One Punch Man belongs to One.
Rising of The Shield Hero belongs to Aneko Yusagi.
I own neither of them.
| Dancing With The Dragon |
Part III: Shattered Blade and Broken Arrow
'Ugh… Damn… My body hurts…' The sword hero whined in his mind as his system tried to wrestle with the excruciating pain it endured.
His consciousness was fluttering between the states of awareness and complete fainting. In this delirium, a sense of pain suddenly zapped his backbone as his vision flickered, blurring his HUD. He did not know whether he was dying or proceeding into a comatose, yet the sensation was horrible, stinging him unlike anything he had ever felt.
His sight for a moment became a bit clearer, yet all motor access to his body was denied. In that very moment, he saw a young archer suddenly received a giant spherical parcel from the sky.
Instead of a happy expression, the bowman flashed a face of someone who got hurt, really much. He yelled on top of his lung as the gift buried him into the ground. Ren's mind vaguely got a grasp of the archer's name.
"I-Itsuki…" Ren muttered as he fell back into a faint.
His brain rapidly came into a deep slumber. Soon enough, the realm of dream welcomed him into its dominion. In that place, his hearing was the first to respond to a voice which seemingly try to contact him.
"5w0rd h3r0, huh? H0w p4th3t1c…" The voice spoke with a very condescending tone in an eerie guttural voice.
"I… Ah… What are you?" Ren inquired as he tried to grasp what was happening around him, particularly the being which was talking.
"M3? F00l! 51nc3 y0u'r3 4 f00l, 1 d0n't n33d t0 t3ll y0u wh0 1 4m."
He was just asking, but what he got was a nasty answer. It was annoying if his consciousness was up. Unfortunately, the numbness blocked him from thinking straight.
"4nd d0n't y0u kn0w th4t y0u'r3 w34k!? 1 9u355 4 f00l l1k3 y0u 4l50 d0n't kn0w 4b0ut y0ur 0wn53lf."
Why this thing kept berating him? What was the deal with him? Was he his teacher? Even his teachers at school never did that.
"S0, w1mp… h0w's th3 t45t3 0f b31n6 4 l0053r? W45 1t n1c3?"
A screen suddenly appeared before his vision. The first image he saw was Suiryu's confident smile. The scene then swiftly changed to the moment when the monk-fighter hit him with his shield. Every frame of the animated pictures made his pain in his body pulsed. He winced and when the image turned into the moment when Suiryu kicked his stomach, he yelped in agony.
"Th15 15 th3 v3ry m4n wh0 br0u9ht y0u p41n 4nd m1s3ry!"
"Ch-cheater!" Ren stuttered his curse as the pain subsided.
"Y35. 1 kn0w 1t'5 h1m. 8ut, 4r3 y0u 901n9 t0 4cc3pt th15?"
The image then shifted to the time when he caught a glimpse of the growing agitation of the bow and spear heroes upon knowing their inability to scratch the shielder. Not even a single hit ever landed. And he shared the same expression for such failure.
His inner self would never accept that!
"N0w, 4n5w3r M3!"
In that moment, he had swallowed the gist of the being's intention. His fluttering logic had warned him that all of the display might be a trap, yet his pride would not let him to admit a defeat.
'Of course I won't accept this!' Ren thought as his anger boiled.
"NO! I WILL NEVER ACCEPT THIS!"
Another stinging pain suddenly struck him, as if it impaled him. An excruciating agony followed, yet there was something more.
"ACK– What's this!? Why…? I also feel…"
"3n3rg1z3d? 1F y0u 4r3 5ur3 th4t y0ur r3t4rd3d m1nd c4n h4ndl3 th4t 4nd d0n't c0ll4p53 1n th3 pr0c355, th3n u53 1t!"
The sword hero gulped. After this point, there was no turning back. He knew that he might be dead, yet this power-up was so tempting. If he could harness it, he must have a chance to turn the tide and defeat the monk-fighter.
No. Defeat, was not an option. With this power, he was certain that he would bring down Suiryu.
'Power-up! Yeah… This is what I'm waiting for! I can beat him with this! It's a total wasteif I miss this!' Despite the pain, Ren became excited as he could feel the overflowing energy within him.
"I'LL TAKE IT!"
"6R4NT3D!"
An even more intense pain overran his body as a new surge of power flowed in. His muscles grew larger as icons of his swords were printed on his body, red in color. As they glowed brighter, the pain intensified while the power poured down like a waterfall.
"Y35! Y35! Y35...! TH4T'S 1T M0R0N! N0W, W0LF D0WN TH15 R0T! L3T M3 FL0W 1N Y0W, 4ND 1N R3TURN, 1'LL GR4NT Y0U Y0UR W15H!"
"GRAAAAAHHH...!"
Dark red aura shrouded Ren's entire body as he slowly stood from his place. He succumbed to his greed to achieve more power, and the demonic thing found its utmost pleasure to devour such depravity. His body ached from the strain, yet it granted him a surging energy which might blast at any moment. Despite the pain he should withstand, it was what he sought.
To defeat the one who defied the general rule of this world!
"No way! The sword hero turned into a devil!?"
"Impossible! Is the sword hero being possessed!?"
"This is terrible! How can this be…?"
The noblemen murmured in fear as Ren was displaying his menacing transformation. They could not believe that one among the three celebrated heroes would turn into the embodiment of evil itself. As his dark aura veiled him, some of the spectators panicked and ran from their seats.
The phenomena of demonic possession was regarded as a source of never-ending disaster-bringer, thanks to the preaching from the Church of Three Saint Heroes. And the event before them was a clear example of a demonic possession.
Meanwhile, Aultcray grimaced upon such unprecedented turn of event. He also shared people's fear, yet he could not just run like anybody. He turned to see the Pontifex who stayed composed despite the ominous event. Needless to say, that was an insurance for him that everything was still under control. Should it turn out of hand, he still had his dependable loyal vassals to provide an escape.
"Lord Suiryu…" Rifana muttered as she put a worried look when seeing her Master was facing a hero-turned-monster.
'AT LAST… I CAN DEFEATTHIS INFURIATING PRICK…! THIS POWER, THIS ENERGY… IT MAKES ME WANT TO RELEASE EVERYTHING I'VE GOT!'
"… I see… So you're turning into a monster, Ren-kun? Guess this gonna be tough." Suiryu exclaimed as he made a defensive stance.
"HUWARGHHHH!" The devil-possessed swordsman went berserk as he turned into a blur to pound the shield hero.
The spectators who remained at their place could see dark crimson flashes flew around Suiryu as he moved his shield faster than their eyes could register. Thundering sounds of explosion filled the arena every time the two holy weapons collided, blasts of wind blew the vicinity. This battle unexpectedly had turned into a dangerous show the moment one of the hero ran berserk.
Suddenly, the shield hero also vanished from their sight. They just realized that he also moved to keep up with the jolting crimson thunder, resulting in a clash between black and red over that arena. The battle at this point had seemingly become a show of magical light-work rather than a fight.
The spectators momentarily could see the shielder parried the crazed swordsman's slash in midair. It was fearsome, yet breathtaking battle to behold! They even did not move from their seat, partly due to their fear, partly due to fascination.
"What kind of skill is that!? Why Ren also has that kind of thing?" Motoyasu spoke silently near a pillar as he covered his face from bits of flying pebbles. "And Senpai…? This is… Extreme…!"
The spear hero could only watch the fight with wide eyes. It was true that he had surrendered, but the extreme bout was so fantastic and insane. He could not help but melt together with the awe of the spectators despite the fact that he had lost. It was so unbelievably savage! As far as he knew, only players over level 100 who could pull out such kind of fight in the MMORPG he played.
"MORE! MORE! MORE! I NEED MORE!" Ren screamed under the influence of the corrupting power while unleashing barrages of swings as fast as the strands of his muscles could muster.
Suiryu parried every strike using his move. Just like the spectators, he felt pumped up. It reminded him to the moments when he faced Choze. The way he moved, his steaming bloodlust and his scalding pride, everything from Ren was reminiscent to the bout with the red demon monster.
'He gets faster and hits harder.' Suiryu mused as he used his shielded arm to defend him from a slash and sent his knee to cancel another one. 'Guess, he'll really turn into a monster if I don't stop him. How troublesome...'
All of them were just farce however, for the strength Ren possessed was a borrowed power from the shadow of himself, just to compensate his lack of skill and might. It was much worse than consuming a monster cell. Suiryu's momentary excitement vanished as he ponder about it. He was totally disappointed.
The martial artist distanced himself away to let the enraged swordsman aim for him. The moment Ren advanced to strike, he threw his left fist to block the speeding sword-hands and slugged his right one to Ren's abdomen. The force of the punch flung the swordsman backwards, making him skid away from the monk-fighter.
"UGHUAK…!" Some blood escaped Ren's mouth as he came into a stop while a ferocious grin formed on his face. "I SEE, SUIRYU! SO EVEN THIS POWER ISN'T ENOUGH TO STOP YOU!? YOU'RE REALLY A CHEAT–"
冥躰空龍拳
"[Void Sky Dragon Fist]!"
Ren's statement was cut by a flurry of consecutive blows, rotating like a spinning wheel with 3600 RPM punch. The strike only lasted for a couple of seconds, but it was devastating enough to drop his HP to 12%. As a result, it worsen the burden on his body from the demonic transformation.
"AAHH…! B-b-black Dragon!"
"U-unbelievable! I-is he a great sorcerer!?"
"Invoking cyclone and dark familiar with body movements!? This is unheard of! This is preposterous!"
Either sword or fist fighters, their capability was limited to the skill set for their classes. Learning magic for them was very difficult and that restriction also put them in danger should they face magic-casters.
To overcome that problem, they could still harness their skill into some extent by strengthening their body and mind. It helped them to raise their advantage in combat. That was how martial art was invented as a combat technique for the warriors. In other word, martial art was warrior's magic.
[Void Fist] in this regard had become the true definition of warrior's magic. Not only because it raised the combatant's physical capability and force tremendously, but also displayed a combination of perfect body movements and real magic in harmony. Suicho's technique had truly turned into a marvelous piece of art in this world, garnering awe and wonder upon those who saw its performance.
The swordsman for a moment staggered as the pain bit his nerves harder than before. Blood oozed from his mouth as his breathing was haphazard while his sight turned glitchy. At that desperate moment, only his greed and rage which guarded him from falling. A feral grin suddenly appeared on his face.
"Hehehe… If you think your cheap trick can faze me, the answer is WRONG!" Ren's bloodcurdling cackle and eerie hoarse voice resounded throughout that arena. "NOW, TAKE THIS! [Chain Bind]!"
The tiles around the place where Suiryu stood shot some chains. The monk-fighter quickly made some flips backwards to evade them, but they kept sprouting from below even after he had fled a considerable distance away from Ren.
Still, that was not really a problem since he could dodge them all. He was merely surprised to find that his opponent could pull out such kind of a trick.
Knowing that his attack did not work, Ren bit his lip in anger as he clenched his crimson sword's handle. Though he was under the influence of his cursed power, his reasoning oddly was still working. If his attack failed, he should devise another kind of method.
His opponent was on his shooting reach. A long range attack would work this time. Ren put a malicious smirk as his blade glowed red.
"[Crimson Sword]! [Hundred Swords]!"
"" Lord Suiryu! "" Rifana and Raphtalia screamed as they saw magical projectiles were hurled toward their Master.
The strike was a combo of a power slash and sword-like energy based projectiles, hence their names. Such combination was a convenient solution for mowing down either enemies in horde or a single target who possessed immense agility. Basically, rapid fire is always be a forte to overcome pesky foes while limiting the chance to escape. For a gamer, this feat is very vital and always become a great advantage.
Unfortunately, the enemy Ren should fought at the moment was not some random monster he had faced in a game. Even after he had tapped the cheating feature in his system, it was still not enough. Speaking bluntly, his attack was futile, for Suiryu managed to block all the projectiles with [Airstrike Shield].
Ren went agitated even more and started to spam [Hundred Swords] in succession. Like an artillery salvo, his strike bombarded Suiryu, raising a cloud of dust. The swordsman fired up his move consecutively until his SP reserve was empty. A vicious grin appeared once again as he felt victory was on his side.
"GEHAHAHA… HOW'S THAT, STUPID CHEATER!? DID I HIT YOU TOO HARD!? NOW, ANSWER ME!"
The spectators who still had guts – or rather too frightened to leave their place– to watch the match were expecting the end. No one was sure whether the fight was over or not, but some of them began to murmur about the shield hero's fate since there was no sign of his movement. It was likely that the sword hero managed to land a decisive blow and won.
"Lord Suiryu… No…" Rifana muttered as tears welled up on her eyes. "Tell me, he is okay, right?"
Raphtalia covered her mouth as she looked at the dust cloud with downcast stare. "… Lord Suiryu…"
Aultcray on the other side could not hide his twisted delight upon the defeat of his nemesis. At long last, the bane in his life vanished, although the one who should answer his wish was another demon. Or so he thought.
"HUH!?" Ren muttered as he saw a shadow of a man beyond the dispersing dust mist.
All of a sudden, two pairs of orbs appeared near the shadow. Turned out, they belonged to two snake-necked dogs which pounced toward Ren from beneath the smoke. The surprise attack really caught him off guard. He did not have time to escape.
""Lord Suiryu!"" Rifana and Raphtalia muttered at the same time as their face brightened up when seeing their Master was still alive.
"Ugh– AAAHHH!" The swordsman screamed as the hounds managed to dig their canines, one into his right shoulder while the other into his left thigh.
As blood trickled down from the bite wounds, the dogs' owner stepped out with a bland expression on his face. He looked clearly bored and disappointed. Gasps of shock and awe filled the bleacher as his calm pace became the center of attention.
"WHY…!? WHY…!?" Ren roared while flailing his arms as the dogs gnawed him even harder.
"Do you know, Ren-kun? Becoming a monster to get more powerful is the worst idea." Suiryu stated as he shifted his Dog Bite Shield from his wrist to his arm. "Not only you'll lose your handsomeness. You'll also lose your mind."
"SHUT UP! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" The swordsman struggled harder as the hounds' teeth dug in deeper, letting out a crunching sound.
"If you wanna get stronger, train harder." The monk-fighter quickly yanked his shield to pull the swordsman closer. "Sorry…"
Suiryu closed his piece of advice with an uppercut to Ren's stomach. The sword hero gasped, then fainted on his fist. The martial artist for a moment raised the boy's limp body on his hand in full view before he placed him gently on the ground. Most of the watcher were blinking in confusion since they had just realized that the shield hero came out as the victor.
"So…"
"Is… he the winner?"
"Is this… true?"
The spectators chattered among themselves as Suiryu was standing triumphantly. The other heroes had collapsed, save Motoyasu who fell on his knees near a pillar.
When everyone thought that the fight had come to its final, one of the fallen heroes however, slowly revived from his faint. Like the sword hero, the bow hero struggled to rise as his will to retaliate flared.
"D-don't -think it's over already…" Itsuki dug his bow into the floor.
"Lord Ren… Please, you are not to fight! You are injured!" His burly companion with double-axe implored as he grabbed the hero's shoulder. "Ugh…!"
The baby-faced archer angrily shoved his companion back. "Stop! I don't need your help!"
Suiryu turned around and saw the bow-boy was desperately trying to stand on his own. His HP was barely above 15%, but his stubbornness kept pushing his muscles to stand. His desire to fight burned as his scorching rage boiled his will to crush the very man who had brought humiliation and pain upon him.
Itsuki slowly pulled his bowstring as his legs were visibly wobbling from the pain after the steam-roller ball hit. His HUD was flickering and his arms trembled, yet he kept aiming at the monk-fighter who did not budge from his place. He pulled the string with his four fingers and three arrows materialized between them as the gem in his bow glowed yellow. With these three arrows, he put his best wager to hit his enemy.
While gritting his teeth, he opened his fingers to launch the arrows. "DIE!"
Within the seconds of the arrows' flight, Suiryu who tried to raise his shield in defense suddenly felt a gust of wind from behind. It pushed him closer towards the course of the arrows, yet the the air current unexpectedly bent their trajectory, miraculously sparing him from any hit. As the wind shoved him towards Itsuki, he dug his foot to the floor to prevent a collision with the kid.
That was the moment when a woman's scream stung his eardrum.
The monk-fighter quickly tilted his body 90 degrees to his right as his boots rubbed the floor. He diverted his gaze from Itsuki towards the source of the scream. And there, he saw the princess was sitting against a pillar as blood streamed out from her shoulder and waist. It appeared that the stray arrows had pierced her.
"MALTY!" Motoyasu shouted as he ran to the redhead.
"D-dear Malty!" Aultcray dashed from his sitting place as his ministers followed suite in haste.
All the audience stared at the shocking event. Unquestionably, their accusing gaze fell upon the bow hero who was still aiming his weapon in puzzlement, unaware of his situation. When his opponent ran towards the sudden commotion, he had just realized what was really happening.
"I-impossible…" Itsuki's face turned pale.
While the bow hero sank into a pit of despair as people's judgmental look gnawed his mental fortitude, the shield hero was having his own problem in dealing with Malty's crooked attempt. If he just followed his ego, he would left the woman whom he ever let her joined his venture. After all, there was little to no point to save the live of a wicked wench like her. For a moment, his thought was conflicted whether he should save her or not.
A feeling that he was still a human suddenly struck Suiryu. He did not have the heart to leave her injured. Besides, it would leave a bad taste in his mouth if he did nothing to save Motoyasu's lady friend, despite the fact the she deserved such karma. Thus, the drive of his action was more of a human reason, rather than justice.
In this dire situation, a swift response was the key to save one's life. Regrettably, the spear hero did not possess the competency to deal with this kind of thing. Instead of trying anything to mend Malty's wound, he only held her in his arms as if he waited a first responder from the nearest hospital to come.
Fortunately, that first responder did come.
"Motoyasu, push the wound on her shoulder!" The martial artist ordered as he quickly retrieved a special healing potion from his shield storage.
"U-uh…" The spear hero pressed his hand onto the lady's wound.
The two wounds on her person were different in severity. Thanks to Erhard's armor, her waist only sustained a shallow cut although blood kept seeping from it. However, her shoulder was totally exposed and that was the spot where Itsuki's shot landed.
Suiryu ducked and helped the half conscious princess to ingest the healing liquid. The wounds miraculously closed as soon as she chugged down the potion.
Malty's eyes flickered as her vision tried to catch her surroundings. Motoyasu's face brightened up upon this good sign as Suiryu sighed in relief. At the same moment, Aultcray had just arrived to see this event.
"Malty…" The spear hero called as he gazed at the princess in her weakest state.
The redhead who vaguely recalled the person who saved her averted her gaze to Suiryu. "Of all people, why it must be you...?"
This unexpected sight did not bid well with the ruler. Aultcray's face turned red in blazing wrath when his daughter's words entered his ears.
"The nerve of you to fill my daughter with that poison of yours!" The king pointed his finger at the shield hero in anger.
The king would never accept Suiryu's good deed, however noble it was. His contempt towards the shield hero had rooted so deep that he regarded everything the hero did as unforgivable sin. In his eyes, the shield hero was the vilest beast who deserved the worst divine punishment.
Despite getting a venomous glare from Malty's papa and the rest of his underlings, the champion kept his head high. The fact that he was still kicking proved that his luck was thick enough to protect him from the ruler's darn attempts. Dealing with this grumpy old man brought a slight headache, yet he also got a fun every time the king failed to harm him.
"I am also conscious that my previous action is a punishable impudence in your regard, Your Majesty." Suiryu calmly spoke without showing any trace of hostility on his face. "But as a man, is it wise to leave a wounded lady without offering any treatment to alleviate her pain at the very least?"
Such kind of a reasoning would never reach Aultcray, for it came from his archenemy's mouth. In each of his words, the ruler cursed a hundred times! He would never acknowledge any good from this man, however virtuous it was, for Suiryu was the most damnable, filthiest bug in his eyes!
"Not only you dare to sully my beloved daughter, but you also are the vilest malefactor this country ever encounter! You are but brute, whose words only spread malice on this land!" The king hid his boiling rage with his regal bluff. "You are so wicked that even the deepest pit of hell shan't receive you!"
A genuine laughter came out from the martial artist. That threat about afterlife surely impressed him in an amusing way. In this case, Dante's Inferno from Divine Comedy had turned into a comedy, literally!
"Wow! That's good! That means that I'm free from hell although I've done countless sins." The champion rolled his eyes as he reverted to his laid-back speech. "Not to mention that I'm already a damned soul. Thanks for the info, Your Majesty. Now, I can indulge myself more in debauchery and worldly gleams on this land without any restraint!"
Suiryu's innocent smile and his way in twisting words to counter Aultcray caused the witnesses to fume in ire. Their faces contorted into some murderous scowls as they hailed the prophetic monk-fighter with curses.
Meanwhile, Aultcray's face turned darker as his blood tension peaked. His rage had reached its summit as all his veins nearly succumbed to an awful burst. At this point, only the demise of his enemy which might save him from a death from heart-attack.
"GRRR! ENOUGH! GUARDS!"
Royal guardsmen in full armor flocked into the place and formed a cordon, surrounding Suiryu. They poised their weapons at the shield hero, waiting for their king's command.
History seemed to repeat itself, and the wise martial artist only responded with a calm smile. He had predicted that his action would yield this same outcome.
"Your Grace! Please, would you like to reconsider your action." Motoyasu suddenly spoke, stunning Suiryu and the rest of the people. "Look! He has healed Malty. Is this your way to thank people who had done some merits?"
In his mind, Motoyasu could not stand to see how Malty's father returned Suiryu's kindness. It felt so wrong. He knew that his senior probably was considered as an outlaw, but he had clearly saved ones life. Was this how the country who had summoned them treated their employee? Motoyasu's logic could not accept that.
"UGHUAAA…!"
"OHGUK…!"
"WHAH– AAAAH!"
"WHAT THE HELL IS– OOF!"
""Lord Suiryu!""
Rifana and Raphtalia were already standing beside Suiryu after subduing some guards with drop kicks. They decided to jump from the bleacher when they saw the knights were going to mess with their beloved Master. Untying the rope around their wrists, they braced themselves for a skirmish.
"Rifana, Raphtalia. What a nice timing!" Suiryu complimented as his smile grew wider. "Were you enjoying yourselves up there? How do you think about the fight?"
"Well, the fight blown out our mind." Raphtalia remarked with a wry smile.
"And you almost made us think that you were killed." Rifana pouted while raising her arms, ready to engage the knights before them.
"Hahaha… Sorry about that." Suiryu chuckled. "Whoops–"
"YOU, SHIELD DEMON!" One of the knights shouted as he swung his halberd at Suiryu. "UGHEK–"
Only to receive a roundhouse kick from Rifana, knocking him out with a hit to his jaw.
"Thanks, Rifana."
"Don't mention it, Lord Suiryu." Rifana spoke as her eyes were narrowing at the charging enemies.
"SCUM! RAAAAAH!"
"CHARGE! KILL HIM!"
Acting on impulse and following their comrade, the rest of the knights charged at the group of three. The fight in that arena turned into a drama of battle royal where the guards struggled to bring down the party of the Shield Hero.
Speaking about weapon, the shielder's group was totally in a disadvantage. The perplexed spectators who were still on their seat knew about it. However, these people were no ordinary bunch. They mastered a fighting art, passed as a mean for the weak to fight the strong. It was martial art.
Taking a low stance, Rifana made a sweeping kick to slam the guards onto the ground. By repeating this move while grabbing some shafts to parry swings, she managed to bring down 15 guards in less than two minutes, just like a lawnmower.
On the other side, Raphtalia who chose a middle stance combined her kicks and punches to subdue her opponents. Her fighting style was less lethal than Rifana, yet looked graceful and knightly since she faced an enemy at a time while blocking and dodging some thrusts from any side. Jabs and uppercuts were her specialty to knock her foes.
Since Suiryu knew that these people were not participants of Super Fight Championship, he should really hold himself back. His ordinary kicks could either shatter or dent a thick armor, and would likely kill the wearer from concussion, so he just waltzed around these people and chopped their necks one by one. He did not expect much from these pitiful soldiers.
Four minutes passed. It was a total annihilation, although no one died. Even none of these guards sustained serious wound. Maybe only bruise, sore or dislocation at worst. Nothing serious, but they were utterly pulverized. They littered the arena like a bunch of fish, gasping, panting and writhing with their weapons scattered around them.
Most of them fainted while sporting some funny faces.
Aultcray's jaw dropped in utter bewilderment upon this sorry sight while the spectators only gawked in a unified daze. All of them were at loss. This outrageous show would likely put them into a sleepless night. It was exciting in the beginning but turned awry in the end.
Aultcray was so perplexed that he even forgot Motoyasu's impudence!
"As you can see, we actually have no time for your pleasantry, Your Majesty." Suiryu jested courteously as his disciples in maid uniform stood at his sides. "Thus, please allow us to bid a farewell with our dearest audiences. God bless you, O, King of Melromarc."
Suiryu turned his heel and walked away, leaving behind the stupefied Aultcray and the rest of the watchers. Hopping and skipping around the collapsed guards with his disciples in tow, he headed straight to take his gear he left earlier.
As Suiryu swiftly donned his coat and black cloak, he turned around to give his parting message. "Thanks, Motoyasu-kun. I owe you one."
The spear hero, who was still holding Malty was flustered. "Senpai…"
When the shield hero had left the arena through the place where he entered, the king who still could not digest the absurdity before him darted his gaze around. Before him, was a trail of pathetic and embarrassing devastation, left behind by his enemy to vex him.
It was also a matter to ruminate about, provided that his hatred did not get the better of him. It was the most humiliating defeat he ever sustained ever since Melromarc signed a non-aggression pact with Siltvelt.
Some of the guards slowly began to get up as they rubbed the sores on their person. When they glanced at a certain direction, they screamed because what greeted them was the king's displeased face. Due to the shock, few of them fell back to a faint. The King's scowl grew deeper. All of his guards turned out to be a bunch of incompetent fools!
While the drama was going on, Itsuki who knelt in defeat at the edge of the arena was waiting for his doom. When all gazes turned from the path where Suiryu left towards his place, all his hopelessness seemed to drag him into a dark pit.
Neither power nor courage could he muster to let himself escape from this ill outcome. His energy was spent dry to take the brunt of the fallen ball of shield, and to send his damned shot. If only he heeded the words of his companion, he would never be screwed this bad! And it appeared that his companions whom, he deemed as loyal, had turned against him!
The worst thing, his opponent had cockily slipped out under the shadow of people's stupor! Truly, the cheater had really messed everything up, and shoved him into a lion's maw!
The bow hero was faltering before the witnesses, the victim and the judge in that fight-turned-trial. "Why… Why it turns like this?"
Itsuki's lament met with the king's cold and disdainful gaze. The more he saw him, the more threatening the leer had become! It was as if he met a strong monster in a game which spawned out of nowhere to thrash him into a sudden game over, and losing all his loots as well as his EXP. Unfortunately, that nightmare was real!
"I– I do never think about this!" Aultcray muttered with a trembling voice as his face was dyed red in rage, once again. "Not only should I face a demon, but now… I should also deal with a madman. How unthinkable that among the heroes we summoned, one is a savage beast, another is an offspring of devil and the other, is a crazy whelp! A deranged child who dared to hurt my daughter!"
To live a new life like in a game which sometimes he dreamed of was a precious thing he began to cherish after his arrival in this world. Thus, he would not just to let it go wasted like his previous life where he was an object of bullying. For a moment, Itsuki found a bit of courage to defend his right, out of desperation.
"K-k-King Aultcray… I-I swear…" Itsuki tried to explain as he quivered before the ominous glare of the ruler. "I–"
"SILENCE!"
The worst of luck had doomed him. Now, gone his chance to explain the miss-fire. The trial in this world was totally one-sided. All of it depended on the ruler's decision, or maybe what he favored. Besides, he could not set his argument properly either should Aultcray let him spew out his view.
Life in this world unfortunately was so tough and cruel. Probably far crueler than in his previous world. This bitter reality truly broke him since what he had expected was a better life, treated well and far from bullies. Turned out, it was only an imagination. What he faced was an impending calamity instead. And that was just the beginning of his suffering he had yet to know its end.
"Save your words for the questioning later!" The king turned his face as he raised his hand, signing a new batch of knights to enter the arena. "Guards, apprehend him! Put him in the dungeon!"
Sending the last venomous glare, Aultcray turned around as his ministers followed while some royal healers carried his daughter on a stretcher. Itsuki's heart sank into a darkness of grieve as tears poured down from his eyes.
And the last gaze of his fellow hero from another world wedged the last nail of despair into his heart, shattering his hope!
"Damn you, Itsuki! Hurting a lady? Were you trying to kill her!? Just what do you think!?" Motoyasu sneered as he looked at the crying bow-boy with a scornful gaze. "If not because Suiryu-senpai, Malty is a goner. Now, you reap what you sow! Enjoy your suffering and die!"
"Ki-Kitamura…" Itsuki muttered weakly as guards began to drag him out from that place.
People might think that how Motoyasu responded was quite considerate. In most cases, the guy could have driven his spear into Itsuki's chest in a cold blood. However, the mental damage alone the archer took from that mere speech had crippled him. It was enough to drive him into insanity. And his asylum, would be the castle's dungeon.
As Itsuki cried while being dragged by the knights, nobles' nasty gaze, mixed with disdainful sneers and condescending laughter fell upon him. He was already branded as a trash! His heart sank even lower as he lost his drive to live.
As a thought about suicide crossed his mind, he tilted his head to another way to find that some knights were carrying Ren. Even in his desperate need, the guy he considered as friend was nothing but an illusion.
Now, he felt a deep regret to live in this world. An ocean of endless misery awaited him.
Suiryu and his companions had reached the road. Their walk was quite uneventful since nothing disturbed them. It was probably due to the knights guarding outside supposed them as ordinary guests. Or maybe because Genevieve had fulfilled her promise to secure his escape.
When they were several blocks away from the palace, they felt some presence. Suiryu glanced at the girls and they gave a confirmatory nod as their ears twitched. Some people were tailing them.
The trio decided to quicken their pace as they headed toward the town square. It was close to midnight, so the place was very quiet. When they halted their steps, thirty men emerged from beneath the shadows of the alleys, leading to that plaza.
"Wow. I never think the reinforcement would come this fast." Rifana remarked as she began to fold her sleeves.
"Right. And quite tough guys, maybe?" Raphtalia added casually.
From the looks of these men, most of them looked like brigands. Maintaining unkempt style, they brandished various kinds of weapons regular adventurers never laid their hands upon. Some of these thugs started to chatter upon encountering the sight of a nice-looking gentleman with his two beautiful servants.
"Oh dear! The party's not over yet, huh?" Suiryu jokingly exclaimed upon this familiar situation. "Look, this weak guy don't have anything to offer, okay. So please, good gentlemen, would you like to leave me and my companions be?"
"Don't joke with us!"
"Don't play dumb!"
"You're a dead man!"
These people began to yell as they raised their weapons. Suiryu's party were not sure about who these guys were working for, but it seemed that the king was really pissed off and presumably had prepared these goons to beat him. Nonetheless, he did not lose his cool since this mess was really fun. Not to mention that it was a quite exciting way for training Rifana and Raphtalia.
And his disciples seemed to get the kick from it. Their small grins told him so. Maybe they had not had enough with the knights.
Two thugs charged. One with a short sword, the other wielded an axe. Each goon received a kick from Rifana and Raphtalia. They were thrown with mark of a hard sole on their cheeks as their weapons fell.
Rifana picked the axe while Raphtalia took the sword. It was better if they had weapon in hand since these bandits might be more brutal than the knights.
"Hey! This isn't real, right?"
"They said this guy's a cotton. But why they didn't talk about his slaves? Damn it!"
"Hey! You, pretty guy over there! Come down!"
A man in a robe suddenly descended from a building's roof. Suiryu smiled really wide to see the man he ever had beaten badly paid a visit. He had suspected that Argento would also take part in this ruckus.
"Ah… You must be Macaroni Argento." Suiryu pretended to be a slacker when he saw the priest. "Long time no see. How're you?"
"Hmm… Half correct should I say. Salvatore Marconi is the one you are speaking with, My Lord. Oh, truly, God's grace allowed us to meet again." The priest replied without losing his smile. "As you can see, I am fine."
The ruffians around them froze. They did not know that the priest-looking guy who tagged along them belonged to the fearsome assassin group in Melromarc.
The most shocking thing, their prey did not flinch and seemed to be well acquainted with the killer. If only they knew the true story behind their bantering, they would surely return the cash they received from the employer and ran for their lives.
Suiryu chuckled lightly. "Ah. I see. Glad to hear that. I can't believe that my pet was very tame, back then."
"Indeed. You really scared me when you pulled out those two unholy black hounds of yours on us." Salvatore spoke calmly as daggers slid down from under his robe's sleeves. "And I also would like to thank you for sparing our souls. Even you went as far as mending the wounds on our body. How noble of you, Sir! But unfortunately, I am afraid that the current circumstance does not allow us to speak in a friendly manner any longer, Lord Shield Hero–"
"Cut the hell out, you beggar!" Rifana ceased the priest's words with a slash, only to be parried by using his daggers.
"Ooh… Splendid! You even trained your pets really well, My Lord." The clergyman remarked excitedly as his lips curled up while he was blocking Rifana's axe. "But this time I won't fail!"
Salvatore sent an uppercuting slash, but Rifana could dodge it, albeit only missing a hair's breadth. In return, she delivered her knee to his chest, but missed for he backed off in reflex.
Just when the priest retreated, Raphtalia swung her broadsword to his back. Like Rifana's strike however, the assassin's dexterity saved him from the deadly blow.
"Rifana, Raphtalia. Let me handle him." Suiryu spoke from behind the girls. "You can deal with his henchmen."
The girls shared a glance. They actually wanted to obey their Master, but they also felt that the enemy before them posed a greater challenge, allowing them to reach a breakthrough in their training.
Salvatore in many regards was a stepping stone for them to gain a much bigger experience in combat. It was a very rare chance to meet a strong opponent and they hoped that their Master would permit them to fight him.
"I am so sorry, Lord Suiryu. But would you like to let us fight this man instead?" Raphtalia tried to refuse as she did not let her guard down.
"Please, Lord Suiryu! We want to get stronger." Rifana added with a burning resolve in her tone like her friend did.
Suiryu was taken aback at his disciples' courage. In return, he smiled proudly.
"Well, then. Rifana, Raphtalia… Fight and bring me victory!"
"" YES, LORD SUIRYU! ""
Much to their delight, Suiryu allowed them to fight the assassin. With a renewed battle spirit, the girls assumed their fighting stance as their Master engaged the henchmen.
"Well then, ladies. Since your Master has kindly given you a permission, I would not hold back." Salvatore declared as he prepared his dual-wielding combat style, daggers held back-handedly. "But first, let us move to a more pleasant place."
Rifana and Raphtalia ran after Salvatore as they heard the sound of a one sided beating performed by their Master. He led them to a clearing near the plaza and stopped besides a fountain at the center of the spot.
The girls distanced their legs while their muscles tensed as Salvatore took his knives-wielder stance, daggers out. Their eyes tracked their opponent's center of gravity as they tried to predict his move.
Rifana threw the rusty woodcutter and lunged herself forward to make a surprise attack. If her axe could not graze her opponent, at least she could buy the time and closed her range, allowing either her or Raphtalia to seize the opening.
Salvatore evaded the axe easily. The feign failed to fool him, much to Rifana's chagrin. When the raccoon-girl thrust her fist, the priest swung his weapon. Rifana quickly redirected her momentum to nullify the swing. Thus, Raphtalia was her only hope to land a blow on him.
In cue, Raphtalia swung her blade and met with Salvatore's dagger. Without wasting time, she drove her knee to hit him. However, the priest used a similar move to counter the blow, stopping it and allowing him to retreat.
They exchanged blows again and the outcome was no different. Salvatore always distanced himself from the girls.
Both Rifana and Raphtalia caught the assassin's fighting pattern. Rather than an offensive, he was more evasive in this fight. Every time they hit, he would rather spend his energy to dodge it than hit back. This kind of style was completely different than the first time he fought with their Master.
What kind of thing which held him back? None of the girls knew.
Those dodgy moves were troublesome but Rifana and Raphtalia believed that they would manage eventually. After all, they had made a promise with Suiryu. And to ensure their victory, they had some plans in store.
Rifana took a high stance and made some forward flips as Raphtalia dashed, matching her speed. Raphtalia caught a glimpse of a surprise on Salvatore's face as she stepped closer while Rifana made her last preparation as her biceps and triceps pushed her hands on the pavement before she sprang forward.
Rifana thrust her feet to make a double kick, aiming the priest's face as Raphtalia dove down while folding her arms to slash from below. The speeding double kick and the swing almost caught Salvatore off guard and forced him to fall back into a considerable distance.
Thinking that he had escaped the unconventional combo of the demi-humans, he heaved a small sigh. And he had just realized that the two managed to corner him against a building's wall.
When his eyes tracked them, they were in front of him already. Rifana threw a punch as Raphtalia pushed her sword. He successfully leaped to his side, but if their attack really landed, it would be painfully ugly. Rifana's punch dented the stone wall and made cobweb cracks while Raphtalia's blade broke due to the force, leaving its hilt in her hands!
Cold sweat trickled down Salvatore's face. He finally knew that he was facing monsters!
"Oh… What a cheap blade." Raphtalia remarked as she tossed the broken sword while smiling at the priest.
"Well. Nothing can we expect from bandits. But fighting you, is quite exhilarating should I say." Rifana pulled her smoldering hand from the wall as she smirked. "Is that right, mister prior~?"
"Wretch! Actually what are you!?" Salvatore raised his daggers at his chest level as he cursed. "And
what kind of unholy fighting style do you employ!?"
For a moment, the girls turned at each other and posed a dumbfounded look. They were a little bit confused by Salvatore's demanding question.
"Um… We're using martial arts. That's all." Rifana replied as her perplex look was still present. "Problem?"
"Martial art, huh? I see…" The priest nodded. "As far as I know, isn't martial art a fighting style for the weak to defeat the strong?"
Raphtalia smiled really wide. "Well, maybe in some sense, that is correct. But our Master said that martial art is…"
"" The moves that make you look awesome! ""
Both Rifana and Raphtalia quoted their Master's cool teaching with proud smile. If only they knew who was the venerable hero who invented that simple and extremely comprehensible definition, either they would regard him as a master above masters, or simply saw him as a goofy simpleton!
It could not be helped since Suiryu admired Saitama, although not to the point like Genos. And he realized that the beauty of a technique without strength was pointless in the end. Gouketsu and Bakuzan had nailed it into him in a very hard way. So, what mattered was to train to get stronger to the point that he could obliterate an enemy with a single punch!
That's it! To train in order to become too strong!
Suiryu would never abandon his grandfather's priceless legacy, but his meeting with Saitama had brought him to a new revelation about strength and heroism. It gave him a new purpose and meaning in his life. To tread the path of a hero had become his new goal. And that motivation grew stronger the moment he arrived at this world.
Thus, he passed his divine teaching to his disciples. His disciples in return took those principles whole without any speck of objection. And they would surely preached them to anyone who asked for enlightenment.
Unfortunately, such a noble concept was not acceptable for the pious murderer before these virgins. His face contorted into an unsightly scowl as the flame of purgatory blazed in his eyes. There were some reasons regarding his rejection towards the very root of martial art.
As an Argento, Salvatore was among many cadres under the care of the silver-smith's big family who excelled in the art of assassination. For centuries, the clan had developed their own method in fighting and train their youths to continue the bloody legacy.
Swordsmanship, larceny, arson, poisoning, sabotage and some handy magics were covered in their standard curriculum. Of course hand to hand combat was also taught, although only at a basic level since it was not a school for monk-fighter.
As an assassin who had a great deal of experience under his belt, Salvatore however, had encountered some people who excelled in this art of fighting, especially those who came from the East. For more than once, he should deal with some people from Reiki in the past.
From these meetings, he knew how people who were lesser in strength could overwhelm their opponents by utilizing their bodies to produce some graceful, yet deadly strokes. By channeling the force from the motions and delivering it to some vital points, one could incapacitate his foe. Worse, he might kill them if he applied more force.
The beauty of martial art had captivated Salvatore although he never learned it. He should admit that people who invented this art in fighting were geniuses for the good of humanity. They had brought a new color in combat. And he was entertained to see a real life martial art performance.
That was the reason he was quite excited when he met Suiryu for the first time. It would be an amazing battle he yearned for if that champion did not end the fight abruptly.
Thus, such definition was outrageously shallow! It was balefully repulsive! That kind of heresy to comprehend this fighting style he considered as human's masterpiece should be purged!
Moreover, it came from Suiryu. His high regard towards the Shield Hero had shattered completely.
Now, he should really punish him through the suffering of his disciples.
"Moves that make you look awesome, is it?" Salvatore lashed a murderous glare at the girls. "A pathetic heathen who made such a preposterous view about a divine way in fighting truly deserves hellfire!"
For a moment, Rifana and Raphtalia were taken aback at the priest's change of demeanor. His venomous glare sent shiver down their spines. However, they frowned when they caught the last words which insulted their Master.
They knew what to do. Beating this Argento guy like their Master did the other day was the only way to settle this.
With a new vigor, pumped by rage to defend their own belief, the fighters clashed once again. The girls in maid uniforms went serious, and so did the assassin in priest robe. They exchanged blows with all their ability they could unleash.
The change of demeanor also affect Salvatore's fighting way. Both girls noticed that his evasive way had gone, replaced by an aggressive attacks which means that he had two main modes of combat. The evasion mode and the offensive mode.
Under such ferocious slashes and thrusts, Rifana and Raphtalia tried their best to divert them. Their body and limbs moved on reflex, controlled by the memories in their muscles they gained through the arduous training with their Master.
However, they still received some cuts. Although they were aware that they would not come out unscathed, they decided to not turn back.
While gritting her teeth, Rifana used her limbs to cancel Salvatore's swift attacks. She managed to land some blows, yet she also received several cuts in return.
Even with the help of Raphtalia, Rifana still could not lay a decisive strike. Raphtalia also earned some shallow slashes across her arms.
Argento truly lived out their name as a clan of fighters. One of this fellas now was showing his capability against these two demi-humans, their kills during the wartime.
Salvatore jumped and made a stomping kick, breaking the pavement underneath. He followed the attack with crossing slashes. The girls who were distracted received a deep cut, each. Rifana on her left wrist while Raphtalia on her right arm. They winced as they backed off.
"Khh…!" Rifana swiftly ripped the lace of her apron and wrapped it around her wound.
"Ugh…" Raphtalia gripped her injured arm as she gritted her teeth.
The priest was hyperventilating after he managed to lay some cuts on the women. Victory was still far, yet he was already running on fume from keeping up with the demi-humans. Not to mention that some of the punches grazed him, numbing some spots on his limbs and bruising his left cheek.
On the other side, despite receiving wounds, both the skill and strength of the demi-humans pair were nothing to scoff at. Rifana and Raphtalia were no ordinary greenhorns since they could almost overwhelm him. And they did not show any sign of fatigue either.
In short, they were monsters.
"Hmph… Your skills are commendable, servants of Shield Hero! I really should admit it." Salvatore declared as he took a high stance, smaller knives peeked out from his sleeves.
"And your ability is too terrifying for a street rogue." Rifana smirked as she flicked her wounded wrist to shrug the pain off.
Raphtalia grinned as she saw the smile of respect on Salvatore's face wavered. Rifana's insult had really stung the assassin's pride.
Without saying anything, the clergyman hurled six knives at the duo. Rifana and Raphtalia scrambled to their sides and the man continued to throw more sharpies.
By following Salvatore's arm movements, the girls managed to run and circled him while waiting for an opening. They ran around while the priest kept them at bay with his attack.
Thanks to Suiryu's regimens, dodging the knives-throw was not really hard. The problem was, until how long they should engage the assassin that way?
While running, they heard the skirmish sound at the other arena had vanished. If they could not finish the Argento quickly, their Master might forcefully tackle the fight out of concern for their injury.
They should think fast and take action swiftly. Anything might work.
In her sprint, Raphtalia reached the place where Salvatore made the stomp. While dodging the knives, she pirouetted and kicked the shattered stones with all her might.
The improvised attack broke the assassin's stance, taking him aback since he should evade it. However, his stamina was at his limit and a couple of stones hit him, so hard that one broke a rib while the other stabbed his shin.
"Gaaah…!" A pained yelp escaped the priest's mouth.
"Nice job, Raphtalia!" Rifana bent her running course and delivered an uppercut to Salvatore's jaw.
"GUUUH…!" Salvatore for a moment was suspended in the air as some of his teeth fell.
Before he reached the ground, another strong force struck him, right onto his shoulder. The earth welcomed him and generously returned the force of the hard slam, back into his body. Salvatore convulsed for a moment as his eyes rolled back.
There, he was knocked out cold by a dandy man with a kick.
"Rifana, Raphtalia! Are you alright?" Suiryu came over to his disciples. "H-hey… You're wounded!"
"Nah. It's only a scratch. Please don't mind it, Lord Suiryu." Raphtalia pressed her bleeding arm as she smiled. "We've learned so much."
"Besides, why did you suddenly hit him? At least let us give the finishing blow, Lord Suiryu." Rifana slightly puffed her cheeks in protest.
Suiryu sighed in relief as he saw the wounds were minor. Some potions and it would be okay.
"Well, sorry about that." Suiryu chuckled as he offered some healing potions. "It's simply because you did it too well."
"Did it too well? What do you mean?" Raphtalia inquired as Rifana took the potion and gulped it cheerfully.
"Well… I'm afraid that you might kill him." Suiryu shrugged his shoulders.
"Ughuk!" Rifana spat her medicine as Raphtalia's face turned into a horrified grimace. "Lord Suiryu… Seriously?"
Suiryu scratched his cheek. "Yeah. Especially… your punch, Rifana."
"Eh?" Rifana's eyes tuned into dots as Raphtalia saw her in disbelief with a terrified smile.
"It's true. You still need to control your power, Rifana. But for now, let's head back to the inn. I'm sure you're tired." Suiryu suggested as he smiled. "So, well done, Rifana, Raphtalia. That fight you put against that assassin and the knights back at the arena are really great. I really love that."
Suiryu gave two thumbs up. The disciples smiled brightly and nodded in gratitude toward their Master. At last, they could break a barrier and take one step higher. Nothing compared this sweet achievement.
"" Thank you very much, Lord Suiryu! ""
A day had passed after the event of the unholy fight. Right at the moment, Aultcray was convening a meeting with some councilmen to talk about the matter which jeopardized Melromarc's national security. Aside from Suiryu's bold and ustoppable action, Ren's demonic transformation as well as Itsuki's outrageous crime were the main topic of the serious discussion.
Suggestions and ideas had piled up in this meeting, but the feasibility were far from satisfying. Most of them were just some short-termed solutions which even were not related to the problems at hand.
Aultcray tried to suppress his growing impatience since this bunch of nobles from house of Melromarc were no different than the knights, or even worse. They were no more than just a bunch bourgeois who only knew how to spend their people's tax and burden the country's economy.
In short, he was trying his best to keep his fuse in order to not explode these pigs. Truly, in his standard as a leader, this meeting actually was pointless. If not because the modicum this and that, he would outright cancel this thing and nail everything with his own way.
Among these good-for-nothing gentlemen however, one man stood out. Aultcray had always regarded this man with respect for his brilliance and quick-action methods. This honorable guy was his most trusted aide ever since he held the immediate control of this country. This wise man was the head of the Church of Three Saint Heroes, Biscas T. Balmus – the very man behind the splendid idea to summon all four heroes at once!
Regarding this matter, the pontifex for some reason could not provide Aultcray with satisfying solution like he usually did. Aultcray was aware that this unfortunate situation was probably caused by how sudden and out-of-norm the problem was. Thus, he tried to patiently heard the venerable God Apostle's speech while formulating another way.
"Your Grace, we should not let another demon living under your dominion." Pontifex Balmus suggested as he looked at the king. "I would not impose this unwise view unto you, but we should never put Melromarc into a state of danger."
"I am aware of it, Pontifex Balmus." Aultcray replied as his face grew somber. "However, the grave condition of this country might turn worse if we banish the Sword Hero. From the beginning, my decision to summon all the heroes is solely to strengthen this country and to prevent our enemies from gaining any advantage. Thus, should there is an option to not sacrifice him, I would certainly take it into my consideration."
Unlike his idea, the pontifex desired to remove any unholy element which might soil the purity of the kingdom. This idea did not bid well with Aultcray's view which focused on the possession of manpower as a precious military asset. Despite wearing subtle expressions with an air of cordial agreement, their opinions actually clashed.
The councilmen in the room were silent. In their minds, they were thinking about the most feasible solution for this matter, if their nut-sized brain could find any.
Kicking Ren out from Melromarc would only put the burden on Motoyasu alone since Itsuki was under a temporary detention. Besides, every Wave was unpredictable in nature. Aultcray's purpose to monopolize the heroes was also served as a fail-safe should one of them unusable. Worst, Ren could join arm with a dangerous party if he were expelled from Melromarc.
Keeping him however, was not a wise choice either since they had no idea about how to contain his power if he turned berserk once again. It was a sheer luck that Suiryu was there at that time, whom politically speaking, was the country's Number 1 Enemy.
The government faced a quite severe dilemma. As a leader, Aultcray should take the choice with the least harm. He was aware that retaining both heroes might cause an uproar among the nobles. Removing one of them would pose a threat since other country might seize the opportunity to lure the expelled hero. However, he had found a simple idea which probably might work.
"Conceal their identity and put them under a constant watch." The King solemnly spoke, gaining murmurs from the assembly.
"Your Majesty, but how should we put this into conduct?" One of the nobles asked, gaining nods from his fellas.
Aultcray closed his eyes for a moment, stifling himself from sighing. "Gentlemen, I believe you have attended many banquets where you should conceal your faces behind a mask, have you not?"
How the ruler implied his idea earned him some surprised gasp, nods and praise. However, the pontifex was not content with that idea although he was smiling. His mien was telling the people that there was still another unsolved big problem.
"Your Grace, regarding the people who should attend these heroes, should we just entrust this duty onto their companions, or should we assign some of our trusted allies?" Biscas T. Balmus inquired with a grave tone.
"I believe the one which is the most feasible would manage for the time being." The ruler implied for the former option.
"Very well, then. However, should we also put another precaution into account?" The pontifex nodded as his secretary wrote some notes on a parchment.
"I respect your cautiousness, Your Excellency, but let us lay the initial plan in advance and see how it works. I believe that the people we elected to assist them would not fail our expectation." Aultcray answered as he closed any door for further question from Biscas.
"Indeed. I believe it is the wisest decision and this humble servant of God will obey it." The pontifex smiled as he nodded.
A moment of silence claimed the room as the people let the king's wise decision sank into them. Meanwhile, Aultcray sighed tiredly as his prime minister wrote a memorandum regarding the result of the meeting.
Suddenly, some loud clanking sounds and yelling broke that moment of tranquility. The ornate door of that room burst open to reveal a soldier, panting heavily and drenched in sweat. His face had told the ill tidings he was going to report.
"Soldier! What brings you here that you should interrupt this meeting? Speak!" Aultcray ordered as he frowned.
"Y–Your Majesty… The Bow Hero…" The knight took his breath. "… The Bow Hero has escaped!"
Author's Note
Hehehe… Long time no see, Dear Readers. Sorry for the delay. My Arifureta project absorbed me like a slime. XD
Alright. I guess this is the conclusion of the damned banquet station arc.
For the next plan, actually I haven't thought thoroughly about it in mind. Ren's evolution might be the Sword of Rage instead of the Sword of Greed. Motoyasu… maybe he'll take some training to get stronger although he was still loyal to Malty.
Meanwhile, Itsuki probably would undergo the event of Tower of Rebirth like Griffith (Berserk) does. Maybe just a little bit. So, will someone rescue him? Let's see it in the following chapters.
And of course… Suiryu and the girls will go out more so… He'll need a vehicle, right?
I guess I don't need to answer this because you've waited this premise, long enough since the beginning of this fic. XD
Let's just see it in the next chapter. ;-)
As usual, hope you like this story and see you in the next one. ;-)