Chapter 80
There were clues leading to the Archer left behind in various places . Libra felt suspicious as she followed the clues . As they led closer and closer to the Archer, Libra’s suspicions became convictions . There was no doubt about it…This trail was intentionally left behind . It was devised to such an extent that an ordinary person probably would not realize it, but if it was Libra, she would definitely put the pieces together .
She did not know his intentions, but it seemed that the other party was specifically looking for her . In that case, there was no other way . She would have to accept the invitation and ask him about his true intentions .
There were no signs of traps . After a.n.a.lyzing the terrain, temperature, and sound within a radius of several kilometers, she was certain that no traps had been set .
The Archer was an expert hunter . Although Libra would not lose at a long-range, the Archer’s true skills lay in the abundant knowledge of utilizing the terrain to set up traps . Furthermore, it was his role to compensate for offensive arcane magic which Ruphas was bad at . In fact, his favored form of attack was actually arcane magic, not arrows . Therefore, his reason for using an actual arrow was none other than to leave a clue .
However, Libra did not choose to return . If she chose to return now in order to call Ruphas and allowed the Archer to get away, everything they had done up to this point would go down the drain . If he seriously tried to get away, it would be difficult even for Libra to find him . Given his mobility, it would be easy for him to leave the capital while she was returning to Ruphas . Since the other party was practically inviting her, she might as well just follow through with it .
Having decided thus, Libra continued to follow the clues along with Karkinos . Faint footprints, traces of trampled gra.s.s, and body hair fallen in the undergrowth…Even with just a handful of such clues, Libra could accurately arrive at the destination . After searching for a while, she came to a dense forest . There were many objects to provide cover . This was the favored battlefield of the Archer .
“You have come, Libra . ”
“Sagittarius?”
As she turned towards the sound of the voice, there was a young man standing there . It was the commentator for the hunting festival, a man named Chiron . However, this was just an illusion created by arcane magic . Seeing through the illusion, Libra called out his name without hesitation .
Hearing her response, the Archer—Sagittarius smiled in satisfaction and shook his arm . Then, the man vanished and was replaced by a half-man, half-horse magical beast . The lower body was a horse, while the upper body was a muscular man . This was the true form of Sagittarius .
His black hair was cut to a flattop, while thick eyebrows framed his sharp eyes which were hidden behind sungla.s.ses . He had the dignity of a skilled hunter . With a cigar in his mouth and an unshaven beard, he looked to be in his late forties by human standards .
He was wearing a full-body robe . Libra knew it was an item which was created and given to him by Ruphas . Its effect was by no means great . It did not improve defense much and did not grant resistance to any attribute or abnormal status . However, it could change color to blend into the surroundings . It was a great equipment for stealth, but it was useless before Libra who could locate a creature by its breathing and heat signature .
“How unusual . For you to reveal yourself like this, when you rarely ever show yourself to others . ”
“……”
“You once said, ‘To be the ideal hunter is to hunt the prey down before they realize they are being hunted . ’…You almost never show yourself even to your allies . For someone who kills enemies from afar like a shadow, your current behavior is really puzzling . ”
Although both Sagittarius and Libra were long-range attackers, there was a difference in their approaches . Libra’s approach was to seek and destroy . She was a slaughtering machine that chased down the enemy relentlessly, overwhelming him with ma.s.sive firepower . In other words, despite being a long-range attacker, it was Libra’s style to proactively engage on her enemies without reservation . Her long-range attacks were not meant to fight the enemy at a distance, but rather to finish off a fleeing enemy or to cut off an escape route .
Sagittarius, on the other hand, was the opposite . His race—the centaur—was the perfect sniper who kept a distance from the enemy with its high mobility while continuously attacking the enemy from his blindspot .
Libra would start with a warning, letting the enemy recognize her so as to incite fear and pressure . However, Sagittarius would not do this . Without warning, he would take down a defenseless foe with one shot . He was basically an a.s.sa.s.sin . Libra was a professional combatant, but he was different . He was a professional killer .
Someone like him…Whenever he appeared before others, he would always disguise himself to hide his true form . Yet he was appearing like this now . This was what puzzled Libra . Did he appear like this because he did not feel threatened in the presence of comrades? No, if that was the case, he would have appeared before Ruphas directly . But since he did not do so, his appearance before Libra was unlikely to be a matter of “Come, let’s be comrades once more . ”
“…The current me have neither the right nor the face to appear before Ruphas-sama . That’s why I called for you . ”
“I can a.s.sume from those words that you are undertaking an action that is unfavorable to the interest of the master . ”
“It’s fine if you take it to mean that way . But first, I want you to listen to me . ”
The eyes of Libra and Sagittarius met and sparks flew . Karkinos, who was completely left out and unable to intrude in this atmosphere, could only sit down and lean against a tree in boredom . After all, he was a person who could serve no other purpose besides being a shield .
“I’m currently working with Leon . ”
“…With that traitor? Let me hear your reason . ”
Before she even verified the truth, Libra was already holding a machine gun in her hands . The implication was that she would shoot depending on the answer . However, Sagittarius’ expression did not change . It was an iron mask comparable to a golem like Libra .
“There is almost no difference between beastkin and magical beasts, yet we centaurs are cla.s.sified as magical beasts . Do you know why?”
“Because centaurs are not bipedal . The definition of humanoids in this world uses humans as a base form . While there could be some appendages like wings, humanoids are defined as creatures that can coexist with humans without being too different in shape . To be more precise, those who were created to resemble the G.o.ddess are labelled ‘humanoids’ . Therefore, if one’s form deviates too much from the base form, it cannot be considered ‘humanoid . ’ This is why you centaurs are not considered humanoids . Merfolk are cla.s.sified as magical beasts for the same reason . ”
“Indeed, but we centaurs do not abduct women like orcs and we do not actively attack people . We just live our lives quietly . Centaurs can coexist with humans . And yet we are viewed with hostility…merely because we are considered magical beasts . ”
Centaurs were gentle and thoughtful magical beasts . In a way, their calm and intelligent nature made them more suitable to be considered a civilized race than some humanoids such as the beastkin . In fact, the elves honored them as sages of the forest .
They were intelligent, quiet, and gentle . Although there were rare exceptions like Sagittarius, centaurs were basically pacifistic creatures that posed no danger to anyone . However, they were seen with hostility by humanoids other than elves and were even attacked in certain situations . This was because the humanoids were taught to consider all magical beasts as dangerous in the current world .
“I’ve been thinking that I want to change the current world . And now I have a reason to do so . ”
“So you’ve decided to side with Leon?”
“Yes . If he controls the world, the rights of the magical beasts will be improved . The situation of centaurs will be in a much better state than it is right now . ”
“You have changed, Sagittarius . As I recall, you were not the type of person to care about such things . ”
“I have certainly changed…After all, it has been two hundred years . I can’t be the kind of person I used to be anymore . Now…I have something that I want to protect . ”
Leon was a deviant among the Twelve Heavenly Stars since he had the ambition to replace Ruphas and the Demon King as ruler of the world . If he took over the world, the rights of magical beasts would certainly improve . But in that scenario, what awaited was a future without wisdom or civilization, one in which only the fittest would survive . There would be days of nothing except killing and eating . The world would regress to what it was without the wisdom of the humanoids, filled with only beasts and dinosaurs . This was not the future envisioned by Ruphas .
“Leon does not have the attributes of a king . At best, that man can be the leader of a mob . Have you gotten to the point where you can’t even see that anymore?”
“I know that . I’m planning to stand beside him and make up for the wisdom that he lacks . ”
“No, you don’t get it . That man will not listen to your advice . Considering he lives only by his instinct and desires, that man’s nature is truly that of a magical beast . ”
Libra pointed her machine gun at Sagittarius and then announced in an emotionless voice .
“Warning . It will be fine if you return to the master now . If you still side with Leon, you will be regarded as a threat and be eliminated . ”
“I’m sorry, but I have already decided . If it’s for the sake of those children, I will do anything . Even if…I have to choose a road that opposes Ruphas-sama!”
Sagittarius roared and drew his bow . What was unleashed was not a real arrow, but an arcane magic composed of a burning red flame .
Sagittarius’ affiliated attribute was Wood, so normally he was not a terrifying opponent for Libra . However, the bow that Ruphas gave him two hundred years ago was troublesome! Its effect changed the attribute of the magic that was used . Its name was Kaus Media . It was the only bow in the world that could always strike at the target’s weakness . In other words, the absolute advantage that Libra had in this matchup was completely negated by the bow .
“Well then, Karkinos Barrier!”
“What’s!?”
Libra quickly grabbed the nearby Karkinos and used him to deflect the incoming magical arrow . Although Karkinos was useless except for being a shield, he was the best among the Twelve Heavenly Stars in terms of defense . Although the usage gave off a sense of wrongness, Libra harmlessly blocked Sagittarius’ first attack by using Karkinos as a shield .
“Hostile intentions towards master confirmed . This re-cla.s.sifies Sagittarius as an enemy . Proceeding with elimination . ”
She squeezed the trigger of the machine gun and fired a scattering of rounds . But Sagittarius quickly took cover among the trees, evading the incoming bullets . He had probably predicted this development .
Libra quickly changed her weapon from a machine gun to a rifle, grabbed Karkinos, and chased after Sagittarius . The alliance of Sagittarius and Leon was troubling . If he was not eliminated here, it would become an obstacle to her master . Libra charged forward, using Karkinos as a shield to block incoming magic fired from between the trees .
She used Karkinos to deflect the ma.s.ses of flames flying overhead .
“No!?”
The water arrows shot from between the trees was blocked by Karkinos .
“Stop!”
He was used to step on the earthen spears coming forth from the ground . Karkinos was thrown to deflect the incoming metallic arrows .
“Oh my G.o.d!”
She recovered Karkinos and accelerated, shielding herself behind Karkinos as she charged towards the wall of fire that appeared ahead . And so she broke through the wall and emerged from the flames .
“Help me!”
Karkinos screamed every time he encountered magic, even though it was a rare opportunity where he could play a role . Libra shut him up, told him to endure it, then aimed her rifle at Sagittarius .
And she fired . A continuous stream of homing bullets created by Ruphas shot at Sagittarius . Of course, she was not merely aiming straight at him . Some of them were fired to cause intentional ricochets, while others were fired to knock down the trees before Sagittarius to cut off his escape routes .
However, Sagittarius evaded all of the bullets and pa.s.sed under a falling tree before it could block him . As expected of centaurs, which were proud of their leg power .
She wanted to use Astraea and finish this in one go, but it could not be used without Ruphas’ permission . In other words, in a situation where she could not contact Ruphas, she must eliminate Sagittarius with her own power . Libra pa.s.sed the rifle to Karkinos and released the mechanism on her right arm .
“Skill selection . Unlock limiter on right arm . The Right Scale (Zubenelgenubi), release!”
As she made her declaration, her right arm changed into a cannon and she aimed it at Sagittarius, who was fleeing ahead . In Libra’s field of vision, his heat source was displayed, thereby ignoring the effects of Sagittarius’ camouflage robe . A circular marker overlapped with the words “Lock-on” on that spot .
“Accuracy sixty-two percent…Fire!”
The muzzle emitted violet electrical sparks . Upon firing, the recoil blew away the plants behind Libra . And a flash of light was released towards Sagittarius, blowing away all of the trees and obstacles in between .
However, Sagittarius dodged marginally and avoided a direct hit . Even so, the attack had opened the way to Sagittarius . Libra accelerated using the vernier thrusters on her back, becoming a bullet herself that sped towards Sagittarius .
And then, with her steel head, she bashed into Sagittarius’ face .