Tatap, tatap, tatap—!
Rumble—!
How long had he been running? The tremors grew louder, and finally, the figures of his comrades came into view.
"Akumo-san!"
"Raul! Situation report!"
"Gareth-san, Tione-san, and Tiona-san are currently engaging a Demi-Spirit!"
"What's their condition?!"
"Gareth-san lost his primary weapon and is using a standard-issue axe! Tiona-san has been poisoned by a caterpillar monster!"
Hearing Raul's words, Akumo sprinted toward them to join the fray, but he soon witnessed it.
—[Rage, O Fury of the Heavens]
—[Caelum Veil]
—[Distel]!!!!!!!!!!
Zzzzzzt—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Electric discharge erupted from the Demi-Spirit's body, threatening to incinerate his comrades before his very eyes.
"....."
"Akumo-san...."
"Akumo...."
Akumo gazed upon the fallen forms of his comrades sprawled before him.
Ku-gu-gu-gu-gu—!
—Will you play with me too?!
"I'm sorry I was so late, everyone."
Grip—
Suppressing a cold, surging fury, Akumo picked up a bow and arrow rolling on the floor.
"I know it's asking a lot, but I need you. Everyone, pin the Demi-Spirit down."
—Kyahahahat!!!!!
Clang—!
—!?
"That... of course...!!!"
"Believe in Akumo and show your grit, everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Despite taking a direct hit from the Demi-Spirit's discharge, Tione held onto the chains embedded in the creature through sheer mental fortitude, refusing to let go.
Gareth likewise forced himself up at the sound of Akumo's voice. He grabbed the chains alongside Tione, planting his feet so firmly that the ground buckled beneath him.
—Let go!!!
"As if we'd ever let go...!!!!! I won't let you reach the Captain!!!!!!!"
Whish—!!!!!!!!
"Not on my watch!!!"
Boom—!!!!!!!!
The Demi-Spirit's massive hoof aimed for Gareth and Tione, but Tiona, wielding her cracked Urga, rose and parried the strike.
Then, the chant began.
"[O my experiences, O my adventures, bloom according to my will]"
—!!!
Wuuuuuuuuu—!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
As Akumo began his chant with the bow in hand, a colossal amount of Mana began to coalesce around him. Even the Demi-Spirit instantly perceived the threat, its instincts flaring with alarm, while his allies were struck by a single certainty.
The certainty of victory.
"[O verdant woods, O sacred nature. I, who have received your grace, pray now for this: A flash of light to pierce the enemy!]"
—[Rage, O Fury of the Heavens]!!!!
—[Caelum Veil]!!!!!!!!!!
Zzzzzzt—!!!!!!!!!
Feeling a primal terror, the Demi-Spirit frantically chanted its magic to sever the chains binding it, attempting to charge at Akumo.
Rattle—!!!!
"We're here too!!!!!!!!!!"
"Pull, everyone!!!!!!!!!!"
"Give it everything you've got!!!!!!!!!!"
Raul's team coiled their chains around the Demi-Spirit's neck.
"[O merciful sea, let your vast azure become my wings.]"
Through their collective desperation, Akumo's chant reached its completion.
Behind his back, two pairs of wings resembling luminous blue jewels manifested. Just as it had when he brought Leviathan down from the heavens, his presence seemed to overlap with the memory of an ancient legend.
"Fire, Akumo-san!!!!!!!!!!"
'Of course, Raul!'
Creak—!!!!!!!!!!!
Akumo drew the bowstring with immense force, concentrating all his Mana into a single arrow. Even the wings behind him were absorbed into the shaft, a testament to the devastating kinetic potential contained within.
"[Sylphid Trident]!!!!!!!!"
The luminous arrow was unleashed toward the Demi-Spirit.
'This is... our adventure...!!'
'Because I could meet heroes like that...'
'Because we could have encounters like this!!'
"That's why we fight!!!!!!"
They bore witness.
A single arrow—the sight of it ushering in victory, a strike of a hero more beautiful than anything they had ever seen.
Step, step—
"Is everyone okay?"
"....Yes!"
"To be honest, we've seen better days, Akumo."
"Ahaha...!! Shall I cast some healing magic?"
Akumo helped his fallen comrades up, preparing to leave the area.
"Raul, didn't I tell you?"
"...."
"We need all of you."
"Thank you so much...!!"
"Isn't it obvious!"
"Have a bit more confidence in yourselves!"
Seeing Akumo's bright smile—the same as it had always been—Raul found himself tearing up. Gareth and Tione smiled alongside him, treating it as the natural conclusion.
"....!!"
"What's wrong, Akumo-san?"
"Gareth! I'll leave the others to you!"
'The sound of battle...!!'
Detecting a faint sound of combat in the distance, Akumo immediately handed the wounded over to Gareth and sprinted toward the noise.
"Could it be...!!"
'Line's group wasn't among those I met before reaching Gareth's team...!'
"Please!!"
Tatap, tatap—!!!!!!!!!
As he neared the source, the sound of screaming began to reach his ears.
"Kyahahahaha!!!!!!!!"
Squelch—!!
"I knew it! Pieces of trash like you need to have your limbs severed!"
"G-gaaah...!!"
'Ah....'
Inside the chamber, Valetta—who had already suffered heavy damage due to Raul's group—was venting her sadistic desires by brutally slaughtering Line and her companions.
Lloyd, Karos, and Ange were on the verge of death with severed limbs. Riza, Line, and Luini were slated to be the next victims, currently suffering under the slow torment of Valetta's blade.
"Aaagh!!!!"
"More...!! Let me hear more of those screams!!!!"
"....."
"Tch! What, are you dead? Or just about to be?"
'I still have plenty of toys left~'
Line looked at the approaching Valetta with eyes that had lost their light. Behind her despair and the tears streaming down her face was a desperate plea for salvation.
'I don't want to die.....'
Thud—!
"Cry all you want!! No one is coming to help you—"
Just as Valetta raised her sword to strike the mocking blow.
Grip—!
"!?"
"Line...."
"Ah...!! Ah...."
Drip, drip.
"Akumo-san....!!"
The Hero of Orario—no, the Hero of the Loki Familia had reappeared. Line's tears fell uncontrollably, and Akumo gave her a reassuring, bright smile as if to tell her it was alright now.
"T-the [Pioneer]...!?"
Crack—!
"Gah...!!!!?"
"Shut your mouth, you wretched bitch."
Swoosh—!
Boom—!!!!!!!!!!!!
Akumo grabbed Valetta by the throat and slammed her into the wall with enough force to shatter stone before immediately turning his attention to his dying comrades.
"....."
"Akumo-san..."
"....."
"Please.... Save.... them...."
"....Of course!"
Line realized what Akumo was about to do and tried to stop him. Knowing he would risk his own life to save theirs, she screamed out in a desperate plea.
"[O darkness that envelops the night sky and the world, grant us your embrace.]"
"...!!"
"[O light that illuminates the world and life, grant your blessing to those who live by your dawn.]"
A warm dawn light enveloped the bodies of Line, Luini, Riza, Lloyd, Karos, and Ange, mending their broken forms.
Simultaneously, Akumo felt his Mind deplete at a terrifying rate. Dizziness swamped his consciousness as the world began to spin.
Stagger—!
"....Dammit."
Thud—!
"Akumo-san!!!!!!"
Her body healed, Line immediately rushed to Akumo's side and caught him as he collapsed. Her eyes wouldn't stop flowing with tears, overwhelmed by gratitude and a crushing sense of guilt.
Stagger, stagger...
"Ki, kik...!! You stupid brat...!!"
'Giving me an opening like that!'
Seeing him fall, Valetta abandoned her mangled right arm and took up a broken blade with her left.
A mad grin stretched across her lips, but just as she moved to cut down Line and the unconscious Akumo.
Grip—!!!!!
"What...!! Who is it!"
Shivers—!
'T-these guys are...!!'
The ones who caught her strike from behind were the very members who had just been lying on the verge of death.
"Don't you touch..."
"Our Hero...!!"
"Stop hurting him already!!!!!!!!"
Their eyes were filled with fury toward Valetta and tears for Akumo. Just as Valetta had stubbornly clung to life for her sadistic desires, they rose with a tenacity to save their hero.
Standing tall, they looked at her without a shred of fear.
"You bastards...!! Fine, I'll carve you up again—"
Slam—!!!!!!!!
"!?"
'My strength...!?'
"W-why...!!"
"Uoooooh!!!!!!!!!"
Whack—!!!!!!!!!!!
"Gah!?"
Valetta's body, already exhausted from numerous battles, had reached its limit after Akumo's initial blow. She was no longer in any state to fight.
Her condition was far worse than when she was slaughtering Level 2 and Level 3 adventurers earlier; there was no way she could withstand the focused rage of the fully healed members.
"No...!!"
Thud—!!!!
"This can't be happening...!!!"
'I-I'm going to die...!?'
Crack—!!!!
"No!!!!!!"
'This can't—'
Squelch—!!!!
"We need to move Akumo-san outside....."
Step, step—
"Who goes there!"
Having finally finished Valetta, Line's group prepared to move the unconscious Akumo.
Suddenly, Lloyd sensed a presence entering the room and thrust his sword toward the intruder.
Slam—!!
"Gah!?"
"L-Lloyd!"
Slam—!!!
Thud—!
Against an overwhelming gap in power, they were knocked unconscious in an instant.
The other members rushed forward, but beneath the might of Eine, they were all silenced. Finally, only Line remained, cradling Akumo in her arms and glaring at Eine to protect him.
".....So you're finally dead. Valetta."
Slide—
"D-don't come any closer! This person is..."
Stab—!!
Before she could shout another word, Eine plunged a ritual dagger she held into Akumo's back.
"...Huh?"
'A-Akumo-san...?'
"No...."
Tremble—
"Aaaah....!!!! Aaaah!!!!"
Line's mind went blank, staring at the scene in hollow disbelief. Her eyes couldn't process what was happening.
".....Hero."
'Even for a monster like me.....'
Watching the dagger absorb something from the boy, Eine whispered the word "Hero" and pulled the blade out. She gazed quietly at the fallen Line and Akumo for a moment before turning and walking slowly away, vanishing into the dark.
Slide—
"...!!"
Grip—!!!
As Eine turned back toward her, Line's gaze transitioned from fury to a glimmering hatred; she looked ready to charge at any second to protect Akumo.
Thump—!
Thud—!
But will alone could not bridge the gap. Struck in the back of the neck, Line finally lost consciousness.
Eine stared at them silently, her gaze unwavering.
"..."
In the end, Eine did not kill them. She left the room leisurely, carrying only her ritual dagger.
A short while later, Bete and Aki's party, who had been frantically searching for reinforcements, discovered the fallen group. They were immediately escorted out of Knossos, bringing that day's sudden encounter and decisive battle to a close.
========================
The website for reading paid chapters is available on my Patreon. The number of chapters on Patreon: 100
Link: patreon.com/UltraMagnus_T