Overlimit Skill Holder
Book 4: Chapter 51

** Dark Elf Village **

It is extremely difficult to shoot at flying birds. Even more so, if it is a giant monster bird flying towards you. Your hands will start to tremble.

Furthermore, although it was possible to shoot down one bird by concentrating all your attacks on it, it was impossible to deal with numerous early summer birds swooping down from all directions.

「To the right!」

「My arrows keep missing!」

「Get down!」

It was like standing in the middle of a highway while cars crossed at high speed. Moreover, the cars were coming in from every direction.

Although the dark elves were brawny, it was a natural outcome to be thrown around and killed if the size of the opponent was several times larger and their numbers was several tens of times larger than themselves.

Some dark elves were thrown around due to sudden gusts of wind, some broke their arms crashing into the birds which dove at tremendous speeds, and some were caught in the talons of the birds and were thrown into the air.

Early summer birds were clad in flames, so the surrounding air became dried up and the temperature began to rise.

Of course, the early summer birds themselves were not entirely safe. Some of them collided into each other and stopped moving. While others smashed into trees and flew away unsteadily.

Even so, the early summer birds did not stop their attack.

They were not acting as individuals, but as a group – to eradicate those who were there.

It seemed like a “win or die” situation for the birds.

Speaking of the other party, the dark elves were in an extremely disadvantageous situation.

(Magic! If I use magic, I might be able to defeat them.)

Anastasia was aware that her【Fire Magic】was extraordinary.

Even if the early summer birds are clad with the same fire, her magic was likely to be effective.

(But if I use【Fire Magic】as a High Elf…)

…What will the dark elves think?

…If I manifest strong flames that is not appropriate for a forest dweller.

…Even so, it’s better than standing around and waiting for death.

…No, if I just wait for the dark elves who left to scout to return.

「Damnit! Don’t burn our houses with your filthy fire!」

Some huts on the treetops were up in smoke. Those might have been ignited by the flames of the early summer birds. Some ropes were also burnt out.

The word “filthy fire” pierced at Anastasia’s chest.

It stopped Anastasia from using her voice to manifest her magic.

「Don’t worry. We will protect you, High Elf-sama.」Nicky said, standing beside Anastasia and calmly shooting arrows.「We just have to wait a little longer. Once Knock and the others return, we’ll kill all these guys.」

The flames of an early summer bird that passed by illuminated Nicky’s smile.

But how long will it take for them to return? It could be late at night if they’re having a hard time with the scouting.

Conversely, how long can the dark elves here hold out for?

(Reiji-san!)

In the same manner one prays to god, Anastasia shouted Reiji’s name in her heart.

But he left the village early yesterday morning. It took two and a half days for them to travel from Dragonewt City to the Dark Elf Village. Anastasia’s calm side speculates that Reiji will not come unless he forgot something here or something unexpected happens.

Reiji will not come.

Anastasia recognised that fact, and bit her lips frustratedly.

「High Elf-sama!」

「!?」

Nicky’s cry brought her back to her senses. An early summer bird was flying straight towards them.

Nicky was sent flying by a powerful wind as the bird passed by their side — but not before she shoved Anastasia away to safety.

Nicky looked at Anastasia and grinned.

「Nicky-san!!」

Immediately after, an early summer bird rushed in, grabbed Nicky, and soared into the sky. The bow fell from Nicky’s hand onto the ground.

「ORAAAAAA!!」

Nicky bit at the base of the early summer bird’s left wing. The flames cladding the early summer bird burned her skin. But not backing off, Nikki pulled out a knife from her waist and stabbed it into the eyes of the bird. The bird cried in pain.

「Don’t be a wuss!」

Pull out, stab, pull out, stab, pull out, stab.

The early summer bird shook its head in anguish, and flared the flames cladding its body further. It flew wildly and spun upside down to throw Nicky off of itself.

Nicky fell onto a large tree.

「Ah!」

The early summer bird crashed while spinning, but Nicky plunged into the sea of large trees far away and disappeared behind the foliage. She fell and did not reappear.

Anastasia doesn’t know if Nicky was still alive or dead.

(She protected me. She became a substitute for me.)

Anastasia thought, still fallen on the ground from the moment when Nicky pushed her away.

…What was I so afraid of?

…Of being disliked?

…Of being despised?

…Of being hated?

(How selfish of me!)

Even when her voice was sealed or treated as a “decoration”, she was still proud of being a High Elf royalty.

That’s why she used her magic in the Lev Magic Empire, where monsters fell from the sky, and protected Reiji.

…Did I forget the feelings from that time?

…Did I become self-conceited from the fact that the dark elves treated me as a High Elf?

…Reiji is always protecting me, so did I think that I won’t have to do anything?

…No!

「I am Anastasia.」

This magic is the power to protect others.

If you are proud of being a royal – no, if you care about the chieftain and the dark elves who are fighting for you, and Nicky-san who became your shield–

「A High Elf royalty who is the leader of all elves!!」

Whether I am hated, feared, or despised.

「Become prey to my magic–」

I will burn all who would hurt us to ashes.