The Hero recovers his intuition

 

“――――Tch, I let the troublesome one slip”

 

Luke, who had swung down Savers, clicked his tongue to the fact that he felt no resistance in that movement.

The scene that Luke barely saw was the instant Eleira was taken away by somebody.

Luke remembered that somebody.

 

“That cursed illusionist. Well, I guess I’m the cause of this for not finishing him off at that place”

 

The one who stood in the way along with Isvel and commander of the first unit of the demon lord army, Phantom Lord.

Phantom should have been killed by Luke’s flying blade.

Seeing that he lived, that would mean that was his blunder however…

 

“I don’t know where he hid himself, but I supposed I should move the demon lord soon. It is troublesome if we get invaded again”

 

Luke sheathed Savers and headed to the door inside.

This place was reconstructed in order to seal Gee and Biv, and the original prison was further inside.

When he opened the door and entered, he was able to find a girl in one of several existing prison cells.

 

“…Soon”

 

Isvel, chained and made to wear clothes that were like rags, was deeply asleep.

While viewing her, Luke thought about his ideals.

 

“The day is near when we will become rulers of the world――true Heroes of the world”

♦

 

“Phew! As I expected they won’t keep going if I go outside”

“Com… mander…?”

 

Outside the demon lord castle, where there were no signs of life, were Eleira and Phantom.

“I just barely made it, that’s a big relief”

“Whe- where were you all this――――ugh…”

“Look, you can’t move violently, your body right now is no longer in a state to move”

“I’m, I’m sorry…”

 

Phantom took out two healing potions that stimulate the regeneration of wounds from his pocket and gave them to Eleira.

Eleira, having received them, looked up to Phantom’s face while drinking up both of them.

 

“Milady Isvel and I fought against them, but I’m afraid to say that we were defeated. As expected even I have died! Is what I thought, but it seems that god has yet to abandon me. Having barely evaded a fatal wound, I hid myself until I recovered my wounds. Sorry for not giving you any help immediately”

“No… You saved me. If you had not come to help me out of this trouble, then at this time I would be…”

“Dead, isn’t it? Going against him is not easy enough to do so on your own either”

 

Heave-ho――Phantom stood up and lifted Eleira up in his arms.

Eleira raised a soft scream, but she was aware of her body not being able to move at all, so she lowered her voice and became obedient.

 

“Let us hide for once. Unfortunately we cannot go as far as recovering milady Isvel, but… we should be able challenge them one more time once we are in good shape”

“I wonder if everyone is safe”

“So far everyone’s magic power responses are still here. But, there is about fifty-fifty chance of whether everyone can withdraw”

“…”

♦

 

“Now, let us enjoy our feast!

“Kuh!”

 

Sadore fired something towards me.

I succeeded in barely avoiding them by intuition, but it put cuts on the wall behind me each time I did.

It’s different from a flying blade.

It’s something more physical and has less destructive force than a flying blade, but it surpasses it in sharpness.

Seeing that it is specialized in sharpness, it should easily cut up even my thoroughly tempered body if I get hit.

 

“How long will you be able to dodge it?”

“ … Don’t think all I will do is dodge forever!”

 

I estimated the instant his attacking hand stopped for a moment and fired a flying blade.

It was a flying blade that is unthinkably weak by those who know me until now, but it was plenty enough when it is to keep him in check.

 

“Hmph, acting pretentious”

 

When Sadore swung his arm, my flying blade somehow turned small pieces in mid-air.

The flying blade who lost its powers dispersed, not reaching Sadore.

 

“What a fragile flying blade for a Hero of legends who had defeated two generations of demon lords. This would make the predecessor sad, don’t you think?”

“――Worry about yourself”

“Wh!”

　

The flying blade before was a decoy.

I shortened our distance instantly and got up close to him..

And then I sliced him up from right below with Echsdarc.

My blow certainly cut Sadore.

If the invocation condition of his technique is to swing his arm, then he would no longer be able to stop this attack.

 

“Don’t underestimate me!”

 

The instant before my attack hit, chills ran through my spine.

I immediately twisted Echsdarc for defense.

Immediately following it, a strong shockwave ran through my arms.

By the time I noticed it, I was blown away and was rolling over the floor.

When I stood up and restored my posture, the appearance of a slightly annoyed Sadore was reflected in my eyes.

 

“It is regrettable, you know…That you would try to defeat me with this level of feint and this level of attack… you’re not a Hero anymore, just a nobody!”

 

Sadore swung his arm.

In doing so, a small slash flew towards me.

I just swung Echsdarc straight down towards that.

A feeling of Echsdarc cutting apart something transmitted, and the slash burned away in front of me.

 

“Wha…”

“You’re right that the current me has become quite weak compared to before. But I’ve regained my experience and intuition”

 

I swung Echsdarc and brushed off what was coiled around her.

 

“An attack where you swing your arm, and additionally a full body counter attack. The movements of your fingers and arm and the weight of your attacks. I haven’t captured it with my eyes yet, but your attacks are likely――――”

 

I picked up that which was scattered around me and carried it in my hand.

 

“See, they’re threads after all”

 

It was a silver thread that was thinner than hair.

It barely has a trace of magic power.

An amount of magic power that you would not be able to grasp if you don’t pick it up and check it from up close.

He must have been able to control it freely with this.

 

“I heard that your black magic was puppet black magic, but in fact it wasn’t that impressive, was it. Your true ability is just being able to control threads freely”

“Ju- just when I thought about what you are saying… I have actually shown you various things, haven’t I? If you think that is just mere threads――”

“The targets you can control were people with lower magic power than yourself. That is because it would get burned away by the magic power inside them otherwise. If you were to raise the magic power that you let the thread wear so that it would not burn off, then this time the thread’s existence would end up getting noticed. That is how you chose your puppets”

 

If he was able to control any beings, then it should have been simple for him to control the bodies of the demon lord or Luke already, or me if I’m unlucky.

He did not do so, in other words he could not do it, meaning that he has other reasons why he could not, even if for example I lost my reasoning.

 

“It seems like it has quite a long range, but the things you can do decreases the farther they go. You have no chance of winning now that I’ve revealed your tricks”

“You’re joking…! Even if you understood! I have more moves than you!”

“Yeah. As things are, I would lose in a war of attrition in the end. Even if that’s not the case, it’ll end with you having bought enough time”

 

I poured magic power into Echsdarc.

A black aura began to spout out of Echsdarc and it covered me.

 

“It took quite some time in my analysis. That’s why I’m going to stop going easy on you:

 

I can’t be afraid of suffering forever. 

If I’m stingy here, then I’m sure I will regret it afterwards, even if I survive.

 

“I’ll let you ascertain whether Heroes are really nobodies”