part1 · 070-ep70

Episode 70: Water Magic in Battle

Having felled the Aqualizard, Ren lowered his sword.

"...Just learned it, but it works."

Water magic — he'd failed at it over and over until just now. But he could produce water at will.

Ren faced his right hand forward once more.

"Water Magic."

Magic gathered in his palm.

—Fwish.

A small water sphere formed. He sent it flying straight ahead.

—Splash!

The sphere struck a rock and burst.

"...The power's still low."

Compared to fire magic, its attack power was clearly lacking.

But—

"Guess it depends on how you use it."

Ren made another water sphere. This time, he tried changing its shape.

Thin. Sharp.

He concentrated his magic. The water stretched out into a thin blade.

"...So it can do this too."

Using his 《Magic Manipulation》, he reshaped it. Water could take shape far more freely than fire.

"Interesting."

Ren dismissed the blade of water.

That was when it happened.

The water's surface trembled.

"...Again."

《Presence Detection》 reacted. Multiple presences closing in from the water.

Ren drew his sword.

The next instant—

—Splash!

Three Aqualizards burst out of the water all at once.

"Three of them."

Each one opened its mouth. Magic gathered.

"Water shots...!"

Water shots came flying from three directions. Ren leapt sideways.

The shots hammered the ground. Using the opening, he closed in on one.

"Start with one."

He swung.

—Slash!

He carved through the Aqualizard's body. The other two came attacking.

Ren took a step back.

"Water Magic."

He loosed a water sphere from his right hand.

—Splash!

One of them stopped dead.

"Now."

He closed in and swung.

—Slash!

The second one fell. The last one leapt at him.

Ren twisted aside to evade, then slipped around behind it.

"It's over."

He swung full force. The last one fell too.

"...Not bad."

Ren looked at his sword. Then at his right hand.

"Water magic works in a fight too."

He'd only just learned it, and the power was weak.

Even so, it could stop an enemy's movement. Keep them at bay.

"Seems like I can use it differently from fire magic."

Ren looked around. Vast waters still stretched across floor 31.

Beyond the Aqualizards he'd just fought, plenty of monster presences remained.

"Let's test it out a bit more."

Ren readied his sword.

He used Water Magic. He cut with his sword. He reshaped spells with Magic Manipulation.

Combining them, he kept shifting his approach to the fight. With every battle, handling Water Magic grew more natural.

A small water sphere. A blade of water. Flowing water underfoot to throw off an enemy's footing.

None of it could be called a perfected technique yet.

Even so—

Ren's own way of using it was gradually taking shape.

"...At this rate, I can make it even stronger."

Ren looked ahead. Floor 31, surrounded by water.

Beyond it stretched scenery he had never seen.

"Let's go."

Sword in hand, Ren set off again.

With Water Magic added as a new weapon—

his exploration of floor 31 continued.