Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Meeting
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In the fierce blizzard where not even an inch ahead was visible.
"Fuck! I can't see shit, you bastards!"
"Hahaha... Don't worry about it. If we just keep pushing straight ahead, we'll get there."
"Eek..."
"Lib High Priest..."
Hero Ruin, Lib High Priest, and the two regular priests pressed on with great difficulty.
The priests were running low on strength, and Ruin's anger had built up to its limit.
In that state, they kept moving forward, and finally...
"Hey! Isn't that it? The barrier! It's the barrier!"
"Yes, that looks like the barrier of Icicle Territory for sure."
They had arrived at Icicle Territory.
Thinking he could finally warm up, Ruin scooped the two regular priests under his arms and hoisted Lib High Priest onto his back before charging ahead. That's when something with pure white fur dancing wildly entered his field of vision.
"What the fuck is that? A demon?"
"Looks like it. From the energy I'm sensing, it seems pretty strong."
"Is that right? Then... hold on a sec."
As he told them to wait, Ruin set the priests down.
He immediately drew his sword and sprinted at full speed toward the demon's back.
So exhilarated was the demon that it didn't notice Ruin approaching from behind and kept dancing.
-Stab.
"Greeeeek!"
It took Ruin's ambush head-on.
The demon collapsed right then and there.
"What the hell? Some crazy dancing demon wandering around out here? And what's with all these people?"
Ruin, who had been focused solely on the demon, noticed the crowd nearby and voiced his confusion. The people who saw him couldn't hide their shock.
"I-it's the Hero!"
What Ruin didn't know was that the demon he'd just stabbed was the one these people had been desperately fighting.
"...So it was the Hero."
The middle-aged man standing opposite the demon realized who Ruin was and lowered his guard completely.
"What's going on? What happened?"
Still not grasping the situation, Ruin asked the man politely, and he kindly explained.
"That demon just now was a monster I couldn't guarantee victory against, even with all my power. I was prepared to lose my life... but thanks to you, we all get to go back safely. On behalf of everyone in Icicle Territory, I thank you, Hero."
"Huh? You don't mean..."
"I am Polar Icicle, lord of Icicle Territory."
"The Northern Duke?!"
Ruin jumped in surprise at the man's unexpected identity.
His eyes sparkled unconsciously at meeting one of the top three figures revered by every sword-wielder. And in that moment...
-Grip...
"Huh?"
A rough hand grabbed his right leg.
"Grrr, grrr..."
The culprit was the fallen demon.
The demon clutched his leg and rose, then hoisted Ruin up effortlessly.
"Whoa!"
Its strength was so immense that Ruin's body flipped upside down in an instant, his sword slipping from his grasp. Upside down, he came face-to-face with the demon.
"...Fuck—"
-Slam!
As if seeking revenge for the stab, the demon smashed Ruin into the ground.
Not satisfied, it kept grabbing his leg and repeatedly slamming him down.
"Gah...!"
As the Hero, he wouldn't die from this, but blood poured from his nose as if his nasal bone had shattered. Polar didn't stand by and watch the demon's brutality.
-Clang!
The demon urgently blocked Polar's axe with one arm.
Polar quickly retreated and tossed his axe toward Ruin.
-Thud.
Even with his face covered in blood, Ruin casually caught the flying axe and brought it down on the hand gripping his leg.
-Crack!
"Greeeek!"
Ruin freed himself from the demon's grasp as it screamed in agony.
"Hero! It seems the demon's body is tougher than we—"
"Fuck."
Polar's warning about the demon was cut off by a thick curse.
Naturally, the source was...
"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck..."
The Hero Ruin, wiping the blood from his face with his eyes.
After clearing his vision by wiping the blood from around his eyes, Ruin channeled Holy Power toward his nose. The nosebleed stopped immediately, and he wiped the remaining blood from his face.
His cleaned face looked like a perfect embodiment of raw fury, and curses kept spilling from his mouth.
"I'm gonna kill you. I'm fucking killing you, you demon piece of shit."
-Whoosh!
Vast Holy Power erupted from Ruin's body.
Overwhelmed by the dazzling sight, the demon instinctively staggered back.
"Where you going, fucker? I never even went all out against those crazy Holy Knights, but you? I'm using a full 50% of my Holy Power just for you. You fucking shit."
-Boom!
With a leap, Ruin vanished in an instant.
The demon frantically searched for him, but the axe embedding in its body happened faster.
-Stab!
"Greeek...!"
The demon with an axe lodged in the nape of its neck.
Before they knew it, Ruin stood behind it, sword in his left hand.
"Die, you demon bastard."
-Stab!
"Greeeeek!"
Ruin's sword pierced straight through its throat.
The demon rolled its eyes back and collapsed.
-Thud!
The demon began turning to dust from its toes upward.
In front of it, Ruin withdrew his Holy Power and slumped down.
"Huff... huff..."
Ruin had expended a massive amount of Holy Power.
Thanks to it, he got to see the demon turning to dust, but the backlash...
"Cough cough! Fuck! Cough!"
Hit immediately.
Unlike the enormous Holy Power, Ruin's body was only just starting to be tempered.
This time, he'd somehow held out until the demon fell, fueled by rage, but there was no guarantee for next time.
He was the Hero, yet even releasing just half his Holy Power left his body on the verge of collapse, feeling like he might die.
"Cough cough! Urghhh!"
Blood spewed from Ruin's mouth onto the white snowfield.
"!! Saintess! The Hero needs healing...!"
Polar urgently turned to look for Saintess Ariana, but she ignored Ruin completely, staring only at Is.
"Is, what do we do..."
Is lay unconscious with a broken arm and bruises all over, while Ruin was vomiting blood like he was about to die any second.
Ariana had no spare attention for Ruin in that situation, and Polar grew anxious at Ruin's worsening state.
And at that moment...
"Oh man, Hero! At it again!"
A man who looked like a high priest appeared, panting as if he'd sprinted full tilt.
"!! Priest!"
"Ah! I'm Lib High Priest! Hero's in bad shape, so explanations later!"
Lib High Priest kept his smile as he went to Ruin's side and cast a healing holy spell. Ruin's coughing gradually subsided.
About five minutes later...
"Hoo... Thought I was gonna die for real."
Ruin sat up and wiped the blood from his mouth with the handkerchief Lib High Priest offered.
"Hero, did you use Holy Power recklessly again? I've told you so many times—"
"Shut up."
-Smack!
Lib High Priest flew from Ruin's punch in the blink of an eye.
As the knights turned in shock, an astonishing sight unfolded.
Lib High Priest, utterly wrecked and embedded in the snow.
Holy Power flashed from his body, restoring him to normal in an instant.
"Looks like I've upset you. My apologies, Hero."
"I said shut up, you're fucking annoying."
Ignoring the bowing Lib High Priest, Ruin turned to Polar.
"Hero, thanks to you, the demon is—"
"Ariana!"
Not caring about Polar at all, Ruin blew past him.
Behind Polar was Ariana treating Is.
Ruin beamed at Ariana, but his face twisted upon seeing Is in her arms.
"...Why the fuck is that Is bastard here again?"
"Watch your mouth! Do you know how hard Is worked..."
Scolded by Ariana for his loose tongue, Ruin shut his mouth with a sour expression.
"Yeah, yeah, Is is amazing."
"?"
Ruin turned at the sudden woman's voice from behind.
A beautiful woman with white hair and blue eyes.
The armor she wore showed she'd been facing the demon moments ago.
"That demon? For someone at Is's level, holding out for even 10 seconds would be impressive. And he lasted until Dad got here... Definitely not like the others."
Having experienced the demon's power herself, Carmen explained to Ruin just how impressive Is's feat was.
"... ."
He stared at Carmen silently.
"Hm? What's up?"
Puzzled by his odd reaction, Carmen reached out toward him, and in that instant...
-Grab.
Ruin seized her hand.
"W-what...?"
Carmen questioned his action, and then shocking words burst from his mouth, stunning everyone present.
"You're fucking gorgeous. Wanna be mine?"
To the Hero's sudden confession, Carmen replied instantly.
"I like girls, dumbass."