Copy Skills with Affinity!

Chapter 201

Entry (3)

If I thought about the efficiency when Aiden Kellermain mixed two or three abilities together, then it was hard to consider the flames now blooming right before my eyes from Katya Heinkel Craven as something weak in any normal sense.

It wasn’t just a simple mix of abilities either, but three abilities of such high purity that people even said they were on the level of Divinity itself, all combined at once.

And even before Divinity took root in their bodies, only those who already demonstrated top-tier proficiency by human standards could handle such abilities.

As a result—

—……

What was unfolding before my eyes was something close to a natural disaster that only a calamity wearing human form could bring about.

Before, when chaos had broken out in the Imperial Capital, I had already once used Katya like a sort of flamethrower to burn everything in sight.

What was happening now was similar to that time.

But there was one difference.

Compared to the firepower she was releasing now, the flames she had produced back then were no different from a matchstick.

—………………----!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“……Hii…!”

Even Katya herself let out a startled groan at the flames pouring out in front of her hands.

Unlike before, her own senses were intact now. Feeling with her own skin just how ferocious the flames she was controlling were, a reaction like this was only natural.

Of course, the beasts being directly engulfed in it would probably have a very different opinion.

—!!!!!

They didn’t even manage to scream before turning into dust. Some didn’t even become dust and were instantly vaporized, scattering into nothing.

Anyone who knew how tough and persistent magical beasts were would be utterly dumbfounded at this level of firepower.

“……”

Even Katya, the one who fired it, looked completely stunned. Though she had handled divine power her entire life, it was clear she had never once imagined producing this level of might.

“……The 45 degrees in front are handled with just that one shot.”

Rania A‘Shan spoke with a smirk, a pipe between her lips, neatly summarizing the destructive power of that flame.

“But they’re still swarming everywhere!”

But clearing the front 45 degrees meant that the remaining 315 degrees were still full of problems.

As Cretin spoke with slightly teary eyes, Noel Astrea Simus shrugged her shoulders.

“Well, we can’t project that level of power in all directions. This is probably the most offensive combination.”

“……No, I mean, why are you still riding that ridiculous piggyback thing, and how are you calmly explaining all this in this situation…!”

Cretin vented, her tone rising as if her blood pressure was climbing.

No, had all these people been influenced by that man named Aiden? It felt like she was the only one reacting normally no matter what situation they were thrown into.

How were they all so calm even now?!

“……Seriously. Why are we still doing this like this?!”

It seemed Katya shared the same question, as she raised divine power again and asked.

“Ah, this?”

But even at that question, Noel answered indifferently.

“It’s simple. It makes aiming and evasion easier.”

“What do you—”

Before Katya could finish her confused question, Noel suddenly twisted her body. Something like a beast’s claw that had been aiming at her brushed past the spot where she had just been.

“Things like that.”

“……”

I didn’t even see that.

I couldn’t tell where or who had fired it from, yet watching her dodge it without even blinking made it clear she was no ordinary person either…

“And as for aiming.”

Noel lightly tapped Katya’s leg.

It was obviously a signal to prepare for the same attack as before, and understanding it, Katya once again ignited divine power outside her body.

Immediately, the same process as before happened in an instant. Divine power mixed with qi, and then mana blended into it.

Seeing that Katya had finished preparing to fire, Noel quietly nodded.

“Now that we’ve seen the power, we should be a bit more efficient. That level should be sufficient.”

“What are you—”

“This is how.”

With those words—

Noel’s figure vanished.

More precisely, she moved so fast that it only looked like she had disappeared.

“……!”

Cretin’s mouth fell open.

If earlier, Katya’s stationary attack had erased a single area—

Now, with Noel carrying her on her shoulders and sweeping across all directions, the movement looked like a long dragon made of flames rampaging everywhere.

…The piggyback posture itself might look ridiculous, but watching it annihilate such a wide area at once made it hard to dismiss it as merely laughable.

“……”

The waves of flame burning everything around finally subsided, leaving behind nothing but blackened ashes.

The time it took to completely erase the swarm of magical beasts that had shaken the ground and darkened the sky was no more than a few dozen seconds.

“……They really are monsters.”

Rania, who had been quietly watching the scene, let out that remark in a hollow voice.

“No. Maybe I got infected from working with monsters.”

While that kind of evaluation was being made, Noel Astrea Simus, who had finished that entire feat, returned proudly to the front of the carriage with Katya Heinkel Craven still sitting on her shoulders.

“Did you see that, Mr. Aiden Kellermain?”

“……”

Seeing Aiden staring at her blankly, unable to even respond, she nodded in satisfaction and casually tossed Katya aside.

With a choking sound, Katya tumbled onto the ground, but Noel didn’t even spare her a glance. Instead, she grinned and leaned her head toward Aiden.

“How was it?”

Noel spoke confidently, placing both hands on her hips.

“At this level, wouldn’t you say I’m someone you can trust and rely on?”

“……”

That went beyond just being someone reliable.

To pull off something this impressive, using a method he himself hadn’t even considered—

As Aiden nodded with a dazed expression, Noel strode over and pressed a finger firmly against the bridge of his nose.

“So, try trusting and relying on us a bit.”

“……”

“We’ve been working with you for quite some time now. You don’t have to worry about every single thing or pay attention to everything. We can handle at least this much on our own.”

“……No, it’s not that far—”

“Didn’t you say earlier you wouldn’t give battle orders, yet you were still watching outside because you were worried?”

“……”

That hit the mark.

As Aiden fell silent, Noel pressed his nose again and continued.

“If we hadn’t met your expectations this time, you would’ve tried to carry everything on your own again, wouldn’t you?”

“……”

“Don’t do that.”

Saying that, Noel smiled.

…It was a smile I had seen before.

It was the same expression Teresa Adelaide, who had been like a mentor to her, had shown many times. A smile like the sun.

A face that seemed to say, as long as I’m here, everything will be fine, so trust me.

“It may be messy, but we’re married, aren’t we? No matter what happens from now on, we’re together.”

“……”

Huh.

Wait.

It felt strange.

Thump—something suddenly surged up in my chest.

Aiden turned his head, trying to suppress the heat rising across his entire face.

He hadn’t expected Noel to make the first ‘attack’ like this…

“Oh.”

“Oh.”

At the sound of whistling from behind, Noel scratched her head and turned that way.

“……What is it?”

“No, I was just thinking—you’re usually the one getting hit, but you can land a solid blow like that too.”

“……What exactly do you people think I am?”

Though she grumbled like that, it didn’t seem like she felt too bad about it, as Noel scratched her cheek and let out a small snort.

“So, this is a passing grade, right?”

At Noel’s words, Aiden nodded in agreement.

“Thinking about it, I guess there’s a reason Sir Noel is considered the best among the knights.”

“Ahem, ahem. You may praise me more, Mr. Aiden.”

“I don’t know about praise, but there is something I’d like to ask.”

“……”

The moment those words came out, Noel’s expression stiffened.

The others watching from behind showed similar reactions.

“……If it’s a request, what kind?”

“What you did just now was a really good idea. The posture is a bit ridiculous, but securing both mobility and attack power at the same time… hmm…”

“……”

As Aiden seriously began evaluating, the concern on everyone’s faces deepened.

Because among everyone here, not a single person had failed to experience that whenever Aiden started thinking like this, something bizarre would come out of it.

“……I think there’s a way to make use of it.”

“……That just now?”

“Yes.”

“……”

“I’m not particularly into speedruns, but there’s no reason not to do it if we can.”

I didn’t really understand what he meant.

But considering who was saying it, it was the kind of statement that inevitably made the listeners feel uneasy.

▣

“……Hmm.”

Elisha Gillias Craven let out a heavy breath through her nose as she stared intently at the screen Morrigan had projected, as if trying to devour it.

She had just witnessed Aiden’s group wipe out that number of magical beasts without even blinking, but even so, the obstacles they had to overcome were still piled high.

There was a reason the gods had used all their power to seal the Void Zone for so many years. The ecosystem filling its interior had stagnated and rotted over that long time, to the point it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it utterly decayed.

In that sense—

“……Morrigan.”

“……Yes.”

“How long do you think it’ll take those guys to reach where Wornil is?”

“……”

What Aiden’s group was showing right now was nothing short of unprecedented.

You could tell just from how Morrigan answered that question without any hesitation.

“……About a day, I would say.”

“……”

“Normally, it takes about a month.”

“No wonder they didn’t bring much with them.”

Elisha let out a hollow remark and stared at the screen again.

That was how—

What they were doing inside that screen right now was utterly absurd.