Chapter 17
The Fear that Starts to Move (5)
At the same time the mountainous Hekatonkheires tore the ground and revealed its body, the adventurers, including Gin, Maia, and Meer had fallen into a pinch.
After chasing the knights for awhile out of town, they soon found the knights. However, they had been destroyed in the worst way.
“What have we got here?! (何がどうなってんだ！)…That guy Bern Fleet would do anything!” (Gin)
“They were probably attacked by something. But I have never heard of a monster that could penetrate the armor of a Knight in this way.” (Maia)
“They died instantly.” (Meer)
Though Gin, Maia, and Meer became anxious at the circ.u.mstance that caused thousands of Knights to die instantly, the brilliant military-grade items caught the money-hungry eyes of the adventurers and they began to collect them.
“It’s alright-ne? To selfishly die makes it easy on us.” (「いいんじゃねーの？ 勝手にしんでくれてりゃーよ 俺たちは楽でよ」)
“Lucky— even the lackeys had such good weapons. Casting pearls before swine-n.”
“It is better that I use it, and the weapon is also happy. Gyahaha!”
As they continue the search, Gin found the royal family private carriage. The corpse of Bern Fleet came into sight, but Gin stepped over it to rush up to the carriage.
“Is Riri safe?!” (Gin)
“Stop!” (Maia)
“-tsu!?” (Gin)
Gin immediately stepped back and saw a large Knight he’d never seen before, sparkling in golden full-body armor and holding the hilt of a golden sword several times his height.
And, he already held the third princess Ririade of Bronze kingdom in one hand.
“Golden armor and a large sword…I wonder why the Platinum country national hero is here?” (Maia)
By ‘hero’ she meant the champions of the collapsed country, not the original Hero. Maia knew his ident.i.ty. He was the former hero known as [Rampart Cleave] of the Platinum Country that was ruined several years ago. It was thought that he had perished along with his country, so why was he in this place? And what did he intend to do with Ririade?
The hero lifts the sword lightly from his swing towards Gin, before turning the tip towards Maia.
“It is the instruction of Ray. But I will say one thing, I did not kill the knights.” (Golden)
“If that’s true, then how do you know-?! That’s not how it looks when we see your large sword.” (「そんなのみたらわかるってーの！どう見てもアンタの大剣じゃないってことぐらい」)
While Meer removed her magic book, the former hero struck out his chest. Maia searched her memory, but did not recognize the name Ray. This was because Ray was the alias of the Avatar of Crow who was fighting the Hekatonkhieres. To know this name means death, but the golden hero was unwise and let it slip from his mouth.
“Depart from this place. I was told that no person is to come close to the princess. If you do not want to die then vanish.” (Golden Hero)
“It is not possible to take the former hero’s advice! Saying that when whether or not you will put Riri somewhere we don’t know!” (Gin)
Gin rushed at the former hero and thrust his sword into a gap of the golden armor, but with the sound of clashing metal, Gin’s sword snapped.
“Bring mithril-made weapons if you want to cut this sword and armor, boy.” (Golden Hero)
“What!? Guwaaa.” (Gin)
The former hero wearing golden armor, cleanly brought his knee up into Gin’s stomach. Gin flew in a parabola and, withstanding the pain, landed and vomited up blood. It was that much of an intense blow. The adventurers who saw it flinched, because in terms of ability Gin is the strongest in this town. Gin was in awe of the strength of the former hero who was not even hurt.
But Maia and Meer were unfazed.
“As expected of a former hero, the defensive force is too much. His large sword covers any opening, but speaking clearly I just want to run away…” (Meer)
“Unfortunately we are S rank! I have exceeded this degree of force many times-!” (Maia)
Now Maia charged. The long sword in both of her hands rapidly accelerated.
“Please follow up!” (Maia)
“Leave it to me!” (Meer)
Meer turned the pages of her magic book, chanting fast and fluent despite the twists. An shining aura of red light sprung out of the magic book and was sucked into Maia who began running. Then Maia’s long sword turned a feverish red.
Meer was using something called
“Ha!” (Maia)
“What a slow attack. Are you truly S ranked?” (Golden Hero)
The former hero raised the large golden sword with one hand easily, and calmly adjusted it to match Maia. The sound of clashing metal rose. As they competed, the power was visible, but a long crack appeared in Maia’s long sword. An attacking blast is caused further as the huge golden sword is swung again at Maia.
“Argh.” (Maia)
“Are you kidding me! Even Maia reinforced with [Berserker Blow] it’s impossible to defeat-?!” (Meer)
Meer began to pile on
“Thank you Meer.” (Maia)
“You don’t even have to ask me!” (Meer)
“Hey you…another! Because the dead do not understand!” (TL: yeah, not sure. This was the closest I could get.「ちょっとアンタ…… もう！ 死んでも知らないから！」)
When Maia again charged toward the former hero, Gin also sprang out at the same time. His hand held the sword of a fallen knight. Wiping the vomited blood from his mouth, he attacked the hero fully prepared to die if necessary.
“I will also continue, Eeeh!” (Gin)
“““Oooohhhh!”””
The adventurers saw the majestic figure of Gin and enthusiastically changed from flinching away to attack the former hero, surrounding him.
“Even in our country that fell to ruin due to lacking preparedness, it is rude to cut corners…I shall get serious and cause you to perish, otherwise you will probably be put out?” (Golden Hero) (「その覚悟が我が国にもあれば、滅びなかったかもしれんな…… 手を抜いては失礼に値しよう、本気を出そうではないか)
When he casually drops Ririade to the ground from his side, the former hero clasped the large golden sword with both hands. Lifting the blade as if to pierce the sky, he tried to seriously draw out a single powerful blow. This strongest blow had come to be called [Rampart Cleave]. Even with the hardest sword, it will end up in two. As if to cut the sky and everything in his field of view, he swung down the golden sword and, changing direction horizontal, the former hero became the central axis. Becoming the axis of the rotation, he couldn’t generate a rigid sword if his steps are not grounded. As he turned the sword’s rotation, he made an attempt to attack Maia and Gin in one fell swoop. (TL: I guess it’s some sort of spin attack?)
*ooooaaaarrrr* (sfx ominous presence)
At the moment he swung towards Maia, the Multifaceted Hekatonkheires revived from the ground in the north of Hairun and displayed its form, which became an earthquake and shook the ground where the former hero stood, tangling his steps. The blow from the former hero’s sword curved from its axis, and his swing greatly missed above the heads of Maia and Gin.
“I wonder if G.o.d had a grudge against me?” (Golden Hero)
These were the tragic hero’s last words. While Maia shattered the golden armor, Gin and the adventurers pierced the hero’s body with their weapons.