Filo’s question signaled that she had finished preparing for her haikuikku-Spiral Strike combo.

“I guess so. It looks like we can’t afford to hold back with this one.”

I’d hoped to make it through this thing without revealing our secret, but this wasn’t the kind of opponent that would let us off that easy.

“Shigaraki, I’m going to use my shields to restrain the opponent. Once I do, you attack along with Humming. Got it?”

“Un . . . understood.”

Thanks to the healing magic, Raphtalia was still able to fight. We had to make it through this or it was all for nothing. There was no other choice. I walked toward Nadia slowly.

“Oh? You’re changing your formation, I see. Is it finally time for you to make an appearance, little Rock?”

“I guess so. They say you’re supposed to save the main performance for last, but I’m going to make an exception and personally put on a show just for you.”

Up until now, Filo and Raphtalia had finished off all our opponents before I ever had to do anything, but that wasn’t going to work here, so I had no choice but to join the fight.

“In that case, I’ve got my magic ready to go, so . . . How about I give you a little performance, too?”

“Here I come!”

I took off running with Filo still on my shoulders. My stats had been reduced by the curse, but I was still pretty quick. It felt like the rest of the world was moving in slow motion as I sprinted toward Nadia. Nadia was considerably quick, too, as she pointed her harpoon at me and cast her spell. I had no idea just how powerful her magic could be, but I’d show her I could withstand anything she could dish out!

“You better not be thinking about taking this straight on, darling. You won’t survive!”

“As the source of your power, I command you! Let the true way be revealed once more! Thunder and lightning! Eradicate those before me!”

“Drifa Thunder Burst!”

As I ran toward Nadia, she cast her magic and . . . an ultra-thick bolt of lightning came hurling right at me. The roar of the thunder and the flash of the lightning were so intense that I thought I might end up deaf and blind—that’s how highly condensed the magical power of her attack was.