic wolf standing three meters tall. The monstrous creature, with pitch-black fur, gazed at its prey with eyes glowing an intense blue.

A low growl rumbled from the wolf’s throat. The first to charge was Ceria.

A blue aura traced several trajectories in an instant. From the lower left to the upper right, from the lower right to the upper left, and then from the upper to the lower.

In the blink of an eye, the blue aura that swept through the air was indistinguishable between real and illusory. This swordsmanship, unfolding like a mirage, could be said to be the root of the Yuridina Clan.

It was the ‘Golden Lionsword’ that had only been heard of in rumors.

Named for its multiple trajectories resembling a lion’s claws, it was a technique that aimed to provide little information to discern reality from illusion, and thus it was rarely used unless absolutely necessary.

The fact that Ceria had resorted to the clan’s vision technique was a clear indication of how critical the situation had become.

It was a skill she hesitated to use even when facing death. It was not a technique one would normally use without hesitation in their first exchange. Yet, she was wielding the Golden Lionsword now.

She had decided that this might be her last chance. Her opponent was a monster that disregarded the laws of physics, and the fact that Senior Elsi’s lightning magic was rendered useless had just been revealed.

The word “defeat” could not help but surface in her unconscious mind. In a display of her resolve, Ceria clenched her teeth. It was then that the monster opened its mouth.

It was a sudden event. How could it open its mouth when a sword was flying towards it? If that was the case, there was no choice but to aim for its vulnerable interior.

Ceria instinctively altered the trajectory of her sword. However, at that moment, a powerful howl burst from the monster’s maw.

With a howling cry, the monster’s horn glowed with a blue light. What followed was chaos.

Lightning surged unpredictably in all directions. Each time the pale beams struck the ground, explosions echoed successively.

Startled, Ceria quickly retracted her sword and leaped back. But the storm of electricity was extensive.

Crackling, electricity coursed through Ceria’s body as it struck her sword. And when electricity flows through a human body, it naturally causes muscles to spasm violently. Ceria’s legs could no longer endure, causing her to fall to her knees.

Ceria’s dazed gaze turned towards the monster. It seemed she was now dealing with electricity as well.

Whether that was the effect of magic was uncertain. Instead, given that the monster appeared to have a resistance to electricity, it was likely a power it already possessed.

Of course, it was no good news either way.

To guard against that storm of lightning, she could not approach recklessly. No matter how mysterious a trajectory Ceria’s Golden Lionsword drew, it would mean nothing if it was impossible to get close in the first place.

A fortunate detail was that once the storm passed, the monster’s previously glowing blue eyes returned to their original black.

To unleash such large-scale firepower required a corresponding amount of magical energy to be gathered. It was not a technique that could be used recklessly.

And once that magical energy was charged, the light would return to its eyes again.

Before she could analyze the situation properly, the wolf charged, crashing into the ground. Once again, it was a headbutt, and the paralyzed Ceria could not avoid the blow. Confusion flickered in her eyes.

And with a loud crash, it struck.

“Ahhh!”

Flying through the air was not Ceria, but Celin. She had used her signature swordsmanship to halt the wolf’s charge. Yet, it seemed she could not neutralize all of its power, as Celin crashed into a tree, rolling onto the ground.

Receiving such a blow without a shield would undoubtedly leave her incapacitated for a while. While the monster that had been struck by Celin screamed, I rushed forward and grabbed Ceria by the scruff of her neck.

I then threw Ceria backward. It seemed the power of the lightning was potent, as she trembled but showed no signs of being able to move again. She winced in pain; at that point, it was safer to send her backward.

The wolf let out a furious roar. It seemed enraged at having allowed such a trivial prey to strike it. The monster’s gaze shifted from Celin to me, who was pointing my sword.

Worried it might target the two, I deliberately put on a provocative smile. Twisting the corners of my mouth, I addressed the beast before me.

“…Come at me, you bastard.”

I couldn’t tell if it understood my words. However, at the very least, I thought my nuance had come across.

Because right after hearing my words, the monster bared its teeth in a savage grin.

It had the expression of a creature that was not human, yet mimicked human behavior. That made it all the more chilling. It hated humanity more than anything but sought to imitate it.

A shiver ran down my spine. The monster’s forepaw extended and whipped through the air like a whip.

It was at my waist height. A height where it was awkward to leap or crouch. It was instinctively a crafty opponent.

My choice to counter was to throw my body.

I pressed my body close to the ground, the smell of dirt overwhelming me. Then I heard a whoosh, slicing through the air above me. I quickly pulled my lower body in to adopt a crouched position.

What came next was obvious. A leap, with silver aura gathering on my sword.

As soon as my sword swung, the wolf elongated its body again. Its neck twisted at an unnatural angle, mouth gaping wide. The angle barely brushed past my blade.

However, what the wolf overlooked was that I was wielding my sword with one hand. My remaining hand once again felt around my waist.

The wolf’s eyes widened. In that moment, our gazes locked. I wore a confident smile.

Having tormented my two beloved juniors, it was time to pay the price.

With a sharp strike, my hand axe buried itself into the wolf’s nose. It was already the second time. The wolf’s body rapidly contracted around its head, its massive form hovering in the air.

The monster howled loudly, raising its head to scream. It was a chilling sound. Coinciding with this was a crackling noise.

Electricity swirled around the monster’s horn again. I, having withdrawn my hand axe before the beast could raise its maw, plunged down with all my strength into the ground.

Blue light returned to the wolf’s eyes, which had been screaming. Then kaboom, the explosions echoed as lightning struck down upon the wolf.

In that final moment, I threw myself down, and lightning grazed my toes. Just that was enough to send a jolt through my leg muscles.

“Ugh, damn…!”

I fought the urge to curse and forced myself up while shaking out my legs. The monster would not spare me if I remained down. Just as I expected, the monster prepared for another headbutt.

Boom, the sound resonated. I had heard it many times before.

I again threw my body forward as a pitch-black projectile shot past where I had just been. The wolf tore through several trees in the open area before finally halting its charge, its fierce gaze directed at me.

My legs still trembled, but I staggered back up. There was no time to rest.

It was a menacing creature. After allowing me to swing my axe twice, it appeared even more enraged. The monster licked the thick blood dripping from its nostrils.

The smell of blood was exciting the beast. Its growl sounded more ferocious than before.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my ragged breath. Then someone approached me from the side.

Gray hair, I didn’t even need to see their face. I asked Ceria.

“…What about Celin?”

“Still trying to force herself up for now, but…”

The twisting agony in her insides, I had experienced it before. Celin was likely experiencing that pain for the first time; it wouldn’t be surprising if she vomited right there.

I nodded silently, acknowledging my understanding. My eyes were still fixed on the wolf.

“Senior, Elsi-senpai says she’s almost ready.”

That was a welcome sound at that moment. I didn’t want to give that wolf time to gather its magical energy again. I spoke to Ceria.

“Ceria, can you maybe stop that wolf just once?”

The wolf was gauging the distance. Its reactions were always the same. When I got close, it would stretch its body and strike unexpectedly; when I was far away, it would launch a headbutt with no warning for a heavy blow.

It would likely attempt another headbutt to adjust the distance. However, the force behind that charge was beyond imagination; receiving that strike without a shield would clearly result in injury.

It was a difficult request. I wanted to elaborate further on my plan, but Ceria’s answer came quicker.

“I will.”

A response with no hesitation at all. My eyes widened at Ceria.

In her deep blue eyes, as always, there was a strong trust residing.

“Ian-senpai doesn’t lie to me. You said you’d let me win, right?”

Had I said that to her when she spoke of Delphine?

Perhaps I had. Simply saying that I aimed for victory was tantamount to claiming I would surpass Delphine as well.

Wouldn’t one usually think that was a ridiculous claim?

Even Elsi-senpai was doing her best, but when she first suggested joining me, she had shown a negative reaction. Delphine’s skill was that impressive.

Yet, there was not a trace of doubt in Ceria’s eyes as she looked at me. They were eyes filled with unwavering trust.

So there was nothing I could do but offer a faint smile.

“…Alright, I’ll let you win.”

As I said this, my gaze shifted back to the wolf.

At that moment, a hand pushed against my chest. It was Ceria’s hand. It was a sudden act, but realizing her intent, I did not resist.

As Ceria readied her grip on her sword, my vision was obscured by darkness.

It was a pitch-black gale.

I could barely hear the sound of the wind cutting through the air. By the time I realized what was happening, Ceria was already near the wolf. Such a terrifying speed.

Ceria blocked the charge with a single sword. She seemed to have no choice but to expend all her remaining magical energy; her deep blue aura was darker than ever.

Light and projectiles collided. The world erupted into a cacophony as shockwaves rippled through the air.

Ceria was the one pushed back. Her feet kicked up dirt as she was forced backward. It seemed she hadn’t been able to neutralize the shock with no shield, as she spat blood from the spot she had been pushed back to. As her sword struck the ground, her knees buckled.

It was painful, but she was doing remarkably well. I strapped my sword to my waist, leveraging the tension from my crouched body to spring toward the monster.

It felt like a repeat of our last encounter. The monster, as if vowing not to be struck again, opened its mouth wide, enduring pain.

The pitch-black eyes held no light. They were staring directly at me. It seemed like it was anticipating my next move. Surely it expected that I would dodge.

Yet, I did not halt my charge. Instead, boldly, I extended one arm toward the wolf.

With a sharp snap, its teeth sank into my flesh and muscle. Blood burst forth like a squished ripe fruit. The wolf seemed caught off guard.

It hadn’t expected me to offer my arm. My other hand was already moving to my waist.

It hurt like hell. The heat felt like fire, scorching my nerves. A sharp pain coursed through my neck. My teeth clenched involuntarily, and veins bulged in my eyes.

Still, I raised the hand axe high. The wolf finally caught on that things were turning strange, but it couldn’t immediately pull its teeth from my hardened muscle fibers.

But that was merely a fleeting moment. And that brief moment was precisely the opportunity I needed.

With a pounding strike, my hand axe dug into the wolf’s nose.

Already the third time. Perhaps because of the unbearable pain, my axe sank deeper than before. That was a relief.

The wolf howled in agony, raising its head as it screamed. My battered arm finally fell free, and I seized the chance to leap, gripping the axe tightly.

I spun in mid-air, landing above the monster’s enormous head. Wrapping my legs tightly around its neck, I knew that would not suffocate such a massive creature.

My sole purpose was to secure my position. Only then could I effectively drive the blade in.

The sword slipped from its sheath. It was as white as a lightning bolt.

I raised the sword high and thrust the blade into the gap between its horn and hide.

It was a strike with all my might. The sensation of the blade plunging down confirmed that my effort had not been in vain.

For a brief moment, silence fell; the wolf thrashed its head wildly in unbearable agony to shake me off. I did not resist. I allowed myself to fall, rolling onto the ground.

The sword was embedded in my forehead. It had surely pierced my brain; it was a fatal wound. Yet the tenacious monster was still alive and moving.

In fact, it seemed even more enraged, panting heavily as it glared at me. The blue glow was returning to its eyes. Its horn crackled with electricity, ready to unleash lightning at any moment.

But I smiled.

I could see the spear of lightning falling from the sky.

Once more, the world blazed with light.

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