Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: A Scene from Legend - 4
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“This is truly astonishing. A holy knight who isn’t even a priest casting a healing light over the entire territory. Even that pig Ort wouldn’t find it easy.”
For reference, Ort was one of the second-generation heroes and a priest.
Just as Iori Otics was particularly famous among mages, he was a figure deeply respected by priests.
Calling such a man a pig. Of course, I’d always thought he looked quite portly whenever I saw his portrait.
“And the beast you’re riding is Agril, isn’t it?”
“......”
“Heh heh. Seems you recognize me. As expected of a divine beast.”
Indeed, Agril first appeared during the descent of the Greed Demon King.
The second Demon King descent era was revolutionary in many ways.
I said,
“Just to confirm, you’re Iori Otics from the second Demon King descent era, right?”
“Hmm? I thought I was quite respected by the people of this era. Your attitude is rather rude.”
“It’s not as rude as your personality, so we’re good.”
“Ho ho. I’ve certainly heard I have a nasty personality plenty of times. That lord often said so too.”
That lord?
There was only one person the great Iori would refer to as “that lord.”
It suddenly hit me that this Reynus territory was ‘that lord’s’ hometown.
‘No. That’s not what’s important right now.’
I shook my head and said,
“Why are you here instead of the afterlife?”
“My other comrades seem to have passed peacefully to the Void Realm, but I met a sudden, tragic end.”
Ah.
I recalled Iori Otics’ final moments.
Neril said,
“The Greed Demon King’s last desperate act.”
“Heh heh. You’ve done your homework, miss.”
“......”
“When the Greed Demon King was cornered, he chose self-destruction as his final move. I converted all my remaining lifespan into mana to block it. And that’s how I died, without even leaving last words.”
“So you lingered on the continent? What attachment kept you here?”
“I had words I wanted to say to that lord.”
Again with that lord.
I said,
“The second hero. Lepia Odrgar, you mean?”
At my question, his face suddenly hardened.
He opened his mouth in a heavy bass voice.
“Don’t utter that lord’s name so lightly, you lowly thing.”
“Listen to you talk. They say Iori’s a great noble down to his bones, and it shows.”
“Indeed. And bloodlines deserve respect even after death.”
“I hear Lepia was a commoner. By your logic, what’s wrong with saying another commoner’s name?”
It was then.
Something sharp came flying at us.
Wind Cutter, the wind magic Neril often used.
But this one looked ten times bigger than hers.
“Agril!”
Jenia hurriedly maneuvered Agril upward.
The Wind Cutter barely grazed past us and slammed into the bell tower behind.
Slice.
Like cutting through a paper drawing, the bell tower split cleanly into three equal parts and fell.
‘This is no joke.’
I heard Iori’s voice.
“The title of hero is so tremendous it renders distinctions between commoner and noble trivial. That’s why I always spoke respectfully to that lord.”
“......”
“For a filthy commoner like you, it goes without saying. Apologize for uttering that lord’s name twice just now.”
“Ah. Don’t worry about that.”
Shing.
I drew my sword.
“I’m a hero too.”
I’m a hero too.
Those words ignited tremendous rage in Iori.
With lightning-fast hand movements, he formed seals.
It was a type of magic I didn’t know, but Neril shouted loudly from behind.
“Gigantic Lightning?”
From the cloudless dry sky, a massive bolt of lightning struck.
Even I couldn’t dodge lightning, but fortunately, there was no need to.
Boom. Crackle.
As the sparking electricity faded, a translucent circle around my body came into view.
Jenia had drawn her sword and cast a protective spell.
“You blocked my magic? A mere holy knight?”
“These friends aren’t your average holy knights or mages.”
“......”
“They’re heroes. Party members of the hero Maide.”
“You refuse to shut that filthy mouth to the end.”
“No. I’ll shut it for you. From now on, my sword will do the talking!”
Neril timed it perfectly, casting Fly on me.
I assumed a stance and activated my skill.
‘Quick Dash!’
In the next moment, Iori was right in front of me.
I could vividly see his pupils dilate massively.
I swung my sword with all my might.
But.
Whoosh.
The blade only cut through an afterimage.
It wasn’t that Iori had dodged with incredible reflexes.
He had created hundreds of illusions from the start.
“A mage facing a swordsman must always remember one thing. I’m slower than that bastard.”
Hundreds of Iori Otics spoke in unison.
They surrounded us like spectators at a popular match.
“If you can find the real one among these, I might give you some credit. Of course, you’ll die before then.”
Hundreds of hand seals formed.
I didn’t recognize it again, but Neril’s voice rang out once more.
She shouted simultaneously with Iori.
“Aqua Veil!”
“Parta.”
Iori’s magic was fire.
Arrows of flame with heat so immense it seemed they’d melt bones just by looking.
They flew toward me and Agril.
But if he wielded fire, Neril wielded water.
She enveloped us in a thick water barrier like soap bubbles.
The arrows failed to pierce the barrier and fizzled out futilely.
Neril said,
“Splitting into hundreds doesn’t make it hundreds of times stronger. Mana still comes from one body, after all.”
“Fine descendants indeed.”
“Could you drop that arrogant tone? It’s chipping away at my image of you.”
“What can I do? This is who I am. I’ll make up for the tarnished image with skill. Of course, you’ll die before that.”
Thanks, Neril.
You bought me enough time.
‘Great Slash.’
Instead of the skill name, I shouted this.
“You said that earlier too!”
Swoosh. Shaaa!
A technique that slashes hundreds at once.
When executed through my sword as a trump card, Iori’s afterimages vanished ‘simultaneously.’
“Urk. W-what is this?”
From hundreds to dozens.
Dozens to ten.
Ten to one.
The last remaining Iori stared in shock, eyes bulging.
Breathing through my nose to hide my fatigue, I said,
“This much is nothing for a hero.”
“No! It’s not nothing. Hey.”
It was Iori speaking, but Neril replied.
Glancing over, both Jenia and Neril had their mouths agape.
“You’re really no joke......”
“How many skills do you even have?”
Come to think of it, this was a new skill for them.
Iori let out a light chuckle.
“A hero, huh. Fine, you’ve earned the right to spout such mad words.”
“......”
“But I’ll teach you that’s an arrogant delusion. Though you’ll die before learning.”
“Maybe fix that habit of declaring victory before killing. This is the third time already.”
Ignoring my advice, he used lifespan absorption magic again.
The territory folk I’d barely saved collapsed one by one below.
“Hahaha. Plenty of healthy ones here. Prime mana.”
“You bastard.”
“I can’t play around forever. I must clear out the filth and welcome that lord.”
“......”
“Let’s end this. You rabble.”
Welcome that lord?
Lepia Odrgar?
Does that mean Lepia’s soul is here?
......Ah!
‘Damn it.’
Why didn’t I think of it sooner.
The soul that fused with Mariana’s—was that Lepia?
‘Wait. Idria must have handed over Lepia’s soul.’
The fifth Demon King handing over the second hero’s soul.
I have no idea what’s going on.
But there’s no time to think further.
“That one’s really dangerous.”
Neril’s face paled slightly.
Having absorbed the territory folk’s lifespans, Iori now balanced a fireball the size of the sun on his index finger.
Jenia gritted her teeth.
“Agril! Give that bastard your god’s breath......”
“Won’t work, Jenia.”
“What?”
“A technique with that much prep time won’t be used without defenses. He’s layered mana barriers all around. That’s why Maide’s holding back too.”
She looked at me with a “right?” expression.
I could only nod.
I’d tried to block his magic with Quick Dash earlier, but instinct told me it’d be futile.
‘Then.’
Slash What You Desire. That might do it.
Ah. Using two skills in a row is risky.
But no choice.
I said to Neril,
“Buy me a moment. Need to focus on one skill.”
“Uh, okay. But that magic......”
“Use Decomposition.”
“......! You sure?”
“It’s your magic. Funny having to ask my permission.”
“You didn’t ask the Martial King’s permission.”
Even as she grumbled, Neril busily formed seals.
I turned to Jenia.
“Lend me your holy sword. Gotta cut only Iori’s soul without killing Tibur.”
“F-fine, but even now you’re sticking to no-kill?”
“Yeah. Gotta live up to the name. Even if I didn’t earn it willingly.”
She handed over her sword.
I took it and assumed a stance.
“And block the magic’s fallout from spreading to the territory.”
“Naturally.”
Jenia began her prayer.
Thus, we created a scene where we bought each other time to unleash our skills.
We couldn’t pierce his mana barrier, and he couldn’t move while preparing his spell—a bizarre standoff.
And that moment arrived simultaneously.
“Die, you lowly scum. Sun Overload.”
“You’re the one dying! This is your second death today. Decomposition!”
The sun Iori created began plummeting to the ground.
At that moment, Neril’s long-unseen Decomposition activated.
It appeared as a transparent spear.
A magic that decomposes and erases everything connected to what the spear tip pierces, like sand grains vanishing from this world.
Be it person, animal, building, or rock—nothing mattered.
It relentlessly elementalizes everything up to the connection’s end.
“Freakish magic. Let’s see it!”
“Urgh. Ngh.”
Neril’s Decomposition spear kept breaking down the sun.
But Iori kept pouring infinite mana from the territory folk’s lifespans into it.
Dissolve and revive.
Like the world’s cycle visualized.
The sun’s flames and mana splashed everywhere.
“Heavenly god, grant your shield here.”
Jenia clutched the Withering Jewel and prayed.
Soon, a massive hemisphere enveloped the entire territory.
Mana whirlwinds darkened the sky and blurred vision, but no harm reached the folk under the divine shield.
My heightened ears caught the territory folk’s clamor.
“Am I dreaming?”
“This is straight out of legend.”
“Cough. P-please win. Sir Maide.”
“Hero! Save us, please!”
“Fight! Fight!”
Their cheers fueled my muscles.
I assumed my stance and regulated my breathing.
With Iori distracted by Neril, now’s the chance.
‘Slash the Iori beyond the mana barrier.’
That defensive magic is just mana arranged into a wall.
This skill will find the gap. I can do it.
‘Slash What You Desire!’
It was then.
A voice I’d never heard entered my ears.
[That’s an impressive skill.]