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We were having a hard fight against Kufar who had transformed into Ifrit and was resistant to physical attacks.

But then Cortina instructed us to lead him into the village.

Usually, luring a mythical-class monster inside the village that hasn’t even fully evacuated would be a hard plan to go along with.

However, Cortina would’ve never adopted a plan she hadn’t thought through.

Thus, I obeyed her instructions almost instantly. Our other comrades also rushed inside the village.

Cortina ran alongside me through the village.

“Reid, lend me your ear!”

Perhaps thanks to Lyell’s training, she spoke with an even tone even as she ran at full speed.

What she was asking for would be unreasonable for normal people, but it was different for me.

I sent my thread near her mouth and gave a small nod. With just that, Cortina realized that I was ready to listen.

“North of the plaza, there is—”

She then started to give me new instructions.

Hearing it, I finally realized what she was planning. Then I proceeded to convey it to Gadius too.

At times like this, my Gift’s abilities were very useful. However, when I told others about it, they just shook their heads in exasperation.

After running for a while, I arrived at the plaza that was close to the village’s center.

Thanks to Gadius fending off Kufar’s fireball breaths, we haven’t sustained any damage so far.

But the damage had spread through the surroundings and many people got wounded.

“I suppose it’s a relief that Kufar’s attention is on me…”

Because he was concentrating on me, though there were wounded, there were still no deaths since he didn’t pursue them.

However, it was only a matter of time at this rate. Even Gadius wouldn’t be able to protect the surroundings against this enemy.

But that would end here. I arrived at my destination and stopped as I clung to a wall.

This was the wall of the biggest stone building located north of the plaza.

It was so big it rivaled Lyell’s mansion, and something I’d gotten used to seeing a lot since my childhood.

“Is this really the place, Reid? Won’t we be cornered here?”
“It is, according to Cortina’s instructions.”

Gadius stood ahead of me with an uneasy expression and asked me with his back turned.

There was a well at this plaza, but it wasn’t big enough to throw Kufar, who had obtained Ifrit’s body, into it.

It probably looked like our plan to throw him into the well failed and now we were backed up at the wall.

Seeing us, Kufar licked his lips and warped his distorted face into a smirk.

“I finally have you, Reid…”
“Are you sure?”
“None of your attacks shall pass me while I stand.”

Gadius answered back to Kufar while standing in front of me.

What’s with that cool line? I wanted to say that too once. But in my case, I’d just get blown away with my defensive power being what it was.

Cortina had disappeared somewhere, but Kufar, who only had me in his vision, hadn’t noticed it. He most likely would have had he been sane.

“Die, Reid. This time, it’s my win!”
“We’ll see about that!”

Convinced of victory, Kufar raised his burning hand. Gadius stood before him with his shield prepared. But then, Cortina’s voice interjected.

“Now, Lyell!”
“Okay!”

The sound of a blow being dealt resounded from atop the building. At the same time, water started flowing from above us like a waterfall.

There was no river or lake near this pioneer village. However, water was essential for humans to live. In this village’s case, the water was covered by a well with three water sources.

Fortunately, there was a rich water vein underground, so this village wasn’t troubled by water. To bring that water up, they had even made a hand pump for it.

They used all that for living water and for watering the fields.

But at the same time, this place was right in the midst of the countryside. There was no knowing when monsters would attack.

Even in this village, there was no knowing what kind of enemy could attack it. And when that happened, it could put the well at the risk of contamination.

Thus, it was necessary to build a water tank. If it was on the ground, it could get polluted. There was no knowing if someone did something to it either. As such, the tank was constructed above a solid stone-made building and they connected the pump to it to collect the water there.

The earlier sound came from Lyell destroying that water tank.

For Kufar, who was transformed into a lump of flames like Ifrit, water was a natural enemy.

Having it poured down from above wasn’t something he could endure.

“Gyaaaaaahhhhhhh?!”

Raising a death cry, Kufar fell down on the spot. But the water kept pouring down without mercy.

Kufar’s body heat made the water evaporate and the steam spread through the place.

My vision was robbed, and let alone Kufar, I couldn’t even see Gadius ahead of me.

“Reid, stop spacing out! We’re withdrawing now!”
“O-Okay.”

Gadius suddenly grabbed me by the waist and pulled me out of the steam.

The vapor temperature started to drastically rise, so I could risk a burning injury if we remained there.

“Serves you right!”

I heard Cortina’s yell from atop the building. That aside, I wish she would be considerate to us too who were made into baked foods here.

Once the wind blew the vapor away and my field of view cleared up, I saw Ifrit… Kufar, who lay flat there.

He was twitching so he seemed to be alive, but he definitely suffered a lot of damage.