Finally Out, But Getting Trapped Again Isn't Fun (2)

"Come on, let's go! Hurry!" I shouted, yanking the prison members to their feet and dragging them out of the cell.

"Move it, move it! Faster!" I tried to push us along as quickly as humanly possible, but the prison members were weakened to the absolute limit. We were crawling.

Even as we struggled forward, screams, shouts, and the rumble of collapsing stone echoed from the far side of the hideout.

It probably isn't Reve by now… Does it have something to do with that first noise we heard?

The guard who had been watching us had burst out shouting earlier. That was still the biggest question mark. It had given us the chance to escape, sure, but—

"Hey! I said run!"

"But, big brother…"

"Run, damn it!"

Every time we heard bandits rushing past, we ducked into the shadows and kept moving along the route Reve had shown us. We weaved through the hideout until we finally reached the area near the boss's room.

Reve… still nothing?

Had there been less gunpowder in the storeroom than he expected? Or had he been caught? The explosion he'd promised ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠never came.

Reve…

When he'd confessed he was a demon and pulled aside his clothes, I'd frozen in shock. The glimpses of purple skin beneath the tightly wrapped fabric, the hood slightly lifted by the horn on his forehead, and those reversed eyes that flashed every time he blinked.

It's definitely… the same guy from that vision…

He looked exactly like the figure I'd seen sitting atop the ruined castle during the hallucination that hit me while Momo was teaching me Sword Arts.

If that was really the future… how did things end up that way?

In the vision, Reve and I had seemed close. I'd been holding a blade and he'd raised his fist, but we were glaring at each other with pure killing intent.

I clutched my head, spiraling. For now… escaping comes first. Everything else—my connection to Reve, that possible future—only mattered if we actually survived.

We hid behind some crates near the boss's room and watched.

All I hear are ominous screams… and some weird popping noises…

Because this was another world, even the cries of strange birds kept ringing out, cranking my anxiety higher.

"Hehe… butterfly…"

Suddenly the madman went full throttle and bolted.

"Hey—wait, wait!"

"Hehe… butterfly… don't go…"

He kept swiping at empty air, running without pause.

"Ugh, you two stay right here and don't move an inch!" I ordered the old man and the kid, then chased after him.

"Hehe… butterfly… butterfly…"

"Why the hell is this crazy bastard so fast…?"

I don't know where he found the energy, but the madman was unbelievably quick. Before I knew it we'd reached some unfamiliar section of the hideout.

"Huff… huff… Got you…"

Panting hard, I grabbed his shoulder the moment he stopped.

"Hey, you can't just suddenly—"

"Uh… uh… uhhhhhhhhhhhh."

"What the—why are you like this all of a sudden!"

The madman tapped his own head with his fingertips, then crouched right there on the spot.

"Uhhhhhifmomstaysstillthenstaystilldontmoveatallanddontbreatheanddontspeakyeahthinkingaboutseeingabutterflyabsolutelyabsolutelyabsolutelyabsolutelyabsolutelyabsolutely…"

Panic attack? What do I do in a situation like this…?

I tried to pull him up, tried to drag him, but his body was surprisingly heavy. He wouldn't budge.

"Damn it… now what?"

If we stayed here, not only the two of us but the kid and old man we'd left behind—and Reve too—would all be in danger.

Do I… have to make a choice?

If only Momo were here…

Just when my head was about to explode, a massive blast finally shook the air.

"…Reve!"

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!"

Whether because of the explosion or not, the crouched madman suddenly leapt up and charged—straight toward the sound.

"No!!!!!"

I screamed as I watched him run off.

"…Serves him right."

"Reve?"

Reve stepped out from where he'd been hiding in the corridor.

"I wondered what was going on over here. Sure enough, it was this guy causing trouble."

"…"

"Sigh… Let's move."

He pulled me along as we headed back toward the boss's room.

Beep-beep—

"…By the way, what's that sound I've been hearing? Some kind of bird?"

"No, you're not going to believe this, but that's—"

"Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!"

From far ahead came the old man's scream.

"The old man?"

"This is a nightmare."

We picked up speed and raced for the boss's room.

"This… this is…"

"As expected."

In front of the boss's room lay the kid and the old man, crumpled like discarded corpses.

"Ugh—urgh…" I hurriedly turned away and gagged.

"What, first time seeing a dead ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠body?" Reve casually prodded one with his foot, examining it like it was nothing. "It's that boss bastard's work. The sword strokes are identical."

"…The boss?"

"Yeah. Looks like those intruders showed up, so he's grabbing anything valuable and running."

"Intruders…? Come to think of it, what the hell is even—"

BOOM!

Another collapse sounded right behind us.

"Tsk, they're already here? Inside, now!"

Reve grabbed my arm and shoved open the door to the boss's room.

"What the—Who the hell are you!"

Inside stood the bandit boss himself—exactly as the image suggested: huge, burly, and covered in a wild beard. He was frantically stuffing things into a sack.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!! Momo!!!!!"

Among the junk he was grabbing was the unmistakable red hilt of Momo and Zeratul's sword. It stood out like a beacon.

I pointed at it, fingers spread. Both Reve and the boss froze in confusion.

"You bastards—what the hell!"

The boss hurled the junk aside and snatched up the rapier he'd left on the floor.

"A rapier… Empire style, too. Not a weapon a thug like him should be able to handle easily."

Unlike the cheap iron swords the skeletons used or Zeratul's blade, this one had a slender, elegant form.

"Heh heh, of course… My background is completely different from those scraps."

The boss took it as a compliment and struck a bizarrely seductive pose despite his massive frame, flashing an ugly grin.

"Uh… why are you posing like that?" I couldn't help asking, pointing at the strangely perfect seductive stance.

"…As far as I know, that's one of the forms from Empire swordsmanship."

"Empire swordsmanship…?"

The Empire again. The guard had kept cursing the Empire too. Was this whole place a gathering spot for people with grudges against them?

Reve clenched both fists, settling into a fighting stance.

"Ugh… This is too unfair. He's got a sword and we're completely unarmed."

"Hmph, it's fine. I've mastered Demonic Fist Arts."

"Demonic Fist Arts…?"

"Yes. To me, these two fists are weapons."

Both of them looked cool as hell in their stances, but a sword and bare fists were on completely different levels.

"No, wait—even if you've trained, a sword should obviously have the advantage, right? Especially since he's the one holding it…"

"What are you talking about? Once you reach a certain realm in martial arts, you stop being bound by weapons."

"Ooooooh!!! That sounds so cool!"

The bandit boss snorted at us. "Hmph. Pathetic. A filthy demon whelp dares—"

"Huh? How did you know Reve was a demon?"

"Now that I get a good look, you're the brats we kidnapped, aren't you? Tsk, worthless vermin!"

He seemed to have figured out exactly who we were. With a confident smirk, he charged, swinging his blade.

Vwoong—

My body dodged on its own. Reve took a slow step, then slipped aside with fluid grace.

"You damn rats!"

Enraged that we'd all evaded him, the boss swung his rapier again in that ridiculous seductive form.

"Isn't that line a little too cliché…? Then again, with a face like that, he's pure cliché."

The guy who looked like a walking bandit stereotype kept spitting out perfectly bandit-like lines while unleashing a storm of attacks.

Vwoong— Vwoong—

Of course none of them hit me.

"Hup!"

Reve kept dodging with those signature movements of his.

"As expected of Reve! You're amazing!"

But he never found an opening to counter. He was stuck on pure defense. I could only stomp in place. The boss must ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠have realized I was dodging with some weird power, because he focused everything on Reve.

"Now…! Momo!"

While the boss's attention was locked on Reve, I slipped toward the pile of junk.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Even the slightest movement drew an instant reaction. Vwoong— The attack missed, but my body was forced backward again.

"Urgh…" Soon Reve was pushed back to my side as well.

"…Reve."

I whispered so only he could hear. "Create an opening. I'll go for one clean hit."

He didn't answer, but I hoped he'd understood.

"What are you two whispering about!"

The boss charged again in that same seductive stance.

"Reve!"

"Haaap!"

I rushed straight at the boss. He swung at me with the same pose.

Vwoong—

"Haha! None of your attacks work on me!"

"Shut your mouth! All of you will die by my hand!"

I provoked him as loudly as I could to keep his focus on me. "You societal reject! Who cares if you learned Empire swordsmanship? You're still just a pathetic bandit!"

Between what Reve had said and the Empire hatred running through the entire bandit group, the guy's backstory was obvious.

"You pieces of trash who aren't even worth selling as slaves…!"

The boss overreacted exactly as I'd hoped.

"What? Slaves? You locked us up to sell us as slaves?!"

"Obviously! Why else would I bother catching the likes of you!"

I'd already guessed the intention wasn't good, but hearing it out loud still made my blood boil.

"Yeah… Bastards like you shouldn't exist in the first place."

I spread both arms wide and roared.

The boss's rapier shot straight toward my chest, but—

Vwoong—

My body was shoved aside. Reve, who'd been waiting behind me, drove his fist forward with perfect timing.

"I believed in you!"

But the boss didn't even flinch. He spun his rapier and stabbed it straight into Reve's side.

"Urgh!"

Reve staggered back. I panicked.

"What the hell! I thought you were strong!"

"Hmm…? I don't recall ever saying I was strong."

"You were talking about reaching the realm of nothingness earlier!"

"I never said I'd reached it. But I am fated to one day stand at the pinnacle. This is nothing!"

"…"

"Haaat!"

Clutching his wounded side, Reve kept throwing punches while dodging the rapier. Damn it. He looked normal but he was crazy too.

I quickly revised the plan in my head.

While Reve drew the boss's attention, I circled toward his blind spot.

"Where do you think you're going!"

My clumsy movement was spotted instantly. It's fine. This is all part of the plan! Reve couldn't last much longer, so I had to take the risk.

I struck a dramatic pose.

"First Form—"

"Die!!!!!"

The moment the boss saw my stance, he kicked Reve in the stomach, sending him flying. Then he spun with the momentum and slashed at me.

Vwoong—

The Emergency Dodge Maneuver automatically shifted my body out of the blade's path.

"Now!!!!!"

Reve, fully committed, slammed a devastating blow into the boss's flank.

"Ugh!"

The boss crumpled sideways with a groan. We didn't waste the opening.

"Damn… I was waiting for that exact moment…"

Reve headed in the direction the boss had been looking earlier, searching for the secret passage. Meanwhile I—

"Momo!"

I sprinted to the pile of junk and snatched her up.

"Yeah! I'm fine… What about you? No cracks or breaks?"

"Hey! Stop talking to yourself and help me already!" Reve snapped, clearly annoyed.

"Got it…!" I secured Momo on top of my head, grabbed Zeratul's hilt from the floor, and stood up.

The entire room shook with a furious roar.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!"

The boss had already recovered. His eyes burned with pure rage.

"How is he already—?"

"Hmph. A few punches like that are noth—"

Damn. So fists really don't do much damage after all?

"Kuuuuuuuugh…" The boss's face twisted in pain. He wasn't completely fine.

"Reve! If you were going to hit him, you should've hit him properly!"

"That was proper! Stop talking and get over here!"

The boss laughed mockingly at our panic. "Even if you are a demon… did you really think fist arts could defeat someone like me?"

"…Shut up."

"Hehehe. No matter how much you train, with mere fists you absolutely can ne—"

"Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!"

Clang—

The ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠jewel-encrusted decorative sword shattered with a brilliant sound.

"What the—it broke in one hit…"

It really had been purely decorative. The blade didn't even keep its shape; it exploded into fragments. I hadn't even managed to cut the leg completely.

The boss clutched his half-severed leg and screamed.

"Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!"

"…Let's go."

Reve looked away from the writhing boss. We pried open the secret passage he'd found and squeezed inside.

Beep—

The moment we were all in, a strange noise rang out. A powerful beam of light smashed through the boss's door and punched straight through the cave wall.

"Crazy!"

The shockwave must have weakened the cave. The secret passage's entrance collapsed, sealing us in.

"We would've died if we'd been even a second slower…"

Luckily we'd already made it inside, but any more delays and the whole tunnel could come down.

"Reve, get it together. We need to move—fast."

"…Understood."

I shook the dazed Reve, who was still clutching his wounded side. Just as we started moving again, a voice drifted through the rocks.

"You're the boss? You really do look like a total cliché."

The refreshingly clear voice contained a word that felt far too familiar.

"Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!!"

The boss kept screaming while clutching his ruined leg. An arrow flew in and buried itself in his chest.

"Ugh… What is happening…"

"Hold on a second…"

We watched through the gaps in the collapsed passage.

"What the…? His leg's half cut off?"

"Well, someone must have done it. He is the bandit boss, after all…"

The second voice was painfully familiar.

That… that woman…

A black-haired man stood there with the Saintess clinging tightly to his side, both of them looking down at the dying bandit boss.

"Bandit subjugation complete! Where to next?"

"The next request hasn't been decided yet, Hero."

"Hero…?"

"Ah… Yeah. The guys I was trying to tell you about earlier—they're right there."

"W-wait a second."

Had he just said hero?

That guy… that guy over there is the hero?

Really? For real?

If he's the real hero… then what am I?

It was only the third day since I'd arrived in this other world, and I was already drowning in utter confusion.