Chapter 156
Chapter 156
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: The Raid (1)
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Two of the Four Heavenly Kings appeared this time. Barroc, who had the form of a demon, and Ageron, who was wrapped head to toe in a dark robe… I glared at them silently.
For now, I could ignore Ageron. He was only here to drop off Barroc and would leave immediately. I would refrain from striking first until he was gone.
If I provoked him into taking an active role, I would be the only one to lose out. Of course, befitting his wicked nature, the Archlich was a vile creature.
“Th-those are…!”
“It's definitely Barroc and Ageron. I never thought they'd mobilize two of the Four Heavenly Kings…”
“Tch, we must request reinforcements immediately!”
A few knights recognized the Heavenly Kings. They didn't fall into a panic like the students, but their commotion was far greater. Well, for anyone who experienced the last war, it was understandable they'd raise such a fuss.
In any case, Ageron didn't leave quietly. He looked down on everyone and raised his skull-topped staff high. A vast amount of mana surged around him, and soon, tens, then hundreds of fireballs began to rain down.
I could feel the raw malice in his actions, his contempt for humanity.
“You crazy bastard!”
“Get to cover if you don't want to die!”
Curses and screams erupted from all over. Most were flustered but moved quickly. This was because we had prepared bunkers and shelters throughout the grounds for this very moment.
The actual number of casualties would be very low. Still, my stomach churned. All sorts of buildings crumbled under Ageron's magic. As the area became a disastrous scene of roaring flames, I felt my own heart burn with rage.
Th-this… son of a bitch! He really recreated this part too? I knew this would happen, but there was no way to stop it. It was a forced event in the original story as well.
If I had mobilized the entire first and second teams, I might have been able to stop him beforehand, but the Archlich would have just gotten pissed off and rampaged even more.
Better to quietly endure it than to witness that. I had a target left to vent my frustration on, and as for him, I could pay him back slowly later.
As if his role was over, Ageron quickly vanished. Immediately after, as if to fill the void he left, countless demons and all sorts of monsters appeared.
Their numbers were roughly a thousand. The scale was just as I had expected. Thankfully, there were no unexpected variables. This will be an easy win, then. It was about time to make my move.
“What should we do? Perhaps we should request reinforcements immediately…”
“That won't be necessary.”
“But, even after seeing the situation…”
“I don't know the reason, but there's only one Heavenly King left. We're more than enough to handle that. Please, just trust me this once.”
“…”
“Besides, the situation isn't that bad. Take another proper look.”
The knights belatedly surveyed their surroundings more carefully. Battles were already underway in all directions. The students were handling the sudden assault surprisingly well.
“Hmm, most of them are facing the enemy calmly…”
“It seems we've underestimated them.”
Despite this being their first encounter with wicked demons and monsters, they fought back bravely. Our prior preparations played a part, but so did the fact that Barroc's minions were not elite troops.
He'd simply gathered enough bodies to keep others from interfering while he took care of the Hero. A Heavenly King was a one-man army, so his own power was sufficient.
In the end, the key to this battle was subduing Barroc; everything else was secondary.
“I'd like you all to help any students who seem to be in danger.”
“And the Heavenly King?”
“Naturally, my companions and I will handle him.”
They nodded calmly, as if they had expected as much. The knights wished us luck or told us not to overdo it before leaping into the fray.
Amidst swirling ashes and rising acrid smoke, I slowly lifted my head. My eyes met Barroc's.
I summoned the Holy Sword, intending to draw his attention. And just like that, his aggro was instantly drawn to me. He shot me a crazed glare, as if to say he'd finally found me.
“So there you are.”
He approached slowly, as if in no hurry. Despite his leisurely demeanor, his intimidating presence was real. It wasn't enough to shake my resolve, but the weight of the pressure was considerable.
While Barroc approached, I even drew my personal weapon. Seeing me with a sword in each hand, he made a quizzical expression.
*Huh? Don't tell me he uses dual swords? What a strange one.* I could feel him mocking me along those lines, but I held it in. This too was part of the plan, if you could call it that.
“Hmm, you have potential, as befits a Hero… but you're still too young. Then again, all the past Heroes were like this.”
Keeping a moderate distance, he sized me up as he pleased. Like a critic reviewing a chef's dish, he began to spout off whatever he wanted based on his miscellaneous experiences.
“Unfortunately, you fall short of my expectations. Still, you're one of the better ones. Well, in the end, you're nothing but a fledgling for now.”
“…”
This son of a bitch… To hell with the plan, should I just destroy him? The urge to unleash some kind of Starburst seventeen-hit combo on him surged within me.
Even without that, the moment I saw his face, the events from the original story came flooding back. Let's set aside the fact that he attacked the academy only to flee the moment things went south.
He kept showing up after that, interfering at every crucial moment—you'd think he was a mandatory recurring character.
Sure, I was rewarded handsomely each time, but that was hardly reason enough not to hate the guy. Taming the emotion called anger, I quietly opened my mouth.
“Barroc of the Four Heavenly Kings…”
“Oh, you recognize me. What an honor.”
“As the Hero chosen by the Holy Sword, I will eliminate you.”
“Ha! And do you have the ability to do so?”
“That will soon be revealed.”
“Kukuk…”
He burst out laughing, as if pleased by my nerve. At a glance, he seemed amused. It looked like he was completely underestimating me, but in reality, the gap between us was that large.
If the first team alone were to fight him, every member would have to put their life on the line. As time went on, that gap would narrow quickly, but for now, we were outmatched.
“Even a fledgling should know he's no match for me. I can't imagine where this confidence comes from. Ah, are you trusting in your companions? You Heroes were always like that. They'll be popping out one by one soon enough, I suppose.”
“…”
He seemed to have roughly detected our allies hiding their presence nearby, waiting. Having experienced generations of Heroes, his senses were sharp. We would still win, but at this rate, we might have to prepare for a tough fight…
“Wait, I was told there were two Heroes…”
As Barroc cast a questioning glance, I unsummoned the Holy Sword. At that signal, two figures lunged at him like ghosts.
Their positions were on either side of Barroc. The entire process, from flanking to striking him from the left and right, happened in the blink of an eye.
“---!!”
The faces of Baken and Crow, who had attempted the surprise attack, were colored with shock. They had set aside their old grudges and even synchronized their timing, but it was completely ineffective.
Barroc parried their blows with ease, as if he had expected it. The only damage he took was a mere scratch, and in fact, Baken and Crow were sent flying back by his counterattack.
From their grimaces, it seemed they had suffered at least some internal injuries. They had taken significant damage from a single exchange.
“Disappointing. So clumsy, far too clumsy. At this rate, there was no point in me coming here myself!”
Wow, that dirty, cheap bastard is talking big? He was truly the worst. Giving the Hero's party time to grow is basic etiquette…
Yet here he was, breaking that rule and lamenting how something was lacking or disappointing. Truly, his vile nature was top-notch, as expected of a member of the Demon King's Army.
“It's not over yet!”
“This is still within my expectations…”
Baken and Crow began their assault in earnest. Contrary to their confident shouts, their attacks were passive, hit-and-run style. It seemed even those battle-crazed lunatics knew to fear a Heavenly King.
Barroc showed his displeasure at their movements. He couldn't hide his annoyance, as if watching flies buzzing around him. Eventually, he began to glare fiercely at me.
His meaning was clear: *Forget these nobodies, I want to fight the Hero.* If he wanted the Hero, I had no choice but to oblige.
I advanced slowly, with unhurried steps. And so, Barroc's attention became focused on me.
At that very moment, a figure dropped from the sky. In an instant, she was behind the enemy. The Holy Sword she swung swiftly produced a significant result. Dark, demonic blood gushed from Barroc's shoulder.
The demon's response—instinctively ducking while attempting a counterattack—was impressive, but Esterize's movement was also brilliant as she leisurely created distance the moment she achieved her objective. As soon as that series of events concluded, a silence fell over the area.
“…”
Barroc seemed at a loss for words. He had barely managed to react, so the actual damage was minor, but it seemed his pride had taken a huge blow. He stared silently at Esterize. To be precise, he seemed to be looking at the Holy Sword she held.
“The second Hero… Your skills are beyond my expectations.”
His voice suppressed his rage. He even broke into a satisfied smile. He began to draw out his fighting spirit in earnest, as if he had finally found a worthy fight.
“…”
Facing him, the girl's eyes were calmer than ever. She focused all her hostility towards the Demon King's general, as if they were the only two left in the world.
The aggro that had been on me had now shifted to our princess. In other words, the right to attack had returned to me. I couldn't let this pass. I was going to hit him from behind with everything I had.
Aruru and Luciel joined me from behind. Their rear support was bound to be reliable. Furthermore, far away on the roof of an intact building, Ilensia was aiming at Barroc.
Finally, Erich, the party's tank, stepped forward. As if sensing he would be badly hurt, he was even wearing a helmet, which he normally didn't use.
After the encirclement was complete, Barroc, who had been watching our movements, suddenly burst into laughter.
“Ahaha! To think you'd give me such a warm welcome. It's nothing new, but this is the first time it's been this thorough.”
He showered us with backhanded compliments, calling it a wonderful trap. It was the most ridiculous nonsense I'd heard recently. I mean, if you walk into a tiger's den, you expect to find a tiger, not a cat.
If you invade the Hero's party's home turf, you should expect to get ganged up on. In any case, as someone who had fought generations of Hero parties, he seemed familiar with our tactics.
“Hoo, this generation of Heroes is a frightening bunch. My judgment was correct, after all. A source of trouble should be eliminated quickly.”
As if he had never laughed, his expression hardened and he raised his aura. He seemed to have judged that, due to the Hero's nature of growing rapidly, they were a danger that had to be dealt with now.
And so, the raid on the Heavenly King began in earnest. Petty tricks would no longer work. We would have to fight a straightforward battle, and its end would be decorated with our brilliant victory.