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The Tide of Shadows
The army of shadows surged towards Kouki and his companions like a tsunami. Stunned into silence by the sight, Kouki and the others finally regained their composure and prepared to counterattack.
"Heaven's Falling Rain - Fierce!" Kouki unleashed a flash of light into the sky, which exploded above and rained down upon the enemy. The skeletons that had charged forward were impaled by the light-rain, but more quickly followed, trampling over their fallen comrades. One skeleton, dual-wielding swords of different lengths, lunged directly at Kouki.
"Gah?! This is...!" Kouki parried the blow, the clash of metal echoing, but he was astonished by the brute strength transmitted through his holy sword.
"Everyone, be careful! They're on a completely different level from the monsters before!"
"Understood!" Shizuku responded to Kouki's warning, raising her katana against a skeleton charging at her. It carried a massive battle-axe on its shoulder.
"An axe?!" The skeleton raised the huge battle-axe, clearly meant for crushing rather than slicing, and brought it down with brute force. Shizuku, who had braced for the impact, rolled away to evade it.
"Shizuku!!" Ryutaro moved to assist Shizuku but averted his head just in time as a black blur entered his peripheral vision. The next instant, a spear whizzed past his cheek.
"Whoa, close one?!"
"Everyone!?" Suzu, startled by the sudden pressure on the three vanguards, heard Kaori's shout and realized the danger approaching from the front. She hastily began chanting.
"Heaven's Severance!"
Kaori and Suzu simultaneously activated palm-sized light barriers. These overlapping barriers barely managed to defend against a barrage of colorful magic projectiles heading their way. Beyond the barriers, they saw skeletons wielding black, wavering staffs. The three vanguards, having somehow blown away the surrounding skeletons, lined up in front of Suzu and Kaori.
"What are these monsters?! They look the same, but they're doing completely different things!" Ryutaro exclaimed in confusion.
"Their shapes are slightly different, too, one by one!" Shizuku added.
"Shizuku's right! I cut down a few, and their weapons and fighting styles are all different. And they're not just makeshift; their movements are quite refined!" Kouki shared his observations. They faced swift dual-wielders, heavy warriors who crushed their enemies along with their defenses, spearmen who precisely struck vital points from a distance, and mages who launched bombardments from afar. Moreover, each of them moved with the practiced skill of someone who had dedicated their life to their craft. Their roles weren't assigned randomly.
"Well, of course they are. They're the failed heroes forgotten by history," Eri said, her eyes devoid of emotion as she looked at Kouki and the others, who were silently observing the scene from behind.
Failed Heroes
"Failed heroes...?"
"What do you mean by that?" Kouki and the others frowned at Eri's cryptic words. With a sigh, Eri began to explain.
"It means exactly what it sounds like. It's magic that awakens the souls of losers and manifests them as soldiers."
Symphony of the Reanimated Corpsesâits ability was to awaken the souls of nameless, fallen heroes who died in battle in the past, manifesting them in the present world. Its range extended across the entirety of Tortus, targeting brave warriors who scattered with lingering regrets in this world. Whether it was to protect loved ones, seek world-renowned fame, or desire immense wealth, many had taken up swords in Tortus's history of warfare to fulfill their desires, only to perish without leaving anything behind. Heroes who could leave their names in history were but a handful of exceptional individuals in any era.
Consider the end of a war. The hero who brought about its conclusion would have their name passed down through generations, but the focus wouldn't extend to every single soldier who fought bravely. They might receive collective praise as a unit, but individual stories wouldn't be highlighted.
Ephemeral beings who longed to be heroes but fell short. That was the true identity of the skeletons before Kouki and his companions. Though their egos were lost over long years, the "skills" etched into their souls remained.
"Even though they're failures, each and every one of them was a fool with one foot in heroism. Their abilities are guaranteed." Eri's words were true. Even Kouki and the others, who boasted far greater power than ordinary humans in this world as former Apostles of God, were struggling just to hold them back. If it weren't for Hajime's artifact enhancements, they might have been swallowed up in an instant.
"But your stamina and magic aren't infinite. They'll run out eventually. Why don't you give up now?"
"Don't underestimate me, Eri. Did you really think Suzu would give up at this level?!"
"No, I didn't. You're really stubborn, aren't you...? So, let's change things up." Eri's lips twisted into a crescent moon as she responded to Suzu's words. She aimed her fingers like a conductor's baton at the skeletons, sweeping her arms wide like a maestro. In that instant, the skeletons scattered in all directions.
"What?! What are you planning, Eri!!"
"It's simple. I know you all very well. I could let this continue until you collapse, but that's not enough. What do you think would happen if that army, which was already overwhelming for you, were to rush at others... like the regular soldiers?"
"Tch!? Eri! You!!" The worst-case scenario flashed through everyone's minds at Eri's words.
"You softies would rather see others get hurt than yourselves, wouldn't you?" At this very moment, countless soldiers were dealing with the threat before them with all their might. If that army were to descend upon them, the front lines would crumble instantly.
"I told you, didn't I? I'm going to break everything. Everything you want to protect... I'll break it all...!"
"We won't let you!!" Kouki, enveloped in light, charged at Eri. There was no time to chase down and defeat each of the scattered skeletons. His plan was to incapacitate Eri, the spellcaster.
"That's why you're so predictable," Eri said.
Wounded Soul
The moment Eri's words reached Kouki, his body froze. The magic allowed her to peer into a target's memories and bring forth their pain. What Kouki remembered was his past foolishness and the faces of people clouded with sadness because of it. He hadn't realized it at the time, but seeing it again, Kouki felt even a sense of irritation at his own foolishness. He saw himself helping those who knelt, guiding them nowhere, and then reaching out to the next person. He hadn't even noticed the expressions on the faces of the people he had helped. Why hadn't he noticed when they were making such faces right in front of him?
Unexpected Alliance
Just a few days prior, he might have lost the will to fight entirely, but now Kouki had resolved to bear everything. His determination wouldn't waver over something like this. However, even a momentary lapse in consciousness created a clear opening. Eri didn't miss it. A massive fireball, cast by one of the staff-wielding skeletons, swallowed Kouki.
"Kouki!?"
"Kouki-kun!?"
The other four couldn't see Kouki through the explosion, but they didn't believe he could have avoided it. As they rushed forward in a panic, they noticed the spreading flames were moving strangely. The flames contracted as if being sucked into a center. Then, Kouki appeared, protected by a turtle-shaped monster standing in front of him.
"You, you are...!" Kouki and the others remembered that monster. It was one of the creatures they had encountered in the Orcus Great Labyrinth, where they first experienced the fear of death. Its name was...
"Well done, Absod," a husky, masculine voice echoed across the battlefield. Kouki and the others could never forget that voice. They couldn't possibly forget it. The five turned sharply towards the sound. There, a mature woman with fiery eyes and hairâCattleyaâstood with her arms crossed.
"...Cattleya."
"What, you remember my name? Aldias-sama called me, but I never introduced myself. You're a diligent one, aren't you?"
"Why are you here?"
"I felt some unpleasant magic from here a while ago. I left it to my subordinates and came to investigate... and it seems I was right to do so." Cattleya ignored the stunned Kouki and faced Eri, who was glaring at her with displeasure.
"It's been a while. I remember you. You got the better of me by manipulating those chimera corpses."
"What do you want, old hag? Don't interfere."
"Your manners to your elders are lacking. You make me want to punch you."
"I don't need a lecture. If I had time for that, I'd rather kill them a second faster." Eri's gaze, filled with killing intent, fell on the five, but Cattleya tilted her head in confusion when she saw Kouki included.
"I heard you betrayed humanity to get your hands on that hero boy?"
"...It has nothing to do with you, does it?"
"No, it doesn't. I couldn't care less about your childish love games."
"You...!!"
"Our forces are different, you and I. Come back in ten years." Cattleya deliberately emphasized her ample figure to Eri as she spoke. Eri, clearly provoked by Cattleya's taunt, bristled with hostility. The usual Eri would have easily brushed off such a slight, but her emotions were clearly unstable after being rejected by Kouki. However, Cattleya was not lying. It was fine to love whoever one wanted, but someone who merely threw their feelings at another without considering the other's happiness was, to Cattleya, nothing more than a child.
"W-Wait a minute! This isn't the time for that!!" Cattleya smirked mockingly, but Kouki nervously interjected. While he was grateful for the reinforcement, this was an emergency where every second counted.
"We can handle this ourselves! You should deal with the monsters scattered aroundâ"
"Are you underestimating me?" Cattleya interrupted Kouki, looking displeased, leaving Kouki confused. He couldn't understand what he had said to displease her.
"I noticed those strange skeletons scattering across the battlefield. Roughly 50,000 of them, I'd say."
"Thenâ"
"So, you think I haven't done anything about it yet?"
"...Huh?" Kouki, who had been about to grab Cattleya in frustration, was taken aback by her words.
"I was already acting the moment I grasped the situation. A special unit of the demon race wouldn't be able to serve if they were fools who couldn't move without instructions in a constantly changing battle."
"Hmph, you think you can deal with my army alone? Even at this moment, those other idiots are... huh?!" Eri scoffed at Cattleya's words, dismissing them with a laugh, but after a moment of stunned silence, she showed clear signs of agitation.
"My pieces are being erased...? You?! What did you do!?"
"Have you already forgotten my fighting style?"
"Tch!?... Monsters!"
"Correct. I've already deployed my monsters to the surrounding areas for individual annihilation."
"Impossible?! They're different from the other small fry! Monsters shouldn't be able to handle them!"
"Well, yes, indeed. You wouldn't win in a one-on-one fight. But have you already forgotten my words?"
Our forces are different, you and I.
"Only 50,000 pseudo-heroes? Don't underestimate me. My forces number 530,000."
"!!!" Not just Eri, but Kouki and the others widened their eyes in astonishment at Cattleya's words. 530,000. How much training would it take to command and control that many monsters? When they first encountered her in the Orcus Great Labyrinth, she had fewer than a few hundred, but perhaps that wasn't Cattleya's full strength at all. In truth, Cattleya wasn't perfectly controlling all 530,000 monsters. Indeed, her first time leading monsters in battle was in the Orcus Great Labyrinth. However, Cattleya, who had spent a lot of time near Aldias and Freed, naturally had many opportunities to interact with the monsters Aldias and his group used and the chimeras they created. Back then, even if they were being commanded, the monsters were still difficult to approach, but Cattleya didn't particularly mind and treated them as they were. Perhaps this worked in her favor, as the monsters became more attached to her than to their masters, Aldias and Freed, something Aldias and his group could not have predicted. Cattleya wasn't perfectly controlling the monsters. The monsters simply obeyed Cattleya's commands of their own accord. A master-servant relationship built on trust. That was the source of Cattleya's power to command 530,000 monsters simultaneously.
"Cattleya... you..." Kouki was speechless, and Cattleya snorted at his expression.
"...Hmph, I thought your face had improved since then, but it seems I was mistaken. By the way, I feel no affection for that brat. If I'm going to do something, I'll do it thoroughly."
"â!!" Kouki and the others bit their lips at Cattleya's words. They genuinely wanted to save Eri from the bottom of their hearts, but they couldn't tolerate casualties simply by leaving Eri alone. Hajime had already warned them to be prepared for the worst. And now, the situation had reached a point where Kouki and the others couldn't handle it alone. Relying on Cattleya's power meant accepting that. More than anything, his words hadn't reached Eri. On the contrary, he had only driven her further into a corner. What could he, Kouki, possibly do?
Smack!
"Ow!" At that moment, a light impact hit Kouki's head. He quickly looked up to see Cattleya standing beside him, her eyes narrowed in annoyance.
"W-What are youâ"
"Are you giving up?"
"âHuh?"
"That arrogant little brat is your precious friend, isn't she? So, are your resolves so flimsy that you can easily give up just because you're rejected a little?"
"!!!" Not just Kouki, but the other four involuntarily looked up at Cattleya's words. Cattleya swept her gaze over them, then pushed Kouki aside and stood in front of Eri.
"In that case, close your eyes and cover your ears. You're in the way. I'll finish everything."
Finish everything? Without them knowing? By her hand, someone who had no connection to Eri? No, that was unacceptable. They had decided to settle this themselves. Even if the time came to make that difficult decision, they had no intention of handing it over to someone else. No matter how many times they were denied, rejected, or resented, they wouldn't give up. That was their role. A strong light shone in the eyes of the five who had been staring blankly at Cattleya's back.
"There's no need for that. We're going to bring that idiot back ourselves," Ryutaro said, clenching both fists and stepping forward.
"Yes, I'm not satisfied with just being told off, either," Shizuku said, drawing her black katana and lining up beside him.
"I also can't stay silent when my friend is being spoken ill of."
"Suzu's already decided to punch her once!" Kaori and Suzu followed behind Ryutaro and Shizuku.
"That's how it is. Please leave this to us. You're in the way," Kouki said, pushing Cattleya back by the shoulder and brandishing his holy sword. Cattleya, who had widened her eyes at their display, then broke into a fearless smile.
"...Hehehe, impudent brats. I can't slack off either. I'll give you some support. Do your best."
"!!" Kouki and the others, their resolve hardened, once again fixed their gaze on their friend before them. Eri, unable to hide her utter irritation at them, scratched at her head furiously.
"What is this? Yesterday's enemy is today's ally? A classic trope. I hate that kind of thing! All of you, just die!!" Eri, once again clad in the "Holy Stigmata" and "Cursed Ring" on both arms, attacked Kouki and his companions.
============
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