Passion and Explosion

Deep in the cave, the light was dim. Only the fierce glint in the monsters' eyes and the bursts of magical fire lit the darkness.

"Take this—! Pierce the stars of dawn, bring evil to its end—Sacred Sword Sky-Splitting Slash!" Himmel's clear shout echoed through the cave. He leaped into the air, his longsword tracing a dazzling arc as it precisely cleaved through a Blood Wolf's claws, then carried on to leave a deep wound across its chest and belly. His movements were expansive, his blue hair flying, lending him the splendor of a stage performance.

Almost at the same time, Ruby's petite figure flashed into view nearby, searing light gathering at the tip of her staff. "Hmph~! Turn to ashes beneath Lady Ruby's searing magic! Burn away the darkness—Crimson Lotus Vortex Exploding Flame Spell!" Several fireballs shot forth with a roar, cutting off the Blood Wolf's escape and setting its fur ablaze. The smell of scorching spread through the air.

Each of their technique names was longer than the last, and each "chant," as they called it, was more passionate than the one before.

Behind them, Eisen silently swung his battle-axe. No names, no shouts—only the dull sound of the axe cutting through the air and the practical efficiency of each swing inevitably shattering a monster's bones. His bronze face was expressionless, as though he were performing a tedious farm chore.

Farther back, the scene was completely different.

Frieren leaned listlessly against a relatively clean section of the cave wall. It seemed that her effort to get up early had already drained most of her strength.

The staff in her hand pointed lazily toward the battlefield. One basic magic missile after another drifted slowly out, precisely interrupting the pounce of a Blood Wolf attempting a sneak attack or knocking aside a jet of acid spat by another. Her emerald eyes were half-lidded, and even her silver twin tails drooped. She looked like a mushroom deprived of water.

"Eh... you're all so energetic..." she mumbled, giving a small yawn.

Beside her, Heiter sat on the ground with his back against the rock wall, his head nodding and an empty wine flask clutched in his arms. He snored softly from time to time, evidently not yet fully awake after last night's revelry.

In the middle of the fighting, Himmel glanced back and sighed helplessly. "Heiter's no use today."

Lowell stood a little way in front of Frieren and Heiter, his hands in his pockets like a carefree spectator.

He did not attack. Only occasionally, when a stray stream of acid or a flying piece of rock was about to reach those in the rear, would he shift his feet half a step or move a finger so subtly it was hard to notice. The threats would then veer strangely off course and strike the nearby rock wall.

Linié and Mina stood quietly a little behind him, one on either side, like two exquisite statues of guards. Their calm eyes reflected the battle ahead, and they showed no intention of intervening.

"Of course!" Ruby heard Frieren's muttering and found time to look back while firing a volley of Arcane Missiles. Her little face was flushed from excitement and exertion. "That's how energetic you have to be on an adventure! You need presence! You have to convey your beliefs through your technique names!"

Himmel elegantly twirled his sword, deflecting the Blood Wolf's dying lunge, and chimed in with complete conviction. "Exactly! Dashing! Splendid! That's the right way to make perfect memories for our epic tale!"

Hearing this, the corners of Lowell's mouth curved upward by a single pixel.

Still watching the battlefield, he applauded them with a straight face, speaking in his distinctive, slightly lazy and encouraging tone. "Good! So energetic! Himmel, Ruby, I have a suggestion. You could work out a Combination Technique, then come up with an even more splendid, longer name for it—one that preferably expresses your bond. You could say it together, then shout at the end, 'This is our hot-blooded Combination Technique!'"

The moment he finished, Himmel and Ruby both paused.

A light flashed in Himmel's eyes, as though he had seen the door to a new world. Ruby's little mouth formed an O, and brilliant stars that said That's a fantastic idea burst into her green eyes.

They looked at each other at the same time, their eyes meeting as they instantly reached an understanding—We absolutely have to do that!

Eisen's hand shook mid-swing, and his battle-axe nearly went astray. He sighed silently. Though his face remained largely expressionless, the helplessness radiating from him almost took physical form. He felt that the concentration of "abnormal" energy in the party had shot up by at least two hundred percent because of that one remark from Lowell.

The battle soon ended in this "enthusiastic" atmosphere. The Blood Wolf corpses covering the ground proved the party's fighting strength, despite the vast differences in their fighting styles.

After leaving the cave and returning to the sunlight, the group headed toward town. Eisen half supported, half dragged Heiter along, who was still groggy. Himmel and Ruby, meanwhile, had already begun eagerly discussing ideas for their Combination Technique in low voices.

"I think we should combine my sword techniques with your fire magic..."

"Mm-hmm! The explosion at the end has to be spectacular! The name has to be long enough and sound impressive enough!"

"It should be symbolic too, with things like 'friendship,' 'hope,' and 'dawn'..."

"And 'justice'! 'The future'!"

Frieren trailed slowly behind, the sunlight making her even more languid. Listening to the two of them chattering excitedly ahead, she blinked and suddenly tugged at Lowell's sleeve.

"Lowell."

"Hmm?"

"Combination Techniques..." Frieren tilted her face up, an unusual hint of... curiosity flickering in her emerald eyes. "Are they powerful?"

Lowell looked down at her and smiled. "The results vary, but they usually make quite a spectacle. Especially... well, things along the lines of Explosion Magic."

"Explosion Magic?"

"Yeah." Lowell spoke casually, as though describing the weather. "It's the kind of magic where you chant a long, complicated spell, expend a huge amount of mana, and then—boom!! It destroys a large area, the light is dazzling, the sound is loud, and there's a whole lot of smoke and dust."

Frieren stopped walking.

She stood there, her eyes widening slightly as she repeated unconsciously, "A long chant... dazzling light... a loud sound... lots of smoke and dust..."

She imagined the scene: a lengthy chant (she could take the chance to rest), followed by a massive explosion (it should be pretty powerful), dazzling light (it would look impressive), a deafening noise (it would have plenty of presence), and smoke and dust filling the sky (it would be very satisfying)...

"Heh..." A very soft chuckle, filled with satisfaction and longing, escaped her lips.

She abruptly raised her head and looked at Lowell with burning eyes, all her earlier lethargy swept away. "Lowell! I want to learn that!"

"Which one?"

"Explosion Magic!" Frieren spoke with rare urgency and conviction. "The kind with a really long chant! Really bright light! A really loud sound! And lots of smoke!"

Lowell stared at Frieren, who had switched instantly from "energy-saving mode" to "excited mode." He froze for a moment, then laughed. "Are you sure? That kind of magic is all flash and no substance. It consumes a lot of mana, takes a long time to prepare, is easily interrupted in actual combat, and isn't very cost-effective..."

"I'm sure!" Frieren nodded emphatically, her gaze resolute. "That's what I want to learn!"

Himmel and Ruby heard the commotion ahead and looked back. Ruby asked curiously, "Lady Frieren, do you want to learn a Combination Technique too?"

Frieren shook her head vigorously, pointed at Lowell, and announced loudly, as though declaring a great decision, "No! I want to learn something even more powerful! Explosion Magic!"

Himmel smiled gently. "Oh? That sounds impressive, Frieren."

Eisen silently supported Heiter. "..." (The journey ahead feels like it's going to get very noisy.)

Lowell looked at Frieren's sparkling eyes, with "I want to set off huge fireworks" written all over them, and helplessly rubbed his brow. He wondered whether, over the course of nearly a thousand years, he had led Frieren, originally an expressionless, emotionless, and taciturn elf, a little astray.

"All right, all right... Once we get to town, I'll teach you when I have time..."

"No problem!" Full of confidence, Frieren had already begun imagining the spectacular sight of herself standing atop a mountain, chanting a lengthy spell, then blasting the entire summit flat with a single spell. The corners of her mouth rose uncontrollably.

Sunlight spilled over the path. In front were a hero and a mage discussing their splendid Combination Technique; in the middle was a helpless warrior dragging a hungover priest; and behind them were an elf eager to become an "Explosion Witch" and a fellow beginning to wonder, Did I take that joke too far?

Today's journey was as lively as ever.