◎ Resurrect City, Third Inn - Night
「I was scolded. Really scolded.」
Kazane said wearily.
「Well, that can't be helped.」
But Yumika only looked exasperated and didn't say anything in support. The dere period had ended.
「After all, you leaked the secret yourself.」
「That's right.」
Tiara and Naoki also sighed.
It was currently a little past 19 o'clock. In this world only royalty and powerful nobles possessed clocks powered by Childstones, but since they had access to the clock function of the Window they could accurately grasp the time.
Kazane was mainly scolded by the Adventurers Guild. The reason was that the secret behind the『Crawling Lightning』was exposed when she used Hippomaru-kun and the Thunder Chariot in the battle against the black monster. However, since Kazane herself didn't recognize the identity of the『Crawling Lightning』she didn't know she should try to hide it, so when she was asked whether she ran around the city with it she replied「That's right!」with a smug face. She received a good scolding.
Kazane was verbally given a ban on reckless driving near the city. There was no law to prohibit reckless driving, but doing deeds that caused the residents anxiety was sufficient for severe punishment. The neighboring cities and the Adventurers Guild headquarters at Hyvern's capital city Deer South had already been warned about the『Crawling Lightning』because it was presumed that it had left the city two days after its appearance. Because of that it was considered the end of the matter for the Resurrect Adventurers Guild. In short, the point was that they disliked dealing with the aftermath. In any case, if there were no future witnesses, the information would die out. And therefore, no record was made about Kazane's verbal warning.
Well, with all that said, although the appearance of the monster after the final monster was irregular『everyone was safe,』so it wasn't considered a grave matter. So they decided to hold the closing ceremony the next day. The winner and runner up of the general division wouldn't attend, but it was common for experts to leave immediately after they participated.
The killing of the god Norman was being hidden. As he was dying the god himself said that revealing that a devil assaulted a god would only cause everybody anxiety. Norman's corpse was dealt with by the Norman Sacred Knights, and it seemed that once they returned to the capital city it would be revived at the main body.
Although Kazane was listless, she examined the bangle in her hand. It was a reward given for the black monster subjugation, and it was a support item considered an appropriate reward for the summoning division winner. The name was『Aim Bracelet』and it allowed using magic with summoned creatures. Simply put, a magician would be able to shoot magic from the summoned creature as if it was themself. When she tried it, it seemed that certain Skills could also be used by Yuuko-nee.
Furthermore, she exchanged the meat of the Black Rock Dragon with the third place winner and got『Nue Meat』in return. Yuuko-nee had eaten the meat, and her claws became sharper, she was clad in lightning, and she got a third tail. Her speed seemed to have increased as well. Fortunately, the tails didn't become snakes.
By the way, she also tried to negotiate with Karti, but she refused to exchange and said「I obtained this with my own hands.」She got Pegasus meat. It seemed that wings grew.
The other noteworthy point would be Kazane's Skills, but as a matter of fact, she didn't gain any after defeating that black monster. She also didn't gain any experience. There may be some conditions, but at the moment Kazane didn't know the reason. On the other hand, she thought that might be fine since she gained the Skill『Soul Breaking Blade』by copying it from the pure white katana during the battle. It seemed like a Skill that would be tremendously effective on Astral types. It would be a very useful skill for Kazane, who had a bitter experience with Diablo. And then...
「Um……is it really fine? Receiving this...」
Minaka reservedly asked Kazane. The pure white katana she got from Genzo was now on Minaka's waist.
「Yeah, it's fine, it's fine. Katanas are also outside my area of expertise.」
Kazane said, then added.
「But absolutely never sell it. It's fine if you don't use it, but always keep it with you. As much as possible.」
Kazane's serious expression as she talked made Minaka blink in surprise, and she replied 「Understood」and immediately started looking after the katana.
The katana's name『White Snow』was inscribed on the blade. It was the perfect name for a pure white katana.
But it couldn't be said that Kazane's face was pleased as she watched. Her companions thought it was wasteful, but Yumika at least felt (there's something bothering her).
(Really, Ojii-chan. You were a fool.)
Kazane grumbled in her mind.
(You never noticed that your own grandchild was in front of you?)
She thought it wasn't a rewarding story. There was no proof, but Kazane was convinced. Genzo's consciousness flowing through the sword told her so. She also confirmed that Minaka was adopted and had no memory before adoption. So Kazane guessed that Genzo put his grandchild up for adoption and misunderstood that she was dead. Kazane didn't know the details, but Kazane pitied the old man for passing by her until the end and surrendered it as a memorial memento for Minaka.
But she didn't tell that to Minaka. She thought she would visit this world's Japan one day and decide what to do after talking with the parents that raised Minaka.
And Kazane never imagined that the old man was a player.
The old man appeared in this world two years ago. He alighted in Japan alone, and since then had been traveling as an adventurer.
But the old man should have been suspicious. Was the old man alone in front of his monitor before coming to this world? Was it only the old man that was dropped into this world?
Actually, a girl was found alone in Japan six years before the old man. That little girl was found by some townspeople and practiced swordsmanship as she was raised, as was normal for『Japanese』children. And while learning swordsmanship, the girl gained the Unique Skill『Sword Master』and became an adopted child of a samurai family. At that time the girl abandoned the past to live as the samurai family's daughter. It was the same technique of sealing memory used by Ninja that Genzo applied to Kazane.
The old man didn't notice. He fell into this world two years ago. It couldn't be helped that he didn't notice his grown grandchild was in front of him. No, if the old man hadn't been seduced by the devil or wasn't only focused on the original world, there may have been a different future. But the result had already happened. They couldn't return to the past.
The story was the hypothesis. However, if the girl spoke a short phrase, that hypothesis would be answered. If only she said「Command: Open」.....
But that wouldn't happen. There was no logical reason for Minaka to speaks those words. So in the end that would be the assumption, and nothing happened.
Just an old man's sword hanging on Minaka's waist. That, at least, was certainly reality.
(Well, rest well, Ojii-chan. You were very tired. You've been working hard until now...I'm tired too.)
While watching Minaka meticulously looking after the sword, Kazane's eyelids eventually closed, she placed her head on the table, and after a while she started regularly breathing deeply. Yumika picked up Kazane with an「It can't be helped」expression and carried her to the bed in the room. While restraining Naoki as he started saying「I will....」
But there was still one loose end. A『promise』made during the tournament had not yet been fulfilled.
It was now the planned time for it to be fulfilled.
◎ Resurrect City, Middle Arena, Night
「It certainly feels desolate here at night.」
An old man stood in the middle of the arena. The hands holding his sword trembled, and he seemed to be having difficulty standing upright.
「Well, it's after the festival. It always feels like a fire has gone out.」
Jinrai expressed those harmless and inoffensive words.
The old man, Val Nielsen, laughed after Jinrai's words.
The old man who gave his name as Vanil in the tournament was deprived of his own power, along with the soul of the devil. It was obvious that he would weaken and die by tomorrow like the other devil users.
「Should we start soon?」
The old man nodded after Jinrai's words, then scowled at him.
「Understand this. Don't come at me to finish me like a pitiable old man.」
Jinrai nodded without saying anything.
After looking around and seeing nobody else in the destroyed arena, the old man drew the ordinary longsword he found earlier. Even lifting it seemed painful. He could be heard groaning.
「Is this really fine?」
Louise was standing a little distance away and checked with Jinrai with a helpless expression.
「Please start it for us, Louise Nee-san.」
The was Jinrai's only reply. His expression gave no hints to how he felt. There was only a battle machine that was thinking of burying the enemy in front of him. Perhaps that was the best tribute to the old man that Jinrai knew how to give.
There was no inattention or compromise, just preparation to kill him like he was a strong enemy. The old man nodded happily at Jinrai's appearance.
Louise saw that, then raised her hand and spoke the start signal.
Then the old man watched Jinrai.
Since when has a sword been so heavy?
How long has it been since he had experienced meeting an enemy so dreadful?
His legs didn't move forward. He wasn't frozen in fear. He simply couldn't move.
Since that was the case, he would move his arms. Lift and go down.
Dodge the opponent's attack, slash...
While thinking that, the old man understood that he had a gaping hole in his chest. He was pierced by a spear. The man in front of him really challenged and came at him with all his power. That was very pleasing for the old man, so he gave his greatest compliment.
「Splendid.」
With that said, the old swordsman that once had Lightning added to his name crumbled and died.
Louise hung her head after looking at that. It was not the death of an unknown old man that was painful. The pain came because she was once deeply in love with the man in front of her and his way of living. She loved him because he was that way, and when she let go of him she expected that he wouldn't always be so. However, he hadn't changed. Now and long ago, this man kept to one way of living. That was why he lived apart from his family.
But Jinrai didn't know Louise's feelings. So he just told her.
「This gentleman is Val Nielsen. He is not a devil user like Vanil. I admired him, and defeated him today in a duel with my skill. Please convey that to the guild.」
Louise asked while still hanging her head.
「Is that okay? That will probably lead to a bad outcome?」
「Is there a problem?」
Louise couldn't say anything if Jinrai was saying so.
Then Jinrai left that place by himself.
「Problem...... There is no way there wouldn't be one.」
This dead old man was old and bedridden in recent years, but he had family, disciples, and many followers. Although it was a duel, many people would be angry if they knew that he was killed in this way. But Jinrai was willing to accept that.
「Don't be so rash, Ojii-chan.」
Louise murmured to the back of the man who had already left.
And on the night of the final, all the stories related to the Grand Tournament were ended.
Name: Yuihama Kazane
Occupation: Magic Swordswoman
Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer
Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Adhesion Sword『Gum』, Spell Dagger, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Accumulator, White Magic Accumulator
Level : 29
Health: 101
Magic Power: 170+420
Strength: 49+10
Agility: 40+4
Endurance: 29
Wisdom : 55
Dexterity : 33
Spell : 『Fly』 『Torch』 『Fire』 『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』
Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』 『Night Vision』 『Crushing Blow』 『Dog’s Sense of Smell』 『Golem Maker: Lv2』 『Rush』 『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』 『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』 『Air Jump: Lv2』 『Killing Leg: Lv2』 『Fear Voice』 『Invisible』 『Tiger Eye』 『Wall Walking』 『Intuition』 『Cheat Death』 『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Placement』『Thunder Chariot』
Kazane:「The Grand Tournament is finished. The arc was long this time.」
Yumika:「There is still the closing ceremony. Well, it was certainly long, and there were many more battle scenes than usual.」
Kazane:「I'm worn out from the various things that happened. I would like to go lighter starting next time.」