kscans

Chapter 175 - The Final Flame

"…Kyou-chan. Yagawa Kyouta-kun. Run. Run now."

Aira-san's voice came through the earring.

She was trying to stay calm, but she couldn't hide her agitation. Her voice was trembling slightly.

"Use the other adventurers and civilians as a shield. It's not your fault. I'm ordering you. Take your family and your friends and get out of here."

"I can't."

"Do as I say! Grandma's rescue won't make it in time. Prioritize—"

"We've made eye contact."

Her words were so sweet. If I could, I would gladly obey and run away.

But that didn't seem to be an option.

"If I turn my back, I'll be killed. Please give me information on the enemy."

Every time my feet threatened to retreat, my [Spirit Eye] showed me the future.

If I averted my gaze and my sword from my opponent for even a moment, I would die. But it wasn't just the skill. My intuition, honed by experience, had reached the same conclusion.

"Please. So I can live."

"…The enemy's stats are roughly one and a half times that of a Fafnir. It seems the fusion was quite reckless. Its basic skills are also unchanged. If anything, the barrier on its surface is gone."

"Understood. Thank you."

The demon, still hovering in the air, looked down at me with one of its faces while the other scanned the surroundings.

Its search must have finished. Both heads turned to face me.

"Fuuuhh…"

One deep breath. I still had time for that much.

I'm scared. I want to run. I don't want to die.

I forced my legs, on the verge of being consumed by negative emotions, to move forward.

"Here I go!"

With that step, I shattered the earth.

Spiderweb-like cracks spread in all directions. Leaving behind fragments of melted asphalt, I shot upward toward the demon.

"Gigigigi!"

"Hahahaha!"

A furious growl and a mad laugh echoed simultaneously. Both of the demon's faces twisted in rage as it, too, descended toward me, sword in hand.

In an instant, both our speeds approached the sound barrier. We collided head-on, our blades clashing with all our momentum.

A deafening roar, like giant blocks of metal smashing together, shook the air, and our blades sent sparks flying. My arm bones groaned, and I felt my sword being pushed back.

Its physical strength is greater…!

At close range, the mouths of both its heads turned to me.

"Kah!"

A point-blank shot while our blades were locked. I instinctively released the pressure on my sword and leaned back to dodge.

I kicked up at its right arm, but it wasn't enough to hinder its movement. It swung its longsword without pause.

As it aimed a slash at my torso, I dove down while upside down, trying to circle around behind it. But the demon twisted its body and swung its reptilian tail at me.

The tip of the log-thick tail had a sharp spike. It closed in on the side of my head, but I tilted my neck and let it slide off the curve of my helmet. A high-pitched sound rang in my brain.

As my vision wavered, the demon raised its right arm. With a slash descending on my head, I charged forward and headbutted the part of its blade near the guard.

My helmet cracked, but the slash was stopped. From that close-quarters position, I tried to aim a wrapshot at the back of its head, but its hard tail ensnared my blade.

"Gehyah!"

"Guh, aah!"

Before I could draw my knife, my body was swung sideways. A half-second later, I realized I had been thrown by its tail.

I lost my balance in mid-air and crashed back-first into the wall of a building. As dust and debris filled the air, I immediately crawled out of the small crater.

Light projectiles, fired from its twin heads, rained down on the spot I had just been. Each shot was like a tank shell, easily carving away at the supposedly reinforced concrete building.

I flew sideways at full speed, hearing the sounds of buildings being riddled with holes behind me.

The magical projectiles from its two mouths forced me to lower my altitude. As it wished, I dove diagonally downwards, toward the road.

Just before impact, I righted myself and shattered the asphalt with my heel. I spun horizontally to kill my momentum, kicking up a cloud of dust. The impacting projectiles exploded the ground beneath the road, creating even more smoke.

I dodged the barrage, which was fired with little to no aim, relying on my [Spirit Eye]. I knew for certain that if one hit, it would be enough to overwhelm me.

I tore a nearby road sign from its post, turning it into a makeshift spear. Moving in an 'S' pattern through the dust cloud, I hovered and hurled the sign at the enemy.

I didn't think it would be enough to wound it, but it seemed the creature was extremely wary of me. One of its mouths turned toward the sign and shot it down.

At the same moment, I burst out of the dust cloud. The head that had just fired was the unhelmeted one on the right. I circled around from that side and closed the distance in an instant.

"Gah!"

The left head roared as if annoyed, but its line of fire was blocked. Gaining a slight height advantage, I brought my sword down on its head.

"Kehya!"

Its own sword intercepted mine, and only sparks flew. Undeterred, I swung in a reverse diagonal slash, but it was blocked again. My return horizontal slash was caught on the hilt of its sword.

It forcefully deflected my blade, and its left elbow appeared before my eyes. My helmet was gone. I tilted my head to dodge, and its tail swung around like a roundhouse kick.

I won't dodge this!

"Guuh!"

I took the blow on my breastplate, released my right hand from the hilt, and firmly trapped the steel-colored tail under my arm.

I was now on its left side. I lunged with a thrust aimed at its neck with my left hand. If it hits, great. If it dodges, I'll follow up…!

"What—"

"Gi, gigi!"

The blade did indeed pierce the steel-colored skin. However, it was the cheek of the helmeted head.

The monster clamped down on the blade that had pierced its cheek with its teeth and violently swung its tail and neck.

It's going to break my sword! I instantly released the tail and kicked its side. I pulled my blade free and immediately followed up with a diagonal slash.

The demon deflected it with its left backhand and countered with its longsword, aiming for my neck.

At the last second, I thrust my left arm between us, blocking with my gauntlet. The armor cracked, and the blade reached the flesh beneath.

"Ah, gaaah…!"

It followed through, and my body was flung toward a building. The moment I managed to regain my balance, the demon charged, its sword raised high.

I blocked with my sword but couldn't stop it, and I was pushed into the building. My back shattered a reinforced concrete wall, and I tumbled into a deserted office.

Amidst scattered documents and desks topped with computers, a flash of light erupted.

I parried a longsword sweeping at my torso upwards and slid to its right side. I swung my sword in a reverse diagonal slash, but it kicked off the floor with its tail and leaped. In an inverted position, it kicked off the ceiling and unleashed a diagonal slash.

I took a half-step back to dodge, and its powerful arm cleaved deep into the floor. I stomped on its arm and brought my blade down on its neck from above.

But it stopped my wrist with its wing, and a moment later, it forcefully pushed my foot away.

I let the momentum carry me backward, escaping through the shattered window behind me. I was at a disadvantage in a confined space. Our physical abilities were too different.

Where I had the advantage was…!

"Gaaaaaaah!"

"Gehahahahaha!"

The monster burst through the wall, firing a volley of magical projectiles from its mouths. As I shot upward to avoid the storm of attacks, it followed, ascending as well.

But I was faster. With the murderous acceleration of the Flügel, I pulled away, left the projectiles behind, and used a '捻り込み' twisting maneuver to get behind it.

"Gea!?"

"Haaaah!"

Before it could turn around, I drew a horizontal line across its torso. Blackish-red blood danced in the air.

But it was too shallow! It's not just its mana, its body is physically too tough!

It felt as if my sword, the one that had just cut it, was about to break. There was no time to reconstruct it. I had to finish this before I lost my weapon.

The demon turned to pursue me again, now exposing its back. It fired projectiles in that state, but this time, one of its heads kept its mouth shut.

It probably wouldn't fall for the same trick twice. I repeated a series of rapid ascents and descents, and in the process, several buildings hit by stray shots reached their limit and began to collapse.

───DOOOOMM…!!

With a heavy groan, a skyscraper began to tilt. As the top half started to fall toward the road, I dove headfirst into it.

I entered through a window, scraping along the floor as I turned around. I parried the projectiles coming from outside with my sword and charged the pursuing demon.

Believing it had the advantage in a head-on clash, it took the bait. The right head let out a triumphant laugh, and it swung its two-handed sword in a diagonal slash.

But I didn't engage. Just before our blades met, I barrel-rolled. I let its sword swing through empty air, kicked it in the back, and escaped from the building.

The building crashed to the ground, its upper half reduced to rubble. Amidst the rising dust and the earth-shaking tremor, I slipped into a relatively intact building nearby to hide.

As expected, the demon emerged unscathed, blowing away the debris. As its twin heads scanned for me, I charged from its blind spot. This time, I would finish it…!

"Kehah."

"Tch───!"

I heard its laugh and saw the premonition from my [Spirit Eye] at almost the same instant.

I retracted the thrust I had intended to pierce its heart from behind and took evasive action to the right. A moment later, its twin heads rotated 180 degrees and fired intercepting shots.

"That's insane!"

I tilted my sword several times to deflect the projectiles, but I couldn't parry them all and took a hit to my left shoulder. I lost my balance from the strong impact.

Thanks to the Flügel, I wasn't bleeding, but some of the muscle was crushed. As I was left exposed and defenseless in mid-air, reeling back, the demon approached me head-on.

The helmeted head filled with resentment, the bare head with a mocking sneer. And the longsword, raised high with a single right hand.

"Damn it—"

Left arm, block, won't make it. Dodge, impossible. Dea—!

I was going to be cut down. The moment my mind was consumed by terror, something flew in from the corner of my eye.

"Tch!?"

"Huh?"

Something hit my right shoulder, and my body was knocked aside. In response, the demon retracted its sword and changed its stance, as if on guard.

Though thrown back in mid-air, I somehow managed to regain my posture. What hit me was… an arrow?

Both the demon and I, by a strange coincidence, turned our heads in the direction the arrow had been fired.

On the roof of the Central Joint Government Building, now about 300 meters away, I spotted two familiar faces.

"Mom…?!"

My eyesight, which surpassed that of an average Awakened Person, caught sight of my parents, their faces pale, shouting something.

Did they try to provide support and misfire? No, that's not the problem.

"Jiiih!!"

"Wa—"

The demon's focus shifted to my parents.

Spreading its demonic wings, it flew towards the government building. I gave chase, but I was a fraction of a second too late.

This is bad, that's…!

The previous shot was likely my parents' ultimate attack, an arrow from my mom imbued with wind by my dad.

But it couldn't even scratch my [Arcane Gear]. It was useless against the demon.

The reason it flew straight for them was because my parents' mana signature was similar to mine. The monster, unusually wary of me, was now baring its fangs to eliminate any potential threats.

A second shot was fired, but it flew off in a completely different direction. This time, the demon continued its advance without any evasive maneuvers, gathering mana in its mouths.

I was almost there, but still…!

"Get away!"

My scream surely didn't reach them. My mom stood stunned, and my dad held her protectively in his arms.

And then, a merciless magic projectile was unleashed upon them.

"Ah───"

I reached out with my left hand. It wasn't enough.

In a world that seemed to move in slow motion, I thought I saw my parents' eyes turn to me.

With faces that were a mixture of tears and a smile. And their lips.

I thought I heard them say, 'We're sorry'. And then even their faces were washed out by the light of the projectile.

───And then.

"Like hell I'll let youuuuuuuu!!"

A 'shuriken', scraping along the government building's wall, gathering the mana infused within it to fly at an incredible speed, smashed the magic projectile from below.

The `Daisharinmaru`, having self-destructed from the extreme acceleration, shattered in mid-air. The moment I saw it, my reaction and the demon's were completely different.

"Gii!"

The demon spread its wings to brake sharply, turning one of its heads towards the ground.

As for me.

"Go get 'em, Kyou-chan!"

"Ooooooooooh!!"

With my companion's words at my back, I charged at maximum output.

I was already right on top of it. It instantly swung its sword in a sideways slash as it turned, but I ascended to dodge.

A downward slash from above tore through its steel-colored right arm.

I felt it sever flesh and slightly graze bone. The monster let out a scream and a roar simultaneously as it swung its wounded right arm.

Even with a severe injury, its sword speed surpassed that of a Minotaur. But!

"Shiii!"

I slammed a reverse diagonal slash into the same spot I had just cut. This time, I severed the bone, sending its arm from the elbow down flying.

It immediately fired a projectile from its mouth, but faster than that, I used the momentum of my swing to hook my left toes onto the demon's right thigh.

The projectile, fired from a slightly tilted body, only grazed my right ear.

I flipped my one-and-a-half-handed sword and brought it down in a diagonal slash, aiming for the left neck. The blade bit deep into its base.

"Gi, aaaaaa!?"

"Oorah!"

I gripped the hilt with both hands and put all my strength into it.

CRACK.

A sound.

My sword broke in half, and at the same time, its left neck was severed. The wound was scorched, and instead of a spray of blood, red flames danced.

Not yet!

"Gehyaa!"

My back was left defenseless, with no time to stop the momentum of my swing. The demon, having lost its right arm and left head, raised its left hand.

Its sharp claws could easily pierce my unhelmeted head.

But I wouldn't let it. I unleashed wind from my Flügel at maximum output, blowing both myself and my opponent away.

As the impact sent my organs jolting, I forced myself to turn around. I held my broken sword at the ready and charged again.

I wouldn't give it time to dodge. A projectile from its mouth blew off my left ear, but I flew on, closing the distance.

Leave even the pain behind───accelerate!

I forcefully pierced its steel-colored skin with my broken sword and unleashed more wind. As it groaned, the demon met my attack, digging its five fingers into my side.

As my vision flickered, I placed my left hand on the hilt.

Under my gauntlet, I heard my ring crack, screaming in protest.

"Shatter!"

I supplied an excessive amount of mana to the blade, to my right arm. Wind and fire groaned, and in that instant, they burst forth in a flash of red light.

I had no feeling from my right elbow down. Amidst the black smoke, the demon and I were thrown in opposite directions.

In a state that was more falling than flying, our gazes met. We were both still alive.

"Hahahahahahahah!!"

"Aaaahhhh!"

The demon, laughing madly, flew with its tattered wings. In response, I let my Flügel stream behind me.

Both our left arms were pulled back, closing in on each other's chests. The demon had the advantage in reach.

Just before its hand reached my chest, I touched its steel-colored spear-hand with my freshly healed right arm. I couldn't stop its momentum. But even as my pinky and ring fingers were crushed, I managed to deflect it. Its claws scraped against my breastplate, sending sparks flying as they passed by my side.

In turn, my left arm plunged deep into the demon's carbonized chest.

My arm sank in up to the wrist, reaching its heart. Even so, the demon creaked its neck and turned its mouth toward me.

Mana gathered.

"Burn."

The same was true for me.

"Flame Horse!!"

An excess of mana enveloped my left arm.

Burning away flesh and bone, melting my gauntlet, and finally shattering the magic ring.

Supplied with more mana than it could contain, it had finally reached its limit. Its final, furious neighing erupted from within the demon.

"Hiiiiiiiiiiinn!!"

The sound of fire, like the neighing of a horse. My vision was dyed red, and a pillar of fire engulfed me.

I couldn't stay conscious. The pain I had left behind seemed to catch up, a searing agony piercing my brain.

Likely from the sudden and massive blood loss, I finally succumbed to gravity and began to fall.

But just as I thought I was caught by something, I crashed onto something soft with a thump.

I felt something cold against my cheek. Was this snow?

I managed to crack my eyes open slightly and saw that a mountain of unseasonable snow had cushioned my—our—fall. In the corner of my vision, I caught sight of an elf running towards me, out of breath.

Then, the person supporting my back was.

"Thank you. Partner."

"Anytime!"

My vision was still blurry, but I knew my self-proclaimed ninja partner was grinning from ear to ear.

My physical wounds were healing. I placed a hand on the snow-covered ground and pushed myself up.

With Erina-san's help, I stood up just as a steel-colored object fell to the ground.

Where had the asphalt gone? The demon was lying face down on the exposed earth, where broken water pipes were visible here and there.

Having lost its limbs and wings, the monster slowly turned its face toward me.

Its steel-colored face was still smiling.

"Ka, kakaka…"

Its skin turned white. Like the snow at its feet.

As the demon dissolved into salt, I took one deep breath. Then, I turned my gaze to the roof of the Central Joint Government Building.

My parents were leaning over the fence, looking down at me. Dad probably couldn't see, but Mom could with her skill.

To let them know I was safe, I raised my right fist high. In response, Mom waved her arms frantically.

Oh, she almost fell and Dad had to catch her. Please, don't die now after all this.

───Oooooooooooh!

"?!"

The sudden noise made me jump. What was that?!

I looked in the direction of the sound and saw a crowd of people cheering in front of the government building. Why were they outside the building…?

I didn't really get it, but it was kind of scary. Erina-san had turned invisible again, so I couldn't use her as a shield. And where did Byakuren go? With its huge body, it could have blocked their view.

Mia-san was leaning against a tattered roadside tree, catching her breath. It seemed she had been through a fierce battle as well.

But.

"Suuu…"

I redeployed my [Arcane Gear]. I constructed my armor and weapon, and drew my sword.

Then, I took a stance with my back to the government building.

"■■■■■───ッ!!"

"Well, that's quite a lot…"

A horde of giants was heading my way.

It seemed the Fafnirs were finally done, but these were running towards me with spears and swords, shaking the ground.

"Erina-san, can you still fight?"

"Yup. I'll bring Byak-chan out now!"

Byakuren, which she pulled from her Item Box, was kneeling on the ground, motionless. It had many wounds, but the damage was minor. Out of mana, probably.

I touched its shoulder and sent it some of my mana. Its eyes lit up, and it stood, raising its iron ball.

"Erina-san, protect Mia-san. She's at her limit too. I'll take the front line."

"Okay! And, Aira-senpai! Kyou-chan's fine, so calm down!"

Erina-san touched her ear and giggled. Ah, so I'd dropped my earring at some point.

I didn't have time to remember where I'd lost it. The enemy would be in range soon.

I hoisted my sword onto my shoulder and lowered my center of gravity. The Ring of the Flame Horse was gone. Could I protect the building?

I could sense that adventurers were already engaging giants in other locations. I couldn't expect reinforcements.

A drop of sweat trickled down my cheek. Now, how long could I hold out…!

I swallowed my anxiety and was about to step forward. In that instant.

Steel filled my vision.

"...Huh?"

It wasn't a demon.

Something had streaked across my field of view, moving faster than the speed of sound. It stopped, revealing its true form.

Thanks to my [Spirit Eye], I could 'see' it, but my brain couldn't keep up.

"...A katana?"

A blade with a visible hamon was weaving across the entire road, its length and angle impossible.

It would make sharp turns just before hitting the ground or a wall, changing direction as it extended. It looked like crystals under a microscope.

It was an unbelievable sight, but I was even more terrified by the mana overflowing from the blade. This was, could it be…

While I stood there, stunned, the blade shattered. It broke into millimeter-sized particles, which dissipated into motes of mana before they could touch any people or the ground.

[Arcane Gear].

Or some kind of skill. That's what my eyes told me.

The giants I had seen in the distance all collapsed at once. From the numerous holes in their massive bodies, I understood that they had been pierced repeatedly by the mysterious blade.

The sound of them falling echoed from what seemed like all over Tokyo.

The sounds of battle in the city suddenly ceased. Only the sound of fires consuming something in the buildings remained; otherwise, there was silence.

On instinct, I looked up.

Under the cloudy sky, illuminated by the flames on the ground, were a single helicopter and a single person.

The person was falling, letting gravity take them. Normally, it would be a fatal drop. But neither I nor Erina-san made a move to help.

Strangely, we couldn't imagine 'him' failing to land.

With a soft thud, a sound that was impossible for someone who had fallen from higher than a skyscraper echoed.

For some reason, the person landed right in front of me. He was dressed like a vagrant.

Messy hair, an overgrown beard. Grimy skin, a faded indigo kimono, and black hakama with torn hems.

He wasn't wearing shoes or even tabi socks; his bare feet were planted on the ground.

But the katana he held in his hand was pristine.

"Hello. Nice to meet you."

"Yes. Nice to meet you."

His voice was calm, belying his appearance.

In response, I answered with the utmost caution.

This person had surely annihilated the giants. He must be a reinforcement. It would be proper to thank him.

But I didn't know when he might attack me. That premonition kept me from bowing my head.

The way he stood, as captured by my [Spirit Eye], was exactly like a predator before its prey.

"Pardon my rudeness. This is sudden, but would you care to have a deathmatch with me right now?"

It was a statement unbecoming of someone who had come to the rescue. My internal alarm bells went up another notch.

"...No, thank you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"...I see."

As I replied cautiously, the tension suddenly drained from his body.

With a somewhat disappointed look, the person sheathed his katana.

"Hmm… should I ask that 'trio' over there? They seem stronger in person-to-person combat, but, hmm… You don't feel like coming at me either, do you, little lady?"

He turned only his head to ask Erina-san, who had, at some point, gotten behind the mysterious person while invisible.

"…………"

"Ignoring me, huh. Kids these days are so difficult."

"Hah…"

In a complete change from before, the mysterious person now exuded a calm atmosphere that matched his voice.

He deactivated his [Arcane Gear], changing into camouflage fatigues.

"Huh?"

"Well then, I'm heading back to work. Firefighting and rescue are someone else's job."

It was unmistakably a Self-Defense Force uniform.

He scratched the back of his head, looking bored.

"Yeah. Sorry for being late. Anyway, I cut… or stabbed? All the moving enemies. So you can relax. But the buildings might collapse, so be careful of that."

"Um… thank you very much."

"No, no. Hey, you sure you don't wanna fight?"

"I'm sure."

"I see."

He slumped his shoulders in disappointment again and began to walk away.

"Ah."

Then, as if he'd just remembered something, he turned back with a carefree voice.

"Can I get your names? You guys seem strong, so we might end up working together someday."

I didn't know what kind of face to make at his innocent smile. Who was this guy?

My brain, exhausted from the intense battle, couldn't keep up. He didn't seem to be an enemy, but he was unsettling.

For better or worse, he was otherworldly. It was as if he existed in the same world as us, but was somehow different.

The only thing I was sure of was that he was overwhelmingly stronger than me.

"...We are—"

"The Invisible Ninjas!!"

"Shut up, you idiot."

"!?"

Don't mess around while you're invisible. The people in front of the government building are still watching us.

I glared at the self-proclaimed ninja, who for some reason looked shocked.

"Right, 'Invisible Ninjas.' Got it."

"Wait."

"Well then, I really have to get back. See ya."

"Wait."

"Oh, I'm 'Miyamoto.' Be nice if you remembered that."

"That's not it."

"Later. ───Until we meet again."

"That name is…"

He said what he wanted and then leaped away.

With just a slight bend of his knees, he jumped higher than a building in a single bound. He leaped nearly 300 meters into the air and grabbed onto the helicopter.

What was terrifying was that he had timed it perfectly to catch the helicopter just as he lost his momentum. This person had complete mastery of his own body.

Well, then did you hear me trying to stop you? Could you at least have acknowledged my denial? You definitely heard me.

As the helicopter flew away, the sound of sirens began to echo from all around. It seemed the rescue efforts were finally beginning in earnest.

"...Haaaaah."

I plopped down onto the ground and deactivated my [Arcane Gear].

I was just… tired. Body and soul.

Too much had happened, and the places that had healed were still screaming in pain. Honestly, I just wanted to pass out right here.

But it was a little too soon to faint. I had to say this one thing.

"Thank you, everyone…"

"You bet! A party is a family! A party shares a common destiny!"

"I'm so glad you're safe, really…"

Mia-san came to my side, and Erina-san, still invisible, wore a smug look. From the earring on her ear, I could hear a frantic Aira-san.

I thanked my companions, who were more than I deserved.

And then, this time for real, I closed my eyes and collapsed.

Finally, the long day was over.

From the cloudy sky, raindrops began to fall, one by one.