"Take this!"
While I was paralyzed with fear, Instructor Cattleya unleashed flames from her Blaze Sword onto the dragon zombie.
However, it seemed to have no effect.
"...Oh no, Crow! That dragon is about to breathe fire!"
"Wha... Instructor, get back! Iris! A wall! Create a thick ice wall!"
As I lifted Instructor Cattleya, who was emitting intense flames from her Blaze Sword, into a bear hug, I quickly moved behind Iris.
Iris, seemingly not fully grasping my intentions at first, immediately thrust her Ice Sword into the ground, producing a massive ice wall before us. Unlike Instructor Cattleya and Saffron, who had expended energy before arriving here, Iris hadn't used any of her magic power.
She showcased her magic that produces ice.
The dragon zombie then showered its flames upon the ice barrier.
"Ha ha ha! Well done, Iris! I want you even more now!"
"I refuse!"
"You're so cold! Remember, I'll accept your surrender anytime. Think about it!"
From atop the dragon zombie, Cinelaria looked completely at ease.
That's because the flames spewed by the dragon zombie were melting the ice wall created by Iris at a terrifying pace.
Iris, desperately layering the ice wall from inside, two-fold, three-fold, was like pouring water onto hot stones.
Inside the barrier of ice, Instructor Cattleya was grinding her teeth in frustration.
"Damn! Its firepower is stronger than mine! I didn't think flames would work on something like that!"
I turned to Holly beside me.
"Holly! What's going on? Aren't zombies supposed to be corpses and lose their magical power?"
"While that's true for humans, monsters under the control of the Underworld Sword can use their abilities from when they were alive. They can even grow stronger," Holly responded calmly.
What a handy saintly sword! Damn it!
Originally, as allies of the hero, they should have unleashed their unparalleled powers. Instead, they're now showing their fangs to the likes of Iris and Instructor Cattleya.
"...! Both of you, step back! Make sure not to come out from behind the ice and retreat!"
Iris shouted, retreating slowly with a pained expression.
Amidst the intense flames and the melting ice wall, Iris, who kept producing layers of ice from within, was visibly drained.
"...Where is..."
Iris and Instructor Cattleya were inside the ice wall, escaping the scorching hell, but Saffron was nowhere to be seen.
"...Ah!"
At some point, Saffron had turned invisible, dodging the dragon zombie's flames and positioning herself behind Cinelaria.
Without hesitation, she leaped onto the dragon zombie's back, heading straight for Cinelaria.
Given that she wields the Vacuum Sword which doesn't have a projectile, her only option is close combat. I had a feeling this was bad.
I refrained from shouting a warning, fearing it would alert Cinelaria. However, Cinelaria sensed Saffron's presence, swung her Underworld Sword shaped like a scythe, and countered the attack.
Saffron crossed her twin Vacuum Swords to deflect the Underworld Sword.
The sound of clashing saintly swords echoed atop the dragon zombie's back.
"Ha! Whether you try to be invisible or mask your footsteps, I can feel the magical presence of a saintly sword user!" Cinelaria, wielding her scythe-shaped Underworld Sword, which seemed unwieldy for close combat, effortlessly swung it, slashing at Saffron.
Saffron skillfully dodged lethal attacks with her Vacuum Swords, but the reach difference between the scythe and her daggers was clear.
Unable to counterattack, she was on the defensive.
Eventually, Saffron descended from the unstable dragon zombie, intending to retreat. However, Cinelaria, with speed comparable to Saffron's, ruthlessly pursued her.
"You thought I'd be weaker than the zombie I'm controlling?"
Above Cinelaria's head, her scythe-shaped Underworld Sword rotated at a terrifying speed.
"Fighting me in close combat? You're a decade too early, young lady!"
"...Ugh..."
While Saffron managed to avoid fatal injuries, her maid outfit was getting slashed.
"Still, you're quite cute, young lady. I'd love to have you and Iris as my dress-up dolls."
Cinelaria stared at the tormented Saffron, licking her lips. I finally understood why Iris was wearing a dress, and it sent shivers down my spine.
However, this was no time to be lost in thought.
Even as Cinelaria moved about, the dragon zombie didn't let up its attack, and it was clear that we were being pushed back.
"...Haah."
"Crow. It's okay. The dragon's flames aren't endless. There's a moment, like a breath, where it pauses. That's our chance to counter," Holly said, smirking and moving closer to me.
I had already experienced this a few times, and it's exhausting every time.
"...Iris! The dragon's attacks will stop soon! Just hold on a little longer!"
"I understand! Leave it to me!"
"Instructor! I have a proposal! Will you join in?"
"Huh? Of course I will!"
Determined, I relayed instructions to Iris and Instructor Cattleya.
Then, "Holly!"
"What is it?"
"Give me the power to save everyone."
"As you wish."
In an instant, Holly possessed me.
A surge of explosive power coursed through my body. Just as Holly had said, each time this happened, I felt the power growing.
Still, I wouldn't want to do this too often. There must be side effects. It's terrifying.
The dragon zombie, which had been furiously spewing flames to melt Iris's ice wall, momentarily stopped.
It was the breath Holly mentioned.
There wasn't much time before the next burst of flame.
Using my body, Holly charged at the dragon.
Watching this, Saffron and Cinelaria, who were in the midst of battle, both fixed their gaze on me.
"Are you an idiot? What can someone without a divine sword do against a dragon?!" Cinelaria laughed scornfully.
Well, I share her sentiment.
Indeed, there's nothing I could possibly do by charging at the dragon.
I couldn't do anything before it released its next breath of flames.
The dragon zombie, without hesitation, lunged at me with its fangs.
Normally, I would have been easily killed, but now Holly was controlling my movements.
Easily dodging the dragon zombie's bite, I was scared out of my wits, but Holly, using my mouth, taunted, "If you're so hungry... eat this!"
She threw a stone we had into the dragon zombie's mouth.
Of course, feeding it a stone shouldn't have done anything, but then...
"Cattleya!"
Holly signaled Instructor Cattleya using my mouth.
With a press on the gem at the hilt of her Explosive Sword, the dragon zombie's head exploded, scattering blood everywhere.
"Wha-?!"
Watching the headless dragon zombie, Cinelaria was in shock.
The stone I had thrown had been rigged with bombs from Instructor Cattleya's Explosive Sword. And not just one.
Although it looked like a fist-sized stone, it held the destructive power of multiple bombs.
That explosion happened inside its mouth.
With no more need to deal with the dragon zombie, Iris and Instructor Cattleya charged at Cinelaria.
"Damn!"
Perhaps judging the odds unfavorable in a three against one, Cinelaria attempted to retreat.
"Hehehe!"
Saffron, with a fearless grin, ferociously attacked Cinelaria. In the end, Cinelaria was surrounded by Instructor Cattleya, Iris, and Saffron.
"... Impressive. I'm surprised. Including that guy over there..."
"Instructor Cattleya said, "It seems Crow wants someone like you as an ally. So, I'll ask you one last time," pointing her Explosive Sword at Cinelaria. "Would you like to join us and become a comrade of Hero Shion? We won't treat you poorly. After all, you didn't kill Iris when you captured her."
"Instructor..."
The usually ruthless Instructor Cattleya was suggesting surrender to Cinelaria. However, Cinelaria only stuck out her tongue in response.
"Sorry, but right now, our side has the upper hand in terms of combat power. I can't see you lot as the winners here."
"Your side?"
At that moment, I saw the headless dragon zombie start to move.
"Everyone, run...!"
Before I could finish, I was sent flying by the tail of the dragon zombie.