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Meanwhile, Surtr and Lost were chasing a teacher named Embra, who was scheming behind the scenes of the tournament.

Surtr competed in the tournament and reached the main bracket, but lost to the student council president, Medusa.

He had free time, so he accidentally saw Embra talking to someone suspicious.

That's when he ran into Camilla and Lost, who were also after Embra.

In the original story, Surtr would be with Ruine and Magisa to go after Embra. But in this world, Ruine and Magisa are cheering for Arc, so they're not here.

Anyway—

Surtr, Lost, and Camilla followed Embra into the academy's underground.

Surtr and Lost already knew Camilla. They saw her as an "incredibly skilled servant."

During a previous relief mission, Surtr realized Camilla was stronger than he was, which depressed him. He didn't just lose to Arc—he even lost to Arc's servant.

Now Surtr, Camilla, and Lost watched Embra vanish below, and they followed.

In the basement, a golem was standing guard.

"Tch. Another golem," Surtr muttered.

It was a black golem, like the ones that attacked students in that nightmarish survival training.

It was human-sized but more intimidating than the one Surtr saw before.

It stood like a knight, pointing its sword at the ceiling.

"I heard that training was awful," Lost comments.

He's an older student and wasn't in that terrible session with the black golems.

"...I couldn't do anything," Surtr replies, looking frustrated.

That exercise showed Surtr how powerless he was.

In the end, Arc solved everything.

Surtr did nothing.

"If you felt weak, just get stronger," Camilla says plainly.

She understands how Surtr feels.

She's also faced her helplessness many times while serving Arc.

Arc moves so far ahead, and Camilla has to chase him.

So she gets it, to some degree.

"Yeah, I know," Surtr answers with a firm nod.

He's the main character in the original story, after all.

He's not the type to give up easily.

He was useless in the relief mission, too.

He only killed one monster, with Arc's and Camilla's help.

Alone, he accomplished nothing.

Meanwhile, Arc basically saved a whole town.

All Surtr did was complain. He never changed anything.

He sometimes despairs over it.

But moping won't help him progress.

"I'll get stronger."

Suddenly, the golem starts moving.

Camilla reacts first, releasing a chain wrapped around her right arm and pouring magic into it.

The chain's tip shoots at the golem.

—Clang!

The golem's sword blocks Camilla's chain.

"Uooooooh!"

Surtr shouts and charges straight in.

"Muspelheim!"

His sword, Laevateinn, bursts into flames and slashes at the golem.

"――――"

Sensing danger, the golem dodges backward and avoids Surtr's strike.

"Not done yet!"

Surtr chases it down.

But the flames around Laevateinn have weakened a bit, letting the golem parry with its own blade.

—Clang clang clang!

Sparks fly as their swords clash.

Two silhouettes dart around.

The golem has the advantage.

With a loud swoop, the golem's sword comes for Surtr's neck.

"Crap...!?"

Surtr's eyes widen.

But—

"You're way too careless."

—Clank!

Camilla's chain blocks the golem's sword.

Surtr is saved at the last second.

"Don't forget me,"

Lost says, stepping forward. He lifts his right hand at the golem.

Lost is a druid, a spirit user who borrows the power of spirits called "Ido" instead of using his own mana.

Handling Ido isn't easy. You need huge knowledge. Plus, spirit magic is taught only through oral tradition, and most druids were wiped out in an incident.

On top of that, druids need a staff made of sacred wood to cast magic, usually mistletoe. But no one really knows how to craft them anymore.

So spirit magic is considered "lost magic."

Without the right knowledge or staff, Lost shouldn't be able to use Ido.

But there's a workaround.

There are two ways to be a druid:

One, have the massive knowledge and get a sacred wood staff.

Two, form a contract with a spirit.

A contract can cover your lack of staff and knowledge.

Only a few people can make that contract.

Lost is one of them.

He formed a blood pact with his spirit.

He bites his finger, letting blood drip on the ground.

Then he chants:

"Oh goddess of fertility, Brigid! By our blood pact, lend me your power!"

Drip.

His blood falls onto the floor, forming a complex pattern.

"Imbolc—!"

Wooden shoots grow out of the pattern.

"Bind it!"

At Lost's command, the wood slithers around like it's alive and wraps around the golem.

"――――"

The black golem struggles, but it's fully bound.

"Uoooooh!"

Surtr charges in to finish it.

He aims at the golem's neck and swings.

"Muspelheim!"

Flames surround his sword.

—Slash!

The golem's head flies off.

Surtr's fire spreads, burning the golem and the wooden restraints together.

Surtr couldn't cut through a black golem before.

This proves he's improved.

But—

"G-ggh..."

Even without a head, covered in flames, the golem still moves. Its core—its magic stone—is now exposed.

It won't stop until that core is destroyed.

It tries to swing its sword at Surtr—

"Finish the job properly,"

Camilla's chain stabs into the exposed core.

The golem stops completely.