Chapter 72: Airman

“I never imagined I’d end up using the gravity magic I developed like this…!”

The words slipped out of my mouth, laced with astonishment and a strange sense of exhilaration.

This was faster—far faster—than sprinting across the ground even with body-enhancement magic coursing through my limbs. I was cutting through the sky at a velocity nearly indistinguishable from that of an aircraft, the roaring wind clawing at my clothes as the vast expanse stretched endlessly before me.

The sheer thrill of it stirred something deep within my chest, and before I knew it, a smile had formed on my lips.

“…Found you.”

My eyes locked onto them.

Soldiers of the Friez Kingdom, flying brazenly through the skies of the Lunoa Kingdom as if they owned it. The moment I spotted them, I leaned forward and accelerated even further, pushing my speed to another level as the distance between us began to shrink rapidly.

“—!? Someone’s coming in from the side!?”

“Lunoa Kingdom soldier!?”

They noticed me.

The Friez soldiers, clearly caught off guard, turned their bodies in midair, confusion flashing across their faces. Still, their training held—they quickly raised the rifles in their hands and aimed them straight at me.

“I can’t afford to get hit.”

The moment the gunshots rang out, I reacted instantly.

Rather than dodging sideways, I surged upward, sharply increasing my altitude. The bullets tore through the space where I had been a split second earlier, slicing through empty air.

“Impossible!?”

“…No, this is actually terrifying.”

A mutter escaped me despite myself.

There was no doubt—my speed was superior.

But bullets were faster.

In this vast, open sky with no cover whatsoever, I was completely exposed. One unlucky shot—just one—was all it would take. A single bullet piercing my skull, and everything would end right there.

That thought lingered, cold and heavy.

I climbed higher, positioning myself with the blazing sun at my back, its light pouring down like a shield. Slowly, I raised my gun.

“…This isn’t realistic.”

Both sides were moving.

I was constantly adjusting my trajectory to avoid incoming fire, while they did the same to evade me. In a situation like this, landing a precise shot was nothing more than wishful thinking.

Luck—that was the only factor that could decide a hit.

And while I fired a single round, they could exploit their numbers and unleash a barrage in return.

A firefight would put me at a clear disadvantage.

Which meant the answer was obvious—from the very beginning.

Close combat.

“The opening… will come in an instant.”

One of the Friez soldiers missed a shot.

In the next breath, they smoothly pulled the bolt, reloading with practiced efficiency. The metallic click echoed faintly even amidst the roaring wind.

They raised their rifles again.

Pulled the trigger.

But I didn’t aim.

Instead, I accelerated—straight toward them—keeping the sun at my back as I closed the distance in a direct, aggressive line.

The blinding glare of sunlight disrupted their vision.

My flight path twisted in a figure-eight, erratic and unpredictable.

Only two gun barrels were trained on me.

That alone was not enough.

It was impossible for them to shoot me down—and in the end, they couldn’t.

“—Now.”

I fired a single shot.

In that same instant, I burst forward with explosive speed, closing the gap between myself and one of the Friez soldiers in the blink of an eye.

My bayonet flashed.

It tore through his abdomen in a clean, merciless slash.

“Th—That’s impossible!?”

His scream broke apart midair.

His entrails spilled out as his control over his magic faltered. The spell sustaining his flight collapsed, and his body began to fall—slowly, helplessly—toward the distant ground below.

“You—!”

“At this distance, having a gun pointed at me isn’t all that frightening.”

The moment the other soldier finished reloading, I struck.

With a sharp motion, I knocked the barrel of his rifle aside with my hand. In the same fluid movement, I drew a dagger from within my coat.

No hesitation.

I drove it straight into his neck.

“O—ah… AAAAAH—!”

A scream burst from his throat.

Whether from the Lunoa Kingdom or the Friez Kingdom, the sound of human agony carried no real difference. His body trembled violently as blood spilled from his mouth, his strength draining away in an instant.

A single gunshot rang out.

“Goodbye.”

There had only been two of them.

Even with his consciousness fading, even with death already closing in, the soldier had managed to pull the trigger. That alone was commendable.

But—

The muzzle of his gun had not been aimed at me.

I yanked the dagger free, then drove my fist down into his skull with brutal force.

His body was sent plummeting from the sky.

“Just to be sure.”

I raised my gun once more and, from the air, fired at both falling soldiers—making absolutely certain they would not survive.

The shots echoed faintly as their bodies dropped further and further away.

“They’re strong… but also weak. Aerial soldiers… lacking any proper means of defense is a serious flaw.”

I exhaled slowly.

Five bullets used.

Even with the limitations of the weapon itself, guaranteeing a kill with a single shot was no easy task.

“…Time to head back.”

A faint thought crossed my mind.

Magic aerial soldiers—that was as good a name as any.

How they should be evaluated… I decided to leave that question for later.

For now, pushing that consideration aside, I turned midair and began flying back toward the one I had left behind—General Newsbeck.