𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟗𝟗.𝟏: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝟐
“《Sonic Lance》.”
“Guh?!”
ㅤ
In front of me, a spear attack approaches.
It’s not particularly fast or strong.
Probably, if I take it head-on, it wouldn’t cause much damage.
But, that blow was precisely targeting my eyeballs.
I certainly have to defend against that.
ㅤ
“Yuma! Dodge it!”
“Huh?!”
ㅤ
The moment I deflected the spear strike with Excalibur, I heard a warning from Ivy-san directly in front.
Immediately after, piercing the spear wielder’s belly, Ivy-san’s Tilfang was thrust out.
Unable to deal with the unexpected attack, I took the blow in my side.
With Ivy-san’s status, she could certainly cause me damage.
It’s just a slight damage that would be healed by HP automatic recovery, but I can’t ignore it in the current situation.
ㅤ
Then, the person who was pierced in the stomach by Ivy-san, instantly recovered the damage.
Probably, this is the special effect of this person’s true equipment.
I see, because of this, they made the current attack.
I was skillfully done in.
ㅤ
However, there is no time to regret it.
ㅤ
“Ugh…! 《Feather Bullet》!”
“《Sunshine Arrow》.”
“《Spinning Stud》.”
“《Great Slash》.”
“《Megaton Press》.”
“《Impact Knuckle》.”
“Damn it…!”
ㅤ
In the moment when my movements dulled from pain, the particularly strong ones among those being manipulated launched a simultaneous attack.
Probably, all these people are true equipment users.
Unlike the others, the lack of light in their eyes is concerning, but the attacks are too intense for me to care about that.
I’ve taken several hits in the current rush.
If this continues, I’ll keep taking damage without a chance to recover, and die.
ㅤ
“《Super Hot-Blooded Punch》.”
“《Spiral Lance》.”
“Ugh?!”
ㅤ
One after another, now attacks from Carpaccio-san and Commander-san who had somehow revived.
Hit by simultaneous attacks of heat and water, I’m sent flying.
ㅤ
Among them, Carpaccio-san is the only one who is confirmed to be a lifeless zombie.
Although they were kind to me, that’s just a moving corpse.
So, I have to defeat it.
I was prepared for that… or at least I thought so.
ㅤ
“《Photon…ugh!”
ㅤ
Trying to mow down Carpaccio-san with a sword clad in light… midway, my body freezes.
I can’t do it…!
My body isn’t listening to me!
I feel a strong resistance and hesitation to the act of cutting this person.
So much so, that even in this crucial moment, my body has stopped.
ㅤ
[Fake Herooooo!]
[Hero-samaaaaa!]
ㅤ
While I’m conflicted, the enemy won’t wait.
Now, the manipulated soldiers charge.
People with naked hostility and people manipulated by the arachne while still sane.
I can’t kill either of them.
ㅤ
But, their bodies suddenly explode.
ㅤ
“《Wolf Tackle》!”
ㅤ
Looking, the fenrir, with his arms crossed in front of him, was charging from behind the manipulated people.
As if saying they’re in the way, he shredded those people while charging.
What’s he doing!
ㅤ
“Guh?!”
ㅤ
I hastily guard against the fenrir’s charge with my left arm.
But, I can’t completely stop the momentum and I’m sent flying.
Moreover, a bad sound comes from the guarded left arm.
It’s not broken… I don’t think so.
Certainly, there must be a big crack.
But, this much!
ㅤ
“Haaaah!”
“Wha?!”
ㅤ
I firmly planted both feet on the ground, forcefully killing the momentum of being blown away.
Then, I gathered strength in my legs and closed in on the fenrir.
This creature is a monster and a leader in the Demon Lord’s army.
A clear enemy that kills many people.
For this one, I don’t need to hold back!
ㅤ
“《Shine Strike》!”
ㅤ
I launched a high-speed thrust enveloped in light at the fenrir, whose movement was stopped by the backlash of the charge.
The fenrir hastily assumed a defensive posture, but that was a mistake.
My true equipment’s exclusive effect, [Hero’s Holy Sword], deals specialized damage to monsters.
Even that dragon’s scales were sliced like butter when directly struck.
A simple defense cannot block this attack.
ㅤ
I got it!
ㅤ
The moment I thought that, a person who had been standing by Mamori’s side and had their face hidden by a hood stepped in between the fenrir and me.
The person used a familiar sword they were holding to catch my sword.
ㅤ
“《Counter Strike》.”
“What?!”
ㅤ
That person skillfully deflected my attack.
Moreover, they slashed at my back with their counter.
ㅤ
But I was able to avoid a fatal wound by swiftly twisting my body.
ㅤ
Because I knew.
This technique, this movement.
After all, it’s a technique I’ve seen and experienced many times in training since being summoned to this other world.
ㅤ
“Kyoshiro…!”
ㅤ
The hood was thrown back in the exchange of attacks, and the person’s face became clear.
His name is Kyoshiro Ken.
He’s a childhood friend who has been practicing kendo since he was young, a master swordsman.
In this world, too, he learned combat swordsmanship in no time, leveraging his past experiences. He’s a friend I’m proud of.
ㅤ
“《Elemental Blast》.”
“Huh?!”
ㅤ
The moment I quickly distanced myself from Kyoshiro, an exceptionally powerful magic spell was fired at me.
I knew this one, too.
It’s a deadly attack that combines all attribute attack magic, which is extremely difficult to learn at the same time.
The first time she used it, she was praised by the instructor, Randolph, and felt embarrassed.
It’s only weakness is that it takes some time to activate.
ㅤ
Looking at the direction from where it came, I saw another familiar face.
Another person who had been standing by Mamori’s side, hiding their face with a hood.
ㅤ
“Ayaka…!”
ㅤ
Her name is Maki Ayaka.
Just like Kyoshiro, she’s a childhood friend I’ve been with since we were young.
ㅤ
Ayaka and Kyoshiro.
When I arrived in this other world, these were the two people I sincerely wanted to protect.
Now, they were standing before me as enemies.
ㅤ
“Guh…?!”
ㅤ
Were the two of them turned into zombies?
Or are they just being controlled?
Can they be saved?
Can they not be saved?
I can’t decide.
ㅤ
Hope and despair greatly disturb my heart.
As a result, my movements become rough, the number of hits I take increases, and I’m driven even more into a corner.
ㅤ
“Opening!”
“Gahh?!”
ㅤ
My lapse was taken advantage of, and I received a kick in the chest from the fenrir, who has the highest attack power.
I felt my ribs break.
Did it damage all the way to my lungs? Blood came out of my mouth.
It hurts.
ㅤ
I was blown away by the impact and crashed into the wall of the fortress.
Then, Ivy-san pounced on me.
ㅤ
“《Apollo Slash》!”
“Ah…”
It was the perfect timing.
I couldn’t move.
I could only watch as my end drew near.
ㅤ
But, for some reason, I felt slightly relieved.
ㅤ
With this, it would finally be over.
I would be released from the painful reality.
In the fleeting moment until the attack hit, I accepted my death along with my resignation.
ㅤ
But.
ㅤ
“Stop thisssssssssss!”
“Huh?!”
ㅤ
“I couldn’t die.
I didn’t die.
The attack missed.
The trajectory of Ivy-san’s sword, wrapped in her flaming skill, veered off, only succeeding in slicing off my left arm.
ㅤ
“Yuma… don’t give up!”
ㅤ
Ivy-san, who had come close for her attack, screams out.
Her body was trembling slightly.
As if resisting an absolute domination.
ㅤ
“If you give up… humanity is finished… It’s not our place to say, considering you were summoned by our whims… Still, knowing it’s a shame, I beg you… please, don’t give up… [Hero]!”
ㅤ
…Hero.
The hope of humanity.
The one who will defeat the Demon Lord and save the world.
A position too heavy for a mere high school student to bear.
ㅤ
I’m sick of it.
It’s hard, it’s painful, it’s sad.
I just want it to end.
I want to die and be at ease.
That’s my true feeling, without a lie.
ㅤ
But.
ㅤ
“U, oooooooooo!”
ㅤ
Even so, I stood up.
Using Excalibur as a cane, I stood up on my trembling legs.
I just want it to end.
I want to die and be at ease.
That’s my true feeling, without a lie.
ㅤ
But, that’s not the only thing in my heart.
ㅤ
I can’t die yet.
It can’t end yet.
There’s something I’ve left undone.
If it’s going to end, if I’m going to die, I’ll struggle until the very last moment!
ㅤ
“…Thank you, Yuma… You’ve stood up well…
Now… it’s my turn to show some stubbornness…!
Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
ㅤ
In front of me, Ivy-san shouts, even as her breath is faint.
Then, she forcibly cuts off the control by the arachne, ━━ piercing her own heart with her sword.
ㅤ
“Ivy-san?!”
“Yuma… I’m going to die… But, in this state… Even after death, I’ll be their pawn…
It means laying an additional burden on you… I’m sorry… Please… With your hands… Erase me without leaving a corpse…!”
“?!”
I was at a loss for words.
At the weight of her resolve.
At the weight of the life I have to carry.
A rejection reaction makes my body shake.
Tears overflow with sorrow.
ㅤ
“Yuma… The hero is the hope of humanity…!
Nobody wants to be a puppet of the Demon Lord… to harm the hero…!
Cut it off… Yuma…! With my death… and your hesitation!”
“!”
ㅤ
The calm part of my mind screams, that’s the only way to survive.
Not my head, but my heart, my emotions, scream not to do it.
ㅤ
But, I took up my sword with trembling hands.
ㅤ
If I run away here, if I hesitate here, it will waste Ivy-san’s desperate feelings.
Whether they noticed I was trying to make up my mind or not, the others leapt at me all at once.
To fend them off, I activated a certain skill.
A skill that I had sealed until this moment, to avoid killing them.
ㅤ
“《Holy Fighting Spirit》!”
ㅤ
A skill that wraps me in a holy light aura and dramatically increases my stats, Holy Fighting Spirit.
I can’t hold back in this state.
In that state, I swung my sword with my remaining right arm, as if to sever my hesitation.
ㅤ
“《Photon Stream》!”
ㅤ
A torrent of light sweeps away the manipulated people.
Including Ivy-san, who was already on the brink of death.
ㅤ
“Thank you, Yuma…”
ㅤ
I heard such a voice at the end.
And then, with tears blurring my vision, I set my sights on the remaining enemies.
🔹𝔸𝕨𝕖𝕓𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕣𝕚𝕖𝕤.𝕔𝕠𝕞 ― 𝕀𝕟𝕕𝕦𝕝𝕘𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕒 𝕔𝕠𝕝𝕝𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕟𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕝𝕤 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 “𝕕𝕒𝕚𝕝𝕪 𝕦𝕡𝕕𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕤” 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕖𝕩𝕔𝕝𝕦𝕤𝕚𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕕𝕧𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕕 𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕤🔹
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