Chapter 130
Chapter 130
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 130
Chapter Title: Speed Battle - 2
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We flew to Peck Territory in a total frenzy.
Agril, having pushed itself too hard multiple times lately, looked utterly drained—dangerously so.
The sight had its owner, Jenia, on edge.
That was why Jenia and Serein, who were supposed to take turns supplying holy power, were both clinging to Agril at once.
“Serein! Just a little more!”
“Huff... huff... This is weird. Why am I the one suffering more?”
“Agril seems to like your holy power better than mine. It’s taking more from you. I’m jealous.”
“Don’t be jealous over something like this.”
It might even be faster than when we’d raced to the starting line before.
I gathered the others and said,
“At this speed, we’ll arrive right on the fifth day.”
“That’s cutting it close.”
“Sorry to push Agril like this, but Idria plans to pull this stunt dozens more times. And we have to stop every single one.”
Even with our gains from Gavril Territory, the fame gap between Kaild and me was still massive.
Damn that Heavenly God.
Couldn’t it give a proper oracle for once?
Offense asked worriedly,
“Dozens of times? Can Agril hold out that long?”
Adwin cautiously spoke up.
“If it comes to it, should I try contacting Ort later?”
“Ort would definitely know.”
“Yeah. The priest from the Second Hero’s party. Agril descended back then too...”
“So we could get some advice? Good idea. Prep for it.”
“But don’t get your hopes up too much. If Ort could’ve done something, Repia would’ve told us already.”
Fair point. Repia had started popping in and out of the underworld lately.
The hero who watched over us with such warmth would’ve mentioned it first.
Anyway, time passed like that.
Thanks to Agril’s valiant efforts, we barely made it to Peck Territory on schedule.
The first thing we saw was a massive horde of monsters filling our view.
“Huff. Huff.”
“Grrr.”
“Kee-eeeek.”
Historical records on monsters weren’t very detailed.
Each one looked like a completely different species.
You’d think grouping similar ones could reveal weaknesses, but they were all so uniquely grotesque that they weren’t worth studying.
These monsters were no different.
“It’s a lion!”
“That look like a lion to you? It’s a turtle.”
“Oh, I meant the one next to it.”
“There’s flying ones too.”
“Isn’t that a centipede? Ugh.”
“Something’s underground too. Look at those dig marks.”
Idria’s monsters had set up camp a few hundred meters from the territory’s walls.
[They’re not charging?]
‘They’re giving Kaild time to shine.’
[Every time I see it, the script is so perfectly plotted. Pre-regression Kaild must’ve become a hero with zero effort.]
‘That’s exactly what keeps me up at night. While I’m suffering like this to become one.’
I scanned the ground.
Thanks to Agril’s high altitude and the 10,000 monsters dead ahead, no one had spotted us yet.
The soldiers were trembling, morale already broken before the fight even started.
The legion commanders who should’ve been leading them were nowhere in sight—probably hiding in the back.
Right in that powder-keg moment, someone stepped up.
Thud.
Someone leaped from the walls.
Jenia shouted,
“It’s a cockroach!”
“Huh?”
“No, it’s Kaild.”
“Same difference.”
Kaild landed quite stylishly.
And beside him was...
‘Second Finger. I’d really prefer to fight somewhere without that one.’
[That strong of a minion?]
‘Not really their own power. They’re a supporter.’
[Oh?]
‘Remember how you didn’t notice Idria’s movements in Atrium Territory?’
[Yeah. We missed the ‘bind and slice’ timing. Oh, right—you said that was the Second Finger’s doing too.]
Exactly.
The Second Finger could buff allies insanely strong.
Like, ridiculously so.
My head was already spinning, but I shook it off.
We wouldn’t be fighting Kaild this time anyway.
[Eh?]
As Trail sounded puzzled, Serein spoke up.
“Should we take out Kaild before the monsters?”
“Huh?”
“Then Maide could hog all the fame from this territory.”
Before I could reply, Neril cut in.
“No way.”
“Why not?”
“Showing infighting in front of all those monsters? Forget hogging fame—we’d tank our reps.”
She was right.
That’s why we wouldn’t fight Kaild ‘here,’ at least.
They were thinking the same.
Then Kaild’s voice rang out.
“Everyone, listen up!”
“Whoa, no good. Here comes the grand speech.”
For some reason, everyone stared at me.
“Giving a speech with a territory in crisis? What an absurd guy.”
“......”
“Why’s everyone looking at me like that?”
Offense spoke for the group.
“I just had a rude thought.”
“Don’t say it.”
“Something like, you’re the last one who should talk.”
“I said don’t.”
I stepped to Agril’s edge and said,
“Anyway, I’m heading down first. Take your time.”
Then I leaped off with a whoosh.
Jenia’s voice faded behind me.
“No flying spell? Neril?”
“Already cast it.”
“Didn’t see you do it on the beastfolk...”
“Put it on before we left five days ago. Can’t risk anyone falling.”
Serein marveled.
“Wow, thorough. Goals.”
Thud.
I landed on the ground.
Kaild’s speech cut off abruptly.
Our party followed, landing lightly one by one.
Murmurs rose from the walls.
“Huh? Who’re they?”
“Maide Mohan! The heroes!”
“The star of the second oracle...”
“Two heroes here! We’re saved!”
“Wait. Atmosphere feels kinda tense.”
As the last voice said, a pretty hostile vibe hung between Kaild and me.
I shrugged and said,
“Ease up.”
“......”
“From the territory folks’ view, this is do-or-die. You wanna show them heroes fighting?”
“Tch.”
“Do that, and our fame hits rock bottom. Wanna mutual suicide? We can cross swords.”
Of course, Kaild wouldn’t.
His fame was miles ahead of mine right now.
Looked good on paper, but meant more to lose—and more caution required.
Sure enough, Kaild barely mustered a smile.
“What brings you here?”
“Don’t fish when you know the answer. Here to save the territory.”
“To grab some fame, right.”
“I don’t like the snark. Unlike you, I don’t ‘invite’ crises for fame.”
That’s when it happened.
From a step behind Kaild, the observer spoke.
“First time meeting. Maide.”
In any other situation, it would’ve been a refreshing, beautiful voice like a spring breeze.
Falsehood’s Second Finger, Firensha.
No mood for greetings, so I stayed silent, but Serein wasn’t.
“Who’re you?”
“Kaild’s new party member. Firensha.”
“More like Idria’s lackey.”
“Yes. But please don’t say that in front of others. It’d be awkward.”
Firensha even clasped her hands and bowed politely to us.
A sincere, courteous request.
We looked dumbfounded.
Neril spoke.
“You’d think you were human. Why the manners?”
“I’m the one asking a favor. Even as enemies, some decorum is basic.”
“Hah.”
Kaild stood back, arms crossed, displeased.
I smirked and provoked him.
“Your supporter’s more human than you.”
“Nonsense.”
“Don’t like it? Stop her. Or does Idria order absolute obedience to Firensha? Like with Sobius?”
“......”
“You’re really scraping the bottom. Willing to trash your pride in the mud just to be a hero?”
He ground his teeth.
I pushed harder to wring something out of him.
But.
Swish.
Firensha gently pulled him behind her and said,
“No need for harsh words. Kaild has his reasons.”
“Everyone does. But no one endangers humanity for hero status.”
“Less ideals, more reality.”
“Shoot.”
“How’d you know to come here, Maide?”
As if I’d tell her.
I shrugged.
“Hero instinct.”
“......Then what now?”
“Wipe the monsters. Obvious question.”
“No choice then.”
Firensha lightly closed her eyes.
Then her lips moved faintly.
I strained to read her murmur.
-Idria. Better withdraw now.
......
Tch. The worst option for me.
[Why worst? Monsters gone is good for you too.]
‘Beating them is better. With my party united, we’d outshine Kaild by miles. Even with Firensha’s buffs.’
[Hm.]
‘But if they just withdraw, we split minimal fame at best.’
Firensha had aimed for exactly that.
Quick on the uptake and sharp—way trickier than Kaild or Sobius.
Idria trusted her fully, so no need to micromanage.
Moments later.
The soldiers spotted the change first.
“Huh? Look there!”
“W-what the...”
“The monsters are vanishing!”
The 10,000-strong horde that had seemed ready to conquer and slaughter.
They were turning into the smoke I’d seen with the Eye of Omniscience.
And opposite the horde, a massive line stretched to the sky.
The line split, a rift forming.
“The smoke’s getting sucked in!”
“They’re retreating?”
“Of course! We’ve got two heroes here!”
“Take that, Demon King!”
“With the heroes, no chance!”
The soldiers who’d been quaking moments ago cheered with surging morale.
Their cheers lasted until the black smoke fully vanished into the rift.
At the peak.
[Ding! Gained 8,000 Fame Points.]
[Fame Points to next level: 321,900/500,000]
[Your name will echo through Peck Territory henceforth.]
[Total Fame Points to acquire from this incident: 7,000]
[Your name echoes through Drucker Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes through Quelk Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes through Rior Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes through Avis Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes through Leynus Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes through Tetra Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes through the Capital. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes through Hasfil Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes through Dronoer Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes through Atrium Territory. (All points collected!)]
[Your name echoes through Gavril Territory. (All points collected!)]
My fame rose.
The fastest, easiest gain yet.
Kaild’s must’ve spiked too.
Eyes closed, he looked blissful.
“Ahh. Always music to my ears. The sound of them praising me.”
My party looked ready to puke.
Neril asked,
“You really good with that?”
“What’re you on about, Witch of Atrocities?”
“News travels slow. Dropped that title ages ago. Maide cleared it.”
“......”
“Wouldn’t have happened with you. You only care about your own fame.”
“What’s wrong with that?”
Kaild continued earnestly.
“Don’t all people? Sharing bread comes after you’re full.”
“......”
“I’m still starving for fame. Can’t help it till I’m stuffed. Everyone’s the same.”
Jenia cut in coldly, uncharacteristically.
“That’s why you’re not the hero?”
“Heh. Can’t argue there.”
No more bickering, Kaild eyed Firensha.
“Half a win here, looks like.”
“Yeah. Best to head back.”
“With your help, I could take Maide.”
“Maybe. But even if, two hopes of humanity duking it out in front of witnesses...”
“Sobius smoothed that with an official duel tournament. Set up something similar.”
Firensha glanced at me instead of answering.
Then shook her head.
“No. Withdraw for now.”
“But—”
“Kaild.”
Firensha’s tone chilled.
“Quit showboating and listen.”