Translator: Norva
――Escape from here.
As Elfi harden her words.
Because right now, the way left for us is only withdrawing.
That was understandable.
However, as for the ones who said it, I realized that she did not intend to escape herself.
「……What are you going to do, Elfi」(Iori)
「If both of us escaped from here, he’ll follow us. Therefore it is necessary that either one of us remain here to earn some time」(Elfi)
「……So, are you saying that you are going to stay behind?」(Iori)
As for my body which unable to muster any strength, I still try to reach for Elfi to disagree with her. Suddenly, Elfi swiftly flipped her body vigorously before I can reach her.
「……!」(Iori)
There was countless of swords flew toward our direction. Before Elfi counter it by using the gravitational force of her demon eyes to knock it down to the ground.
「Hah! Discussion over this period!? Quite carefree, don’t you think?」(Dionis)
Dionis who has lost his composure due of being deceived by Elfi were glaring at our direction, and while he doing so, he began to create countless swords surrounding us.
「Iori, escape quickly because I do not have much time」(Elfi)
「……What are you intended to do? You know what happens if you stay, right!」(Iori)
「Aah, I know」(Elfi)
Elfi nodded if it is not surprising as if it were natural to do so.
「But haven’t you forgotten? That, I was the former demon king. a.s.suming, that I was killed, it possible for me to revive at the cost of times. So don’t worry because I’m going to be fine」(Elfi)
The Mazoku which contained a huge magical power is able to be revived even if they are killed. That is what the reason why Elfi was sealed in the barrier.
However……
「Reviving……How long will it take?」(Iori)
「Well, If it is in my current state, I will be revived after 600 years. If I intend to break the seal, I guess it would take around 1000 of years, I think?」(Elfi)
Elfi said that with her usual tone like it was not something to be worried about.
「What? A Mazoku is original have a long lifespan. About several hundred years. But Iori, you are different from me. If you die, it’s over for you」(Elfi)
It is over if I die.
Indeed, that’s right. But being sealed is no better than death itself.
Elfi said it when we went outside the labyrinth.
――Because the inside of the seal is isolated from the world, it is pitch black. It was a place without light and sound.
She saying that she does not mind it so much in a blunt tone. But it was different because, at Karen’s mansion, Elfi was saying.
――I don’t want to……I hate it, for being in the dark……again.
――Please don’t leave me alone.
That might have been Elfi true feeling because she has been trapped in a world without light and sound for a long time alone by herself, moreover, I can’t imagine how painful it is for her.
「――――」(Iori)
While trying to hide it, Elfi told me to leave.
Though, Elfi didn’t frighten when she said that. but I was aware of her trembling voice.
「……Do not be ridiculous, as if I will abandon you. Now, let’s escape together with me!」(Iori)
「Don’t spouting some absurd thing……! I have told you that I don’t have any time anymore! Leave now!」(Elfi)
「――Amatsu, please don’t waste Elfisuzaku requests, could you?」(Dionis)
Dionis broke in our conversation in his cohesion tone.
「Anyway, I won’t let you escape and there is no escape for Elfisuzaku either, you see」(Dionis)
*NitaNita* Sinister smile float as Dionis grasp one of the swords that he creates. While performing some movement as if to slash something.
「Because she has completely irritate me, that b.i.t.c.h does not even have enough physical strength to escape anymore!!」(Dionis)
「……!」(Elfi)
As I looked towards Elfi, I notice that her legs were trembling and was hardly moved since a while ago.
d.a.m.n……!!
If I it thinks carefully, it was something easy to understand, but!
Despite it just an alter ego body, it should have a sense of pain too. She once said that it would consume the magical power every time she healed the wound. Moreover, she was just being tortured by Dionis a while ago, too.
Even just to stand, she barely……!
「For Elfisuzaku who betrayed my sympathy, I will torture you completely like rags before I kill you」(Dionis)
「……Iori! I beg you, get away from here quickly……!」(Elfi)
Then, Dionis snaps his finger.
At that instant, a barrier of water springs forth at the entrance.
「Yes, I was disappointed!」(Dionis)
「……!」(Iori)
Elfi shoots her demon eyes at the barrier but it just slightly cracked before it was completely repaired within a seconds.
「Gee, this stone is surprisingly convenient. Moreover, it is waste for humans」(Dionis)
「The Keystone……!」(Iori)
Dionis playing with the Keystone in his hand. A magic item that strengthens and maintain the effectiveness of the barrier.
Our way of retreat was completely being cut off.
「Idiot……! That’s why I told you to escape quickly!」(Elfi)
「In the beginning, I have never considering of running away……!」(Iori)
「Hee~ you are sweet! But, I never considering of letting you escape from here from the beginning either!!」(Dionis)
Thanks to a continuation-type portion, the wound on my leg have healed and it is possible for me to stand up.
As I intend to perform the counterattack by using the magic stone――
「!?」(Iori)
Dionis magic sword is being swept down and its numbers were exceeding 50 pieces of them, moreover, every single one of them is emitting an ominous light, and it blew up all at once before us as if it was trying broke through Elfi demon eyes.
「”Il Atalaxia”……!」(Iori)
The shield which I built instantly pulverized before my sight was covered by light and the sound died away as my body drifts in the air.
「Kuh……argh」(Iori)
My breathing stopped as I was flung against the ground like a brick. But it happens at the same time when I try to get up.
*Stab* as sudden shocks ran through my body.
「Ga……argh!?」(Iori)
As four swords were pierced through my limbs and I’m stuck on the ground as the blade penetrates into the ground.
「……Argh…, 」(Iori)
I’ve lost my voice as the cold sensation of iron penetrating through my body while the heat released by the wound simultaneously attack me.
It’s cold.
Hot.
I can’t breathe.
「It’s a specially made sword with plenty of magical power and it will not disappear soon, you know」(Dionis)
I can see Elfi is collapsing at the edge of my sight. The reason why I was able to keep my consciousness that seemed to crumble away is that I was able to confirm the presence of Elfi.
「……El…fi…」(Iori)
I draw out the strength from my body in order to pull out the pierced sword. However, the four swords did even slightly budge. While the lukewarm blood which began to outflow.
「It’s amazing that you can still worry about others. Are you worried about that s.l.u.t?」(Dionis)
「……!」(Iori)
「If so, then please pull out the sword as soon as possible because I shall spare Elfisuzaku if you could stand up, how about that?」(Dionis)
「……hn!……n!」(Iori)
「Okay, time out! It’s regrettable, that I’m going to torture Elfisuzaku!!」(Dionis)
Dionis released the water attack toward the collapsed Elfi.
The water attack which was shot has thrown Elfi against the wall of the room and the following instant,
「Oh yeah! It’s the right hand!!」(Dionis)
The right hand of the Elfi who was in the midair was struck by the sword that penetrates Elfi palm that has st.i.tches her to the wall.
「Look at that! It goes steadily, you know!? Next one, it’s the right foot!」(Dionis)
「……!」(Elfi)
「What’s wrong, Amatsu! Your beloved Elfisuzaku is suffering! So, you must do your best!」(Dionis)
「You……b.a.s.t.a.r.d!!」(Iori)
Without regard to the ripped flesh, I mustered all the strength from my whole body as I try my hardest to pull out the sword. Regrettably, even if I clench my teeth, screams and strengthen my body with magical power, the sword does not budge an inch.
「Elfisuzaku, it seems Amatsu does not want to help you? He such a heartless guy, isn’t he? Even though you vainly try to protect him with the cost of your own life! Well then, next is the left foot!」(Dionis)
「Gaha!」(Elfi)
「Finally, it’s the left hand!! Ahahahaha! The former demon king specimen is finished!」(Dionis)
Elfi had her limbs sewn on the wall while the blood is *DakuDaku* gushing out and flowed from the arm which was not her alter ego body.
「Stop……it」(Iori)
「If you want me to stop, you can go pull that sword! Why don’t you pull it out?」(Dionis)
「……!」(Iori)
「Okay, then I continue it」(Dionis)
A sword is created and skewering the whole body of Elfi and she does not scream while only raises a m.u.f.fled voice.
「It’s just a sword-piercing without the sense of art, don’t you think?」(Dionis)
While small sword like a knife appeared around Dionis. He begins to shoot and pierces the abdomen of Elfi with it.
「Then, its going boom!」(Dionis)
「Gah……!」(Elfi)
The knife which pierced Elfi has caused a small explosion that caused the abdomen of Elfi to burst open. Although the abdomen is a just an alter body, but there should be the sense of pain and Elfi should properly felt those pain of having her abdomen being blown off.
「AaaAaaaAaaARGH!!」(Iori)
Regrettably, the sword does not budge because my power is insufficient.
「AhaHaHAhahahahaha !!」(Dionis)
While Dionis mockery is audible.
「It’s going to explode! Boom!」(Dionis)
「………!」(Elfi)
「It your own fault!! For not listen!! To what! I say!!」(Dionis)
The blades cut the cheek of Elfi after the sword blasts off.
Not satisfied with only that, Dionis pierced both her arms which are not an alter ego body with a small sword persistently over and over again.
「After all, Amatsu. If you don’t have that borrowed power as a “Hero”, you cannot do a thing」(Dionis)
The sword still does not budge even after I struggle to remove it.
「You did not make any special effort, nor did you do anything special. You simply happened to be summoned by a chance as a brave and simply obtained the power of a foul cla.s.s. Which is not your own power or anything. So, if it ceases to exist, you will become an insignificant small fry」(Dionis)
While his sword inflicts a wound on Elfi.
「It’s a masterpiece. To showing off with the power that you got from others and after it disappears, you have turned into such unsightly as this」(Dionis)
The sword still does not budge.
「You said it before, right? That you have lived a life that’s just been swept away, hence I want to change myself in this world. Are you an idiiiiiiiiiot? You haven’t changed at all. Just being swept and drunk with those borrowed power」(Dionis)
Elfi is being further wounded by the sword. Not be able to maintain the alter ego body, the noise had started running. Mercilessly, the sword keeps gouging Elfi.
What only I can do was just watching while being sewn on the ground.
「Generally, those dream that『I want to end the war and make the world peaceful』You were just influenced by what Lucifina was saying, right? Since you yourself, you never thought such an exaggerated thing by yourself, wasn’t you?」(Dionis)
I could not refute.
I have already aware it.
I just longed for the words of Lucifina whom I admire.
「You simply was preoccupied because you were chosen as a “Brave” and it was no more than just a c.r.a.ppy hypocrisy. That’s why you were betrayed. Because you didn’t see anything! To save the world? Peace? Hey, say it again! It’s your dream, isn’t it?」(Dionis)
Because I thought that it was right.
Because I wanted to do something even if I was just being swept away.
As the mockery of Dionis echoes.
「……You’re speechless, aren’t you! Ahahahahahah!! You know your own unbecoming and dwarfness! You can’t even say something excessive such as that!」(Dionis)
「…………」(Iori)
「For a long time! I hate those sweet naive ideals of yours! Even though it was not your own power, those ideal was even not your own ideal!! To uphold it as your own, and it’s so arrogant itself to save the world!」(Dionis)
「………」(Iori)
「Didn’t you told me that you want to avoid your friend being hurt? That way of speaking is disgusting, it’s as if that you were saying like I am inferior to you……!」(Dionis)
Therefore.
「I will trample on your everything and it would be a nice place where you can see Elfisuzaku being defiled by me while you were crawling on the ground as it is. While I tearing off her clothes and exposes her bare naked before I violate her in front of you. For your beloved Elfi going through such a horrifying experience, it will be painful and frustrating, won’t it? But regrettable! You could not do anything because you have no power!!」(Dionis)
……That’s right.
I have no power.
The power to save Elfi, too.
「Then, I’ll kill you after I completely torture you. This is the end of your life who just being be swept away」(Dionis)
It was as Dionis said.
Both my power and ideal are borrowed from others because I’m merely being swept away and did not obtain it by myself.
「A……ah」(Iori)
My strength keeps coming out of my body.
Did I lose too much blood?
No, it is different.
My heart and willpower were broken by Dionis.
「After all……I was just being swept away by events……」(Iori)
I saw that Dionis had a big grin on his whole face.
But I can not say anything.
Because I cannot do anything.
It was the time when I was going to lose the strength that I going to use to pull the sword.
「――Really, is it that so?」(Elfi)
I heard a feeble voice with the very same question that I heard in the Gouache library.
「Were you really……just being swept away?」(Elfi)
「……Silence」(Dionis)
As swords pierce into Elfi who opened her mouth. Guh……After spitting small a breath. Nevertheless, Elfi continued with her words.
「Three decades ago……Did you really fight, just because you being swept away?」(Elfi)
「SHUT YOUR d.a.m.n TRAP!」(Dionis)
The sword inflicts damages on Elfi. Yet Elfi does not stop.
「At that time――You didn’t abandon me at the Labyrinth of Hades」(Elfi)
It is a time when we fought with the Earth Demon Lord and I once, tries to abandoned Elfi while escaping by myself.
「If you ran away at that time, you might have been saved yourself」(Elfi)
While an irritated Dionis persistently attacking Elfi.
「If you are really……!! Simply being swept away, you would just abandon me……!!」(Elfi)
That was――――
「I know you who had fought against the Maou forces for years……!」(Elfi)
「――――」(Iori)
「There will be no reason for you to keep fighting! If you are just being was swept away, right!」(Elfi)
「――――」(Iori)
As a blade hit Elfi face.
Elfi hangs down her face as blood gushes out.
「I have told you to shut your trap didn’t I!?」(Dionis)
Ignoring the noise, Elfi asked me one more time.
「――Truly, were you just being swept away?」(Elfi)
As for me.
I’m――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――.
「……I wanted to help」(Iori)
“Even if the “Hero” alone could survive, there is still hope” and it was said by someone who died to protect me. Besides, there was a someone who got hurt because of protecting me and I saw my friends who fought together with me was getting hurt many times.
I thought.
The friend who fights together.
The friend who is hurt, and suffers.
I want to help Luser, Dionis and Lucifina.
The trigger was just that.
Then, I saw a lot of people, the human, demi-human and the Mazoku and I saw many people were hurt in war.
To save the world, to make peace, to end the war.
There was no such exaggerated feeling to want to actually save all people. Albeit those ideals were all borrowed later.
――I saw so many crying faces.
The crying face of those who suffer, wounded, dying, lost their precious person, lamenting and sadness.
I saw it and thought.
How good it would be if I could turn that crying face into a laugh.
「As for the world peace……is certainly after that. However, it is true that I wanted to help the grieving person in front of me」(Iori)
「Well, having said such a sweet thing? You truly cannot be rescued anymore, don’t you?」(Dionis)
The friend who gets hurt in front of my eyes and those people who grieve in front of me. Because I thought that there is no choice but to end the war forsake of a smile.
Because I thought that there was no other option but to become a hero.
「Oh, come on Amatsu. That cheap hypocrisy is just a worthless garbage which was only overcome by feeling, you know」(Dionis)
I did not hear that irresponsible criticism anymore.
The power is a borrowed thing.
The ideal is an afterthought.
Now I lose both of them and heroes are nonsense and no more than something laughable.
It is not a borrowed thing and it’s not an afterthought. Without being swept away by someone.
At that time, I’m sure.
「――I decided myself become a hero」(Iori)
Then, there was a sound of iron breaking and it was the sword that sewed my limbs into the ground are shattered into pieces.
I raised as my limbs have become free.
「Wha……my sword is」(Dionis)
I almost fell down as I trying to move towards the astonished Dioni.
My legs are *GakuGaku* trembling as there is no strength left in my whole body while having no magical power anymore.
「Ha……you startled me with that dead body of yours. Fine, if it’s the case, I’m gonna kill that woman right now!」(Dionis)
Countless swords are created by the “Blade Trigger”. It was the tempest of the sword which was full of a severe magical power that different from those when he mess about until then. It is being shot off toward Elfi.
I saw Elfi is already closing her eyes as if she already has given up.
But, I cannot do anything with the present me.
Nonsense, as I forcibly draw strength from my body.
I won’t let you kill Elfi.
I do not want that fellow to die.
――I want to help her.
「――――」(Iori)
Suddenly, a noise ran into my sight.
The world is dyed in grey while the movement of thing that came into my view has become slow. The sword that has been released approaching Elfi are frozen.
At that moment, a man’s back emerged in the grey sight.
While looking at it, I mutter unintentionally.
「Ah……So, that what it really was?」(Iori)
The back which I looked at several times after I being re-summons for second times. The young man of the ash-haired who just look forward.
The farthest existence that seems to be the closest. I would not understand it so far because I avoided confronting it as myself was being blinded by blind rage.
But now.
I finally noticed the real ident.i.ty of the man.
――Hero Amatsu.
That was the former me when I lived in the past. Advocate a worthless ideal and brandish a borrowed power.
Nevertheless, it’s my power as I genuinely want to help someone.
――I reach out my hand at the back of that Amatsu.
My power has gone.
I also lost my ideals.
Still, I want to save Elfi.
「Therefore ――」(Iori)
Reproduce it.
The power of the former me.
Exactly, without a single millimetre of deviation. So if it does, my power would reach the fellow.
So that, I will able to save Elfi.
The proof of hero emits scorching light. The hot impulse in my chests has taken its form. With the guidance of the magical power, I uttered the image word.
「――【Hero Reproduction】」(Iori) TN it could be read as【The Rise】