An Unequal World and Lionheart's Fall
The power balance in this world is strange. Or rather, it might be more accurate to say I survived.
Honestly, I'd prepared a lot of plans. The fact that so many of them got exposed was a huge loss. Those are tricks that only work in the opening clash when the enemy knows nothing about me—and only when they massively underestimate me. Next time I try the [Handshake] skill, she'll probably crush my hand. She could have smashed the [Memorize Spellbook] right from the start. The glowing dinosaur has no real counter, but it can't serve as an attack either. Next time we meet, it'll definitely die for sure.
If there's one stroke of luck, it's that she really came to see me with such light footsteps. She must have thought of it as some kind of mind game. On top of that, she even pinpointed me as the [Hero]. I can't tell if it was just a guess or if she heard it from some higher-dimensional being. But one thing's clear: they don't come at me with full intent to kill just because I'm the [Hero].
If anything, it felt like she was testing if I'd break. She didn't even need to pretend to be the coachman and drive the carriage. If we'd been clueless, she could've crushed the whole thing flat and that would've been the end. What the hell is the black curtain thinking, releasing the [Evil God] from its seal? Or letting me roam free after guessing I'm the [Hero]? No clue.
The most solid guess is that it's not Maou-related. Probably some freak individual with exceptional abilities unrelated to the Maou pulling strings. No point overthinking it—no answers anyway. If there were, I'd be a genius.
From her perspective, the info I've shared is: I use magic from the [Memorize Spellbook], my main attack is [Fireball], I can use [Time Stop] but can't break it myself, I summon a glowing dinosaur, I force handshakes, I can summon a giant greatsword, and I can turn my skin to metal. That's about it.
Next time, she'll obviously have counters for all that. Or maybe not. She took over 20 stacks of [Fireball] straight to the face, and all it did was scorch her clothes a bit and leave some ash. That's S-grade. Master-level adventurer or equivalent. And if I'm not imagining it, she didn't even use [Mana]. She was just playing with me on pure [Physical Ability] terms.
Thinking about it kept me tossing and turning in bed, unable to sleep. The mattress wasn't uncomfortable or anything... It's just that someone wants me dead—and despite having the power to do it easily—they're holding back for some goal, or maybe just for fun? I don't know. And even calling me [Hero] with near certainty, they still won't kill me? Even though a growing [Hero] might threaten them someday?
'Maybe they don't care if they lose to the Hero.'
The enigmatic black curtain recklessly unleashing [Evil Gods]. But that entity only releases them—never touches them directly. As a result, the era turned into a blood-soaked struggle where the strong chase glory in claiming the [God-Slayer] title.
The byproducts from repelling [Evil Gods] become divine materials—practically holy relics. Ugly desires to possess them, proofs of one's power, and so on... The [Evil Gods] pop up like weeds, only to be repelled by the era's powerhouses, devoured by mystery entities, or found as corpses after being slain.
What should I do... The [Bopal Weapon] with [Time Stop] can only slash straight down. The instant-kill condition is decapitation, but who's going to duck for me? If the blade tip even accidentally hits the ground, I'm dead. All I can do is catch it mid-air in suspension and drop it. And since the [Bopal Weapon] is the Hero's sword that even resists [Recycle], I have to console myself that I can use it that way at least.
I didn't expect her to break [Time Stop] head-on like that... Probably won't work on [Evil Gods] either. On the flip side, the [Outer God Fear] effect was solid. The downside's huge, though—my hostility toward the target might get me killed.
It requires using [Black Cat Rune] to swap luck first. And since it forces the target to focus only on me, I need allies to attack. 'Skills aplenty.'
I still have plenty of skills. [50] of them. The flaw is how few I can actually use.
'But no decisive trump card.' No real ace up my sleeve. I have them, but can't use them or they're restricted.
Can I even make it to Trust Union? Eventually, after tossing all night, dawn broke.
We'd spent the day at an inn in a small village, barely reached by Riko's flight. Breakfast was boiled potatoes, decently grilled bacon and fried eggs, plus baked beans—plentiful enough to call hearty.
Riko lightly filled up on fruit, while Hyacinth—maybe haunted by nightmares from the Hands Collector—barely pretended to eat before setting down his utensils.
No adventurer guild even in this rural spot, so no way to send letters. I sighed at the lack of newspapers too, watching cows work the fields.
"Thank you, Radamu-nim."
We'd sent Circe's severed arm, packaged with a [Radamu Fruit] for recovery. Worried how to deliver, but last night Riko must've contacted them—come morning, a flock of beauties swarmed in and took the arm and fruit.
In the midst, hugs of thanks, kisses, offers like "if you're ever interested..." But minor stuff. We'd succeeded in recovering her arm. Not bad for a few days' work.
"For finding Circe-nim's arm."
"...No need to thank me for that."
"...Then how should I thank you?"
Last night's stunt was reckless no matter how I sliced it. Riko, with her worried face, chewed me out: no following such plans again.
Just knowing of his existence raises the Hands Collector's guard. She didn't check the carriage either. I yelled for everyone to hide immediately.
My guess that she'd target me was spot-on, and I'd drawn her eyes plenty. I'd prepped Hyacinth with [Metal Mimic Bullets] made from snipping her long hair tips bit by bit.
Better bullet quality means more power, so these were valuable—and indeed, the only things to actually wound her.
I'd have loved to behead her, but from moving in [Time Stop] to only vertical slashes, severing an arm was the best I could do.
—No doubts about whether I could kill.
"If bait's needed next time, let me do it—you know that, right?"
Riko's physically fragile too. Relying on comrades is tough. If I rack my brain, a way might appear.
'Don't wanna gamble.'
Constellation skills are high-risk, high-return.
.....She probably spilled all my info to the black curtain, so my abilities are exposed to their agents. Next encounter, fight cautiously. Don't know how much the Hands Collector revealed—or if it was just a fraction—but let my guard down, and I can win.
—Assuming I kill her next time.
'Won't get black curtain info that way, though...'
With [Clear Mind] keeping me calm, I meditated briefly and drew a breath.
Our party's look was long exposed. We decided to all hood up and hide our faces, but if we go to Trust Union and they launch a big terror attack? Or if they're waiting for me there?
I'd sent a letter via Riko's crow to Trust Union. Hope the guilds or union see it and respond.
"Newspaper's here."
The crow fetched a newspaper from afar. ...Did they pay properly? Sketchy.
Riko naturally sidled up, unfolding it beside me. There, like fate itself, pointing my path amid my indecision—a single headline.
Constellation prank? Or the Goddess of Fate's guidance? I took the paper from her and checked.
It said a kingdom fell to a mysterious entity that appeared out of nowhere. Details were scarce as a breaking report, but one phrase—"succubus"—was enough to move me.
"No way, right?"
Riko eyed me, half-disbelieving. Ah, she doesn't know. Makes sense—I've spoken to the goddess directly.
I quietly folded the paper. Wrote Hyacinth a few more letters, lied that we might be tracked so scatter and head out—he set off first for Trust Union. Told him I'd be hunted but with Riko I could fly away; after agonizing, he went ahead, insisting I stay safe.
"...He might get mad if he finds out I lied."
"But Hyacinth's all loyalty—scaredy-cat but he'd follow anyway."
Brother who'd rage "you'll die going after Evil Gods!" but tag along regardless.
"Aren't you scared? Shaking? We might die."
Riko was the one trembling as she asked. She didn't ask why—just knew more about Circe anyway. I just smiled.
"Just heading there for now. Other adventurers will show too."
"....."
If it's too dangerous, I'll stake my life to protect you. He'd said that, gripping my hand.
"Might be the other way around."
My next destination was set: the Feridae holy land, Lionheart Kingdom.
Ironically, not far from here. The Goddess of Fate's guidance, maybe.
With a wry smile, I grabbed my spirit sword and walked off with Riko.