The ground turned red from the heat, and flames began rising from all directions.
The swords and armor held by the warriors were starting to melt. In a panic, they discarded their equipment and cast heat-resistant magic around their bodies.
I did the same, but… even through the protection of my magic, the heat continued to seep through, scorching my skin…!
"Ah…"
I couldn't even make a sound.
No matter how much magic we unleashed, no matter how many of us joined forces, we couldn't overcome it.
How could something like this…?
Just as that overwhelming power was about to crush us――.
『UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!!』
Along with a roar that shook heaven and earth, an intense light suddenly illuminated the space above our heads.
Looking up, we saw rainbow-colored particles spreading across the sky, meeting the descending sea of flames head-on in an attempt to protect us.
And at the center of that radiance was――.
"Big Brother?!"
Big Brother was standing there, both hands thrust forward as a rainbow aura poured from his entire body.
The descending sea of scorching flames collided with the rainbow-colored radiance――.
『Ggggh… GOOOOOOOOH!』
Big Brother let out a strained groan.
The overwhelming force he was desperately holding back caused even the fragments of armor still clinging to his body to burst apart. Asem's flames began scorching both his hands!
Blood spilled from Big Brother's mouth, but he kept his eyes firmly open and shouted.
『I won't let it fall…! There's no way I'm letting this thing fall…!』
The rainbow radiance was being pushed back by the sea of flames, scorching Big Brother's body even further.
『I don't want anyone else to get hurt! And I don't want you hurting anyone else, either! That includes you, Asem! I can hear it! Your anguish is even louder than before! Just as you made your vow, I have a promise of my own that I need to fulfill!』
The light radiating from Big Brother's body grew even stronger.
At that moment, my chest tightened painfully.
Could this be…?!
Realizing what was happening, I screamed toward Big Brother.
"Don't! You can't use that! Big Brother!"
"Issei, you…! I don't want that! Please, stop! Issei!"
Beside me, Alice was shouting with tears in her eyes.
She must have sensed it, too. She understood what Big Brother was trying to do.
Azazel-sensei turned toward us and demanded an explanation.
"Hey! What the hell is Issei trying to do?!"
"Big Brother is… planning to consume his own life to protect us from that attack. Alice-san's soul and mine are connected to Big Brother's, so I can feel it. His life force is steadily being drained away…!"
"That damn fool…!"
When we received our pseudo-divine forms, the three of us had established a connection on a profound level.
That was why we could sense things about one another, even without consciously trying.
But this time, there was no mistaking it.
I could clearly feel Big Brother's life being consumed…!
Rias's eyes widened.
"You can't do that…! Issei!"
The other members also began shouting Big Brother's name.
But Big Brother refused to stop consuming his life.
The light pouring from his body grew even brighter.
However, even Big Brother couldn't withstand the full force of Asem's final attack…
『Damn it…! Even this isn't enough?! Asem…!』
Asem raised his hand toward Big Brother and spoke quietly.
It was almost as though he were bidding us a final farewell.
"It seems I've won after all. You were unable to overcome this. …What a shame."
The scorching flames finally swallowed the rainbow light.
Big Brother took the full force of the flames head-on, his body gradually disappearing into the inferno――.
"Big Brother… Isseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeei!!!!"
[Miwa's POV END]
▽
A dark, pitch-black world stretched endlessly around me.
I recognized this sensation.
It was almost identical to what I had experienced when Lostward pierced my chest and killed me.
The sensation of sinking into the depths of a deep ocean.
My hands and feet were cold, and I couldn't feel anything.
But that sensation quickly disappeared.
Beyond that cold world, what awaited me was warmth.
It enveloped my chilled body, filling me with heat.
Yes, this was――.
『This is the second time you've come to this world.』
A voice suddenly spoke to me.
I sat up and looked around.
What stretched out before me was a vast expanse filled with countless stars.
The stars scattered throughout the heavens radiated light in an assortment of colors, while countless meteors streaked across the distant sky, leaving trails of light behind them.
Rainbow-colored particles filled this world, and standing among them was a single woman.
A beautiful woman with rainbow-colored hair.
She possessed an incredibly mysterious aura, and she welcomed me with a warm, gentle smile.
Facing her, I opened my mouth.
"The last time I came here was when I divided my pseudo-divine power… Ignis."
That's right. This woman was Ignis in her true form, and this world was her real domain.
I asked Ignis a question.
"Does the fact that I've come here mean… I've died again, and my soul has separated from my physical body?"
The last time I died, the shock of the experience had allowed me to communicate with Ignis.
…Well, Sirius had been there, too, and things had gotten pretty hectic.
Yeah, even thinking about it now was painful.
After all, she'd seen me getting all lovey-dovey with Miwa!
Sirius had worn an indescribable expression, too. It had been incredibly awkward!
Anyway, putting that aside.
Ignis answered my question.
『No. This time is different from back then. It would be more accurate to say that the time has finally come.』
"The time has come? Does that mean…?"
Ignis nodded.
『The time has come for me to tell you――my true name.』
"Ignis" was not her real name.
She had sealed away her true name to restrain her own power.
If she manifested in her original state, the effects would spread throughout the entire world.
Even her power as "Ignis" was enough to easily destroy a god.
I couldn't even begin to imagine how powerful she would be in her true form.
I asked in a calm voice.
"Why now? If you'd told me earlier, it would've helped with quite a few things."
『That's because your power was still insufficient. But after awakening your abilities as a Revolutionary and going through your battle with Asem, your power has increased tremendously. You've finally reached the point where you can barely restrain my power without allowing it to run wild, even after my seal is undone.』
"Even after all that ridiculous power-up, I'm still only barely qualified…?"
『There's no helping that, is there? Besides, there's another reason.』
"What is it?"
When I asked, Ignis suddenly lowered her eyes, her expression turning sorrowful.
…This was the first time I'd ever seen her make such an expression.
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"