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Enjoy the chapter~.

TL: Thy Unsus

ED: UpsilonProgress-kun

Synopsis of the last chapter:

……Missing head.

Watanabe's decapitated head flew in the air.

His soulless eyes hollowly gazed at the scene below him.

Viscous, red blood spewed out from his headless body, and the faces of the soldiers, knights, and students looking up at the head were dyed with red spots.

I had a feeling that I heard the sound of『the wondeful thing』I'd seen in the distance and envied, something I lost before, shattering.

That was the sound of the world collapsing.

The instant the thing I'd naively believed in disappeared like a mirage, it felt like the world crumbled down, making the noise.

The memory two months and a little while ago that hadn't faded yet was where I heard that sound before.

The colony that us transferred people built in the Deep Part of the Sea of Trees after we gathered together collapsed due to the too immense powers called cheat abilities rampaging.

Of course, without any cause, a tragedy like that wouldn't have happened.

Suddenly, we were thrown into an unknown forest. Not only that, in the forest there were monsters that were supposed to be nothing but the products of our imaginations originally. On top of that, our cla.s.smates met cruel ends, ones impossible in the peaceful, modern day j.a.pan, and it gave our minds heavy burdens.

And that wasn't all. Monsters were hunted by those blessed with cheats, and though we had been able to secure enough food to not starve to death, it had only been the minimum at most. We felt hungry, and our living environment was poor as well. Also, since many people gathered and managed a community, though on a small scale, it even caused human relations.h.i.+ps to sour and friction between factions. The students hadn't had enough experience or know-how to regulate that.

Just like an hourgla.s.s turned upside down, the anxiety worsened as complaints piled up. Unable to bear the weight of the sand falling and piling up, our minds raised creaks. At the same time, I guess it was also a countdown to failure.

And finally, the gathered stress exploded, with some of the ‘Scouting Corps' rampaging as the fire starter.

The students driven into a corner turned into rebels. In the middle of a forest in a different world which had neither law nor an organization that maintained public order to protect it, the power to stop it didn't exist either.

——Strong guys could behave however they liked.

The words Kudō had said were true, at least in the middle of that chaos.

However, now, us transferred people, having finally arrived at Fortress Tilia after leaving the forest which had neither law nor order, were treading upon the world where humans lived.

The suffering went away. We were saved. Now, a tragedy would never happen again.

Everyone had believe that. ……Rather, they hadn't even doubted it.

If the humans that came to this world were only victims that had no power, then there wouldn't have been any problems with that.

But, it hadn't been like that. We hadn't been like that.

We had powers too big called cheat abilities. That had to be taken into consideration.

Certainly, this world had an order in this world's style¹. Naturally, there would also be an ability to deter to maintain that. I didn't know much about it because I was doing nothing but pa.s.sing time in a military facility in the middle of such a forest and it still hadn't been long since I came into contact with this world's human society, but it wasn't difficult to guess that the Army and Knight Orders, or an organization similar to them, were carrying that role.

However, if one were to ask “could they ever hold back the excessively tremendous power called cheat abilities”……the answer was no.

In this world, the excessive power held by the individuals called cheat holders was too great.

So, yes. As Kudō said,『the world hasn't changed at all』.

Even now, this place was the future of the continued land from the colony on the day of that collapse². The strong people behaved however they liked, and the tragedy was reproduced. The『wonderful thing』was smashed into atoms, never to be restored again——…….

The sound of the explosion deafened my ears, and the thunderous roar made when the structure collapsed echoed far away.

The structure of the fortress that should've been installed for war hadn't been able to endure the power of the innumerable fireb.a.l.l.s Juumonji the ‘Scouting Corps' member fired. The section of the inner wall where the soldiers and knights were crowded until just 30 seconds ago caved in to the floor below, and had now turned into a cruel mountain of rubble. It was certainly a scene of nightmares.

“Ha……Haha~! HAHAHAHAHAHA~! Unbelieveable, isn't it!” (???)

A boy was laughing alone, standing at the bottom of the large hole that opened at the top of the inner wall and looking down at the mountain of rubble dust was rising from.

The name of the blonde-haired boy was Sakagami Gōta. He was one of the transferred people.

While looking at the cruel scene before him, he was convulsing with laughter, as if something was funny to him. What ran in his unrestrained laughter was the malicious joy that someone spilled after they cleared away a personal grudge.

“Broken. It was broken into fragments! Serves you right!” (???->Sakagami)

“……Sakagami?” (???)

The words that poured water on Sakagami's joy came from the corner of the rubble he was looking down on.

After brus.h.i.+ng away the dust of the surroundings with a simple wind magic, the ‘Scouting Corps' member Juumonji appeared.

He had been dragged into the collapse as well, his footing collapsing from the magic he fired. However, naturally, he hadn't made a blunder like injuring himself. This much was probably within the range of what he a.s.sumed.

“Oi, Tatsuysan! You're cruel, you know!” (Sakagami)

Seeing that thin dust was rising, Sakagami, looking closely at the gloomy lower floor that had lost light during the collapse, spotted Juumonji's figure and mocked him.

“Because you were a bit slow, the monsters on the outer wall were destroyed by Watanabe's magic! Couldn't you have done it before he invoked it!?” (Sakagami)

“I think it's bad when I finally got them to gather, but I think it was inevitable, please understand.” (???->Juumonji)

Juumonji, without looking timid, contrary to his words, dusted the s.h.i.+rttail of his dust stained uniform.

“Though built more like a magician, Watanabe was also a warrior. He might've resisted if I mistimed the attack. I didn't want to get injured. In order to make sure I eliminated him, I did it the instant he finished firing the greatest magic, or else it would've been dangerous. Sure, it would've been nice if he went towards the Sea of Trees with Eno, but since he didn't do that, this was a necessary sacrifice.” (Juumonji)

“That may be true, but……” (Sakagami)

“However, it went out of control midway, so the power should've been halved. As I thought, a thing like that's like a monster, huh? Whatever. More importantly.” (Juumonji)

Juumonji glanced up at Sakagami, who was in a high place.

“Didn't I say not to come out until I said it's okay, Sakagami. Like this morning, don't do things your way too much.” (Juumonji)

“Uuu……M-, my bad.” (Sakagami)

Sakagami displayed a faltering appearance.

“B-, but, you don't have to say tough things like that, you know? Look. With this we've annihilated the main force as planned, and this fortress is finished already. Afterwards, everything will be killed by just the monsters in the fortress. There's nothing dangerous about me coming out……” (Sakagami)

“They haven't been annihilated.” (Juumonji)

“Ha?” (Sakagami)

“Like I said, they haven't been annihilated. You're quite something. To have stubbornly survived. Hey, you——” (Juumonji)

Taking his gaze off from Sakagami who raised a disarrayed voice, Juumonji turned his face『this way』.

“——If I remember correctly, it was Majima, wasn't it?” (Juumonji)

I returned a head-on glare to Juumonji's fearless face.

“From what I saw, you manipulate monsters……the same type of ability as Sakagami's, huh? How surprising. That's your inherent ability. I thought something was different from those other guys, but to think you were hiding your ability. Moreover, it looks like Mizus.h.i.+ma over there can use magic.” (Juumonji)

I was already in a battle stance. Asarina was growing from my left hand, and Ayame was on my right shoulder.

Next to me was Lily, spear in hand, putting herself on guard while ama.s.sing magical power so that she could fire magic at any time.

We had succeeded in overcoming the 4th rank magic attack that Juumonji had fired.

Of course, though I'd become able to raise my body's endurance with magical power, I wouldn't have been safe if I was directly swallowed up by the flame explosion.

Me instructing Lily to prepare for battle just in case before we went up to the rooftop bore fruit. When Juumonji revealed his true nature, Lily had already prepared her magic, and was able to offset Juumonji's magic by striking it.

Had one of Lily's strongest magic attributes not been the water attribute, or if Juumonji's magic hadn't been configured to stress range over power in order to blow up a lot of people in that place, we wouldn't have made it in one piece. It was a very close offense and defense, but we managed to protect ourselves.

Also, Lily's magic had protected the other people close to me as well.

Kei, who was next to me, didn't have any major injuries, and Taichi Miyos.h.i.+ and his three friends, who had luckily exchanged words with us, hadn't gotten any injuries on the level of life threatening either.

Silane, Leader, Mikihiko, and the rest of the Alliance's Knights had also survived.

They hadn't gotten around to doing it instantly, but there were signs that magic had been invoked, so I guess their interception with a magic similar to ours was in time.

However, everyone else had been basically annihilated.

The transferred people other than Miyos.h.i.+ and his friends that received a direct hit from the fireb.a.l.l.s literally burned to nothing. Similarly, the majority of the knights had received the magic defenseless. A few people probably were alive. Maybe if we went around searching this mountain of rubble, there might be lucky survivors, but at present we couldn't afford to be rescuing them.

Even though we survived that moment, the fact we were in a desperate situation didn't change.

“How…dare you…..to my friends! I won't forgive you!” (???)

“You let the fortress be attackeddd, was it your instigatioooon!” (???)

“UOOOoOOH!” (???)

Three knights from the survivors of the Alliance's Knights jumped out, raising stiff yells.

“W-, wait, you guys! Don't thoughtlessly rush ouuut!” (Leader)

Leader's order didn't reach their heads, which blood had risen to from anger and fear. The half-panicking knights kicked the rubble and drew near Juumonji——and during that, one of them was. .h.i.t by a fireball that came flying.

The knight's body tumbled to the floor after being blown up, fire spouted from the gaps in the armor deformed like a strange artwork, and it burst into flames.

“……Too slow.” (Juumonji)

“Hiii!?” (???->Random Knight)

When he heard his voice, one of the two remaining that stuck out had his torso split into two by Juumonji after he closed in on him.

The final one guarded his body by pus.h.i.+ng out his large s.h.i.+eld, but the kick driven into that drove the knight's body into the rubble. The knight that struck the rubble with sh.e.l.l-like force didn't even twitch.

“Im-…possible……in just a few seconds……” (Leader)

Leader moaned.

Even though I saw it from beginning to end, I felt like my spine froze at Juumonji's demonic strength.

To use magic you had to gather magical power to put into the magic circle. Naturally, more powerful magic had to have more magical power put into it. Juumonji's current flame magic, despite being fired almost instantly, had power equivalent to 2nd rank. That alone was proof that the power Juumonji had was enormous.

His speed was also monstrous, even though it couldn't be compared to that『Great Runner』Eno. His strong sword, which bisected a human body wearing armor like it was tearing it in two, couldn't be called anything but a threat, and though he'd lost himself, his close combat ability that killed the Alliance's powerful knights in a single blow was fearsome.

As a matter of fact, Lily, who was next to me, was supposed to have done a sink or swim kamikaze attack the instant he showed even a small gap. Because there were signs of that through the path, I had also stood ready so that I could back her up.

However, she hadn't moved. ……She hadn't been able to. The knights were killed that fast, and there hadn't been a gap to attack either.

What was more frightening was that Juumonji hadn't moved even his eyebrows during the intersection just now.

He was prepared to fight, it wasn't like that. His expression was completely calm. In his eyes, we were reflected as nothing more than things. So, I had no doubt that he could behave like he did earlier, where he blew them away with magic in one blow, with several hundred people.

While feeling chilly, I opened my stiffened mouth.

“……Did you plan to do this from the start?” (Majima)

When I considered it, there were many convincing parts.

After we came to this fortress, Juumonji had often controlled the other transferred people. That was enough to be admirable.

If all his efforts like that were done for himself, rather, I could understand. He probably had moved for his own goals, and to acquire the trust of the people of this fortress, and the other transferred people.

Such a person had an accomplice called Sakagami.

I didn't know how long they'd had a relations.h.i.+p, but there was no mistake that this was a planned action. Sakagami attacked Kei this morning undoubtably because he knew what would happen to the fortress today, so before that……it was probably like that, and at that time, he hadn't attacked me by using his cheat ability because it would've interfered with their plan.

The reason itself that Juumonji came out in that place must've been to hold back the short-tempered Sakagami. At any rate, the fact that the timing had been unusually good was on my mind, but that had probably been because Juumonji was always worrying about his accomplice's short temper.

And, his accomplice Sakagami. He had the ability to manipulate monsters.

a.s.suming that he had been trying to collect the other transferred people's confidence, there was one incident that came to my mind.

“The attack by the green caterpillars we received just before we arrived at Fortress Tilia. Was that something you prepared?” (Majima)

There was no doubt that the incident brought forth an admiration in the other transferred people's hearts towards the ‘Scouting Corps' being honored as heroes in this world, and that became the foundation for building up confidence afterwards. As a result, the transferred students had come to trust the ‘Scouting Corps', so much so that the sarcastic Mikihiko teased they were『trained like animals』.

But, that was Sakagami's charade. He had them attack the students, including him, and had them defeated by the ‘Scouting Corps'.

“Yeah. That's right. I had Sakagami do it.” (Juumonji)

“Why the h.e.l.l did you do such a thing?” (Majima)

I asked Juumonji, who turned this way.

“Why'd I do it? Isn't that obvious? It's『to live』.” (Juumonji)

Juumonji's expression didn't even change.

“You understand? This isn't our original world. Everything is different. No one can guarantee tomorrow's life. We're in a place like that. In order to live and return to our original world, I have to do anything I can.” (Juumonji)

Juumonji spoke as if it was natural.

“……” (Majima)

Come to think of it, Juumonji had been saying things like『This isn't our original world』and『Everything is different』before as well.

After hearing that I thought『While you obtained a foul-play ability ‘cheat ability', what looks different?』, but……as a matter of fact, it looked like Juumonji was fixing his eyes on himself with a sense of danger in this world, not being relieved by the foul-play ability he obtained.

And thus, that was probably what……produced this tragedy.

He really intended to have a hand in it, no matter how inhuman it was. According to the words he spoke,『In order to return to our original world, I'll do anything I can』…….

“……To live and return to our original world, you say?” (Majima)

Now, I suddenly noticed the unmissable words that Juumonji said

“You can return? How the h.e.l.l will you do that……” (Majima)

“That's easy. I'll use my cheat ability.” (Juumonji)

Juumonji replied in a ready tone.

“I've done about one game, after all. An RPG. Fighting monsters, raising levels, learning skills and magic. An orthodox thing like that. It's the same as that. I'll level up, and obtain the ability to return to our original world.” (Juumonji)

……Was he serious?

This world wasn't a game. It was reality.

Sure, by defeating monsters, you could acquire magical power, albeit a small amount. The level up Juumonji spoke of was probably referring to this. ……However, would something like the ability to return home really be obtained that conveniently from something like this?

In the first place, could you even do something like ‘obtain a new cheat ability'? I'd never heard of something like that.

But, it was also true that Juumonji had no reason to lie in this situation. At least, I could think that Juumonji himself believed what he spoke just now.

Maybe he knew something I didn't?

……It was pointless. There were too many things I didn't know.

“H-, hey, Juumonji-kun.” (Taichi)

Then, Miyos.h.i.+, who was crouching nearby, raised his voice. It was a very hollow voice.

“Th-, this is some kind of mistake…right? There's no way that……you'd do something like t-this……” (Taichi)

It seemed he couldn't believe it, even though he saw what happened before his eyes.

With a streak of blood dropping from his head onto his pale face, Miyos.h.i.+ raised a shrill voice as though he was denying the reality before his eyes.

“Because, there's no reason to, right! To return to our original world!? Why did you have to capture the fortress for that!” (Miyos.h.i.+)

“……It looks like you have some kind of misunderstanding.” (Juumonji)

Juumonji turned a slightly annoyed gaze towards Miyos.h.i.+.

From nothing more than that, Miyos.h.i.+'s force was killed. His body shook a lot like he was scared.

“I don't really care about this fortress and things like that. I told you, didn't I? It's to raise my level. Killing those little small fry monsters would take a while, and above all else, it's annoying. When I realized that, I also aimed for rare monsters high in experience points. For example, this. It's fast and safe. So in short, that's why.” (Juumonji)

“I-……I don't understand. What are you saying. I don't understand it at all……” (Taichi)

Miyos.h.i.+ shook his head side to side so strongly it made a noise. Rather, that was a gesture where he was refusing to understand.

“Your understanding is poor, Miyos.h.i.+-san.” (Juumonji)

Juumonji's tone of voice seemed to be pitying him.

“In this world, you can absorb magical powers from their souls by defeating monsters. You can get more magical power from more powerful monsters. ——So, if you kill the existence referred to as ‘hero', how much magical power do you think you'll obtain?” (Juumonji)

Miyos.h.i.+ became befuddled.

His eyes opened wide, and his body *rattle rattle* began shaking.

“A…uah. N-No…you……” (Taichi)

“Yeah, I did. Even you heard it, haven't you? The souls of us heroes are different from those of the people of this world.” (Juumonji)

Juumonji pointed at Miyos.h.i.+'s face, which went beyond blue and turned white like paper.

“『Rare monsters high in experience points』……in other words, you guys. The bothersome thing about this is that there aren't more than a thousand of you in the world. If I don't take you before you're taken by someone else, I'll be disadvantaged in the distant future. We're competing for resources.” (Juumonji)

That was why Juumonji's eyes that looked at Miyos.h.i.+ weren't even『eyes looking at people』.

To Juumonji, us transferred people including Miyos.h.i.+ were viewed as nothing but experience points. It may have been that the people in the surroundings weren't even entering his field of vision.

In this time's tragedy, as expected, I think hundreds of people were killed. Including those killed by monsters as well, the lives lost should have easily exceeded one thousand. Despite this, Juumonji's conscious didn't seem to be hurt by his own actions.

“My magical power increased by about 10%, I think. Haha. With this I'm a little closer to my goal.” (Juumonji)

Juumonji was smiling, only looking at what he obtained—those killed weren't his concern.

I didn't know whether he was like this from the start, or the stress from transferring to a different world changed him. Only one thing was certain: how much of a tragedy would be spread to the surroundings when a human with a grotesque personality had a powerful ability.

“T-, that's-, that's why you're doing such inhuman things!? Do you even feel anythingg!?” (Taichi)

“You really are vexing. Of course I do, even I didn't want to do that. Even that Watanabe guy, our relations.h.i.+p wasn't really bad. Yeah. I didn't want to kill him or anything. It's the truth.” (Juumonji)

Juumonji shrugged his shoulders.

“But, whatever. Some things just can't be helped.” (Juumonji)

“h-……hi-, a” (Taichi)

A sound like he failed to breath leaked from Miyos.h.i.+'s throat.

Killing others to survive alone, to accomplish their goals.

Because it was more convenient for them, they'd kill even the closest of people. And get through it with the few words of “it can't be helped”.

With that kind of mentality, you couldn't look them in the eyes if you had normal nerves.

Juumonji spoke in a light tone to Miyos.h.i.+, who was on the verge of fainting.

“Don't worry. Your death won't be for nothing.” (Juumonji)

A magical circle formed in Juumonji's outstretched hand along with a line truly typical of a hero.

The fireball produced from there came flying in a straight line, trying to break Miyos.h.i.+'s face.

“d.a.m.niiit!” (Majima)

I thrust my body into its trajectory right away. And defended against the fireball with the s.h.i.+eld on my left arm.

I withstood the impact that occurred through the s.h.i.+eld. The damage was insignificant. A huge aspect of it was that I was saved by my equipment, but the current me could endure this much well enough.

“Oh~? Nicely done.” (Juumonji)

I clicked my tongue at Juumonji, who spoke happily, while feeling numbness in my left arm.

After all, that was nothing but a hatchet of a praying mantis. Juumonji was also smiling because he knew that I was absolutely no match for him.

Or maybe that smile had a feeling of satisfaction towards the situation going how he wanted it to. I fully understood that the current exchange was Juumonji buying time.

Because Sakagami, who had been looking down at us from on top of the inner wall, was gone.

Apparently Sakagami himself had no combat ability. He probably escaped so that he wasn't dragged into a battle in case the worst happened. This was buying time for that. It'd be troublesome even for Juumonji if the encirclement of monsters collapsed with Sakagami dying, and a human who knew the truth lived.

But even if we knew that, we couldn't move carelessly. Because the current stalemate was only because the opponent was being cautious; it was obvious that we'd certainly be annihilated if we fought.

Even without confirming it, our situation was extremely bad.

The more-than 300 people we had originally as war potential were almost annihilated. Currently, the ones I could count as war potential were Lily, me, and the 20-some survivors of the Alliance's Knight Order. Miyos.h.i.+ and his friends, who were unable to stand up due to fear, weren't in the count, and the rest were Mikihiko, and at best maybe Kei.

The worst thing above all else was that the knights' hearts were broken.

From the start, the defensive potential of the fortress had collapsed due to the damage by the monsters that surged forward. Even so, the fact that the soldiers had enough morale to be able to execute the counteroffensive operation without casting aside their weapons, the fact that their enemies were monsters, the fact that they had pride as the defenders of humanity in them, the fact that they who couldn't even surrender unless they escaped had no choice but to fight——and above all, the fact that their awareness of ‘the heroes are in this fortress' was their emotional support, was huge.

The existence of heroes in this world were so special that they were too special. Heroes were hope itself. At least, the people of this world believed such. That illusion gave power to everyone, even from them just being there.

However, the faith they had betrayed them in the worst timing.

The knights right now were in a state where they couldn't fight at all.

Though he wasn't a top-cla.s.s cheat holder like Eno Yuna, he was balanced as a Warrior——in other words, he had a foul-play level of fighting ability. How should we challenge him, how should we overcome this situation with us alone? I couldn't find any way to break the deadlock no matter how I thought about it.

Sakagami already left. The time Juumonji had bought for him also had given us time to work out a plan to break the deadlock, but we were out of time.

“……It's over now.” (???)

Someone's weak moan entered my ear.

The feeling of despair gradually eroded me from my fingertips.

I even felt nostalgia. Because I harshly tasted it once before, when I ran away from the colony.

I bit my lip, and after putting a pep talk into my body which was about to wither, I put power into my hand holding the sword.

If I gave in to hopelessness here, I wouldn't have survived the colony on that day.

How could I give up.

I'd resist as much as I could. Fortunately, the enemy was alone. If we couldn't win, if a gap was made after a blow was received, and I could escape with everyone, the possibility we could survive still wasn't zero.

Of course, I knew that wouldn't be easy. But, there was no way I could give up just because of that. I swore that I'd live with Lily and them in this world. Could I bear being killed by something like this in such a place?

“……Lily.” (Majima)

“Yeah. I know, Master.” (Lily)

Telepathy. Lily tightly grasped her spear next to me.

And right when we were about to jump out at any time……

“Please wait.” (???)

A girl's voice crushed our moment of departure.

When I took a sidelong glance while still leaving my consciousness on Juumonji, Silane, who came in front of us with her helmet taken off, was reflected in my eyes. Mikihiko, who seemed to have been prepared to fight the same as me, looked at her back with a shocked face.

The expression floating on her neat looks was dignified, and her eyes were glaring straight at Juumonji.

Unlike the other knights, her fighting spirit hadn't died.

“Takahiro-dono and Mikihiko-dono, please chase after Sakagami Gōta, who ran away, along with Leader. If he's the one manipulating the monsters, then we should be able to get rid of the encirclement if we catch him. If you do so, it may even be possible to overthrow the current situation.” (Silane)

While Silane spoke in a tone where her strong will was hidden even while she looked unconcerned, she pointed at a part of the collapsed wall with her sword, urging us to go.

“Miho-dono……no, Lily-dono, who has a sense of smell that can distinguish doppelgänger, should be able to chase after Sakagami Gōta too.” (Silane)

“Um, that's true, but that's……——” (Majima)

——impossible. There was no way Juumonji would allow that.

“I know. I know what you want to say.” (Silane)

Understanding the part I hadn't put into words, Silane painted a thin smile on her mouth. It was a smile of resolution.

“Rest a.s.sured. I will take over this.” (Silane)

“Wha…..!? Silane!?” (Majima)

“I will stop Tatsuya Juumonji. In the meantime, I would like you to stop Sakagami Gōta, Takahiro-dono.” (Silane)

Silane quickly turned the point of the sword she was holding towards Juumonji.

“……Man, you are looking down on me quite a bit.” (Juumonji)

Juumonji laughed at the sword being pointed at him.

It made sense. He probably hadn't even taken someone like Silane into consideration until now. He laughed because she had b.u.t.ted in like that.

“I'm just asking you to be sure, but are you serious……no. Are you insane? A local defying me, I can't think of it as anything but a suicide wish.” (Juumonji)

“I'm not. I don't have a hobby of telling jokes. I will stop you here.” (Silane)

There was no fighting spirit in Silane's reply. She was speaking seriously.

“……Oh, is that right?” (Juumonji)

To Juumonji, that must have been an insult. His unconcerned expression twitched.

“Then, die.” (Juumonji)

Speaking in a voice so cold that I s.h.i.+vered, Juumonji kicked the ground.

He closed the distance with a speed that I just barely managed to follow with my eyes, and brandished his straight sword wet with blood.

In response to that, Silane was also moving. She parted with the large s.h.i.+eld that was useful against monster opponents, possibly judging that it would be a hindrance with Juumonji as her opponent, and went ahead.

“OOOoOH!” (Juumonji)

Juumonji brandished his sword as he rushed. He swung downward the sharp sword that was probably presented to the heroes.

It was a sword with enough power to crush anything. A warrior. A blow from the elite of the ‘Scouting Corps' called such would easily bisect even the tough bodies of monsters. Things like the body of a slender girl, though equipped with full body armor, would be crushed like paper sc.r.a.ps.

I, whose breath was taken away——*clang*, heard the sound of metal rubbing against metal.

“W-, Wh-……!?” (Juumonji)

Juumonji raised a dumbfounded voice.

Silane's sword had come out behind after hurting his cheek.

I, who had watched it from beginning to end, understood what happened a beat later. Silane had sc.r.a.ped off Juumonji's downward swung sword, and launched a counterattack.

With monster like reflexes, Juumonji avoided it by tilting his head. Had he not done so, even if he had an extremely tough warrior body, his carotid artery undoubtedly would have been torn.

“Uguu, y-, you……how dare you!” (Juumonji)

Without even a piece of negligence now, Juumonji sent out a series of blows with his straight sword. A storm of guillotines that could easily split something like a human body right in half if they received even one blow.

But all of that was handled by Silane's sword.

Silane certainly had excellent physical abilities, but even then she wasn't as strong nor as fast as Juumonji, a transported person.

But, she was skilled.

Her acc.u.mulated training and her experience from the battles she'd struggled through were making up for the hard spec difference. Though it couldn't be decided with a counter like the one from before since Juumonji had gotten cautious, Silane continued parrying the storm-like sword blows.

I couldn't even imagine how much ability, concentration, and willpower were needed.

“Now, Takahiro-dono!” (Silane)

And, while Silane was locking swords with Juumonji, Leader had moved. While running with her subordinates, she strongly grabbed my arm. Her heart seemed to have not broken either, the same as Silane's.

“This is the path Silane has opened! We cannot afford to waste it!” (Leader)

“B-, but, if we leave Silane……!!?” (Majima)

“There are no other ways than this! That girl will fulfill her duty! She has that much power! In the first place, why do you think that that girl, an elf, was appointed an important position like Deputy Head in the Knight Order!?” (Leader)

……Why Silane, an elf, was appointed an important position in the Knight Order?

How was that connected to this situation right now?

While I thought about the meaning of Leader's words, the sight jumped into my field of vision.

“You small fry, you're annoying!” (Juumonji)

Spitting that out, Juumonji jumped back. Magical power overflowed from his large-built body like raging billows.

Magic was coming. It was also different from the extempore magic from earlier. Having landed, Juumonji raised his magical power even more and made a magic circle.

“Be blown away!” (Juumonji)

The magic invoked was of the 3rd rank. With only a few seconds of gathering, Juumonji had made the greatest magic that the humans of this world could handle.

Flames blew up from the straight sword he had, making a giant sword.

“OOOooOOOOH!” (Juumonji)

The sword of flames that could cleave someone in two directly hit the place Silane was, causing an explosion.

The broken rubble flew around, flying as far as where we, who were in the blast, were. I protected Kei, who screamed, by embracing her, and protected my body with the s.h.i.+eld.

The hot wind pa.s.sed.

And left behind in the center of the explosion which blew away the rubble…was a single girl.

“Wh…at……?” (Juumonji)

Juumonji stared at her dumbfounded, as Silane's armored figure had no injuries worse than light burns.

“That is……” (Majima)

A tiny light was dancing around her, who stood dignified, with some comical movements. That was that small spirit which always floated absent-mindedly close to Silane.

This was something I'd heard while chatting with Kei, but the spirit that a spirit user contracted with wasn't just an enemy-seeking personnel. They were an existence that supported their contractor with magic in battle.

For example, the yellow small spirit that always followed Silane supported their Master by raising her physical abilities, and used earth attribute magic in emergencies.

A small spirit could form a contract after an elf with the qualifications challenged a trial on which they bet their life. It was naturally a trump card that only the best users in the elf race could obtain.

And it was because I knew that that I couldn't help but doubt my eyes.

Because there were four small spirits accompanying Silane. They were dancing around her in a circle.

“Tatsuya Juumonji. I would like you to not look down on us too much.” (Silane)

It appeared that the yellow one that usually floated in the air wasn't the only one who defended against the sword of flames from earlier—it was the 3 other colors of red, blue, and green, as well.

Perhaps she was also the one who protected the knights from Juumonji's 4th rank magic at the beginning.

The reason the Alliance's Knight Order, which should have had a weak standing in Fortress Tilia, appointed an elf, a race discriminated against, to the important position of Deputy Head, though she had Leader's recommendation, was——Silane's overwhelming fighting ability.

“Oh. I see. Did you not know, Takahiro?” (Mikihiko)

Mikihiko, having come to me along with Leader, spoke.

“The Northern Sea of Trees' best knight. That person…is Silane-san.” (Mikihiko)

The Northern Sea of Trees' best knight. ——Considering that the Sea of Trees was the foremost line of the battle to survive against the monsters, that meant that she was one of the strongest fighters in this world.

Now that I thought about it, Leader went out of her way to come and meet Silane during the counteroffensive operation to reverse that hopeless situation. The one who led the Knight Order that went to the Deep Part of the Sea of Trees to rescue us was also Silane. Considering the importance of the transported people in this world, it was no wonder that Fortress Tilia dispatched their very best.

And now, Silane had enough willpower to be able to turn her sword towards an existence admired as a hero.

Right now, one of the best knights in the world was standing in the way as a wall against a stranger spreading tragedy by wielding the foul-play power given to him known as a ‘cheat ability'.

“Please leave this to me!” (Silane)

Silane yelled with her back turned to us.

“I will hold Tatsuya Juumonji here until you stop Sakagami Gōta!” (Silane)

“Silane……” (Majima)

I hesitated, wondering whether I should follow her words.

Unlike the other knights whose spirits were completely broken, we could fight.

Shouldn't I cooperate with her here and defeat Juumonji?

However, it was unlikely that we could defeat him. If it went poorly, we might become hindrances. At least, Silane was dealing with Juumonji, so we should leave this to Silane and do what only we could do.

Like Silane said, I should be able to make the monsters encircling the fortress withdraw as long as I stop Sakagami. Then, the soldiers in the fortress could run away to the forest. No matter how strong Juumonji was, there was no way he could annihilate the hundreds of people running away, scattered.

So Silane would hold back Juumonji, and we would chase after Sakagami and solve the problem of monsters. Silane had the ability to search for monsters through her spirits, so she could sense if the monsters disappeared. She could even pick a time and withdraw.

That was the best for now.

Even I knew that much.

But even though I did, was leaving Silane here alone really the best option?

She believed in me. No. Even though she did, leaving a girl by herself in a place like this was…….

“Takahiro-dono.” (Silane)

Silane called my name.

Maybe she noticed I was hesitating. She spoke in a bright voice.

“I told you, didn't I? That I'm looking forward to talking with you again.” (Silane)

“Silane……” (Majima)

“Please go now, to win us that future.” (Silane)

Her words severed the last bit of hesitation within me.

“……I guarantee you I'll get Sakagami as soon as possible! Don't die!” (Majima)

Turning back, I broke into a run.

Juumonji roared angrily in the background, and the sounds of a violent battle arose.

Holding back my urge to look back, I exited into the corridor through the collapsed wall.

“Let's go!” (Majima)

“Yeah~.” (Lily)

Led by Lily, who nodded, I matched my pace with the knights, and just ran.

Translator's Notes

¹ - Not sure about this sentence. ‘確かにこの世界にはこの世界なりの秩序がある。' ▲

² - Confused about the ‘地続き' part of this sentence. ‘ここは未だに、あの崩壊の日のコロニーから地続きの未來だ。' ▲

Cliffhangers. for. DAYSSSSS.

I'll try and get C28 done soon. No promises, though~.

If you guys notice anything wrong, please let me know!

-Thy Unsus