Tina and Claire stepped forward almost simultaneously, their weapons and equipment ready.
Hero Tina—
A magic book appeared before her, trembling faintly. Its pages turned faster. So did the magic staff in her left hand. As if responding to something that shouldn't exist.
Hero Claire—
Her great bow appeared in her right hand, now pulsing vividly, reacting to the situation and the strange creature that shouldn't be there.
But—
Suddenly, Rena stretched out her left hand sideways, her body facing the flesh lump monster with her back to the heroes. She clenched that left fist tightly.
And instantly, she stuck her thumb out from inside that clenched left fist.
Seeing that, once again, Hero Claire and Hero Tina thought it was an extreme thing for a child without much mana.
Yes...
Rena was stopping them.
Hero Claire, seeing Rena's attitude, could only show a shadowed face. Meanwhile, Hero Tina was slightly shocked—Rena's action made her feel guilty, like a small needle pricking her heart.
Then both of them muttered simultaneously, their lips slightly parted.
Only one person I knew before was that reckless...
Then they fell silent, trying to keep watching Rena, who was now lowering her left hand. This time, their cheeks lifted slightly.
Her hand stretched out sideways, blocking without hesitation.
The meaning of that hand was only one—
Trust me!!
Meanwhile, Rena stayed silent without speaking.
She took a breath for a fraction of a second before the monster screamed at her with a shrill woman's roar, so piercing that it made her ears bleed.
Even so, Rena remained calm. This time, she quickly approached the blood pooling around her, then sat cross-legged.
Trying to calm herself—while her eyes streamed heavily, her nose inhaled a stench that made it hard to breathe, and her ears were now truly deafened.
Slowly, Rena—who had earlier tried to put her left hand into her large robe pocket when she first saw the monster's new form—now moved it slowly to follow her right hand.
She quickly collected her blood and drank it slowly...
Then washed her face with that collected blood.
Meanwhile, the monster watching this slowly stopped its roar and approached Rena with confident steps, as Anna—the Headmaster. It was clear from how the monster looked at Rena's pitiful state.
Seeing this, Hero Tina was confused. She shifted her gaze to Claire with furrowed brows, covering her mouth with her right hand.
Is Rena alright??
But Hero Claire, when she saw that, had tears streaming down her face—she hadn't even had time to answer Hero Tina's question.
Tina, seeing Hero Claire's reaction, panicked slightly, her lips trembling.
Has Rena given up??
Has Rena lost her sanity??
Then, with darting eyes trying to see the disguised flesh lump monster, Hero Claire moved one step away from Hero Tina.
If so, let's go hel—
Suddenly, before Hero Tina could finish speaking, Hero Claire pulled Hero Tina's robe and muttered softly.
No....
Rena hasn't given up!!
Hearing that, Hero Tina shifted her gaze and waited for an explanation.
???
Meanwhile, Hero Claire stared sharply at Hero Tina's eyes, her own slightly teary.
No!!
It's exactly as Anna said...
This kid... Rena...
Is truly a special child.
Hearing that, Hero Tina was a little confused.
Then Hero Claire shifted her gaze toward Rena—this time with a steady stare and clear-spoken lips.
That technique is—
Neutralization magic.
And also natural recovery acceleration magic!!!
Which even Anna didn't have!!!
Hearing that, Hero Tina was completely confused—then looked directly at Rena.
And sure enough...
Instantly, Rena's entire face recovered. Her mouth had no cuts or wounds like before, and now Rena looked like a different person.
Her eyes weren't watery.
Her nose now breathed air as usual.
With challenging steps toward the monster approaching her, Rena now calmly held her great sword—which appeared in her right hand—with both hands.
Seeing that, the monster tried the same technique again—roaring using Anna's body, producing a piercing shriek so sharp that it made the hill near the forbidden forest tremble violently, causing a landslide that buried part of the forest.
Aaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
Seeing that, Rena kept advancing toward the monster—as if her ears were fine.
And now, the distance between Rena and the flesh lump monster was very close.
Both fell silent for a moment, for very different reasons.
The flesh lump monster was in a ready stance, sizing up its opponent.
But Rena didn't see it that way. Instead, Rena observed that body.
Anna.
But not the Anna Rena knew.
Her skin wasn't intact.
Her structure wasn't stable.
Some parts of her face looked… forced together.
And some other parts oozed a sap-like liquid, as if illustrating how long that flesh had existed.
Even so, the form remained.
What was different now was that Rena no longer smelled the same stench as before. The air also felt lighter.
With that, Rena—still silent—nodded her head toward the flesh lump monster.
Seeing that, Hero Tina then said, shocked, her lips still trembling.
If so, does that nod mean something different, like Anna's??
Hero Claire, hearing that, just looked at Rena with lifted cheeks, remembering moments when she often chatted with Hero Anna—especially about her student Rena.
That's right...
For Rena, that nod is a form of conviction.
From her choices.
Instantly, Hero Claire's eyes sparkled, even as nostalgia for a similar attitude surfaced.
That she has already chosen.
Then, briefly, Claire remembered nostalgic moments when she fought alongside Anna. Hero Claire muttered.
Meanwhile, Hero Anna...
That nod meant!!!
Then, suddenly, Hero Claire shifted her gaze north quickly.
Seeing Hero Claire shift her attention, Hero Tina was suddenly shocked—Rena was no longer in her sight.
And sure enough, Rena and the flesh lump were now to the north. Moreover, the flesh lump was now pierced by Rena's great sword, which was embedded in the ground.
Then, firmly and clearly, Hero Claire continued her words with confidence.
She has already completed her task....
The first light of morning began to appear on the eastern horizon. Sunlight slowly touched the ground, then hit the flesh lump.
Rena, seeing the morning light appear, calmly turned her gaze east.
Meanwhile—
That rotting body immediately reacted, burning. Not like ordinary fire, but like something rejected by the light itself. Thin smoke rose, accompanied by an increasingly sharp stench. This only made the flesh lump more restless.
Added to that, in the middle of it, Rena's great sword was firmly planted in the ground, piercing the creature's body, holding it in place.
The flesh writhed, trying to move but couldn't. It kept burning.
And this time, it tried to open its mouth—not to roar, but to attempt making sounds like an ordinary human.
Hakkm!!!
Hujkkk!!!
Meanwhile,
Half of its body began to crumble, blacken, peel away.
Then, while still trying, one word seemed to come from within its mouth.
No-ot!!!
Then, gasping, the remaining part of the flesh lump still spoke.
May-be!!!!
Then, in one brief moment—
BOOM.
It exploded.
But this time, it left nothing behind. No remains, no pieces, no trace.
Gone.
Rena, still calm, watched the morning light, then shifted her gaze to the thin morning clouds beginning to appear over the northern region. They descended slowly, soft, not blinding, touching the ground that had just witnessed the battle.
The previously heavy air now felt lighter.
Calm.
As if the world… could finally breathe again.
Rena stood under that light.
Silent.
Her breathing still felt light, her body fresh—and so did her mental state, though it had wavered, she remained upright.
Her shadow stretched long on the ground, following the direction of the morning light.
No more stench.
No more strange pressure.
Just—
the gentle morning wind,
and clouds moving slowly overhead.
The light touched her face.
Warm.
Real.
And without needing words—
that morning became proof for Hero Claire, Hero Tina, and especially for Rena—
that Rena…
was still standing.
And would keep rising!!
And deep in her heart, Rena clenched her right fist toward her chest, over her heart, while her left hand was behind her back—this time wide open.
Headmaster!!
I will make sure all of this is answered!!!
By any means worthy of my right hand!!!
And so, on this bright morning, the two heroes and one magic school student gained something that truly made them realize what it meant to make a choice.