Chapter 29 – Chrom’s power

This chapter is told from Labrys’ point of view.

“It’s all right. I’m here.”

Labrys, who was attacked by first-class mages, suddenly saw a boy standing in front of her.

She knew very well who he was.

“…C-Chrom?”

Labrys whispered, seemingly taken aback.

Chrom, who she thought was dead, was standing in front of her.

He smiled at her to try to reassure her.

His smile was as kind as it was when they were younger, but seemed more reliable.

For some reason, she couldn’t look away.

“…Sorry I’m late. You were scared, weren’t you?”

Chrom knelt in front of Labrys, and touched the restraints on her wrists.

Somehow, that was enough to undo the magic restraints that didn’t budge at all before.

Labrys couldn’t understand how Chrom could do that.

How did he even get there?

She was happy that Chrom came to her rescue, but…

“…I didn’t want you to come.”

Tears started streaming down Labrys’ face, even though she decided long ago she wouldn’t cry in front of him ever again.

She ended up crying again because she was weak, and had to wish for Chrom to save her again.

This time, Chrom could have really died. This thought threw her heart into disarray.

She knew she shouldn’t cry, but couldn’t stop.

“…I didn’t want you to fight… I didn’t want you to get hurt… You shouldn’t have come to save me… Why… Did you come…?”

She didn’t think of herself as some adorable princess that people would want to protect, and she said some pretty bad things too.

Chrom got hurt a lot because of her, and yet…

“Well, because you were crying.”

Chrom placed his hand on Labrys’ head. It felt as warm and nice as when they were younger.

“I promised you, didn’t I? When you cried, I’d come to save you.”

“…You remember?”

“Yes, it’s an important promise for me. No matter how much time passes, I’ll always honor it.”

It was a promise they made when they were younger, and their relationship changed a lot since then.

But it was just like Chrom to risk his life for the sake of a promise like that.

“Let’s go home, Labrys. Everyone’s waiting.”

Chrom reached out to Labrys, who rubbed her eyes.

“…Yes.”

She seemed a little bashful, but reached out to grab Chrom’s hand…

“Gu… Do you people really think you can get away…!?”

Behind Chrom, first-class mages staggeringly stood up.

“…! T-they’re still moving…!?”

Although they were covered by the robes, it was clear that the first-class mages’ bodies were bent in unnatural ways.

The attack from earlier broke bones all over their bodies, but still, they moved them by using magic, looking like puppets on strings.

With unnatural looking movements, they encircled Chrom and held up their staves.

“Fu, fufufu…! I don’t know how you managed to get here… But it seems your magic energy is depleted! You will meet your end here…!”

Yes, they could not sense any magic energy in Chrom’s body.

The first-class mages on the other hand were releasing an immense amount of magic energy.

They were five in total, and they were all among the most powerful in the continent.

But Chrom didn’t budge.

“…That’s my line.”

Chrom silently got up, and turned his back to Labrys, facing the first-class mages.

“…Do you really think you can get away after making my childhood friend cry?”

Suddenly, it was like the gravity around them increased.

(…I-is Chrom mad?)

Labrys had never seen Chrom like this.

No matter how much he got hurt, he had never been mad like that.

The intense bloodlust around him showed how angry he was for her.

The first-class mages should clearly have the advantage, but they were pressured into stepping back.

“I-it really was you, wasn’t it!? You took down the ancestral dragon!”

“Ah? Ancestral dragon?”

Chrom smiled daringly.

“That thing was weaker than I thought.”

The mages were silent.

“…Y-you monster…”

Mumbled one of them with a trembling voice.

The first-class mages that were strong to the point of despair, were scared of Chrom, who stood against them alone.

“…Six, what do we do?”

“Someone hold him back while we retreat with the dungeon’s transfer feature…”

“…D-don’t falter! He doesn’t have magic energy left! Attack him all at once!”

The one they called Six, who was apparently the leader, raised his staff above his head.

The rest all followed.

“““‘Six Icicle’.”””

Magic circles filled the air with their shine.

(…Multiple level six spells!?)

Each mage formulated several level six magic circles.

Not only that, but their speed was incredible.

Many icicles appeared in the air, and it was clear by the magic energy infused in them that each had enough power to kill. It would only take a scratch from one of them to freeze a person’s entire body.

This was the real power of first-class mages…

“C-Chrom…!”

Labrys grabbed Chrom’s clothes without thinking.

“It’s all right Labrys. Leave everything to me.”

Said Chrom as the icicles were launched.

They ripped through the air and descended upon them like a rain of arrows.

Chrom didn’t dodge, or even defended himself.

He just pointed the palm of his hand towards the rain of icicles.

“‘Stop’.”

That was all Chrom said, and the rain of icicles… Stopped in mid air.

“…Eh?”

Was all Labrys could say as she saw the unrealistic sight in front of her.

She didn’t understand what happened. It was like time itself stopped.

It ignored all the rules of this world.

Even the first-class mages were at a loss for words, and stood in place silently.

“W-what… Is this power…?”

“…”

Chrom said nothing in response.

He simply walked slowly through the rain of icicles.

It was silent, like even sound stopped.

Only Chrom’s footsteps echoed.

“W-what are you…!? H-how can you use magic like that!?”

Six stepped back as Chrom stepped forward.

Eventually, his back hit one of the cultivation tanks, and his voice trembled as he felt cornered.

“D-damn you! If it wasn’t for you…! Our plan would’ve been a success…!”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“W-what?”

“If it wasn’t for me, your plans to create demon kings would’ve been a success. The ancestral dragon would’ve gone on rampaging, and you would’ve created demon kings one after the other. There wouldn’t be anyone in this time who could stop you. Everything would’ve gone as you planned, and a future of ruin would’ve begun. But…”

Chrom drew his sword, and the stopped icicles began to move again at the same time.

There were suddenly flashes of lightning, and all the icicles shattered.

Their shining pieces rained down on the ground as Chrom pointed his sword at the mages.

“I’m ending that future right here.”