Chapter 82
Chapter 82: Copper sword
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Translator: Tseirp
Danan’s fatigued body shook .
Albert who was waiting outside the lift hurriedly rushed over to support Danan .
“Are you okay?”
Upon receiving the final Extra Cure Potion that Albert held out, Danan immediately down its entire content .
His opened wounds sealed once again but there were still many parts which had turned black from internal bleeding that did not regain its natural color . Danan had suffered such grievous internal injury that even Healing Magic could not treat it .
“I’m just a little tired . ”
“A normal person would be dead . Moreover, the Cure Potion will not replenish the blood you had lost . ”
“Something like blood can just be replenished by eating meat . ”
Danan said as he took some dried meat out from his chest pocket and tried to consume it but Albert frantically stopped him .
“Your internal organs are a mess so you can’t! More importantly, the lifts have come so we should go up too . ”
The central lift was destroyed but the lifts on the left and right were still fine .
Which Danan was saving Red and Lit, Albert struggled to operate the control panel and managed to call the other lifts .
“Tch, normally I could just run up a vertical hole like this . ”
“Without any magic at all? …”
Albert and Danan rode the lift .
“But I don’t understand that Theodora too . She joined hands with Ares and Shisandan but asked you to help me . Aren’t her actions a mess? At first, I thought she was just putting on an act to help me as I was still breathing but it seems that I was wrong . ”
After Theodora confirmed Danan’s safety, she promised to cooperate with Shisandan and Ares in the room with the coffins . Ares was surprised but pleased with Theodora’s unexpected behavior and willingly moved to the hall according to her suggestion .
Meanwhile, Albert who was hiding under Theodora’s concealment magic helped Danan drink the Cure Potion and gave him first aid after all the others left the room .
“Well … I think Theodorsan probably didn’t understand it herself . She couldn’t understand so she took contradictory actions . ”
“I don’t get it!”
Danan said indignantly . His face was filled with a strong look of discontent .
“If Theodora opposed Hero-sama, then Theodora is already dead . Seriously, what’s going on …”
“Really? Theodorsan is strong too . ”
“That’s right, myself, Theodora and Ares are all strong enough to defeat a scale of thousands of orcs on our own . But Hero-sama is a different matter altogether . ”
” … The difference is that significant?”
“Theodora has no chance of winning if it comes to a fight . It would be the same even if we three worked together with Yarandorara, Tise, and Red . ”
A look of anxiety surfaced on Albert’s complexion . Danan was in a foul mood because he believed that Theodora was dead .
“I’m sorry, I would have been able to carry you up in an instant if I could move my body a little better . ”
Danan muttered softly after seeing Albert’s expression .
A metallic noise rang out .
Ruti dressed in armor slammed into the floor without softening her fall .
As opposed to Ruti who was staring absentmindedly at the hole in the ceiling, Shisandan nimbly landed on the ground .
Two contrasting figures . Shisandan readied his four Sacred Avengers .
“Now, how do you feel, O Hero . ”
“Why? I only wanted to live a peaceful life with Onii-chan . ”
“Hmph, so you still retain your ego huh?”
Ruti did not look at Shisandan .
If she was a Hero, she would have faced Shisandan who was an Asura Demon .
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“Hero Ruti, you are a dangerous entity after all . In the name of the Asura, I will destroy you here . ”
Shisandan focused his strength into the arms holding the swords .
The Sacred Avengers’ brilliance intensified and enormous power flowed into Shisandan .
“You are strong . But the Sacred Avenger are holy swords made to destroy existences like you . And if an Asura holds them, there is no reason why you can’t be killed!”
His opponent was a young girl who had lost her weapon . Nevertheless, there was no complacency in Shisandan’s expression .
Shisandan leaped .
The four holy swords assaulted Ruti but Ruti slowly stood up and used her broken holy sword to parry all of Shisandan’s attacks .
“Ooooo !!!!”
Shisandan roared . The Sacred Avengers shined even brighter and his sword finally caught Ruti’s left arm .
Ruti was wounded and she staggered backward .
” … Is it that bad for me to live an ordinary life?”
“That is ironic . The Divine Protection is meant to prevent a situation like this but instead, you created a mental spirit to resist the impulses from your Divine Protection . That’s right, you have no choice but to live as the Hero . The world wishes for that . ”
“The world?”
“Nevertheless, we Asura also have some responsibility for your circumstances . Don’t think too badly of us . But if we destroy the Demon Lord of Fury and prevent his accession to be the Reigning Demon Emperor, the God and people will probably allow the Hero to live a peaceful life . ”
Ruti didn’t really understand what Shisandan was talking about .
There was a dry metallic sound .
It was the sound of Ruti discarding her broken sword .
“I have never once said that I wanted to be the Hero . I don’t want such power . ”
“Stop it, pick up your sword . ”
The air around Ruti who had her left hand hang limply down her side shook as if in fear .
Shisandan tossed one of his swords in front of Ruti .
“Pick it up . Hero Ruti . ”
But Ruti did not lay her eyes on the sword, the Sacred Avenger that the Hero should hold .
“This emotion burning in my chest . Thanks to your words, I finally remember . Anger … this is rage . ”
Shisandan resolved himself . He held his three holy swords up and attacked Ruti . He planned to cut her head off once she entered his range .
(This strength, although ‘Devil’s Divine Protection’ acted as the trigger, her strength has developed so far and so clearly . As an Asura, as the responsibility of one who holds this sword, I must cut her down here . )
Ruti had devised a swordsmanship, taking the Bahamut Knight Order swordsmanship she learned from Red as the foundation, that could be called a Hero-style swordsmanship .
However, at that moment, Ruti had completely forgotten all the fundamentals of her martial arts . She only wanted to channel out the violent emotions swirling in her heart .
Ruti slowly drew her right hand back .
Without any thoughts in her mind . Just,
“My, and Onii-chan’s, ordinary life, return it . ”
She verbalized the true essence behind her anger .
After coming to terms with it, the only thing left to do was to explode out .
Ruti’s figure disappeared from Shisandan’s sight .
(Fast!?)
Shisandan immediately took a defensive posture .
(But no matter how fast she is, she only has her bare fists . I will receive her attack with my sword and strike back . Then it shall be my victory!)
Shisandan crossed his swords and held a defensive stance in front of Ruti who was charging straight at him .
“Kuaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
That was Hero Ruti’s first ever battle cry .
The figure of the Hero that was always calm and collected was nowhere to be seen . At that moment, Ruti was not fighting as the Hero but as Ruti .
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” … Impossible . ”
The fight was settled in a single blow .
Shisandan lost the feeling in his arms and his swords fell to the ground .
Three of the holy swords that the first generation Hero received from God were pulverized into dust .
“Cough …”
Fresh blood overflowed from Shisandan’s mouth . Shisandan held his mouth with trembling hands .
(I guess this is a fatal wound . )
Normally a person would press down on their wound but … even with six arms, he would not be able to press down on the gaping hole in his torso .
(But the Hero has touched the Sacred Avenger … that should mean I have achieved the bare minimum goal . )
Shisandan collapsed with a satisfied smile on his face . The Asura collapsed and no longer moved a finger .
It was clear to anybody’s eyes that he was dead .
“With this, she’ll be fine . ”
After removing the armor fragments inside Theodora’s wounds and making her drink a Cure Potion, her condition became stable .
“Why do you help her?”
Godwin asked with dissatisfaction .
“Because Theodora is a friend . ”
“Ha? This woman indirectly just tried to kill you . ”
“That might be the case . But she is still my friend . ”
“Although I hate those who have are not aware that they are villains themselves, I also hate people like you who put on saint masks . ”
I laughed wryly as I looked at the angry Godwin .
“You’re wrong . What Theodora did was a hostile act . But . ”
I looked at my own hands . They were still shaking .
“I do not want my younger sister to experience the feeling of killing a companion who had traveled with you, even if they had become an enemy . ”
Ares was the enemy . I did not regret killing him .
However, there was still that lingering emotion .
“It’s fine if it is for that reason …”
Godwin made an uncomfortable expression and didn’t say anything else .
“More importantly, I must help Ruti next . ”
I had all the members drink Cure Potions and had Lit heal Ugeuge-san who couldn’t drink potions with her Spirit Magic but to be honest, they were all beaten up .
Only Godwin was relatively unharmed but naturally, I could not bring him along to fight Shisandan .
“Red-san, are you going?”
“Of course . ”
“Then I will go too . ”
Tise said as she stood up . Ugeuge-san was resting its body on Lit’s palm but it also raised its arm and tried to tag along when Tise stood up .
“Don’t worry, Ugeuge-san should concentrate on healing . ”
“Sorry, it would go faster if I could concentrate better . ”
“That is already plenty with the injuries Lit-san have . Thank you . ”
Lit’s injuries were probably the most severe . After receiving a full-powered spell from Ares, she still had painful burns and wounds all over her body . Her feet seemed to be hurting as well as she was seating in an unnatural position .
“It will be the end once we defeat Shisandan . We can meet up with Danan and go home after that . ”
I told Lit and smiled to her to reassure her .
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At that moment, a cry resounded from the hole in the ground . The sound of a tremendous impact followed after it .
“Ruti!?”
That was Ruti’s voice!
But, Ruti shouting during battle!?
I held Thunderwaker with my left hand and was about to leap into the hole .
But a single shadow flew out from the hole and blocked my path .
“Ruti! So you’re all right . ”
Ruti did not show any expression as her right hand hung limply by her side while holding the Avenger that Shisandan held previously and she just stood idly there .
“Ruti? Are you all right?”
Ruti’s condition was strange . I worriedly moved closer to Ruti .
“Eh?”
Suddenly at that moment, Tise strongly pulled my shoulder .
She interposed her body between Ruti and me .
The smell of blood erupted out .
“Tise!!!”
I heard a splash .
Blood flowed from the Avenger .
Tise’s body crumbled . I supported Tise’s body with my left hand .
The young girl’s clothes dyed red in an instant .
“You . . can’t do that … Ruti-sama, this person is your important person … so you can’t … hurt … him …”
It was Ruti who cut Tise .
Ruti stared at us with a transparent expression .
“I-it’s the slaughtering impulse!”
Godwin shouted . That was the side effect of the Devil’s Divine Protection . The incident that happened in Zoltan was still fresh in my memory .
That manifested in Ruti as well!?
The cry of swords clashing against each other resounded in the hall .
“Lit! Godwin! Please take care of Tise!!”
I lowered Tise to the floor, focused my strength into both my arms and locked swords with Ruti to hold her back .
During that time, Godwin swiftly grabbed Tise’s body and retreated .
“Gu!?”
The moment my attention shifted to my back for an instant, Ruti sent a kick to my stomach .
My body screamed from receiving the heavy blow .
Ruti followed up with a slash using her sword and I received it with Thunderwaker .
It produced an unpleasant metallic sound .
I leaped a few steps backward to create distance .
And then, I looked at Thunderwaker .
” … Thank you for everything until now . ”
Countless cracks ran through Thunderwaker’s body . A single blow from Ruti caused about half of the blade to crack .
Thunderwaker would probably never see another battle .
But if Thunderwaker had snapped, I probably would have been cut in two . This sword was an excellent sword until the very end .
I placed Thunderwaker on the ground and put my hand on the handle of the ‘Copper Sword’ hanging on my waist .
I faced Ruti head-on while in the sword-drawing position .
“Do-don’t be reckless! You don’t plan to fight with such a poor weapon!?”
I heard Godwin shout from behind .
The copper sword was certainly a cheap product that could not compare to Thunderwaker .
Ruti slowly swung her sword down .
I sharpened my spirit . The match would be decided in a split second .
The Copper Sword was brittle and dull . That meant that the Copper Sword was softer compared to a steel sword .
Softer meant that it was not as sturdy as steel . But!
Matching Ruti’s blow, I wrapped my fingers around, not the handle but below the cross-shaped sword guard and drew my sword as if grabbing the blade directly .
Bahamut Knight Order style, cross-guard counter .
That was not a martial art originating from a Divine Protection . It was a sword technique .
By drawing the sword while holding the blade, it was a defensive technique meant to receive the opponent’s sword using the sword guard and handle that form a cross . It was a technique meant for weapons such as the Bahamut Knight Order longsword or the copper sword I held now where the blade, guard, and handle were made from a single piece of metal .
Normally I would use it while wearing gloves but with the dull copper sword, it would not cut my finger off even when gripped bare-handedly .
Ruti’s strike drove into the copper sword .
It was the Avenger that could break even an excellent sword . There was no way a copper sword could stop it .
But due to the difference in hardness, the copper sword did not break but was torn like butter from the guard to the blade .
At that instant, I put strength into the fingers holding the copper sword and twisted .
The holy sword was sandwiched by the torn copper sword . When I twisted the copper sword, it naturally applied a rotational force to the holy sword as well . The holy sword was wrestled from Ruti’s hand .
A clang resounded and the holy sword fell to the ground along with the copper sword .
It was similar to the disarming technique of letting your opponent dig their sword into your wooden shield but that was my first time performing it with a sword .
I’m glad it went as planned!
Nevertheless, I had lost my weapon as well . Whereas Ruti had her magic and there was a difference in ability even in terms of bare-handed fighting so I had zero chances of winning .
Ruti stopped moving . There were no signs of her sending a deadly punch in my direction .
“I’m glad I asked Godwin his opinion as an Alchemist regarding the Devil’s Divine Protection in advance . ”
I muttered to myself .
The slaughtering impulse from the Devil’s Divine Protection came from the Divine Protection of the respective demon .
While for Ruti’s Devil’s Divine Protection, there was no Divine Protection from any demon . The innate Divine Protection was within Ruti since birth .
In that case, she should not have any slaughtering impulse . Since Ruti would never want to kill others . I could vouch for that as Ruti’s brother .
As such, by the process of elimination, there was only one source for the slaughtering impulse that was controlling Ruti .
“There is one other Divine Protection remaining . That would be the 『Hero』 Divine Protection . ”
In Ruti’s journey to take control of her own life, her Divine Protection posed as her final obstacle .
It was probably brought about by that sword Shisandan was holding . It wanted to annihilate all of us who were helping her to quit being the Hero .
I heard the sound of droplets falling rapidly to the ground .
I moved closer to Ruti . Then, I put my arms around her shoulders and embraced her .
“Ku, u, uaaaaaaaa !!”
I couldn’t even imagine just how much it hurt Ruti inside . She had struck down Tise, her best friend, and swung her sword with the intention to kill me .
Ruti’s face distorted as she cried loudly with anger, sadness, regret, relief … a myriad of emotions mixed in her voice as she remained in my arms .
Author’s note:
The battles in Ruti’s arc is complete with this .
Just a little more and we’ll return to the slow life!