Afterwards, together with Kagami’s outstanding power, the seemingly endless battle returned to normal. The number of enemies had gradually decreased, and the people fighting could feel the battle nearing its end.
“Just a little bit more! Go all out everyone! Just don’t overdo it…Stand down immediately if you think it’s impossible!”
“D-…Don’t make me laugh! Who said it’s impossible? I still have some strength left!”
As if they could see the end, the Adventurers raised their morale by saying, “The battle will soon end, victory is certain.” However, they were betrayed by their exhausted bodies despite their chant. Most of the Adventurers were breathing heavily and wore pained expressions.
Those who were fighting had already exhausted all of their healing and attack magic. Those who had emptied their important mana reserve somehow endured and continued to fight on the frontlines by using healing items, which they had replenished as they traveled between Salumeria and the Atros wilderness.
Nonetheless, the usage of healing items was prevalent. The continuous usage caused their effects to gradually weaken, and in the end, the Adventurers that relied on those items could only withdraw from the warfront. A lot of Adventurers had withdrawn, and those left behind didn’t have any other methods to fight in this bitter battle. When things began to appear hopeless, they finally saw the end. There was no reason for it to not raise the Adventurer’s morale.
“Menou-chan…are you alright? Tch…Can you still go at it?”
People like Takako and Menou were no exceptions to having a powerful presences. Menou had already used up all of his magic power and begun fighting Monsters by using hand-to-hand combat as he covered Takako’s back.
“But…it’s surprising. Menou-chan, you’re quite knowledgeable in Taijutsu, aren’t you? You’d make a great rival.”
“Stop joking around Takako-dono. I merely dabbled in it, and even if I fight barehanded, it’s only possible in this battle. I’m far inferior to Takako-dono.”
As they spoke, they saw the end of the battle finally drawing near, igniting their fighting spirits once more.
“Rex-san! Are you safe? I’ve brought a new potion!” (Xant: The original had ‘Healing Item’)
As this was said, Tina, who had made a round trip from Salumeria City, rushed over to Rex while holding a large amount of healing items, such as glass bottles that were filled with liquid.
In contrast to Takako and Menou, who still had the energy to fight, Rex was already at his limits. He had lasted long enough that anyone would have thought that he had done well in fighting until now, but Rex had continued to fight at the forefront.
Consequently, he had overdrawn his endurance to the point of needing to use his sword for support.
“It’s fine…More potions are useless. No matter how many I drink, there aren’t any effects…it just causes stomach pain.”
“If that’s the case, then let’s withdraw. We will just be in danger if we remain!”
“…I refuse. I’m the Hero. From start to finish…….I must carry the hopes that everyone holds. It’s more than just those guys…….It’s impossible for me to give up! I’m not afraid of death……I will muster my courage!
Then he mustered up the strength he couldn’t bring out before, and Rex drew the sword he’d stabbed into the ground. However, immediately after wielding it, a slight shock ran through his head with a light ‘kon.’
When he managed to look behind him, he saw a slightly angry Krul, who was grasping the staff that had struck Rex.
“It takes courage to run away. Instead of fighting in vain, leave it to those who can still fight. At the very least, let your body rest. Surely there is no need to continue doing your best all by yourself?”
As she said this, Krul walked a short distance away from him and pointed at the center of the still numerous group of Monsters. When Rex looked at the area she was pointing to, he saw Kagami. As lively as ever, he continued to fight the Monsters with the same vigor he had held at the start of the battle.
Amongst those who were exhausted, only Kagami had continued to struggle like always.
“…What’s wrong with him? Hasn’t he always been fighting by himself?”
“Earlier, Kagami-san took a break like a normal person would, you know? He even said, ‘Phew, I’m tired.’”
Rex leaked out an “Eh?” and looked at the absentminded Krul with surprised expression. As if she had also seen Kagami, Tina nodded in agreement, supporting Krul.
“Thanks to Kagami-san’s skill, if he takes a break, he will heal without needing healing items…It’s quite crafty, you know. But, that person has been fighting while relying on everyone.”
Speaking of the breaks Kagami had taken, it was simply because he had believed in those who were fighting for him. He thought that they could endure without him by doing their best, so Kagami took a break and laid down in this ‘battlefield of trust’ while watching over everyone as they fought.
“I’m no match…for that guy.”
After saying that with a smile, Rex stabbed his sword into the ground once again, and relaxed his stance.
“It’s…the truth. Being Level 999 is really amazing.”
Tina muttered in support as she watched Kagami fighting swiftly.
“No…what’s truly amazing about him isn’t his high level. He has the power to do things without being bound by other people’s actions, as if were natural.”
Krul also agreed with Rex, saying “That’s…true,” as she observed Kagami, who continued to fight.
“Don’t be stereotypical…? I see. Now I understand the meaning of those words from before.”
Thinking that it was fine to leave it to Kagami, who was beating Monsters one after another in an area far away from him, he dropped down onto the ground.
Most of the allied Adventurers were injured, and even though they were nearly defeated, about 90% of the Monster troop had vanished. Even though there was still roughly 10% of them left, he ended up thinking that Kagami would handle it somehow.
“Ara…taking a break? Good work out there.”
The slow Palna appeared next to Rex, holding a large amount of potions in her hands.
“He really did do it…somehow.”
Palna muttered while watching the still fighting Kagami.
“Even though he has that much power, the way he acts…it’s like he’s an ally of Demons.”
Although she was surprised by the unbelievable sight that was right before her eyes, she muttered that in dissatisfaction, as if she didn’t agree to it.
“If you gossip about it…it will come back to haunt you.”
After a while, Takako and Menou staggered over to Rex’s group and their collection of potions, as if their stamina had been completely depleted.
“Geez…as expected, it’s useless. Tina-chan, was it? Did you set aside the potions for us…?”
After seeing Takako’s ‘defeated image’, due to becoming completely exhausted from using up all of her energy, Tina hurriedly opened one of the potions and handed it over. Although Takako drained it all at once and even used up several more of them afterwards, she wasn’t visibly healing yet.
“As expected, it’s already useless for m-me.”
As she said this, Takako dropped down next to Menou. As Takako quickly retired, Palna watched the exhausted Menou recover his mana and started to direct her palm at him, thinking ‘Wouldn’t it be easy to kill him right now?’
“At the very least, please listen to Kagami-chan’s story.”
However, her body stiffened and she withdrew her hand, despite looking like she wanted to say something, immediately after being called out to by Takako-chan, who seemed to have completely seen through her.
“I look forward…to what’s coming soon.”
As if her own feelings had quieted down, Palna bit her lips and muttered that.
While this exchange was happening, Kagami had defeated one Monster after another. It was already nearly over when the Salumerian Adventurers’ shouts of victories rang out.
“It’s troublesome…we must proceed onto Scenario Street.”
At that time, while no one there understood what the words they had heard meant, a noise that resounded directly in everyone’s heads could be heard. Although Rex had thought that it was an auditory hallucination, he concluded that it wasn’t after noticing the people around him become bewildered in the same way.
“…W-…What…is that.”
Immediately after the surprised Rex muttered that, everyone there turned pale.
The vibrations that had nearly felt like cannon shots were merely 【Footsteps】. The source was a body covered in armor, enough to make them think that no attacks could damage it, regardless of what was used. It was tall enough that it stood higher than the clouds. A giant Monster, ten times larger than a Cyclops, came from the direction of the Demon King’s Castle, slowly advanced towards Salumeria.