Chapter 96
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Graver (5)
Same time.
Aoshen, where the Azure Dragon Festival was being held.
In the newly established residence of the Hiiragi family there.
In the deepest and largest room among them, two men faced each other.
One was the man called the head of the Hiiragi family.
And the other...
"Is this true, Father?"
Hiiragi Masato, the son of that man.
Masato's eyes shook mercilessly as he stared at his father.
Was it a lack of conviction in his own words?
Or a lack of confidence in his own actions?
Masato had always been accustomed to simply bowing his head and obeying rather than talking back in front of his father.
Yet here and now, he was confronting his father head-on.
"......"
The family head said nothing.
He merely furrowed his brows ever so slightly while gazing at Masato.
It was an unforeseen turn of events for him.
He had done everything possible to prevent Masato from learning the truth.
How on earth had the secret leaked out?
But he couldn't afford to panic over something so trivial if he hoped to lead the Hiiragi family.
He replied in a deep, resonant voice.
"Where did you find out?"
"That's not the point right now!"
Tang!
The jade table between them rang out with a sharp crack.
Masato's jaw quivered as he slammed his palm down hard.
"The vicious rumors that swirled after I entered the Azure Dragon Festival. The semifinalist from the first match who vanished without a trace! You're telling me our family orchestrated all of it from the shadows?!"
"......"
It was an expression the family head had never seen on his son before.
Masato had never been one to challenge his father's words.
Let alone raise his voice at him.
But right here, right now, his son's eyes blazed fiercely.
To say it wasn't welcome would be a lie.
The Hiiragi family head had always hoped his son would grow into a true man.
Only...
He hadn't wanted it to unfold like this.
A little reeducation seemed in order.
His son's worldview needed some correcting.
"Yes. It's true."
"......!"
Masato's eyes flew wide open.
He snapped his mouth shut just as words were about to spill out.
"So what do you expect me to do about it?"
"......Pardon?"
"The family has backed you every step of the way, body and soul, so you could become a splendid hero. Elixirs, secret manuals, food, clothing, shelter—we've spared nothing. And now you're complaining?"
"How can you...... even say that? You know that's not what I mean. I'm talking about why you manipulated everything behind my back without a word to me—"
"That was for your sake too!"
Kwang!
A roar erupted alongside a shockwave of energy that rattled the room.
Masato fell silent at the sight.
His father was furious.
How dare his son meddle in his affairs?
No.
This was merely a stern correction for his naive son's misconceptions.
"You think you'll do it all on your own power? Ridiculous! The world is unfair! Those with power have the edge, and those without are at a disadvantage! What's wrong with using our family's strength?!"
"That's not right! A true hero wouldn't rely on cheap tricks like—"
"What nonsense. You fool who doesn't even realize how many 'have-nots' you've crushed to climb this high!"
"......What?"
Masato's mouth trembled rigidly.
What had his father just said?
That the position he'd earned was built by trampling the powerless?
No way...
"You're saying everything I've accomplished so far... was founded on dirty schemes like those at the Azure Dragon Festival...?"
"Exactly."
The family head nodded gravely.
Whether to reveal the truth one day or bury it forever—it was a dilemma for when Masato had matured enough.
But the truth was out now.
No helping it.
It might sting.
But Masato would have to grow up here and now.
"Accept it, Masato. No hero rises solely on their own strength. The swan gliding gracefully above the water paddles its filthy webbed feet below."
"......"
"Just take what's offered. Follow the path we've paved straight to success. After that, carve your own way with your own power, just as you desire."
"......Ah."
Masato bowed his head.
The light was fading from his eyes, bit by bit.
Everything he'd believed in.
Everything he'd taken for granted.
All of it... built on pillars of utter deceit.
How humiliating.
"Family Head!"
At that moment, the sliding door flew open with a bang.
"What is it?"
"You need to come see this. Corpses are rising across all of Aonia...!"
"What?!"
The family head shot to his feet and threw open the window.
A rotting stench flooded in alongside screams.
Kyaaak—
Kill—!
Save me—!
"......"
"And a colossal corpse pile has risen all the way to the heavens from the mountain near Aoshen. If we're not careful, it'll descend on the town and slaughter the residents. What are your orders?"
The subordinate sought the family head's decision.
What would they do?
Aonia's famed Hiiragi family.
How to act from this position for maximum gain?
"Just clear out the corpses shambling through the village."
The family head decided swiftly.
"Leave the corpse pile alone. Wasting our strength on it would be pointless. Someone else will handle it eventually. If it gets too close, we block it then."
"Understood."
The family head moved to follow his departing subordinate.
Then Masato looked up belatedly.
"Father!"
"......"
"I'll go too. I'll help defend Aonia—"
"Masato."
The family head's words carried immense weight.
Enough to crush his son's shoulders.
"Don't be reckless. You need to win the Azure Dragon Festival."
"......"
"Your semifinal match is tomorrow. I'll ensure it goes ahead as planned. Rest up and prepare."
That was that.
The family head strode out to join his men.
Left alone, Masato stared blankly at the tatami mat.
Why?
Why did the world around him...
Insist on molding him into a fabricated hero?
Was there truly nothing he could choose for himself?
"......Damn."
Thud.
He punched the mat.
"Damn it."
What even was a hero?
People were getting hurt right now.
Yet here he sat, scheming only for his own gain...!
"Damnnnn it!"
Kwaang!
The corpse pile slammed into the ground.
But it was too late.
Yoru, who had been standing there, was already gone.
Sergerk!
The aura-charged blade carved a massive gash into the corpse pile.
■■■■■■■■■■■■…
The corpse pile unleashed an unintelligible scream.
In truth, a blow like that couldn't fell the corpse pile.
Even severing its legs was beyond human limits.
But.
It could buy time.
And that was enough.
Hwaaak…
A step back from Yoru's fierce clash with the corpse pile.
There, I gripped my sword with iron resolve.
Particles of light converged on the blade.
The focused light boiled furiously, shining with blinding brilliance.
"Huuu…"
How many tens of minutes had passed like this?
Sweat poured from my body like rain.
With mana drawn to its limit and funneled into the blade, exhaustion crept in.
But I couldn't stop now.
The enemy was a monster—a colossal one stretching to the heavens.
One strike to kill. Anything less, and it would regenerate, squandering our chance.
So.
Here and now, I had to wring out every ounce of strength to gather the light.
Graver chattered and laughed from within the corpse pile.
He was already buried deep inside, out of sight.
Jeers raining down from absolute safety.
But Yoru paid them no mind.
Not even an eyebrow twitched as she launched herself at the pile again, blade flashing.
Sak!
Corpses sheared off, blood fountaining into the air.
She dodged by a hair's breadth and pressed the assault.
She was truly going all out.
The plan I'd just set in motion.
The dark sword art I'd learned from the Sword Master: convert all mana to light for the Light Severance.
Then unleash the maximally compressed light energy to obliterate the corpse pile.
But the plan hinged on one condition.
Someone to buy time.
So I could focus solely on forging the Light Severance.
And the only comrade who could pull it off...
Was Yoru.
"Haa, haa…!"
Ragged breaths escaped Yoru's lips.
She had long surpassed her limits.
A scenario beyond her original capabilities.
Yet Yoru now fought as if shattering her own boundaries to aid me.
In that case.
I had to repay her in kind—with full force.
"Yoru!"
"Yeah!"
I called out, signaling her to break off.
She read my intent and retreated instantly.
[What is this? What's your game?]
Graver finally piped up from inside the pile.
Too late.
My blade was now invisible, the sword aglow like earthly lightning.
"Farewell."
I hefted the impossibly heavy sword of light with everything I had...
And brought it down.
Hwaaaak!
Pure white radiance bleached the night.
As if the sun had plummeted to earth, brilliance flooded all of Aonia.