Chapter 5: 4.1

Vol. 2 Chapter 4.1

Calling for help

 

Translated by SoundDestiny
Edited by SoundDestiny

 

The day of the final examinations. The students had assembled in front of the abandoned dragon’s nest.

 

“『Well,  the final exam for the selection of the hero party is finally here.』”

 

Rushia said as she checked the faces of those who had gathered.

 

“『Before we start the exam, I have one unfortunate piece of news. For….various reasons, Rigil’s party has withdrawn from the exam. This leaves six remaining parties.』”

 

[No wonder they haven’t turned up any time soon.]

 

[Why did they withdraw at this time?…..The most likely reason is that they were scared off by the final exam and turned tail. The next most likely reason is some kind of trouble.]

 

“『As you know, the final examinations are extremely dangerous. But I do not want you to die. Therefore, you must share the necessary information before the examination begins!』”

 

Rushia’s words made the candidates ready themselves.

 

This was no time to be thinking about the whereabouts of the party that had dropped out.

 

“『In the lairs of the dead dragon live special monsters that have adapted to the power of corrosion!　And the most troublesome of these monsters is that they seem to have eaten the carcasses of the dead dragon! At the moment, two types of monster have been identified!　One is a mutant of the monster called King Ape!　The other is a mutant of a monster called the Garuda, an extinct bird!　The strength of these two monsters corresponds to an existence power of 6 in human terms!』”

 

A rustle and a groan can be heard amongst the candidates.

 

Existence power 6 – there is not a single examinee who has reached that level. In other words, there seems to be a monster in the abandoned dragon’s nest that is more powerful than any of the competitors who fought at the Valour Festival.

 

“『And one more thing!　The 《Dragon Crown Sword》 is located in the centre of the abandoned dragon’s lair!This weapon, which possesses special powers, cannot be touched by monsters, so it will not shift position until someone else gets it!』”

 

It is said that special armaments made from monster materials contain the presence of the monster from which they were made. The presence of the Dragon Crown Sword may be what is keeping the monsters away.

 

“『You have done well to survive this long, my fierce men and women. Your struggle has already been recognised by many of the people….But only one party will win in the end. The mistress must choose one of you.』”

 

Princess Rushia tells the candidate with determined eyes.

 

“『Please, please. I sincerely hope that a real hero will emerge from among you – a new hero who can become the hope of this country!』”

 

Princess Rushia declared in a loud voice.

 

“『Achieve greatness! Let the final test begin!!』”

 

Immediately after the signal sounded, several parties stepped into the abandoned dragon’s lair.

 

Alice and the others also entered the forest. Unlike the Valour Festival, this time each party is competing for the results of the test. After each party entered the forest, they went their separate ways.

 

“The trees in the forest, nearly half of them are stained white. …… Is this the power of the abandoned dragon?”

 

After a short while of walking, Phylicia looked around and said.

 

The trees in the forest were dotted with trees of the usual shades of green and brown, and trees with white trunks and leaves, affected by corrosion, as if they were speckled with spots. The white trunks of the trees crumbled when lightly impacted, and the leaves shattered and fell to the ground at the foot of the trees.

 

The white particles on the ground are not sand, but the debris of trees shattered by corrosion.

 

“The abandoned dragon’s lair is a vast forest, but it won’t take long to find it…as long as we know where the 《Dragon Crown Sword》=…”

 

Kirch mutters. In other words, this test is not a race against time.

 

The first thing to be wary of is the monsters. Each person should be ready to fight at any time.

 

Meanwhile, Alice looked at Exzair with only her gaze.

 

──Exzair Sullivan.

 

He is the man whom Alice met in the Amdo Empire and in this selection test for the heroic party, ordered to be the winner.

 

Exzair  knew what Alice was capable of and wondered if she could be used. The result was using the hostage to blackmail Alice. Exzair’s special armoury, the 《Void Sky》, has the effect of moving through space at will. Unbound by the concept of distance, Exzair could kill Alice’s parents, who lived far away from her, at any time.

 

“Stop.”

 

Exzair stops and tells his party member sharply.

 

“There’s a monster.”

 

A tiger-like monster stared at them from among the trees.

 

Exzair’s aim was to become a member of the heroic party of the Kingdom of Enuvidia and to steal the kingdom’s amoury and information. For this reason, his interests were aligned with Alice’s only on one point: to pass the examination.

So, ostensibly, they take a cooperative attitude to the exam.

 

“Thank you very much, Exzair–san.”

 

“….thank you for your help.”

 

 

Phylicia and Kirch, who know nothing about the situation, thank him honestly.

 

Alice, who knew the true nature of Exzair, looked bitter.

 

“Because during the Valour Festival I left….most  fighting entirely to Alice.”

 

Kirch grabs the axe on his back.

 

“Leave this to us……”

 

Saying this, Kirch ran towards the monster.

 

The tiger-shaped monster was covered in a grey outer shell, perhaps affected by the corrosive force released by the carcass of a dead dragon. It looked hard to the naked eye, but Kirch had no hesitation in closing in on it.

“──《The Axe of Execution》”

(──《成敗斧》)

 

Kirch’s special armaments explode in bursts.

 

The harder the opponent, the more powerful the attack. That’s the effect of the 《The Axe of Execution》. The great axe swings down, gouging out the monster’s outer shell and knocking its body to the ground.

 

But the monster was still alive.

 

“An ordinary monster would have sunk now, but….”

 

The monster stood up and approached Kirch.

 

The next moment, an arrow pierced the monster’s back.

 

Right next to Alice, Phylicia was holding her bow. A purple smoke enveloped her left eye.

 

“Ahh!”

 

Phylicia fires a second shot. The arrow pierced the monster’s flesh, which had been exposed by Kirch’s destruction of its outer shell. The arrowhead sinks deeply into the flesh and the monster lets out a cry of distress.

 

“Thanks, Phylicia……”

 

“No… if only I didn’t have the curse, I could have finished it off with one shot…”

 

Kirch slams his axe into the monster again, killing it.

 

The monster’s body lies on the ground. They waited for a while to see if it was still alive, but it was completely dead.

 

“….it’s strong.”

 

“’Yes. It seems that the monsters in this forest is harder than normal, although they are not the two mutant species that Princess Rushia mentioned……”

 

In the past, the power of corrosion was rampant in this forest. Monsters that could withstand this force began to live in the forest. In other words, many of the monsters here are probably robust individuals.

 

Immediately after they are about to move── Hyun, a sound of the wind cutting through the air.

 

Kirch’s eyes widen and he turns his body.

 

A dull, dark-coloured knife grazed Kirch’s cheek.

 

“Kirch–san!”

 

“….. it’s alright.”

 

Kirch wipes the blood dripping from his cheek with the back of his hand.

 

Four men and women in green cloaks emerge from the depths of the blackened forest.

 

One of them. The dark-haired man in the lead is holding a knife.

 

“The Green Shadow, Husen ……?”

 

Kirch’s eyes widened.

 

Alice’s voice trembled at the sudden appearance of the examinees.

 

“Why, why did you attack us…..?”

 

“Why? ….. That’s a foolish question.”

 

Husen smiles wryly.

 

“Hostility between parties is not forbidden.”

 

Despite that, Husen’s party gets ready for battle.

 

“’Essentially, this environment is my battlefield. The humiliation of not being able to do anything in the second exam – I’m going to pay back here.”

 

The next moment, Husen’s party dispersed.

 

Husen approaches Kirch. The other three headed towards Alice.

 

“Kirch–san, be careful!”

 

“No problem …… if they come at me from the front, I won’t lose..”

 

Kirch, with his axe at the ready, suddenly dropped one of his knees.

 

Then his limbs trembled slightly.

 

“This is…… poison …..”

 

Husen grins and dives into Kirch’s blindside.

 

A dull knife is thrust into Kirch’s chest. But just before it does, a black mist appears at Husen’s side, and Exzair appears.

 

Exzair launches a stabbing attack with a long, thin dagger. Husen avoided hair breath. 

 

“Oya, that was close.”

 

  

“Tsk.”

 

Husen clicks his tongue and jumps back.

 

“Kirch–san, I’m treating you now.”

Wary of the retreating Husen, Phylicia approached the crouching Kirch.

 

Phylicia’s right hand glows faintly, revealing a silver bottle.

 

“《Balance of Purification and Healing.》”

 

One of the cups on either side lights up.

 

The numbness was removed from Kirch’s entire body.

 

The special armament 《Balance of Purification and Healing.》 has two effects: detoxification and recovery. However, there is a limit to the amount of this armament that can be effective in a day. The amount is shared between detoxification and recovery, so the user must choose carefully whether to prioritise detoxification or recovery, depending on the situation.

 

After detoxifying, Phylicia also healed the wound on Kirch’s cheek. A wound of this level can be healed without much effort.

 

“Spatial travel, detoxification and recovery….You guys have some nice special armaments.”

“…. your knives are also a special armament.”

 

Husen glares at her with his eyes flashing and Phylicia says back, revealing her wariness.

 

Husen plays with the knives in his hands. Then the number of knives increased to two or three.

 

“《The Eroding Mountain Blade》  …… is an armament that produces an infinite number of poisoned knives. It’s not a remarkable effect, but I like the fact that it’s infinite. In a survival situation, the amount of weaponry left is a lifeline.”

(《蝕む山刃》)

 

Saying this, Husen throws the knife.

 

The knives are poisonous, so they have no choice but to concentrate on evading them, even if it drains their strength. Moreover, if the number of knives is unlimited, simply waiting for it to deplete is also not an option.

 

“M,Me too…..”

 

Seeing Phylicia and her friends, who had no choice but to take a defensive stance, Alice reached for her scabbard.

 

Immediately afterwards, Husen’s party slashed at Alice with a knife.

 

“Alice!?”

 

“Waa, I’m, I’m fine, but …..!”

 

Alice avoids the approaching knife. But she is constantly surrounded by three people, so she is unable to move.

 

Husen laughs.

 

“I have my friends trying to stop Alice Feldrant in her tracks. I don’t think we can beat that girl in a straight fight from the start. But If all of her …… friends retire, she will probably waver a little. From the looks of it, unlike Seren Duvalis, she’s mentally immature.”

 

Husen’s words made Phylicia look grim.

 

Alice was already in a state where she could not remain calm. Even if the enemy has Existence Force 5, her mental structure was completely different from that of Seren, who had faced the test alone from the beginning.

 

“Then …… you intend to take on the three of us all by yourself?”

 

Kirch says, re-setting his axe.

 

Husen’s party is made up of four people. If three of them are assigned to Alice, Husen will have to fight Phylicia and the other two by himself.

 

When Kirch tells him implicitly not to be overconfident, Husen snickers, [Hmph].

 

“I told you.──this environment is my battlefield.”

 

A moment later, Husen flies backwards, hiding his figure in the darkness of the forest.

 

A few seconds later, a dull-coloured knife was released at Kirch.

 

“Kh….”

As Kirch evades the knife, it now closes in on Phylicia’s back.

 

“Phylicia, bend over!”

 

“E?…… Kya!?”

 

At Exzair’s instruction, Phylicia noticed the approaching knife and complied with a scream.

 

The knife then flew at Exzair’s leg.

 

“Tsk.”

 

Exzair revealed his irritation.

 

The poster child for survival – Husen the Green Shadow. For a man who has lived as a hunter in a magical forest where vicious monsters are continuously regrouping, this environment must surely be easy for him to fight in.

 

The dark green cloak Husen wears is the protective colour of the forest, making it difficult for him to be seen.

 

Invisible. That simple word fear hung over Alice’s party.

 

Fear slowed her body and accelerated her physical exhaustion.

 

Phylicia, who was trying to catch her disordered breath, lost her concentration for a moment. A moment later, Husen throws a knife without missing the opportunity.

 

Just before the dull knife pierces Phylicia’s body -.

 

“Yo!”

 

A sword blade extended from somewhere flicked Husen’s knife.

 

The blade shrank. Immediately afterwards, a man with red hair stood in front of Husen.

 

“If hostility between candidates is possible, then cooperation between…..candidates is also possible, right?”

 

“Red-haired, Alex…..”

 

Husen’s face contorted abominably.

 

A little later, Alex’s friends were also approaching.

 

“Husen, wasn’t it?……We’ve just heard about the dangers of this forest, haven’t we? I don’t think this is the time for parties to be fighting amongst ourselves.”

 

“…. don’t be so conceited.”

 

Husen told them without relaxing his stance.

 

“Only one party will be chosen for the hero party….The struggle between the candidates is still going on. Or did you enter this examination with that level of determination?”

 

Alex wrinkles his eyebrows.

 

He offers a hand for dialogue, but Husen quickly shakes it off.

 

“It’s just that the number of parties we have to defeat here has gone from one to two.”

 

Husen shows his wariness, glares at Alec and the others, and disappears again into the depths of the forest.

 

Just before that, however, Husen slipped.

 

Before he knew it, Husen’s feet had turned into a shallow swamp.

 

“You, that’s-”

 

Husen glared at Rygan, one of Alex’s companions.

 

“A magical tool to till the soil and a magical tool to create water…… I see,so this guy can certainly be used..”

 

In Rygan’s hands were two magical tools.

 

They were the ones used by the grimoire scholar Heisen at the second round of the Valour Festival.

 

A small hoe and a watering can. These disproportionate-looking magical tools on the battlefield successfully robbed Husen of his mobility.

 

“You, you, you ……!”

 

Husen’s forehead was covered in blue streaks.

 

Seeing this, Alex approaches Alice.

 

“Alice, you alright?”

 

“Ha, yes……!”

 

Alice reacted by shaking her shoulders, as if she were a small animal surrounded by natural enemies.

 

However, Alex, who knows what Alice is capable of, finds it hard to believe.

 

“I’m sorry, but could you help us a little? These guys don’t seem to want to back down.”

 

“Well, that’s …..”

 

In other words, it must be a proposal to defeat Husen and his friends together.

 

Alice could not answer immediately.

 

A moment later – she feels intense pressure.

 

Alice, Alex and Husen all realised the pressure and changed their expression.

 

Something comes from deep in the forest.

 

What came out from behind the deep darkness was a large tree flying at the speed of an arrow.

 

“───!”

 

The flying tree snatched Husen’s body.

 

Huzen was blown away with a pain as if half his body had been gouged out by a cannon.

 

“『Goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa───!!』”

 

An ear-splitting roar echoed.

 

A great big grey ape emerged from the darkness of the forest.

 

“The King Ape……!”

 

It was like a giant ape in a cracked armour.

 

Nearly half of his body hair has mutated and become hard as stone, probably due to the effects of eating the carcass of the abandoned dragon. Its eyes are bloodshot and show no sign of reason.

 

The  King Ape thrust its sharp claws into the rock and the rock then slowly turned to dust.

 

The king ape had inherited the power of the abandoned dragon.

 

“Oiou, it found us too quickly…..”

 

“…… No.”

 

Next to Rygan, who muttered with a twitchy expression on his face, Alex chuckled.

 

“Enemies are so densely packed in here. It is a sure thing he would be coming!”

 

From King Ape’s perspective, they are an alien threat to his territory.

 

“Rygan, hold him back!”

 

“Roger!”

 

Under Alex’s direction, Rygan creates a shallow swamp at the feet of the crippled monkey.

 

However, when the crippled ape entered the swamp – a sound like the evaporation of water was heard.

 

“The swamp turned into dust….!?”

 

The muddy water has turned to dust.

 

This is no way to slow it down.

 

“Husen, you’re being targeted!”

 

“Damn i──!?”

 

Husen became agitated at the cries of his companions.

 

The crippled ape approached Husen at a speed not befitting its huge frame. A thick, muscular, powerful arm swung out. Huzen prepared himself for death at that moment, but…

 

“──《Snow Origin》.”

 

With a clink, the sound of water was heard.

 

“Gaaaaaaaaaa ── !?”

 

The King Ape shouts.

 

Alice’s sword had sunk deep into King Ape’s arm. Alice immediately draws her sword and turns her slender frame to escape from the range of King Ape’s attack.

 

“This way, this way…..!”

 

Alice pulled Husen’s hand and evacuated him far away from the crippled ape.

 

“You…why did you help me….?”

 

Husen looked at Alice with stunned, incredulous eyes.

 

But Alice had already turned to face the King Ape and the next moment, she was sprinting again.

 

‘My body, light…..’

 

Strangely, Alice felt that her physical body was lighter than usual.

 

No. More precisely, her mind was lighter.

 

Alice remembers a few days ago.

 

“『I’ll take care of Alice’s parents, my friends, everything.』”

 

Those were the words of one young man.

 

“『So Alice, in your next final exam, do what you think is right.』”

 

Originally, Alice had intended to do that without anyone telling her.

 

But it was the first time she had been told so clearly and had her back pushed.

 

Light.

 

Much lighter in mind and body than at the Festival of Valour.

 

“O, Oioi!! Calm down! The opponent is a monster with an existence power equivalent to six! I need you to calm down here..”

 

 She ignores Alex, who is bewildered.

 

With unprecedented concentration, Alice confronted the King Ape.

 

“Shhhh…!!”

 

Avoiding the swinging arm, Alice swung her sword.

 

With her family and friends held hostage, Alice’s psyche was by no means normal.

 

However, talking to Ned calmed her down even if it’s  just a little.

 

“《Snow Origin》…….!!”

 

The King Ape crossed his arms in front of his chest and tried to guard against Alice’s attack.

 

However, Alice’s slash bent limply immediately after touching King Ape’s arm, splitting the King Ape’s huge body.

 

The effect of the special armoury 《Snow Origin》is that it can liquefy a slash at will the moment it touches an object.

 

It was as if Alice’s slashes were transformed like snow that melts on contact.

 

“….It’s unbelievable”

 

Alex was aghast at the sight before him.

 

The threat of the King Ape was equivalent to an existence force of 6. Despite this, Alice, who was supposed to be at Existence Power 5, was still able to go toe-to-toe with the King Ape. It was not even close to an equal match but she had the upper hand.

 

“Alice, you are….”

 

Phylicia opened her eyes and looked at Alice’s courageous figure.

 

As Husen analysed, Alice is mentally immature.

 

But that’s the flip side of the coin – her change in mentality affects her strength.

 

Alice, who had shrunk both mentally and physically as a result of the threat from Exzair, moved just a little bit lighter as a result of Ned’s words.

 

Even that minor change was enough for Alice.

 

“《O White Devil who wanders forever.》”

(永久に彷徨う白魔よ)

 

Quietly, Alice chants.

 

“《that blossom in vain is piled up》《Remnant snowflakes dance in the sky.》”

(徒花は積もり , 名残の雪が空に舞う)

 

Alice’s sword glowed pure white and its outline became as vague and dim as snow.

 

“Skill release────《White Flower》”

(白咲)

 

Immediately after Alice drew her sword, the slash became countless snowflakes that danced around the crippled ape.

 

The snow touches the body of the King Ape. At that moment – a white flower bloomed.

 

The slash is transformed into a flower. That was the effect of the skill 《White Flower》.

 

White flowers are blooming and spilling over, the King Ape is swallowed by a storm of slashes.

 

“Fuha,Hahaha…!!”

 

Seeing Alice, who moves much better than she did at the Valour Festival, Exzair laughs.

 

The fact that he was using a girl with such strength as a puppet made Exzair see a blackened hope. He can’t stop laughing when he thinks that he will be able to control this strength at will forever.

 

“『Guruaaaaaaaaaaaa ── !!』”

 

The abandoned monkey bellowed and moved its limbs in a messy manner.

 

Alice retreated once, then looked at the candidates around her.

 

“Oh, um ……I have a suggestion ……!”

 

Alice said, her splattered sweat glistening like snow.

 

“W,why don’t we all defeat this monster and move on ……?”

 

With a nervous look on her face, Alice looked at everyone.

 

It was the first time she had proposed to someone like this. Alice’s pure white cheeks gradually flushed.

 

“I refuse.”

 

“Ee….”

 

Alice’s eyes darted to Husen’s shortly announced response.

 

Alice, who didn’t expect to be turned down, looks at Alex with a troubled face.

 

“Sorry, I’ll pass too.”

 

“ee….eeee..EEE!!? Why…..?”

 

Alice, who did not expect even Alex to say no, gets teary-eyed.

 

Alex smiled half-heartedly at Alice.

 

“We’ll handle this on our own……You guys go ahead.”

 

To Alice, who is unsure of the true meaning of his words, Alex continues.

 

“You can take him down by yourself, can’t you?”

 

Alice’s lips tightened involuntarily.

 

[‘They saw through it.’]──The idea that if they all defeat the King Ape, instead of continuing to defeat it alone , everyone will move forward together.

 

But both Husen and Alex are people who aspire to be a Hero. They do not take kindly to such gentle concern from Alice.

 

They saw through Alice’s kindness – and gave way.

 

“Alice, let’s go.”

 

Exzair is about to head deep into the forest.

 

A moment’s hesitation. However, Alice, who instantly realised that hesitation was an act that would stain their resolve, bowed her head deeply and headed for the depths of the forest.

 

The King Ape, perhaps wary of Alice, does not follow her and her party as they walk away.

 

“Alex…..”

 

“Sorry, guys.”

 

Alex apologises to his party members.

 

“I can’t…..probably be proud of myself if I become a Hero with the help of that girl.”

Alex’s face was somewhat refreshed as he told them this.

 

Seeing their expressions, Rygan and the rest of Alex’s friends smile.

 

Apparently, they were not likely to be chosen for the heroic party. But they had no regrets.

 

“But I didn’t expect you. I didn’t realise you had the same idea.”

 

“….hmph.”

 

Alex looked at him and Husen played with his knife irritably.

 

“Are you sure?　You seemed to be going into this exam with an extraordinary amount of determination…….”

 

When Alex insisted that candidates should not fight with each other, Husen told him, [Is that how prepared you are for this exam?].

 

Alex expects that Husen has some kind of larger purpose in mind.

 

“The reason we’re trying to become a hero party is to cultivate the Devil’s Forest.”

 

While Alex stiffens at the unexpected revelation, Husen speaks.

 

“People call me the poster child of survival, but….who would like to live like that? We are all people who have been forced to live in a harsh natural environment for as long as we can remember.”

 

Sounding bored, Husen continued.

 

“So when we were chosen as the heroic party, we were going to cultivate and strictly control every single one of the danger zones like the Demon Forest…..But we don’t have to become a heroic party ourselves if the others can fulfil that aim.”

 

“….. you think she’s going to accomplish that for you?”

 

“She’s strong, but she’s a softy. We could use her.”

 

Husen recalled Alice, who had saved him from the King Ape.

 

That girl saved Husen, who had been so hostile towards her, without a moment’s hesitation.

 

She is a good-natured person to the point of being dumbfounded.

 

But he felt that if a person was going to be a hero, He felt he could….trust her.

 

“Red hair, don’t drag our feet.”

 

“That’s my line, Green Shadow.”

 

Husen lightly floats his knife upwards. The number of knives kept growing: two, three, four.

 

Alex took out a sword in his right hand and a fluorescent crystal given to him by Huizen.

 

◇

 

At the time when Alice and her friends were fighting the King Ape.

Seren Duvalis was running at full speed through the nest of the abandoned dragons.

 

“『Kyukyiiiiiiiiiiii──』”

 

“Damn it,so persistent……!?”

 

The monster flying overhead made an ear-splitting noise.

 

It was like a bird with half its body hair turned into grey armour. The distance makes it difficult to see its size, but its body was the size of a tree trunk, and its legs alone were well over Seren’s height.

 

A special monster that lives in the nests of abandoned dragons – A Garuda.

 

The monster, which all parties should be wary of, was staring at Seren with an angry glare.

 

“Noー……what can I say, I’m so sorry.”

 

Next to Seren, a girl with light green hair in a ponytail was running with her.

 

Mirei, the wind dancer. She is a wandering entertainer who performs all over the world and she apologised to Seren.

 

“I won’t forgive you even if you apologise……! Why should I be chased around together with you…..a Garuda at that!?”

 

“Because Seren passed in front of us while we were fighting it…”

 

“Don’t make up such lies! You girls must be the ones who approached me!”

 

While saying it, Seren also glares at the girl running with her on the other side.

 

“Ahaha!! Well, well, let’s all get along!”

 

Fina, the Iron Fire Spear. She is not only an adventurer, but also a cook. Her insistence on gathering all ingredients with her own hands has given her the strength to kill any monster.

 

“Then again, why is the monster so angry? Is it because I took its eggs? Or is it because I caught a bird-shaped monster nearby and roasted it whole?”

 

“What are you doing during this final exam?!!”

 

“Well,eating? It’s a roast bird and extremely delicious!”

 

“Eati──…”’

 

Seren draws her sword from its scabbard and turns around.

 

“──Sen!!!”

 

Seren blows away the grey feathers that are pouring down like rain with a single sword stroke.

 

The feathers are incinerated with a violent thunderclap.

 

At their feet, the feathers of the Garuda that Seren had been unable to block were stuck in the ground. Immediately afterwards, the ground turns grey around the feather and turns to dust.

 

“That’s a nasty, nasty feather…..”

 

Seren’s sword shatters with a clatter.

 

It was an exchange that has been repeated many times. The crippled birds attacked Seren and his men unilaterally from high in the sky. The feather bullets released from its wings have the effect of corroding the target they come into contact with, and will be fatal if they touch it in the flesh.

 

“Li, leader …… hey, wait ……!”

 

A large man running behind them lets out a grunt.

 

It is not only Seren, Mirei and Fina who are fleeing from the flying monster,Garuda.

 

Unlike Seren, Mirei and Fina have their own party members and they are starting to get tired.

 

“……if we just run away like this, we’ll be wiped out soon.”

 

“But the Garuda is still flying in the sky….”

 

Mirei and Fina began to strategise with a difficult look on their faces.

 

Seren silently glanced at them.

 

‘Using the skill of 《Phantom Dance of Lightning》 may be able to break the situation, but…..if I use it now, there is a possibility that another party will take advantage’

 

Of the seven swords Seren had prepared, she has used one.

 

The goal of the final test is to bring back the national treasure of the Kingdom of Enuvidia, the 《Dragon Crown Sword》. But being the only one treasure that exists, the competition between the candidates will start sooner or later.

 

Besides, that girl is also taking part in this final examination.

 

Alice Feldrant. If Seren is going to fight her, she needed to take all possible precautions.

 

‘……These girls must have similar thoughts.’

 

Seren glares at Mirei and Fina.

 

The enemy is not only the Garuda monster. The gut-wrenching battle has already begun.

 

Seren thought so and stored her second sword in the 《Phantom Dance of Lightning》but── .

 

“Oh no! There are monsters coming from the front too!”

 

Fina alerts them.

 

A deer-shaped monster with large antlers was charging at Seren and the others, who were fleeing from the Garuda. Its knobby horns have countless thorns. If it lunges at them, they can’t escape unschathed.

 

“I will distract the Garuda!”

 

Mirei said and leapt high towards the Garuda.

 

“──《Wind treading shoes》”

 

Mirei’s shoes are covered with wind.

 

The next moment, Mirei was floating in the air. Apparently, she has a special armoury that allows her to fly. It is a power befitting her nickname, the Dancer of the Wind.

 

“──《Iron Fire Spear》”

 

The moment the Garuda’s attention was diverted, Fina held up her spear.

 

The tip of the spear was burning. Without stopping to run, Fina used her momentum to thrust the spear into the deer-shaped monster.

 

The spear pierces the monster and its body burns intensely.

 

The special armoury 《Iron Fire Spear》…… is undoubtedly a powerful weapon that burns the target it pierces, but Fina uses it more for cooking.

 

“Yes! Monster down!”

 

“Thanks, Fina!”

 

Mirei, who had been flying in the sky, joined them and they all fled together again.

 

Seren looked suspiciously at the girls who were fighting, exposing their skills and not worrying about their physical exhaustion.

 

“….. aren’t you girls scared?”

 

Seren asks.

 

“We’re in competition against each other, you know?　Don’t you think I’d attack you from behind, for example, with such an unprotected…..appearance?”

 

It was a serious question.

 

But Mirei and Fina just smirk.

 

“You’re so serious, Seren.”

 

Somewhat taken aback, Mirei said.

 

“I trust Seren because people who are willing to attack others won’t bother to say so!”

 

Fina said with a carefree smile.

 

Seren was taken aback by their lack of hostility.

 

“Seren! I have a proposal!”

 

Fina looks at Seren with innocent eyes and says.

 

“We’re going to try to bring down that Garuda monster somehow, so that you can finish it off…”

 

Fina then runs towards the Garuda monster without hearing any reply.

 

Mirei also immediately activated her 《Wind treading shoes》 and approached the  Garuda monster.

 

“Oiiiii, this way!!”

 

Mirei provokes the Garuda monster.

 

The Garuda monster is probably the strongest creature in the sky of this forest. Therefore, no creature would normally approach it. That is why it is showing an excessive reaction to Mirei attempting to approach it.

 

“Garuda–san, come over here!!”

 

Mirei flew with the bird in a calm and composed manner.

 

Mirei’s movements in the sky were fluid.

 

Her light green hair and the green phosphorescence from her shoes trace trails in the sky. Flying freely back and forth, left and right, up and down, Mirei was like a fish swimming in the air.

 

To begin with, Mirei has wowed countless audiences with her flying skills.

 

Dancer of the wind. Mirei performs a dance that lives up to its name.

 

The Garuda, bewitched by Mirei, is gradually led to the ground.

 

“Now! Attack at once…!”

 

At Fina’s signal, the two parties launched an attack on the Garuda.

 

Mirei’s companions use their experience as acrobats to throw knives and daggers.

 

Fina’s companions attack the crippled bird with bows used for hunting and knife-like swords.

 

The Garuda gradually lost altitude as a large number of weapons pierced its wings.

 

‘….Riese. Is this the strength you seek….?’

 

Seren looked at the landscape in front of her with a calm and collected face.

 

Those who should be competing with each other are united in fighting the monster.

 

“Fall down you Garuda Monster──!!!”

 

Fina ran up a nearby tree and thrust her spear directly into the body of the crippled bird.

 

A moment later, a burst of flames engulfed the bird.

 

“『Gyiiiiiiiii──iiii!!!』”

 

The Garuda Monster screamed.

 

Hearing its shrill voice, Seren cools her thoughts further.

 

Companions. Surely the word is right, attractive and carries an impression that should be embraced.

 

But Seren knew.

 

There are people who have been made gutted by the presence of their friends.

 

‘I do not approve of this kind of power ────’

 

Staring at the Garuda monster falling to the ground, Seren reaffirmed her resolve.

 

“Seren, now!!!”

 

Fina pulled out the spear that had pierced the Garuda and looked back at Seren.

 

But Seren did not respond to her voice and did not move an inch.

 

“’Seren!? What are you doing, quickly..!!”

 

“──You are weak because you rely on someone else.”

 

Seren backed away from the Garuda and stared straight at Fina and the others, who were expecting Seren’s blow.

 

The bird slowly got up and spread its wings, leaving Fina and the others bewildered.

 

“I am different.”

 

Seren says, looking at the bird that flew up into the sky again.

 

It would certainly be easier to rely on someone else. But it is nothing more than revealing their own weakness, that they cannot face the situation alone.

 

As long as they continue to rely on their friends, that weakness will never be wiped out.

 

Seren cannot accept that by any means.

 

“I can defeat any enemy… alone.”

 

Seren glared back at the Garuda Monster that flew high in the sky that glared at her.

 

When the sword in the special armaments 《Phantom Dance of Lightning》 is drawn, lightning clings to the blade.

 

Seren throws the sword – straight down.

 

A single flash of light pierced through the abandoned bird.

 

“『Gigiyiii──!!』”

 

Seren sheathed yet another sword and threw it.

 

Lightning bolts streaked from below to above. The normally impossible sight was a gut-wrenching and violent attack, as if it were destroying and twisting the laws of nature.

 

The Garuda monster falls again.

 

Seren does not miss that opportunity.

 

“Skill release──《Flower Dance of Lightning》”

 

The fourth sword is sheathed. The sword’s hilt turns yellow and becomes electrified.

 

Seren swung the sword, which had turned into lightning itself, with blinding speed.

 

The huge body of the Garuda splits open and a large amount of blood splatters.

 

Seeing the dead bird, Seren let out a small exhalation.

 

At the same time, Seren’s sword shatters. She used a superior sword compared to the one she used at the valour festival, but it damaged the hardness of the Garuda’s flesh.

 

After putting the sword on her back into the scabbard at her waist, Seren calmly looks back towards Mirei and the others.

 

“What do you want to do? If you want to, I’ll fight with you.”

 

Seren tells them without hiding her wariness.

 

In contrast, Mirei and Fina shook their heads.

 

“Can’t do it……I’m in such a state.”

 

Saying this, Mirei pointed to her left arm.

 

Mirei’s left arm was greyish around the elbow and she seemed unable to move it properly. It seems that she had been attacked by a feather when she had guided the Garuda Monster to the ground earlier.

 

Fina is similarly injured, with a slightly inflamed leg. She must have lost her position and twisted it when she landed after thrusting her spear into the crippled bird.

 

However, this was merely a lack of self-care for Seren.

 

She interpreted it as a weakness, peculiar to people who rely on someone else.

 

“Seren, sure you’re strong, but…something about you makes me uneasy to watch.”

 

Fina tells her with a serious expression.

 

Seren ignored her words and headed deeper into the forest.

 

◇

 

After defeating the Garuda Monster, the calm Seren realised her blunder.

 

She has only three swords left. A slightly disappointing number.

 

At first, she had intended to avoid exhaustion, but why had she been so eager? If she had wanted to, Seren could have pushed the Garuda Monster to those two. .

 

‘That Garuda monster….I can’t say I am confident in defeating it alone.’

 

The Garuda Monster had already been drained of its strength by the wind dancer Mirei and it had already been severely damaged by Fina the Iron Fire Spear.

 

In that state, Seren can’t proudly say that she defeated it alone when she tore it to pieces.

 

Seren was getting frustrated.

 

Seren stepped on the ground a little more forcefully than usual, and as she continued walking, she came to an open area.

 

The trees in the area were stark white. There was a rock at her feet and when she tried to step over it, the rock crumbled easily.

 

It seems that the area is more strongly affected by the corrosive force scattered by the corpses of the dead dragons.

 

The branches and leaves of the trees turn to dust just by being exposed to the wind and pile up like snow underfoot.

 

So here, in spite of being in the heart of the forest, the sun was shining.

 

There is something that shimmers and sparkles in that sunlight.

 

“That’s …..《Dragon Crown Sword》.”

 

Seren finally found what she was looking for.

 

A special armament with immense power, which could borrow the power of the dragon with whom it had formed a friendship. The sword, worthy of being a national treasure, was beautiful to look at and looked more like a work of art than a weapon.

 

The sword was thrust into the ground without a sheath and no sheath could be found. There are special armaments with a scabbard as the main body, such as the 《Phantom Dance of Lightning》, but from the looks of it, the sword is probably the main body of the 《Dragon Crown Sword》.

 

As Seren approached the sword, she heard multiple footsteps from ahead.

 

The gaze crosses with a girl with bluish black hair.

 

“Alice Feldrant……”

 

“Seren, san……”

 

Quickly, Seren puts her hand on the hilt of her sword.

 

Alice panicked when Seren began to prepare for battle.

 

“Wait, wait…..!”

 

“Wait?　Why……do you need to wait?　Don’t tell me you think you can avoid a fight in this situation?”

 

Seren says without releasing her stance.

 

“Judging from the content of the final exam, it’s probably already factored in that the candidates will be competing with each other for the 《Dragon Crown Sword》. In fact, that may be the aim.”

 

Alice showed a frightened demeanour, as if she were a small animal.

 

But her eyes ── they were looking straight at Seren.

 

“Well, that’s…..not it, I think……”

 

In a small voice, Alice refutes.

 

“Because….if you want to compare the strength of the candidates with each other, the second exam would have been enough…..so I don’t think that’s what this final exam is about…”

 

For a moment, Seren gritted her teeth in frustration.

 

Then she quickly tried to retort, but remembered that she did not want to get into a tongue fight.

 

“Well, we are only speculating the answer right now.”

 

Seren exhaled her frustration out of her body with an exhalation.

 

“Let the…..winner decide which of us is right.”

 

With that, Seren drew her sword from its scabbard.

 

“Se, Seren–san, I…”

 

Seren swung her sword without question at the bewildered Alice.

 

Alice quickly moved to the side and avoided Seren’s attack.

 

With a look that says, [I don’t want to fight…..], Alice also draws her sword from its scabbard.

 

“《Phantom Dance of Lightning》”

 

“《Snow Origin!!!》”

 

Lightning strikes.

 

Seren’s strike was extremely powerful. However, ahead of its trajectory was Alice’s slash.

 

As soon as Seren’s sword touches it, Alice’s slash liquefies like melting snow. As if slipping through Seren’s sword, Alice’s slash came close to Seren’s neck.

 

“!!”

 

Seren quickly evades and retreats.

 

Fortunately or unfortunately, she had not yet managed to cut Alice so her sword is still undamaged.

 

The next moment, a shadow falls from above Seren’s head.

 

“Don’t …… forget us.”

 

Kirch, who had leapt high before she knew it, swung his huge axe at Seren.

 

Seren instantly saw that the axe was specially armed and defended it with her electrified sword. The violent impact sent sparks flying and the ground cracked under her feet – but…

 

“I’m sorry, but you don’t have the same Existence Power as me.”

 

When Seren drew her sword, lightning flashed with a thunderous roar.

 

Kirch jumped back as quickly as he could. However, he could not avoid all of the lightning strikes and his side was burning.

 

Seren wanted to take down Kirch for a start, but immediately afterwards, an arrow was shot from somewhere.

 

It’s not a special weapon or anything, just an arrow. She avoids it with minimal movement as it is at a speed she can see.

 

Behind Alice, Phylicia calmly took out the next arrow from the arrow barrel.

 

“…… good coordination. But such coordination doesn’t work for me either.”

 

Seren sarcastically spoke.

 

But Sereb can never let her guard down. Especially Alice and the grey-haired young man beside her. That man has special armaments that allow him to move through space. It would be tricky to be struck by him.

 

“Alice Feldrant……!!!”

 

Seren runs with a lightning bolt.

 

The yellow shining sword of Seren and the pure white sword of Alice, which is engraved with a snow pattern, violently clashed with each other.

 

They seem to have the same quality of special armaments as well as the same level of existence power. A storm blows around the two of them, and the ground is cratered by the shockwave.

 

A clash of power and force so great that the space is distorted.

 

The surrounding trees are reduced to dust by the pressure.

 

Suddenly, there was a huge earth tremor.

 

“This is…..?”

 

“The ground is ……!”

 

Their feet shook violently.

 

Alice and Seren each jumped back in the opposite direction.

 

The next moment──a huge snake emerged from the ground.

 

“Monster!!!?”

 

Seren is startled.

 

The ground cracked and a terrifyingly huge snake-shaped monster emerged from underground. Behind the cracks in the ground there is an endless darkness.Apparently there was a large cavity under their feet.

 

“The《Dragon Crown Sword》 is falling…!?”

 

Alice says in a panicked mode.

 

“Ku……!!!”

 

Seren immediately reaches for the falling 《Dragon Crown Sword》.

 

At the same time, Exzair also emits a black mist.

 

However, both were one step behind. The national treasure 《Dragon Crown Sword》 falls into the underground space.

 

“It’s become troublesome, isn’t it…..”

 

Once both sides had retreated, they once again saw the full appearance of the monster that had emerged.

 

Its body surface was covered with a grey outer shell, just like the King Ape and Garuda.

 

“You can’t be….. the third mutant…..?”

 

Phylicia opens her eyes and looks at the monster in front of her.

 

It’s an unexpected fact. But if they think about it, the possibility was not zero.

 

Because, before this test began, Rushia Enuvidia said. [──At the moment, two mutant species have been identified.]

 

This is a place that has not been properly explored for 40 years.

 

It is not surprising that there are unknown monsters.

 

“Let’s call it the abandoned serpent , shall we? …… It’s quite large”

 

It is not possible to judge it from its appearance alone, but years of experience have given Seren an intuition. Perhaps the abandoned serpent  is stronger than the Garuda monster she just fought. It probably ate more of the carcass of the Abandoned Dragon. Unlike the Garuda, the epidermis of its body was also mostly covered in hard armour.

 

‘Well. How do I go about getting the 《Dragon Crown Sword》 from here….’

 

Seren wanted to wait for the abandoned snake to make its move. If an opportunity arises, She will go down to the hole at that moment.

 

The Abandoned Serpent slowly leans towards them and glares at them.

 

When Seren readied her sword a deafening roar can be heard.

 

“What is that sound, ……?”

 

“Aa, my head is…..!”

 

Kyiiin and a high-pitched sound that echoes directly into her head.

 

Her vision blurred as her legs weakened. Kneeling on the ground, barely holding on, Seren realised that the tail of the Abandoned Serpent was quivering at high speed.

 

Serpents do not make a roar, but produce sound by quivering their tails. The snake-shaped monster, the Abandoned Serpent seems to have this property.

 

Eventually, the sound gradually becomes quieter.

 

Seren stood up on shaky legs.

 

‘The sound is too loud to be a threat. What is that sound really for──?’

 

“……?!!”

 

Seren felt a creepy, unpleasant feeling and looked behind her.

 

It wasn’t her imagination.

 

“Monsters are gathering…..!!?”

 

Seren now realised that this was the reason for the sound.

 

Apparently, the Abandoned Serpent has gathered the monsters that inhabit the forest in this one place.

 

“Seren–san! In front!!!”

 

“──!?”

 

Alice’s cry brought Seren back to her senses.

 

A large tail of the abandoned snake was approaching from the front.

 

“Gahhh ……!!!”

 

Seren quickly guards herself with her sword, but the tail is huge and she has no chance to defend it. Seren is flung backwards with great force.

 

Her field of vision shifts in a flash. Penetrating countless trees, Seren was knocked to the ground.

 

Seren stands up, coughing up a small amount of blood from her mouth. It seems that the brittle trees, which had become brittle due to the force of the corrosion, acted as a cushion. Thanks to this, she escaped serious injury.

 

‘This is bad, ……I’m isolated, I’m in…’

 

It is dangerous to act alone in this densely populated monster situation.

 

However, Seren quickly contradicts herself.

 

‘…..No, this is different. Isolation is not a bad thing for me. That’s just a sign of weakness. ’

 

Seren gets up and looks around, bracing herself.

 

Countless eyes lurked in the darkness, watching Seren.

 

“Uuu,aaa────!”

 

A cold sweat broke out all over her body.

 

Everywhere she looked, monster eyes were staring at her. Their ferocious eyes, shining suspiciously in the darkness, see Seren as a tasty prey.

 

There are too many of them – too many.

 

Seren hurriedly pulled the sword from her back. At the same time, she realises. There are only two swords left.

 

‘It’s impossible. With only two swords left, I can’t fight this many monsters.’

 

Seren hid at the base of a large tree.

 

Monsters of all sizes search for her. Seren felt an instinctive fear at the way they moved, as if they were slowly and gradually taunting their prey.

 

‘What do I do?’

 

No answer came to Seren’s frustrated brain.

 

Instead, she pondered nonsensical hypotheticals.

 

[If I had been with my friends, would this have happened?]

 

[If I had formed a party like Alice and fought together, would there still be hope?]

 

There is a great deal of potential. If her companions had swords, they could have stored them in the 《Phantom Dance of Lightning》 and Seren could still have fought. While distracting the monsters with a diversion, they could have secured an escape route, and one of them could have broken free of the siege and gone to call for help.

 

But Seren could not allow that possibility.

 

‘Don’t be silly, me, please ……!’

 

Even if she hid, she would soon be found eventually.

 

Seren gripped the hilt of her sword tightly.

 

“I don’t need anyone’s help….!!!”

 

Yellow lightning gushed out and all the monsters lurking in the darkness turned towards Seren at once.

 

With blinding speed, Seren slays the monsters one after the other. At the time of the Valour Festival, she was using a mass-produced sword, but the sword she is using now is more expensive than that. It is not so easy to break.

 

However, after cutting down around fifteen monsters, the sword shattered with a cracking sound.

 

One sword left. In contrast, the number of monsters is not decreasing.

 

Seren, seeing the hellish scene, shouted as if to inspire herself.

 

“《Flower Dance, Of Lightning!!!!!》aaaaaAAAAAAaaaa”

 

With a sword that turned into lightning, Seren reaves the monsters around her.

 

More than ten monsters died with that single blow alone. But using the corpses lying on the ground as footholds, the monster swarms closed in again. It was like an endless tsunami.

 

It slashed monsters in all directions. Her legs trembled, her sword-wielding arm went numb, and yet Seren fought on.

 

Having survived the final exam alone, Seren’s will was strong and unbreakable.

 

However, the sword – unable to respond to Seren’s will – now shatters.

 

“Aa──”

 

The moment the sword shattered, Seren realised.

 

──She is about to die.

 

A large, hundred-footed, A centipede-shaped monster from overhead approaches with its chin wide open.

 

There was nothing she could do to prevent it.

 

It was the worst possible way to die. She had gone through the hero party selection test all by herself and had even made it to the final test and now she was to die here, in a place where no one could see her.

 

Tears well up in Seren’s eyes.

 

With unbearable frustration and disappointment, Seren is about to be crushed by the monster but, just before it crushes her.

 

A dazzling flash of light pierced the centipede monster.

 

“You’re still as belligerent as ever…..”

 

The figure suddenly appears, holding Seren and moving away from the monsters.

 

A female knight in pure white armour. When it came to her, Seren thought she knew more than anyone else.

 

“Reh, ze……”

 

Riese Von Aldiana.

 

The leader of the adventurer party 『White Dragon Chivalric Order』 and a powerful figure with a Existence Power of 6.

 

Here and Now, that person whom Seren admired the most was right in front of her.

 

“Wha, why are you here….”

 

“To inform the candidates that the exam is suspended. Also, to rescue the candidates in anticipation of a situation like this.”

 

Riese continues, looking at the monsters.

 

“Immediately after we heard a weird sound coming from the abandoned dragon’s lair, a huge number of monsters started to move, so much so that the forest shook. Her HighnessPrincess Rushia judged this to be a large-scale abnormal situation and organised a rescue team to rush in. My party is one of the rescue teams”.

 

Saying this, Riese calmly assesses the situation.

 

“Bu……I rushed into the most densely populated monster area, and I didn’t expect to find you, Seren. That’s how wary the monsters are towards you.”

 

“…..Is this the time for your sarcasm?”

 

Seren said sharply to Riese, who seemed to lack any sense of urgency.

 

“Look at these numbers……no matter how strong you are, you can’t fight this on your own.”

 

“True. I could go in, but this is going to be tough.”

 

‘So why did you come to help?’

 

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A seasoned and competent person like Riese would have been able to guess. Once she sets foot in such a dense area of monsters, she can never get out again.

 

“Don’t worry. Everything is fine.”

 

Seren stared at Riese with dubious eyes.

 

‘What part of this situation is [no problem]?’

 

It sounds like an escape from reality.

 

But Riese seemed genuinely unconcerned and took a communication stone out of her pocket.

 

“Ned…Yeah, the situation is as we expected. We’re surrounded by monsters and we’re stuck. Fighting them one by one would be no problem but there are just too many of them.”

 

Riese tells Ned in a tone as if it were just a business call.

 

Immediately, a man’s voice is heard from the communication stone.

 

“『Hang on for a while. I’ll see what I can do.』”

 

It was the voice of the man who had seduced Riese──Ned Wolkinter.

 

‘──Does he want to try to do something about it?That poor man, who can’t do anything on his own….yet he is going to help us?’

 

“Seren. You’ll have to see for yourself.”

 

Putting away the communication stone, Riese says.

 

“What I once lacked…..and what you lack now.”

 

◆

 

I put the communication stone away in my pouch and called out to Rushia, who was standing next to me.

 

“I’ve just heard from Riese.”

 

“How did it go?!”

 

“As expected. The knights we’ve already sent are not enough. We need more manpower.”

 

We were generally aware of the unusual situation that had occurred in the abandoned dragon’s den.

 

It was such a huge anomaly that even those outside noticed it. Immediately after we heard that distorted roaring sound, the whole forest stirred violently, as if it were one living organism. We could see countless monsters emerging from somewhere and heading towards the centre of the forest.

 

“I’m sorry…..this mistress was not as prepared as I should have been.”

 

“No, it can’t be helped. We had a large number of knights on standby in case of emergency, and we also had the 『White Dragon Chivalric Order』 helping us. …..And on top of that, the lack of manpower is a situation that cannot be predicted easily…..I didn’t expect so many monsters to be lurking in the lair of the abandoned dragon.”

 

I replied to Rushia while looking at the deep forest that spreads out before me.

 

The knights guarding the area had confirmed that a monster had emerged from the ground. Apparently, there was a huge underground space directly below the abandoned dragon’s nest. It is likely that many monsters were living there. The forest remains buzzing.

 

Rushia immediately stopped the test and sent the knights who were waiting here to rescue them. The Kingsguard knight Meir also rushed into the nest of the abandoned dragon.

 

Anyway, now we have to think about sending reinforcements.

 

But we don’t have any more soldiers to send out.

 

“I have a way of getting the message across.”

 

I told the surprised Rushia.

 

“Adventurers. …… I shall call the Adventurers in the Royal Capital to come to our aid.”

 

Some of the adventurers must be spending their spare time without taking requests in the hope of creating a party of heroes.

 

If they rush in now, we will have enough manpower.

 

“But then, even if we could get the numbers to increase, I’m not sure we’d make it…..”

 

I looked at Rushia, who looked anxious, with a straight face.

 

There is only one solution.

 

“Rushia. Can I ask you to do one job?”

 

Hearing that question, Rushia guessed my intention.

 

Rushia nodded her head seriously.

 

“Umu……leave it to this mistress!”

 

I put the communication stone from my pouch to my ear.

 

“『Halo, Royal Capital’s Adventurers!』”

 

“It’s Ned. I’m sorry to bother you so suddenly, but I have an urgent request.”

 

I told the receptionist at the Adventurers’ Guild, with whom I am usually in good contact, what I wanted.

“A large number of monsters have been spotted in the lair of an abandoned dragon. We need as many adventurers as possible to come.”

 

“I–I understand. But it will take a long time to get there from here….”

 

“No problem. We’ll provide the legs.”

 

The receptionist deftly prepares the request.

 

I disconnect the communication and let out a small gasp.

 

“Well….how many people will show up?”

 

I don’t know how many people are going to show up.

 

It is a well-known fact that abandoned dragon dens are dangerous places. As it is also an urgent request, it is possible that not many people will turn up.

 

At the very least, I would like to see a gathering of adventures at least double digits. 

 

◇

 

The Adventurers’ Guild was crowded with more people than usual.

 

Right now, the country is holding the selection examination for the heroic party. Not wanting to miss this historic moment, adventurers were killing time in their familiar guilds, waiting for the results of the examinations to be announced.

 

“Ee, everyone! We have an urgent request!”

 

At that moment, a panicked-looking receptionist appeared from behind the counter and told the adventurers.

 

“The location is the abandoned dragon’s nest, where the Hero Party Selection Exams are currently taking place! Due to a mass outbreak of monsters, the examiners in the nest need to be rescued!”

 

When the adventurers heard the details of the request, they came together and discuss it with each other.

 

“……, what do we do?”

 

“Well, we could go, but……”

 

“The candidates who need to be rescued are those guys who were fighting at the Valour Festival, right ……?”

 

“If even those guys can’t compete with the monsters, so what’s the point of us going there?”

 

The adventurer’s reactions were, if anything, negative.

 

It is only natural. The content of this urgent request was, in all probability, life-threatening. It was explained to them during the festival of valour how dangerous the abandoned dragon’s lair was.

 

“Furthermore, the client is Ned!”

 

The receptionist says in a loud voice.

 

At that moment, the ──── guild was momentarily enveloped in silence.

 

“──Ned?”

 

Someone mentions the name.

 

“Ned, that ……?”

 

The murmur spreads like a wave, throughout the guild.

 

Ned. Hearing that name, the adventurers changed their attitude.

 

“That guy who bought …… us dinner the other day?”

 

“The guy who helped me with a job…..”

 

“He encouraged us many times when we failed in our requests….”

 

“When I had a fight with my husband, he listened to me complain.”

 

One after another, people came to talk about Ned.

 

Those who were taught about the culture of various countries. Those who were given advice on starting a business. Those who were told about recommended magical tool shops. Those who told them about unusual tales of adventure.

 

Everyone had an idea of who this Ned man was.

 

He was hardly a skilled adventurer, to say the least. But he was always on their side. His good-naturedness was well known to adventurers, and even when Ned was away, many in the guild talked about him.

 

“We’ve formed a party thanks to that guy……”

 

“Same goes for me…..Ned, thanks to him for teaching us so much…..”

 

The adventurers talk while looking at each other and their fellow adventurers.

 

“I am indebted to him for bringing me together with my precious friends.”

 

“I owe him for teaching me the important things about life.”

 

The adventurers felt a connection with the man named Ned and they could not ignore it.

 

“Oh, so it’s that man’s request….”

 

Someone muttered in a small voice.

 

“Then we gotta go help ────.”

 

All the adventurers in the guild stood up.

 

◇

 

For Seren Duvalis, Riese Von Aldiana was an object of admiration.

 

However, it was not the present Riese that Seren admired, but the Riese of the past.

 

In the past, she was known as Riese the White Demon. As the name suggests, she was a fierce fighter who fought like a demon in white. No matter how powerful the monster is, she will face it single-handedly and win. The sight of her pure white armour stained with blood was awe-inspiring to other adventurers.

 

For Seren, Riese was a symbol of strength. Her way of moving forward, even when bloodied, was noble and precious, something to aspire to. When Seren saw Riese’s armour stained with blood, she was excited and thought, [This is true strength].

 

The hellish effort was not so hard when she was getting on par with Riese. Through continuous battles with superior monsters and days full of fresh wounds, Seren eventually grew to the point where she was on par with Riese. Many adventurers came to say that the White Demon and the Thunder Emperor were good rivals.

 

However, one day, Riese changed her behaviour.

 

Riese suddenly started to work with someone else. She was injured less often, was less exposed to blood, and returned from adventures more often without soiling her pure white armour.

 

Riese eventually formed the adventurer party 『White Dragon Chivalric Order』 and became its leader. She is no longer often referred to by her former name of White Demon.

 

But for Seren – when she was a white demon felt that Riese was stronger.

 

“Once upon a time, I was just chasing after strength, just like Seren.”

 

While fighting off the attacking monsters one after the other, Riese said.

 

Seren is so exhausted that she can no longer even stand up. As if to act as a shield for Seren, Riese fought the monsters without retreating a single step.

 

“I took on requests alone as much as I could, and kept my fangs honed in the harsh struggle. The strength I developed then….certainly still lives on today.”

 

Riese says, sweat pouring from her forehead.

 

There was not as much room for warfare as there was for tone of voice.

 

The skill of Riese’s special weapon, the 《Spear of the Great Radiant》, is to change the sword into the shape of a spear and throw it to deliver a ray-like blow. However, if she loses her weapons in this situation, she will soon find herself the prey of monsters. Therefore, Riese was blocked from activating the skill.

 

“But one day, my family living in a distant land was attacked by monsters.”

 

While fending off the monster’s attack, Riese continued.

 

“Even if I went to help them now, I wouldn’t make it in time. When I was in a……helpless hurry, that man ‘Ned’ happened to be nearby. Ned heard my story and immediately helped my family.”

 

“Immediately…..?”

 

Riese smiled at Seren, who asked back.

 

“He heard that there was an adventurer he knew on the land where my family lived. He asked that adventurer to save my family.”

 

“….. That’s just leaving it to others, isn’t it?”

 

“Hahaha, that’s true.”

 

In contrast to the astonished Seren, Riese laughs dryly.

 

“But that’s something I couldn’t do. I couldn’t save my family with…. my strength.”

 

Riese stared at her palms and muttered to herself.

 

Without a chance to get sentimental, the monster comes barreling in.

 

After blocking the monster’s attack with her shiny sword, Riese dropped one of her knees and put her hands on the ground.

 

“To……suddenly,I’m getting tired….”

 

“….enough already. Leave me and run away.”

 

To be honest, Seren didn’t want to see Riese struggling.

 

But Riese, tired as she was, had hope in her eyes.

 

“Don’t worry. I told you everything is fine.”

 

Riese laughs, as if she’s not struggling in the slightest.

 

“There – it looks like they’re here.”

 

Riese says, staring ahead.

 

Immediately afterwards, there were countless signs of people.

 

“There they are──!!”

 

Someone notices the presence of Seren and Riese and shouts loudly.

 

Soon other voices were heard.

 

“Secure our escape route! Anyone with energy to spare, draw the monsters away!”

 

“We have wounded men! Call the healers!”

 

Adventurers rush to Seren and the others.

 

The number is not one or two nor was it ten or twenty ……it was even more than that.

 

“Wha,–what is this…..?”

 

For Seren, it was an unbelievable sight.

 

Adventurers, whose faces and names were unknown to her, had gathered in such large numbers to help them.

 

“Apparently, adventurers from all over the city have come to our aid.”

 

Riese exhaled a [huff] and smiled with relief.

 

The adventurers have managed to stall the monster hordes.

 

They had made it this far almost unscathed, probably because Seren and the other candidates had killed the monsters along the way. Especially now that the Garuda and King Ape  have been defeated, the abandoned dragon’s nest is no longer as dangerous as it used to be.

 

As Seren is stunned, a healer woman approaches.

 

“I’ll get your injuries fixed now…..”

 

“….thank you.”

 

A woman uses magic to heal Seren’s external injuries.

 

“I see you both are alright.”

 

A familiar voice is heard among the assembled adventurers.

 

A young man with dark hair, dark eyes and a dull face – Ned has arrived.

 

“Why are you here….?”

 

“It’s easier to understand what’s going on if you’re on the ground.”

 

Ned said quickly, took a communication stone out of his pouch and spoke to someone.

 

“Can you hear me?….Yeah, Seren’s place is safe now. The evacuation of the other candidates is largely complete. Riese and I will be on our way to rescue Alice and her parties, so I want everyone to continue to be on the lookout for the area.”

 

Ned was familiar with the situation and was in charge of a group of adventurers.

 

“You arrived early.”

 

Riese says to Ned.

 

“Yeah. Rushia brought me here.”

 

When she heard those words, Seren understood.

 

Princess Rushia Enuvidia. She is the princess of this kingdom and a girl with dragonification disease. Seren can imagine that if he is carried by the dragonised girl, he can quickly travel from the royal capital to the abandoned dragon’s nest.

 

More questions are popping out in Seren’s mind.

 

Why are the adventurers in front of her and Her Royal Highness the Princess cooperating with this man?

 

“…… why?”

 

The questions overflow into words.

 

“Why are you …… following that man ……?”

 

The adventurers beside her rolled their eyes at her question and looked at each other.

 

“Why…? It’s hard to put in words…Well, you know, everybody helps their friends right?”

 

“I owe him a lot.”

 

“And I want him to keep helping me.”

 

“And I want to drink till morning with him again.”

 

All the adventurers were laughing happily as they talked about Ned.

 

Seeing them like that, Seren feels strange.

 

“Seren……do you understand now?”

 

Riese said while looking at Ned who was holding the communication stone to his ear and continued to command.

 

“This is a strength I don’t have.”

 

With deep respect, Riese said.

 

At the same time, Seren learns why Riese changed.

 

Riese──this strength was what she was so passionate about.

 

No matter how many bloody battles she repeats, she will never get this strength. It is a strength that not only Riese, who was once known as the White Demon, does not have, nor does Seren.

 

That is why Riese formed the 『White Dragon Chivalric Order』.

 

She now understood.

 

She understood why Riese  changed.

 

And why Riese was so passionate with this strength and why.

 

“Ned Wolkinter”

 

After having her wound treated, Seren approached Ned and called out to him.

 

“This final exam, please retire me.”

 

“Are you sure ……?”

 

Seren nodded.

 

“I am not fit to be a Hero now. I will broaden my horizons and get to know the…..world better.”

 

◇

 

The grey-armoured serpent leans its body over and threatens them.

 

Alice confronts the Abandoned Serpent with her sword at the ready.

 

Seren has already left the line of fire. The party members present must fight the huge monster in front of them alone.

 

The Abandoned Serpent was undoubtedly stronger than any monster Alice had ever fought.

 

However, there was a certain emotion that sat in Alice’s heart when she was facing the Abandoned Serpent.

 

It was not a feeling of wanting to escape.

 

It was not a feeling of fear.

 

──If she leaves this monster unattended, someone could be in danger.

 

Alice’s will to fight was boiling over.

 

“Alice, listen to me.”

 

Exzair spoke to Alice.

 

“My 《Void Sky》 requires me to see the coordinates of the destination at least once. Once that is satisfied, the rest of it, no matter how great the distance is, I can move freely….But right now, the hole where the 《Dragon Crown Sword》 fell is shrouded in darkness. I’m afraid I can’t transport myself with my powers.”

 

Exzair said, staring at the great hole at his feet. The darkness is so deep that he cannot see the 《Dragon Crown Sword》.

 

“So you draw that Serpent to you. I will pick it up during that time.”

 

Exzair said, glaring at Alice, as if to say whether or not she would do it. But.

 

“Well, that’s a……guaranteed,No.”

 

“What?”

 

Alice replies in a trembling voice to the exasperated Exzair.

 

“Um, that monster……is probably very strong, so…..”

 

It was at the moment Alice replied.

 

The snake’s tail reared at a speed unlike that of a huge figure.

 

Alice leaps and avoids it with a light body movement, and Exzair quickly produces a black mist and moves a short distance away.

 

“The monsters around the forest…..have started to move too.”

 

Countless monsters, gathered by the Abandoned Serpent, turn on Alice and her party.

 

With only four of them, Alice and her party were quickly surrounded and had nowhere to run.

 

“Ku…..!!!”?

 

Filia failed to escape and was about to be crushed by a huge ant-shaped monster.

 

“──《Snow Origin》!!!”

Immediately, Alice stands in front of Phylicia and activates her 《Snow Origin》 skill.

 

Snow flutters and the monsters in the area are cut to pieces by white flowers.

 

At the same time, however, Alice is also hit in the shoulder by a skalengeck and lizard-shaped monster that is coming at her from the side.

 

“Alice!”

 

“It’s…alright…”

 

Alice quickly slashed the monster and retreated, but blood was flowing from her shoulder.

 

Phylicia immediately rushed to Alice’s side and treated her with the 《Balance of Purification and Healing》

 

Magic and special armaments for healing are often made more effective by the medical knowledge of the user. The 《Balance of Purification and Healing》 is no exception to this rule, and its effectiveness is enhanced by an accurate understanding of the condition and location of the wound. That is why Phylicia worked in a sanatorium  and acquired medical knowledge.

 

“It’s dangerous to take on the Abandoned Serpent and this mass of monsters…..at the same time.”

 

Kirch said as he held up his axe to protect the two girls who were being treated.

 

“In the first place….it’s difficult for us to defeat this mass of monsters on our own. …… But if the monsters were summoned by the Abandoned Serpent, they might disappear by defeating the Abandoned Serpent….we should probably concentrate on defeating it here…..”

 

‘But even if you do concentrate, you can’t ignore the monsters around you.’

 

“Aa…..So, this large number of monsters can only be attracted by someone acting as a decoy…..”

 

Kirch nodded with a mysterious look on his face at Phylicia’s statement.

 

The question is who will be the decoy.

 

Alice’s help would be essential if the Abandoned Serpent is to be defeated. Therefore, Alice cannot be used as a decoy.

 

Kirch has difficulty with foot speed. He is good at shielding his companions and unleashing high-intensity blows, but he would not be suitable as a decoy, which requires quickness.

 

The rest are Phylicia and Exzair.

 

Exzair won’t do it. He won’t ever do it. This man is only acting on the organisation’s orders.

 

There is no way he would take on a dangerous role.

 

“──I will be the decoy.”

 

Phylicia said with a determined look on her face.

 

“But, but that’s……”

 

“Alice.”

 

To the anxious Alice,Phylicia said in a strong-willed tone of voice.

 

“You know that when I was a student, I was also an adventurer, don’t you?”

 

“Eh? Ha, yes. I know, but ……”

 

“And yet I was completely unaware that you were an adventurer as well….I regret that very much”

 

Phylicia continued apologetically.

 

“I didn’t think in the slightest that you could become an adventurer. That’s why I didn’t invite you to adventure with me, and I didn’t question anything when I saw you leaving right after school. Even though we are friends….childhood friends, somewhere in my heart I looked down on you. On the contrary, there was even a time when I was haughty and conceited, thinking that we were the best adventurers in the school, even though you were not.”

 

Alice didn’t know what to say to Phylicia, who bit her lip.

 

Alice and Phylicia attended the same school and were also active as adventurers at the same time. However, while Alice was aware of Phylicia’s activities,Phylicia was unaware of Alice’s.

 

Phylicia only thought of Alice as a shy person who left as soon as school was over. Alice is not suited to be an adventurer. She had assumed that she would spend the rest of her life as a quiet person.──This was so far off the mark and an arrogant expectation.

 

“’I strongly regret that I judged people by their looks and failed to even take an interest in them. I regret that I didn’t believe in you in the past.”

 

Philia looks guilt-ridden and says.

 

“So please give me a second chance.”

 

With these words, Phylicia looked straight at Alice.

 

“I believe you this time. I know that you…..you will defeat the Abandoned Serpent, won’t you?”

 

Phylicia says with a soft smile. However, her body was trembling slightly.

 

The truth is that she is scared. Nevertheless, she was determined to trust Alice.

 

Alice could not deny that decision.

 

“HA……!!!”

 

Alice nodded tearfully.

 

Soon Alice and Phylicia split up. Alice, Kirch and Exzair concentrate on defeating the Abandoned Serpent while Phylicia, single-handedly, attracts as many monsters as possible.

 

As she sprinted away, Alice noticed that the Exzair  were in the throes and hiding from view.

 

It doesn’t matter.

 

‘That man told me…..that I don’t have to think about anything else.’

 

“Alice……I’ll be your shield.”

 

Kirch says, readys to face the Abandoned Serpent.

 

“So you don’t have to think about …… defending or evading anymore.”

 

“Okay!!!”

 

With the trust of her friends, Alice approached the Abandoned Serpent.

 

The Abandoned Serpent is clad in an outer shell like armour. However, Alice looks closely and notices several gaps in its armour. Alice fires slash after slash towards those gaps.

 

The liquefied slashes split through the gaps in the outer shell and split the body of the Abandoned Serpent.

 

The Serpent’s tail swung down. But Alice ignored it and continued to swing her sword.

 

Kirch leaps above Alice’s head and blocks the descending tail with his axe.

 

“Fast…..”

 

Alice swings her sword at a speed that cannot be caught by the naked eye.

 

“Faster….!”

 

While she is doing this, Phylicia is fighting the monster single-handedly.

 

She must defeat the Abandoned Serpent as quickly as possible.

 

The noise will no longer be heard. The extra colour disappears from the world.

 

With extreme concentration sharpened to the limit, Alice slashed the belly of the waste snake and stabbed its tail. The pure white sword rips through the body of the crippled snake faster than the blood splatter falls to the ground.

 

At that moment, the crippled snake opened its jaws wide and a large amount of saliva was sprayed from its mouth cavity.

 

When the saliva touches the ground, the ground turns into fine dust and flies into the air like confetti.

 

“Gu…uuu,Ooo…!!?”

 

Kirch protects Alice from the spit of the crippled snake, using the 《Axe of Execution》 as a shield.

 

The axe turned white and cracked shortly afterwards. The force of the corrosion seemed to have soaked and eroded the weapon’s interior.

 

The abandoned snake opened its mouth wide again, but -.

 

“《Snow Origin》…..!!!”

 

Alice fires a slash into the mouth cavity of the snake.

 

Snow danced in the mouth cavity. In the next instant, countless slashes ripped open the mouth cavity of the crippled snake.

 

It seems that the quintessence of the snake has now worked, and the crippled snake sprawls about in agony.

 

Alice immediately tries to follow up, but──

 

“Ee──”

 

Before she knew it, the tail of the Abandoned Serpent was approaching from behind her.

 

Just before she was pushed away, in a corner of her vision, she saw Kirch lying on the ground. An axe with a broken handle is lying right next to him. It seems that the weapon is broken and he can no longer fight.

 

“Gi……!”

 

Alice, who had been shot high into the sky, clenched her teeth and barely remained conscious.

 

Below her, she could see Phylicia attracting monsters, ready to die.

 

For the sake of her friends, who believed in her, Alice gathered her strength.

 

“A, aaaaaaaaaAAAA──!!!!”

 

With a loud scream, Alice swung her sword.

 

A pure white slash is released from the pure white sword. The slash liquefies immediately after touching the head of the Abandoned Serpent and cuts through its epidermis. One eye of the Abandoned Serpent was cut in two and blood danced in the air.

 

But the Abandoned Serpent does not die yet.

 

The falling Alice was knocked to the ground by the tail of the Abandoned Serpent.

 

No longer able to even utter a scream, Alice falls underground.

 

“U, ah……”

 

Alice was unable to stand up.

 

Her consciousness was already fading. Her body was complaining of its limits before her mind broke.

 

If she stays down, Phylicia will be targeted by the Abandoned Serpent. She knows in her head that she have to stop that from happening, but she couldn’t put any strength into her….body.

 

Suddenly, Alice notices something unfamiliar close by.

 

It was a sword with a dragon pattern on it.

 

“…… 《Dragon Crown Sword》.”

 

Alice slowly crawls and reaches out to touch the sword.

 

At that moment, she sensed some kind of will from the sword.

 

──Regret.

 

She felt an empty, dark and very big emotion from the sword.

 

It was not logical. But Alice realises instinctively.

 

“Abandoned, Dragon ……?”

 

The sword was filled with the regrets of the Abandoned Dragon.

 

The dragon must have been holding a grudge for a long time after its death.

 

The monsters who devour his own corpses and rule this forest with their own rule.

 

“Please….”

 

Alice spun a gravelly voice.

 

“Can you lend me your strength….?”

 

Gently, when Alice touched the hilt of the 《Dragon Crown Sword》, she felt the sword pulsing.

 

The power comes. Just one more time Alice think she can fight.

 

Alice whipped her creaking body into a standing position and used the rubble and debris as a foothold to get out of the hole.

 

“Alice!!!”

 

“《White Blossom!》──!!”

 

She swung her pure white sword and sent a snowflake right in front of the Abandoned Serpent.

 

She knows that the Abandoned Serpent will not go down at this level. So this is not the real blow.

 

With a dazzling white flower in bloom – Alice holds another sword in the air.

 

“《O Dragon》……《my bonded contract.》”

(龍よ), (契りを結んだ隣人よ)

 

Alice spins as if she is speaking to the dragon’s residue that resides in the sword.

 

“《I will hold your pride in my heart》……《carve your power into my sword.──》”

(あなたの誇りを胸に抱き),(あなたの力を剣に刻む)

 

A crest floated on the blade of the sword.

 

The crest of a grey dragon the ability of an Abandoned Dragon lights up on the sword.

 

“《I now wield you》……《Show me your power》

(私は今),(あなたを振るう)

 

Power beyond human understanding overflowed from the sword.

 

“Skill Release ──── 《Breath of the Abandoned Dragon》!”

 

The slash was the dragon’s breath itself.

 

The breath of the dragon that once ruled this land roared out. It was like anger against the monsters that roamed around this forest with their own rules.

 

A storm-like blow from the Majestic Dragon instantly turned the monsters called by the Abandoned Serpent into dust, and eventually swallowed the Abandoned Serpent as well.

 

The giant serpent’s body slowly disintegrated and eventually withered into dust.

 

In an instant, all threats were gone.

 

This is the power of the 《Dragon Crown Sword》.

 

This is the power of the Abandoned Dragon. 

 

“Thank you…..”

 

Alice looked at the sword and whispered her thanks in a small voice.

 

The crest on the blade pulsed as if in reply.

 

“Alice……!!!”

 

Phylicia embraced Alice with tears streaming down her face.

 

“You really…..! Truly, you are more worthy of being a Hero…..than anyone else!!!”

 

“Phy, Phylicia-san…..it’s painful…..!”

 

Alice’s face was buried in Phylicia’s chest.

 

It’s hard to breathe, but Alice has no energy to push away.

 

Alice turned her face away and rubbed Phylicia’s back as she sobbed.

 

“Congratulations, Alice,…… you’re truly the hero.”

 

“Kirch–san……”

 

Alice’s tear glands relax.

 

Finally, little by little – a sense of accomplishment came over her and she has succeeded in defeating the Abandoned Serpent.

 

But it’s not over yet.

 

“Well then, let’s return back to the gathering point.”

 

Exzair clapped his hands lightly to attract attention and said so.

 

Kirch looks suspiciously at the man who has suddenly appeared.

 

“Exzair….you, where have you been all this time…..”

 

“Never mind the details…..you know that, don’t you? My powers are rather unsuited to combat to begin with.”

 

“Even so…”

 

Unconvinced, Kirch glared at Exzair.

 

Without caring at Kirch’s suspicious, Exzair approaches Alice leisurely and smiles.

 

“Alice, hand over the 《Dragon Crown Sword》.”

 

Exzair said, as if it were a matter of course.

 

“You have no more strength left. I will take care of the  《Dragon Crown Sword》.”

 

Exzair stared at Alice while waiting for the sword to be given to him.

 

[I may be smiling with my mouth, but my eyes are always honest. You know what happens if you cross me, don’t you?]　That’s what Exzair was telling Alice from the look of his eyes.

 

Alice’s body trembles with fear.

 

But Alice glares back at him, even though she looks like she’s about to cry.

 

“N, no…..”

 

“….What?”

 

Exzair’s eyes widen, as if he didn’t expect to be rejected.

 

“I will not give you the 《Dragon Crown Sword》……”

 

Clearly, Alice showed her rejection.

 

“Alice, you──”

 

“I will no longer …… obey you.”

 

Alice said, fighting back her fear.

 

“Alice….?”

 

“….. what, are you talking about?”

 

Phylicia and Kirch look at Alice wondering what she meant.

 

“He told me that he…..would take care of everything and that I should focus on…… doing what I thought is right.”

 

Alice stared straight at Exzair.

 

“So I won’t give in to…… you anymore …..!”

 

Alice tells in a weak and trembling voice.

 

Exzair looked heartily irritated at Alice. However, he quickly regained his composure when he remembered that Phylicia and Kirch were by her side.

 

“You seem a little confused….this might be the result of that mysterious sword. Indeed, I should keep that for you.”

 

Exzair slowly approached Alice.

 

Alice, Phylicia and Kirch are exhausted so they cannot make another step.

 

“Help me…..”

 

Alice closes her eyes tightly.

 

Hero Rin said to her. [All you have to do is just tell him to help you. That’s all you have to do, and that man will help you wherever you are…]

 

“ Ned–san….. help me, please!”

 

Alice called out the name of someone who shouldn’t have been there.

 

“──I’ll take care of it.”

 

She heard a reply she wasn’t supposed to hear.

 

◆

 

Barely in time would be an honest way to describe it.

 

After guiding the other candidates to evacuate, I arrived at the centre of the abandoned dragon’s nest and immediately found Alice and her party.

 

In Alice’s hand is the national treasure of the Kingdom of Enuvidia, the 《《Dragon Crown Sword》.

 

I knew it when I saw it. Alice had taken the seat of a brave warrior.

 

“Leave it to you….? Did you just say leave it to you….?”

 

Exzair looked at me suspiciously.

 

“Exzair Sullivan. I’m sorry, but Alice is no longer under your control.”

 

I told Exzair, who now looked at me in frustration.

 

“You seem to be holding Kirch, Phylicia and Alice’s family hostage, but it’s all in vain.”

 

“Haha….kuhaha!　Such a joke coming from a single examiner!”

 

Exzair laughed uncontrollably.

 

“It appears that you know me…..but there is nothing you can do about it.”

 

Exzair looks down at me blandly.

 

Exzair then glares at Alice, who is sitting on the ground.

 

“Alice. I will punish you for defying me. …… First I will kill your family. After that, I will kill Kirch and Phylicia here. In the end, there will only be two of us left, you and me. Later, I shall report that you were eaten alive by the monsters.”

 

Exzair revealed his true nature and gave a vile smile.

 

I tell Exzair without being scared by his threat.

 

“Try it.”

 

Exzair winded his eyes for a moment, perhaps not expecting that reaction.

 

But the corners of his mouth immediately lifted.

 

“Aaa──I’ll do it even if you don’t tell me to.”

 

A jet-black mist is produced from Exzair’s black bracelet.

 

Exzair quickly entered that fog and disappeared.

 

“Ne, ned,san…..”

 

“Don’t worry.”

 

Alice looked at me anxiously.

 

Exzair will now move on to Alice’s family and probably try to kill them.

 

But there is nothing to fear.

 

“Alice believed in me, …I’ll make sure I live up to that belief.”

 

Saying that, I took out a black mask from inside my pouch.

 

“Special armament – 《Isolation Masquerade Ball.》.”

(孤独な仮面舞踏会)

 

This mask has two effects.

 

One is disguise. If the mask is worn, it can not only hide the face, but also change the clothes at will.

 

The other is duplication.

 

This mask can be infinitely multiplied. Unlike the original version, the duplicate version does not allow me to specify the shape of the mask or the clothing, but I can still disguise myself properly if I wear it.

 

I had already given the duplicated masks to several people.

 

I take something out of my pouch that I use in combination with this mask.

 

It was a red communication stone, different from the usual.

 

The function itself is the same as an ordinary communication stone. But I used it only on special occasions.

 

The contacts registered on the red communication stone are all people to whom I have given the mask.

 

I activate the communication stone and start communicating with everyone I know who is registered.

 

I then announced to the red-emitting stone.

 

“──『The Illusion King』activate”

 

◇

 

Exzair’s special armaments 《Void Sky》, can set the coordinates of the space it sees.

 

Once the coordinates have been set, it is possible to shift freely at any time. At the Valour Festival, he shifted behind the enemy during the battle, but as the coordinates do not have to be set in real time, he can also freely shift to coordinates set in the past.

 

Exzair was transferred to the city where Alice’s family lived.

 

For situations like this, Exzair always carries several daggers. Alice is an extremely strong adventurer, but her parents are mediocre. They would be easy to kill.

 

‘I won’t let you go……’

 

Exzair smiled a greedy, paint-covered smile as he searched for his target.

 

‘Alice …… you are the best puppet ……!’

 

Exzair  will never get such a strong puppet again.

 

As long as he has that girl, he can suck sweet nectar forever.

 

With a blackened emotion, he gripped his dagger and walked on ──.

 

“──You’re that Exzair, aren’t you?”

 

Suddenly, a voice called out to him.

 

When he turned around, there was a man wearing a black mask. His body shape is hidden by a grey cloak, making it difficult to distinguish his age or gender. Exzair judge that it is probably a man by his voice.

 

“W,who are you….?”

 

“Me?”

 

The masked man laughed.

 

“I am the…『Illusion King』.”

 

Saying this, the man slash his greatsword at Exzair.

 

The sudden attack makes Exzair jump back, startled.

 

“The 『Illusion King』……?　How did an adventurer of the 『Seven Meteors』 end up here ……?”

 

The man instantly slashed again at the bewildered Exsir.

 

“Kuh──!!!”

 

With just a few exchanges, he can see the difference between him and the『Illusion King』.

This man is incredibly strong.

 

‘But if he’s the real 『Illusion King』, I don’t stand a chance…..!’

 

Exzair dripped with cold sweat. At any rate, the 『Seven Meteors』 is the world’s strongest adventurer party. The member of this group, the 『Illusion King』, is an all-round expert who can use all kinds of tactics. He hides behind a mask and cloak and is famous for not speaking a single word.

 

‘I never thought I would run into such a person.’

 

Immediately, he activates 《Void Sky》and Exzair retreated.

 

Exzair was transferred to another city.

 

“….. Damn, I’ve fled so far away”

 

In fear, he fled to another country.

 

It was a quiet town with few signs of life. …..Naturally. It is now midnight in this city. It is midday in the Kingdom of Enuvidia, but Exzair has moved to a country with such a time difference.

 

“Nice to meet you, Exzair–san.”

 

Suddenly – someone called out to him again.

 

“What?!!　Impossible!! Why are you here…?”

 

There was a person wearing a black mask and a grey cloak.

 

Exzair wondered why the 『Illusion King』 was here, but──.

 

“No, you’re different…… another person is it……?”

 

“Ara, you seem to suspect something.”

 

A fact Exzair only noticed because he was able to compare them consecutively. The body shape was slightly different.

 

And the voice was definitely different. This time it was a woman.

 

“But I am also the── 『Illusion King』.”

 

Dosun!!　a powerful sound, something was swung down in front of Exzair’s eyes.

 

It was a huge scythe. The blade of the scythe, which was swung down with blinding speed, sunk deeply into the hard cobblestone ground.

 

“Ah, hi, ah……!”

 

Again, the difference between her and Exzair was instantly apparent.

 

No win. Exsere quickly emitted a black mist and shifted again to another location.

 

It was a city in a desert in a scorching hot desert, dazzled by the shining sun. The change in temperature soon had Exzair dripping with sweat. Sizzling, the sun’s rays were baking his body.

 

“Ah! I found you, Exzair!”

 

He is called out again in the same way.

 

When he turned around, a figure wearing a black mask and a grey cloak was there.

 

This time it is in the form of a child. The voice belongs to a girl.

 

“Wh,wha,what!!!? Who are you?”

 

“Me?”

 

In a bright tone of voice, the girl said.

 

“I am the──『Illusion King』”

 

The girl snaps her fingers.

 

Exzair had a bad premonition. When he instinctively jumped back from the spot, the place where Exzair had been standing just a moment ago instantly exploded. It is a magic of terrifying power.

 

Exzair shifts again to another location.

 

‘What is this…..? What’s happening….?’

 

Exzair confusion only increased.

 

[Why was I being targeted by the 『Illusion King』 in the first place?]

 

[Why do people claiming to be the 『Illusion King』 appear everywhere I go?]

 

Exzair, who appeared in the busy entertainment district, moved to the back alleys. In his head, the information was gradually coming together.

 

For some time now, the 『Illusion King』 has been unbelievably skilled in both martial arts and magic. Exzair once thought that it would be impossible for a person to acquire that much skill in a lifetime, but if the true identity of the ……『Illusion King』 is an aggregation of several masters, then it makes sense.

 

If the 『Illusion King』 is a master of more than one – he must be there.

 

There must be a leader who unites all the 『Illusion King』.

 

“Oi, there he is.”

 

A voice is heard from behind.

 

“Good heavens, people are getting drunk in a good mood, and he’s just…..”

 

“You’re getting your weapons ready, and you’re saying things like that…”

 

“I’ve been bored lately. I’m just hanging out with you as a distraction.”

 

Two figures were approaching Exzair while talking to each other.

 

“Aaa……! No way, you guys are …… too.”

 

The two men held up their swords and spears to the frightened Exsir.

 

“We too… are the 『Illusion King』.”

 

Exzair transferred to another location faster than he could be attacked.

 

But no matter where he went, it was the same.

 

“You’re Exzair?”

 

“Hi…..!”

 

They’ll always find Exzair in every city.

 

“You’re Exzair, aren’t you?”

 

“Uu──Aa…?!!”

 

No matter where he hides, they always find him.

 

He felt as if he had made an enemy of the world.

 

“AAAAAAAAAAaaaaa──!!!”

 

There is no escape now. When he transferred to all the coordinates I could think of, all of them are the 『Illusion King』.

 

Exzair is once again transferred to the lair of the abandoned dragons.

 

“Oh, you’re back.”

 

“Haa, haa, haa……! Damn it, damn it……!”

Ned tells him flatly, as if he knew this was going to happen.

 

In contrast, Exzair was confused to the point of losing his mind.

 

“You look like you’ve been through a lot, Exzair.”

 

Someone calls out to him from behind his crouching body.

 

The man in the mask and cloak is there, as expected.

 

The person is holding a shiny sword.

 

“that, that sword is ……..”

 

“Hm?….. Oh, yes. This certainly stands out”

 

The person whispers a little and removes the mask.

 

The cloak disappeared, revealing the person’s true identity.

 

It was a familiar woman with a neat beautiful face.

 

“The twelfth 『Illusion King』,Riese Von Aldiana. It’s been a long time since I’ve mentioned….this title.”

 

Riese, who holds the special armament 《Spear of the Great Radiant》, stands in front of Exzair.

 

Behind Riese, Ned was standing fluently.

 

Looking at this, Exzair intuits.

 

“You…..?”

 

In a trembling voice, Exzair says.

 

“Is it you…..? Is it all your fault…..?!!”

 

He doesn’t know why he thought that.

 

It is possible that this man simply asked the『Illusion King』 to do it for him.

 

However, as much as he hates to admit it, Exzair felt something about this man from the moment he met him.

 

It was the dignity of a strong person, a dignity that only a fierce man who has fought a hundred battles is allowed to wear.

 

“Sure, there’s nothing I can do if it’s by myself.”

 

Ned said as he put his hand inside his pouch.

 

“But with everyone’s help ──── I can do anything.”

 

Saying this, Ned took out a mask from his pouch and showed it to Exzair.

 

“Nice to meet you. I’m Ned Wolkinter, the first 『Illusion King』.”

 

Ned tells him with a wry smile.

 

“Even you……”

 

Exzair, crouching, lets out his anger and confusion in his voice.

 

“If only you weren’t here──Aaaaaaaaaaa!!!!”

 

Exzair, who has lost all sense of reason, attacks Ned, clutching his dagger.

 

However, Exzair was slashed to pieces by Riese, right in front of Ned.

◆

 

Seeing the man who had died so easily in front of me, I relaxed my shoulders just a little bit.

 

I immediately took out the red communication stone and contacted my companions.

 

“Deactivate the 『Illusion King』. Thank you all for cooperating with me….”

 

I’ll thank everyone again some other time.

 

Originally, the 『Illusion King』 did not show himself in public, nor did he ever make a sound. Therefore, it was seldom noticed that its true identity was more than one person.

 

When I was active as a member of the 『Seven Meteors』, every time I went on an adventure, I would call one of my companions who was most suitable for that adventure, and that person was the 『Illusion King』.

 

So for me, the 『Illusion King』 was the companion of my former adventure party and my way of life itself, using human connections as a weapon. Despite the sudden activation, many of my friends responded. I strongly feel that the connections we once had are still alive and well.

 

This is the one and only power I have developed.

 

It’s the only thing I have.

 

But with it, I can do anything.

 

“Well, that’s all settled”

 

Riese says as she sheaths her sword.

 

“Aaa, all I have to do now is go back to Royal Capital──”

 

I patted my chest in relief and turned towards Alice and at that moment.

 

Someone fell from overhead.

 

“───!?”

 

The man who had descended from the sky appeared to have managed to evade even Riese’s vigilance, not to mention my own. A violent earth tremor shook my body and the rolling dust blocked my vision.

 

Riese, who was nearby, cleaved her sword to the side with all her might.

 

A blast is created, blowing away the dust.

 

“Oh….I see. Bastard Exzair, you messed up.”

 

He has bulging muscles and ferocious twin eyes like a predator. The man with the ferocious aura looked at the dead body of Exzair and then shifted his gaze towards me.

 

“Hmm?　Oioi, the 『Illusion King』is here? Oh dear. ……Will the leader be angry with me? No, but I was told to hurry. …… I guess it can’t be helped.”

 

The man sighs as he ruffles the back of his hair.

 

“Who are you?”

 

Riese asks, holding her sword.

 

The man smiles wryly.

 

“Nain Yggdrasil. If I say that, will you get the message?”

(ナイン＝ユグドラシル)

 

A shiver runs through my body.

 

I feign calmness so as not to let anyone realise how troubled I am. Riese is also probably in the same state of mind.

 

The darkness that lies in the Amdo Empire – Yggdrasil. It is an organisation that should not be involved, as it is constantly rumoured to be repeating atrocious human experimentation, and those who get deeply involved in it die in a strange death.

 

The man in front of me seems to be a member of that organisation.

 

And if I remember correctly…

 

Nain Yggdrasil is ranked 29th in the strongest human race.

 

He is stronger than theDragonised Rushia  and Riese.

 

“Don’t be so alarmed. I’m just here to get a feel for the situation. I wanted the 《Dragon Crown Sword》, but I don’t want to go on a rampage and stand out.”

 

Yggdrasil, for all its power and military might, avoids being conspicuous. There are disturbing signs that it seems to be manipulating the world from behind the scenes, but it is fortunate that it is not a tyrannical organisation.

 

“And…..『Illusion King』. I don’t want to be enemies with you as much as possible. Our leader has a strange sense of kinship with you.”

 

I don’t really understand why he said that to me.

 

“Nain Yggdrasil… Do you want to make a deal?”

 

I suggest a deal to Nain.

 

“I don’t know what your reasons are for being in Yggdrasil. But if you have a purpose, I will do my best to help you. In return, I need information about Yggdrasil.”

 

When I told him seriously, Nain smiled.

 

“That’s a sweet deal……so that’s the difference between you and our leader.”

 

He rejects my proposal.

 

But Nain laughed, somewhat good-humouredly.

 

“You’re a very interesting guy. You have the same weapons as our leaders, but you use them in a way that our leaders don’t.”

 

What has…..this man been saying since a while ago?

 

“Leader always says that, man.”

 

Nain told me, looking at me with interest.

 

“Why don’t you intimidate me?”

 

Nain looks amused──.

 

“Why don’t you deceive me?”

 

Somewhat curiously.

 

“Why don’t you cheat me?”

 

Nain tells me, with a look of profound incomprehension.

 

……Coincidence?

 

I forbid intimidation, fraud and cheating when using my connections as a weapon. Nain’s words sounded as if he could see through such personal restrictions on me.

 

I can only think of one person who can accurately say all three.

 

He understands my policy on weapons completely.

 

So he is definitely…a man who has the same weapon as me.

 

“You are using your power in the wrong way.”

 

Nain tells me what he wanted to say.

 

“Networking is a weapon of terror.”

 

It’s a word I don’t understand and I don’t want to.

 

It seems that in this world there are people with exactly the same weapons and the opposite values as me.

 

So I’m going to leave now. I’ve collected what I need to collect.

 

The black bracelet was shown to us by Nain.

 

It is the special armament belonging to Exzair, the 《Void Sky》. Nain wanted to collect this.

 

Riese and I look at each other.

 

In this situation, it is impossible to capture Nain. Nain is stronger than Riese, stronger than the Dragonised Rushia. Alice and the others are too exhausted to fight now.

 

“Oh…..and a word of advice, just in case.”

 

Nain, who was about to leave, takes one last look in my direction.

 

“The reason we have kept our distance from you is because our leader wanted to separate us from you. But if you continue to encroach on our territory, as you have done this time…”

 

Nain’s eyes narrowed.

 

“──I’ll be your opponent then.”

 

Nain showed a strong fighting spirit, and in the next instant he leapt high into the air and disappeared from sight.

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