Chapter 563: The last hero
In the presence of Rainer and the dragon body of Shario, whose arm strength had been increased several times, Neia faced them with her sword hanging curiously and quietly.
“When I think about it, we have both carried too much on our shoulders, haven’t we?”
“You were the one who, unable to bear the weight of it all, shamelessly went around asking for help”
“Maybe. But that weight was an illusion”
Neia has no armor to protect herself. She was wearing normal clothes, no different from any other townspeople. However, even though half-destroyed, she is still wearing suit armor and facing Rainer, who is dressed to symbolize the existence of a hero, she no longer seems to be mysteriously defeated or hurt. Even without the overwhelming destructive power of the flash sword.
“I wanted to escape from my tattered life as soon as possible. I wanted to die and feel relieved that I had done my job. I was afraid to face something so heavy that I had taken on. That impatience was my weakness”
“It’s a shameful thing”
“It is utterly. ……But I met someone who could take each of these heavy things, one by one and share them with me and show me that they were not really a curse that would drag me into the past, but a clue to the future”
“Even that may be little more than a consolation to yourself”
“You have tried to build yourself up to be strong and respectable and to think of the things you carry as relatively small and trivial”
“In fact, it’s not much. Thirty thousand people, three hundred years. Small by the dragon’s measure”
“……So thinking that saved you”
Neia nodded at that, as if in pity.
“In every way, you are a reverse copy of Smithson-san. ……And therefore do not go hand in hand”
“I don’t need it. I don’t expect anything from you anymore”
“You are an empty champion who undermines everything and aims for the void”
Neia lifted the flash sword.
“Let’s get this over with. In the old days”
“Just like the old days. Let’s get it over with. Ghosts of a decaying little world”
Rainer and Shario responded and quickly prepared themselves. As I watched, I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of brutal show of annihilation was about to begin.
“Rainer-sama. Beware of that sword of hers”
“……Huh. That’s right. That trick that hurt you so badly, you’ll be in trouble if you fall for it”
Rainer said that and changed his stance slightly, but there was no point in being a little careful with the flash sword that could slice off half a mountain at maximum power. Was it a good thing or a bad thing that when I used it, it was the best I could do? Neia faced Rainer and stepped in.
“I don’t even think you need it”
She swung her sword. True to her words, although the flash sword shimmered with rainbow light, she did not expose Rainer to its destructive blast.
“Humph……the two of you were only a match for the little girl over there……you’re not so smart!”
Rainer also returned fire and the two of them instantly exchanged a few blows. And at the moment they let go of each other, Neia laughed a little.
“I’ve always been praised for my memory”
With a shuffling motion, she swung her sword upward in a distant pause. Rainer’s face was taken by surprise and after a moment, his eyes widened in astonishment.
“!!”
The chest part of the suit armor was splattered as if it were a kesa-gatame.
“Slash wave!”
“No way!”
Anzeros and Aurora exclaimed involuntarily. I was surprised too. ……When did she become able to do that?
“Ku……!!”
“Rainer-sama!”
Chario swings her fist as if to support him. However, Neia easily dodged the earth-shaking blow and stood on her elbow.
“I’m going to ask you to give me back the sea king bracelet”
“What……!”
Shario tried to shake Neia off by swinging her arm with a buzzing motion. But just as she thought there was a flash of light, her arm flew up into the sky with a plop.
“……Ga, aa!?”
“I’ve stopped the arm from regenerating. ……You can’t use the bracelet now”
“Kku……idiot, na……!”
Shario staggered and put pressure on her arm, but it did not start regenerating. ……Really. If she used a normal flash attack, she wouldn’t be able to get the bracelet back, so she used the flash sword on a limited basis like this.
“That’s a nasty sword
Rainer attacked Neia as if he was defending Shario. Neia handles the continuous attacks without any danger, but as expected, she is unable to pursue Shario.
“Everyone, I will face Rainer! Take care of Shario!”
As Neia shouted this while swinging her sword at high speed, Special Agent Becker, General Kingfisher and Anzeros all jumped on Shario.
“Shario, fly! If they get you too, there’s no way out!”
“……!”
At the sound of Rainer’s voice, Shario spreads her wings, but then Lado and Broll-san hover to block the sky.
“I can’t let you fly”
“That’s enough!”
“You……!”
The remaining arm tried to reap Becker and the others, but such off-balance movements were not enough to keep up with the speed fighters that Celesta prides itself on.
“Look, look, we won’t be able to capture you if you have such an unbelievable body!”
“Kuaaa! Don’t get carried away! You’re losing your touch, middle-aged man!”
“Why do I have to be called a fucking middle-aged man by a guy who’s older than me? I’ll make you cry later!”
“Don’t look where you’re going, daydreamer, Kingfisher!”
“Focus, both of you, please!”
100-man commander Becker and General Kingfisher dance as they dodge Shario’s attack. Almeida and Anzeros, who are following them, are already moving like monsters. They were not going to hit anything.
“Aurora-san!”
“I understand!”
And Sharon and Aurora swing their swords in concert. When Sharon’s blow hits the ground, Shario’s foot collapses and she loses her balance and then Aurora’s slash wave strikes and leaves a deep wound. As Shario tries to focus her attention on that side, a brilliant slash from Becker and General Kingfisher crisscrosses through her stomach. Before the full attack, Shario is unable to resist and returns to her human body. The dragon body is too fast for them, too incompatible with them. The air is blocked and even if they have power, it means nothing if they can’t hit.
“Shario!”
“Rainer-sama!”
And the human body can handle the frozen qi with some difficulty. In the dragon’s body, she had no choice but to vomit. Even though it ends up being a small amount, it is effective if you can use it without getting Rainer involved. ……I think it’s supposed to be.
“You guys, don’t get carried away……!”
“Oops”
The one who landed on the ground with a thud and interrupted the freezing air was Lado, who had turned into a human body.
“I won’t let you do it……Shario, that’s all”
“You……don’t get in my way, Lado!”
“I’m not going to listen to you. You know what I’m talking about. You’re already……”
“You call me an evil dragon! But I will not be silenced!”
Shario howls furiously. But the intention of Becker to disturb the situation had been accomplished.
“Bracelet! I got it!”
Shario’s fallen dragon arm was transformed into a human arm as Shario was humanized and Tetes was running to snatch away the bracelet that was attached to it. The weapon was broken and gone and Naris, holding an old sword from the palace, was also running to follow Tetes, although she was frightened.
“Wha……that’s what you want……!”
“”It was a troublesome treasure, but until now……”
Dianne-san grins next to me as I look at Shario’s teeth gnashing. And.
“Rainer!”
“Neia……Grans!!”
The sword fight between the two heroes reaches its climax. The sound of the two swords striking each other like a percussion instrument played selflessly by a trance-induced musician continues in a slow and steady fashion, never stopping. But Neia, seeing that she has achieved her goal, releases one more step of her power. The swords quickly became the sole focus of Neia’s attack and in the end, she knocked away the sword held by Rainer. And then.
“……Da, m, nnnnnn iiiitttt!!”
“………….Taaaaaa!!”
With a thud. The tip of the flash sword slices diagonally through Rainer’s chest, sending blood flying. Leyla and Shario see it and they both shout Rainer’s name.
———————————————
“Flash sword”
“Yes”
“……You may say that I’m still a bit remorseful for saying something like this. But I……”
“As a hero’s job……I slay this man and mourn for him as a hero. Is that what you say?”
“Wouldn’t that be funny?”
“……After it’s over. That’s fine. ……This is the end of all your events as a hero”
“I’m sorry”
“No need to apologize. I told you not to use bravery as an excuse because I’m concerned about your pride”
Leyla dug a hole in the ground and the body of Rainer was laid in it. And before pouring dirt, Leyla, Corti and Shario released a generous amount of freezing air from their hands and iced Rainer. I want to be with you as long as I can.
“Neia”
I approach Neia and return her hat.
“……Is it mercy that you didn’t blow him away with the flash sword……?”
“I don’t want him to die too horribly, or I’ll feel like I’m holding a grudge”
“……You were still convinced that you could win
“Because a lot of really strong people fought with us. ……Anzeros reminded me of that, too. That I am not yet someone who has risen to great heights……but someone who can learn”
“……Truly, that’s amazing””
In that battle, I just didn’t know it, but I’m sure a lot of the battle skills of the Sword Saints, the Ace Knight Corps and the Gold Arms were utilized as well. Just as he was able to mimic the earth drive, albeit imperfectly, Neia’s real strength was her ability to grow, to still be able to absorb more even at such a high level of strength. She would surely continue to grow stronger from now on, no matter how far she went. In front of the frozen Rainer, the silver dragons under his command kneeled in silence. I looked at the dead face of Rainer and muttered quietly.
“You too……”
If only he had a boss like Dianne. If only he had a lover like Selenium or Apple. If only he had friends like Isaac, Keiron and Anzeros. Or if he had kids. I thought about it…….
“Maybe things would have been different if you had a father too”
The last thing I thought of. A polka-sleeping, slightly pathetic and uncool dad who gave me a childhood that was more fun than anything else. Kalwin´s people have no clear concept of parent and child. That had been taken away by King Jeddha. But if only he had parents. If only he had a family he could respect and love. Maybe his destiny would have been a little different. Maybe the time would have come for him to rule the dragons with a sounder heart, save Kalwin and join Neia and his people as the new king of Kalwin. I’m thinking about that.
“I will bury him”
Leyla gently pours soil with both hands. She took her time, one handful at a time.
A sword is stuck up as a grave marker and Leyla and Shario, in their dragon bodies, lean against it. We leave it there and return to the royal palace of Kalwin. That is the end of this battle. ……It was the end of a story that convinced everyone that was enough.