"Kai!"

Yoko gave Erina to Natsumi who had recovered enough to carry her and appeared right beside Kai.

"What happened?"

"My wounds have opened. They were originally on the verge of closing but I had to use [Limit Break] to finish it in one shot. Unfortunately, that won't happen anymore."

Yoko looked at the demon and saw that its aura surged. Yoko felt pressure even with the distance from it.

"Kai, how much time do you need?"

"Five minutes, but we both know that no matter how many tricks you have, you can't provide that much time. That demon is S-class and even stronger than the duke. So..."

Yoko patiently waited for Kai's words. Each second helped.

"I won't heal my injuries and I will focus on a single attack to wipe that thing out. It's a move I can only use once a week if I push myself so there's a chance that I'd die after I use it, I'll need half a minute to stabilize my injuries and another half to charge my attack, can you do it?"

Yoko was lacking in mana from the fight, Kai noticed this and placed a mana potion in her hand. Then, he gave her a pendant which she wore without questioning.

"This will protect you from one life threatening attack and at the same time, recover your mana faster. Now, go. And, don't die."

Yoko brandished Snake's Fangs and leapt.

"[Fast Movement], [Nimble Footwork]."

It was only a minute, she could hold on. Even if she was tired and would gladly fall asleep right now, she had to fight. If Kai is killed, they had no chance. As Yoko left, Kai sat down properly and a green aura surged around him. The green aura covered him and outlined his body in green. Then, it raised and was like a green flame that enveloped Kai.

"[Greater Self-Healing]."

Kai's wounds closed at a visible speed. [Greater Self-Healing] healed the user many times better and faster than what Kai's normal [Heal] could provide but in turn, it costed a lot more mana. But mana wasn't a problem.

Reo told him that mana could be harnessed but not absorbed into one's own. Kai was a special case and could take in the mana from the surroundings into himself. Then, he used the reverse principle to create magic circles.

But Kai had a quite a few years to harness his potential. Right now, Kai was like a giant reactor. He could produce large amounts of mana for an extended period of time. He didn't need to worry about losing mana as he could absorb the surrounding's mana. Kai's gun ate at least a hundredth of his mana with each normal shot and a tenth for a shot enough to pierce through the building.

Kai would've long since ran out of mana even though he had several times more compared to the norm. That's why, unless all the mana in the surroundings were drained which was impossible unless it was sealed off, Kai had an infinite amount of mana to use.

The demon had no way of knowing this.

Yoko arrived next to the demon and slashed upwards, the demon didn't dodge as the dagger simply passed through.

"Yoko, coat it in darkness!"

Erina shouted out.

Yoko nodded and her pitch black daggers became covered by an even darker coating.

"[Twin Dragon's Fangs]."

This time, the demon was forced to dodge and counter attack by waving his hand. Yoko was sent flying along with some debris. She didn't hesitate at all and used the debris in the air as a boost to launch forward again.

Fifteen seconds, that was the amount of time that Yoko managed to buy before being blown away. The disparity between B-class and S-class was that high. If Erina were at full power, she would last for more than five minutes before being blown away for the first time but Yoko's mana capacity was subpar for B-class in the first place. The only reason she could make it this far was because of her talent in martial arts.

Yoko arrived behind the demon with a crouching position.

"[Dark Cyclone]."

A funnel shaped darkness formed under the demon and raised him up.

"Weak!"

The ground from under the demon formed and made a shield around him. He had an earth attribute. If Yoko's attack actually held the power of wind, she would be able to pierce it but she only had darkness.

But Yoko didn't lose heart, with that technique, she bought ten more seconds. The demon's shield broke apart and Yoko didn't hesitate to charge forward.

"[Twin Dragon's Rage]!"

It was the same attack that she had used to nearly knock out Yoshino. She appeared behind the demon and a second later, dozens of rocks crumbled, all of Yoko's strikes were blocked with debris from the earth shield. But just as Yoko was about to go for another attack, she coughed up a mouthful of blood and fell on one knee.

Thirty seconds left.

Yoko looked down and saw the sides of her abdomen bleeding. It wasn't a fatal wound but she would definitely have more trouble buying more time.

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The demon walked up to Yoko but suddenly attacked Kai when he sensed something.

The mana in the surroundings were all gathering towards Kai, everyone felt their own mana being taken slowly and into Kai's attack.

But nobody would react, nay- they could not react. Everything and everyone fell into complete silence, they even contemplated if they were going deaf but with one look at Kai's attack, they trembled. Yoko was shaking and felt her injury worsening but she knew that was the only way to defeat the demon.

Erina suddenly appeared alongside Natsumi and froze her wound. Erina's face was still pale but it was gradually remaining color. Erina's mouth opened but no words came out but Yoko felt like she could hear them clearly.

'We believe in you.'

They were trivial words which could be said by anyone but Yoko felt the emotion inside her thought. Power surged from inside her, she didn't know where the power had come from but she felt that passing those thirty seconds weren't but a dream anymore.

That's right, Erina believes that I'll be able to buy time. Kai trusted me enough to entrust the task to me. The members of Memento Mori made no move because they knew only I could do this. Even the vice-captain who held power way above me and Erina didn't interfere. Why was that? It's because they knew I could pull through. They trust the Kai who trusts in me, I won't betray those expectations.

Yoko closed her eyes and wordlessly stood up.

...That doesn't mean I've forgiven him though.

The scene of Kai punching Hyosuke who was possessed over and over again played inside her mind. It was anger not just against Hyosuke but also to himself who fell to the same fate. Kai let out his resentment towards himself and towards Hyosuke with those simple punches.

Akane, lend me your power.

"Enchanted Gear: Gigas."

At some point, Yoko's arms had a silver gauntlet with a manica, it looked like any other gauntlet save for the green orb on the back of the hand.

Yoko's words couldn't be heard but she didn't need anyone to hear them. Yoko leaped from her spot and towards the demon who was charging towards Kai despite the pressure.

She aimed her fist towards the demon while metal lines accompanied it. 

"HAAAA!"

The demon couldn't hear Yoko's roar and was entirely focused on Kai. His senses couldn't pick up Yoko who had arrived next to him at high speed. By the time he realized it, it was too late.

The demon was sent flying as the metal lines attached to him. Yoko retracted the metal lines and the demon was sent back to her, then she used her other hand which she slammed onto the floor before punching him.

""[Iron Rebound]!""

This time, she allowed the demon to fly towards the roof.

"YOU FUCKIN-!"

Before the demon could finish his sentence of rage, Yoko had arrived next to him. Yoko broke the ice that covered her wound.

""With my blood as a medium, I summon you, [Iron Maiden]!""

Even though silence reigned in this area, everyone could hear Yoko's words on top of another. It was like someone was shouting at the same time as her. Erina had tears in the corners of her eyes as she heard that voice.

"Akane..."

A magic circle made of blood formed in the air behind the demon and hundreds of metal lines attached themselves to him forming a demon-shaped cage. It covered each and every part of the demon, including the vitals if there were any.

"YOU-!"

The demon's words were cut as the [Iron Maiden] closed and entrapped the demon inside.

Twenty five seconds had passed, Kai's attack had almost finished charging. The demon broke apart the [Iron Maiden] while roaring as sound suddenly returned to the surroundings and they could properly use mana again.

Yoko closed her eyes as she expected to get attacked while falling but the pendant which Kai gave created a shield which protected her and sent her flying towards the ground.

But before she could crash into the floor, she felt herself being held in someone's arms for an instant to slow down her descent.

The vice-captain arrived and caught Yoko, he had a confused expression on his face as if he just saw something that shouldn't have happened.

"DIE!"

Thirty seconds.

"Thank you, Yoko and... Akane. Leave the rest to me."

Kai's figure was silent as he had at some point, a sword raised overhead. A black aura surged that towered even the heavens and gathered into his sword, an image of a wolf appeared behind him.

"HOWL, [ABYSSAL WOLF]!"

Kai sliced down with his sword. A wolf made from pure darkness formed in front of his sword and charged towards the demon who began to tremble in fear. But it wasn't just the demon, everyone was trembling in fear.

"NO, NO, NO, NOOOO!"

The giant head of the wolf opened its mouth and swallowed the demon before exploding outwards. Then, it imploded and stared into the sky as it howled. The howl shook everyone because it was heard throughout the entire kingdom- no, the whole continent. The wolf disappeared along with the demon and the pressure from before accompanied it.

At a faraway place, several people surrounding a table all had faces of alarm.

"What is this...?"

"This isn't just on the realm of S-class!"

"What kind of frightening animal was that?!"

It was the council of S-class.

At a place with barren mountain ranges was the figure of a beautiful woman wearing blue robes, she had an ethereal beauty on the level of a Goddess and anyone would be smitten with one look at her silhouette.

She faced the direction of Alteria Kingdom and smiled.

"Looks like you've finally used it again."

The beautiful woman, the Goddess of Frost smiled and disappeared.

"Never return, demon."

Kai had a grin as the sword from his hands shattered into pieces and he fell down. His consciousness was about to disappear but he suddenly felt his head buried in a soft sensation. Erina had somehow appeared in front of him to catch him.

"Well done, Kai."

Erina held him up and Kai stood. They both looked into each other's eyes while smiling. Then, Erina placed her hands behind Kai's neck and tiptoed while pulling Kai down. A kiss on the lips, Erina closed her eyes while Kai's eyes widened. Everyone in the surroundings clapped and roared.

"It's been eight years, Kai! You finally managed to get her!"

Yoko didn't forget to tease him despite being injured.

Only after about half a minute did Erina stop kissing him, everyone felt awkward at the long time they kissed and at some point already looked away. Erina's face was flushed red and her eyes were darting all over the place but she quickly shook her head and stared into Kai's eyes.

"First of all, thank you for saving me in this life. Then thank you for saving me in our past life, and finally..."

Erina did a light peck on Kai's lips.

"...I love you."

Erina pulled Kai back into her bosom but his consciousness faded before he could answer.

Everybody was waiting silently until Erina turned around.

"Let's go, we have a tournament to win. Vice-captain, please take care of my Kai and about the matters here, I'll clean them up afterwards."

Although everyone felt awkward when she said 'my Kai', the person herself didn't seem like she was conscious of what she just said.

Memento Mori was injured and will definitely have trouble later, they grimaced at that but followed Erina as she stepped out the door. The tournament would begin soon.

Kai, I'll definitely win the tournament for you!

Erina was on cloud nine though.