Chapter 65 - Volume 4
Volume 4, Chapter 16: On the Battlefield, Part 2
“[Let there be Light!]”
Anteikowa’s Holy Magic was applied on Alfio’s [Holy Blade].
“Alright, Rock Cutter!”
Using the [Sword Skills] that he had acquired from an old man living in Shiguresu’s forest in exchange for 50 Chinese cabbages, Alfio slew the two horned giants.
“Al, here too!”
“Roger”
The commanding officer of the Daemon King’s army had crossed swords with Cheria, and was chasing her down with about 10 Daemon soldiers.
“Lightning Spear!”
Ophelia’s lightning struck at the bodies of the Daemon soldiers, sapping their muscles of strength,
“Fireball!”
Meanwhile, Athena’s fireballs burned up the Daemon soldiers who were immobilized.
“Yaa!”
Cheria’s saber pierced deeply into the heart as she took the life of the commander who was distracted by the spectacle.
“We did it, guys!”
“Yeah”
“…mhmm”
“Yes…”
“…………”
Their reactions were lacking as a reward for Alfio, who was working hard with a refreshed expression. Recently, even when he called out to Athena, there were times where she wouldn’t reply.
Whether in battle or while adventuring, she had relied on Alfio previously.
However, she would suddenly become cold when their bodies came into contact.
“…………”{Was it something I said!?}
It felt like his destiny had been twisted at some point.
Did it turn strange somewhere……?
Anteikowa admittedly turned pale from shock when they were being pursued by the guards in Kolkopo.
Cheria’s attitude became strange when they were searching for items in the Daemon King’s Castle.
Athena and Cheria’s eyes went wide when he told them that they were going to escape from the Daemon King’s Castle and were going to withdraw from the Daemon King’s territory.
Wasn’t it natural to punish those bastards who quarreled with you?
Wasn’t it natural to steal the things of one’s enemies?
Wasn’t it the basics of an adventurer to escape from an enemy that one couldn’t beat?
Isn’t that what all the protagonists in the stories do?
“…………”
Originally, he should have only come after he had gotten stronger. He was supposed to have been able to train on the way towards the Daemon King’s Territory. If he was strong, most of these things could have been forgiven.
And he should never have fought against the main force of the Daemon King army without gaining strength like this.
On their way back towards the human territory, Alfio got embroiled into the war.
In order for him to regain his position among his comrades, Alfio had to intervene in this battle.
“Al!”
When he heard Anteikowa’s voice and turned back to look, he saw tens of giants that were larger than the one that he had defeated.
“…R-ru…”
Let’s escape. Alfio wanted to say it, but he couldn’t speak the words through Athena’s silent stare.
Athena pressed Alfio to show off his power as a [Hero], so in a way, that meant that she still had expectations of him, but Alfio felt like he was already going to cry.
About 10,000 of the Daemon King’s Army was here.
Because there were only about 1300 humans facing them, rather than simply roughly crushing them with numbers, they deployed an elite force, 1,000-strong, to devastate them.
Alfio, whose aim was to build a harem for himself in peace, was not ready to die.
Nevertheless, he had raised his sword stubbornly at this time, and the rightmost giant had suddenly been blown away.
“………Eh?”
What appeared, was the figure of a [Warrior] clad in a navy blue surcoat on top of his silver armor.
“GaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”
The giants became aware of the warrior, and turned their spears towards him.
A giant that stood over 5 meters swung with his club, but the warrior deflected it with the shield in his left hand, and slashed at the knees of the giant with a golden Magic Sword in his right.
The warrior who wasn’t afraid of the giants approached, slashed, and with movements that were faithful to the basics like a knight, he swept past them with his shield and kept swinging.
“Fuhn!”
With a single overhead swing with both of his arms, he sliced the last giant apart, club and all.
“…Roderick-sama…?”
From someone leaked out that line…… Behind Roderick’s line of sight, the appearance of close to one hundred Daemons nearly caused the Shiguresu Hero Party to scream out loud.
“[μυα]!”
The genuine [Spirit Language] that was not simplified by the elves echoed across the battlefield.
The golden sword raised by the youth let off a light, and he sent the majority of the Daemons flying with a single blow.
“Noel?”
Roderick called out to the youth, and he returned a fearless smile with that lovely girl-like face.
The soldiers that were holding themselves behind him all raised a cheer of [Hero!] in celebration.
Noel and Roderick. The [Hero of the Saint Kingdom], and the [Crusader], had brought out 500 men to follow the girl who was their [Saint].
They were made up of Holy Knights and Knights, along with strong mercenaries, but if they had actually encountered the Daemon King’s Army, they would have been defeated by the difference in numbers.
Reality, however had proven different.
The legendary [Hero], the [Crusader], and the [Saint], who were blessed by the spirit of light, had arrived in the Daemon King’s territory with only the three of them, and had enough power to take the head of the Daemon King.
But the [Power of Light] that had been suppressed for some reason, bloomed rapidly now that it was temporarily away from the [Irregular], and they fought even with the 10,000 Daemon soldiers.
“……………” {How…}
Alfio was shocked by the difference in the [Class] of hero.
Until now, he had been making efforts along the template, and while he had become strong enough to be called a Hero in Shiguresu……
{Am I…… not the main character……?}
He looked at the [Hero] in the distance, who had a strong power, was praised by the knights, had royal friends, and with extraordinarily beautiful girls in his group.
Alfio’s companions, also looked at them with dazzling eyes…… like the eyes that that they had previously made towards Alfio.
“Oy…”
Alfio returned to reality with that call out.
Roderick noticed Alfio, and saw him calmly walking towards him silently.
“…Hey, Your Highness, I don’t think we’re so close that we can address each other so intimately? For lending you our power, some gratitude is in order.”
His pride refusing to admit defeat, Alfio replied to Roderick.
But, Roderick merely glanced at him.
“…Ah, my thanks then.”
He just walked past Alfio, and stood in front of Athena and Ophelia.
“You guys, how long are you going to continue living like that…?”
“……Roderick-sama…”
“I, I…”
Although Ophelia could do it, Athena couldn’t take the eyes of the boy who had been her fiancé since a young age and averted her eyes.
As everyone was rendered mute by the delicate atmosphere, only one person called out, his voice full of anger.
“What are y-you doing with my companions!”
At that, even Anteikowa and Cheria knit their eyebrows, and tried to grasp onto Alfio who tried to drive away Roderick with his arm.
“I was just speaking to my cousin…?”
“I don’t care about your relationship!”
Although Roderick nearly sighed at Alfio while he kept his silence, he raised his head towards the sound that he heard from afar.
“Let’s cut the talk. It seems that the Daemon King’s army is getting impatient.”
＊＊＊
When he heard that there were [Heroes] among their opponents, Beast King Gallus jumped into battle leading his Beast King Army.
“Gahahahahahaha! Where are you! Heroooooooooooooo!”
If one was willing, it was quite easy to be patient with Gallus.
Although he didn’t feel like listening to Geas’ orders in the beginning, he was wary of the terrifying [Unknown] that was striking at the Daemon King’s Army and accepted the commands that Geas gave him.
However, it was different if there was a [Hero].
As a warrior and the Beast King of the Daemons, fighting the Hero was an honor, and it was his earnest wish to defeat him with nobody getting in the way.
The number of humans were small. Due to Gallus moving in, dozens of mercenaries died, and from among them… a lance made of [Light] scattered the Daemon King Army that was within the forest.
“[μυα]!”
A slash of light slaughtered hundreds of Daemons and a single boy stood there in front of Gallus.
“Ooooooooh…… Hero!”
Instead of answering him, Noel crossed his golden magic sword with Gallus’ in an instant.
*Gokinchi…! * The grey greatsword and the golden sword violently collided, and even shockwaves boomed out.
“Where is Lucy!”
“What in the world are you saying! Don’t get distracted, Hero!”
Gallus’ face broke into a smile as the power of the Hero was greater than he had thought.
However, it was unfortunate that the suppressed power was released because he was thinking of the girl and not because he saw Gallus as a [Worthy Enemy].
“…Then, you’re just in the way”
The performance level of the weapons they had was too different.
Chipping with the first blow, at the second the blade cracked, and at the third it cut through the sword and carved through his body. In an unbelievable sight, Gallus collapsed in battle.
Noel glanced at him emotionlessly……
“……Lucy”
He sorrowfully muttered as he turned his sword towards the Daemon King’s Army.
The natural enemy of the Daemons. The butchers of the human race.
For the sake of a young girl, a terrifying little Asura was unleashed on the battlefield.
Author’s Notes:
This time, I tried to focus seriously on the [Heroes].