◆ Kingdom of Negesta – Maden Wasteland ◆
Schwelm moved as if he had teleported, all thanks to magic. To be honest, even I found it too fast to comprehend. Every time I witnessed such speed, I was filled with regret, thinking that if I could use magic better, I could have become stronger. Among all the opponents I’ve faced so far, Schwelm was undoubtedly the fastest.
Hearing the bewildering name “Shining Prince,” Kurinka nervously pinched my finger. After all, there had never been anyone this fast before, and in terms of speed alone, he could easily outpace even the Demon Lord or Aleid.
“Shall we go then, elegant ladies?”
“Go where?”
“Hmm? To my splendid mansion located in the Queimful region of the Nation of Noibranz. It rivals a castle in size, and thanks to my dedicated gardener, the exterior is always vibrant. You will surely be captivated by the sight and fragrance of the flourishing Fraurosen in the garden. There’s even a pool on the terrace, where on sunny days, you can enjoy a bottle of Marone-Tin selected by my personal sommelier… a super premium wine that costs no less than 50,000 gold per bottle. Just that one bottle is worth several years’ worth of a commoner’s earnings.”
“That’s not the point! We never said we were going!”
“…You must be joking?”
Seeing him turn pale, it seemed he genuinely thought we were serious about going. I couldn’t make sense of it at all.
“As the most celebrated member of the Ten Destroyers, this is who I am. There are countless girls who apply to be my personal maid every day, and some nearly faint just from exchanging greetings with me on the street. It’s only natural; I cherish cute girls to no end. I give 500,000 gold to those I take a liking to each month, and I guarantee a minimum salary of over 100,000 gold for my maids. There are plenty of men who would lick my shoes just to get a taste of my generosity. While some claim the strongest among the Ten Destroyers is that world-renowned man, he holds no allure for me. I am the true celebrity, surpassing even President Matere! Right?!”
His tone grew rough as he spoke, and he began to breathe heavily. He seemed to think it was a given that we would follow him, but what even is a mistress? That explanation should come first.
“Is this how the people’s tax money is being spent… foolish King Braamd.”
The atmosphere became tense, and Baran’s quiet anger pricked at my skin. At the same time, Baran turned to face Balbus and Nice. Balbus, who I expected to attack Schwelm in a fit of rage, seemed surprisingly calm, perhaps thanks to Nice. Or rather, it might be more accurate to say he wasn’t foolish enough to charge in blindly out of anger. However, neither of them relaxed their stances, a clear sign of their vigilance against Schwelm’s overwhelming power.
“I apologize. The reality is that such people hold sway in this world. But please understand that this is not all there is to humanity.”
Even at this moment, with Baran’s apology, the two remained poised and unmoving, and above all, the Duck Man was glaring with one eye wide open, a fierce expression on his face. Just then, Schwelm, who should have been on guard, closed in at lightning speed, kicking Baran into the air and then slamming him back down. The entire exchange took no more than a few seconds. Spitting on Baran, who lay buried in the red-stone-laden ground, Schwelm stomped on his head.
“Because fools like this are placed on the same level as S-Rank, they get the wrong idea. They should abolish this flawed ranking system with its vague standards.”
Baran, managing to regain a sitting position after being kicked away, was already gasping for breath after just one blow. It was no surprise; surviving such an attack was impressive in itself. Normally, he would have been obliterated from the first kick.
As for me, I felt a twinge of guilt for Baran, but I was keenly observing. Just how fast was this speed? Could I surpass it? To be honest, even if I tried my hardest, I might barely reach that level. There were many unknowns, but at least the speed itself wasn’t a problem for me.
“I… I couldn’t see it… how could I…”
Balbus trembled, likely only able to see Baran being thrown into the air. Despite baring his red gums, he was gradually being pressured by Schwelm.
“Schwelm, what are you going to do…?”
“Huh? You’re still here? You should leave; I won’t be responsible if you get caught up in this!”
“Get back! As far away as possible!”
Most of the soldiers had lost their Servants, but they still began to flee on their own. It seemed like they were being forcibly taken away, but before that, I needed to check this.
【Schwelm – Lv: 230 – Class: Shining Prince – HP: 2753】
Huh, that’s not as impressive as I thought. Or maybe Eeks and Tiferia are just too strong. He didn’t even realize he was under the effect of the Detect Ring; this might be manageable.
“I’ll elegantly inform you that my level is 230. Of course, the level cap has yet to be reached.”
Yeah, I knew that.
“Huh? You’re not surprised? You don’t need to pretend to be calm, my darlings.”
“Speaking of which, I haven’t checked my level in a while. I should update my Adventurer Card soon.”
“I wonder what Kurinka’s level is. I haven’t leveled up much since leaving the Abyss Cave…”
The way he wiggled his duck between his legs to grab our attention was unsettling. Here it comes. That lightning-fast strike.
【Schwelm’s Shining Feather!】
From behind his duck, dazzling wings of light sprouted from his rear. Three more wings spread majestically from his back.
“You all… shouldn’t neglect your master.”
【Schwelm’s Shining Edge! Rua dodged gracefully!】
I narrowly evaded Schwelm, who charged at me while unleashing blades of light at lightning speed. Honestly, I wasn’t even sure if I had seen it coming. But no matter how fast he was, as long as I could read his initial movement, the rest was easy, and I was starting to get used to it.
“Hmph?! I… I might have been a bit off just now.”
【Schwelm’s Shining Edge! Rua dodged gracefully!】
Even after two or three attempts, it was the same. His attacks lacked finesse; they were simply fast. While Baran’s reflexes couldn’t catch his initial movements, for me, this was child’s play. My body remembered how to dodge.
“Impossible! To exceed the speed of light is logically impossible! It can’t be happening!”
“Is that so…? Maybe I should give it a try.”
【Rua’s attack! Dealt 2091 damage to Schwelm! HP: 662/2753】
“Gaah!”
I merely slapped him, yet he spewed an incredible amount of blood and slid to the ground. Though his effort to stand up while trembling might have looked cool, it also seemed pitiful.
“Ugh, ugh! My head is spinning…”
“Really? From that?”
“Now that I think about it, I haven’t taken a hit in a while…”
He was so dazed that he didn’t even notice the blood dripping from his nose, muttering to himself as he swayed. His duck was bent at an odd angle, but was that okay?
“Schwelm, you can only move in a straight line, can’t you?”
“W-What are you talking about…?”
“Even if you can move at the speed of light, it feels like you can’t keep up with it. I think that’s also magic… So your previous attack was just a charge. When you kicked Baran, you stopped for a moment before jumping again.”
“What are you trying to say?!”
“Nothing much, really.”
【Schwelm’s Shining Carnival!】
Light enveloped the area, and Schwelm blended into it. Then came the lightning-fast strikes—one, two, three. He unleashed everything, from skills reminiscent of the lasers fired by Metallica’s airships to frenzied attacks. This relentless barrage truly felt desperate. No one had ever survived such an onslaught before. But that was only when the speed of light was an absolute weapon.
“I caught up!”
“?!”
With all my might, I accelerated, dodging Schwelm’s attacks and experiencing the speed of light. I got grazed a few times, but those were just attacks that paused for a moment; moving in a straight line was easy. What I learned was that I could also respond to the speed of light in a straight line. But beyond that, I had to rely solely on my reflexes and experience, and I could only accelerate for a brief moment. Hmm, it seemed harder to reach than I thought.
“Ugh!”
I managed to pin him down, but what now? Would he leave quietly like this?
“Nobody will believe that a Ten Destroyer was defeated by an A-Rank girl… what are we going to do about this?”
“Is Avangarde a den of monsters…?”
“I can’t stay in a country like this! I’m heading back to my homeland!”
I had the remaining Servants pull the cart, and somehow we managed to prepare for the retreat. It was Baran who firmly instructed that the bodies of the fallen soldiers and Gaster should be returned properly. Baran issued three warnings to the Noibranz Army. First, if they ever cross the border without permission again, we will coordinate with other nations to take serious action. Second, they must liberate the towns and borders they have occupied. Third, the upper echelons of Noibranz must be informed of the situation without any concealment. While leading Schwelm, who was sprawled out on the cart, Baran seemed to choose his words carefully, as if he expected me to understand the implications of not achieving any results.
Furthermore, he confiscated the weapons and armor of the soldiers, taking most of them as prisoners except for those returning to Noibranz. Before I could ask what a prisoner was, Kurinka quickly explained. Since Balbus had killed quite a number of them, the total was lower than before, but still significant. It was a grand procession.
And though he didn’t show it on his face, I could tell he was quite troubled by what Schwelm had done to him. I had seen him clenching his fists so tightly that blood might have come out, all while observing the situation in Midgards. If it were me, I would be too frustrated to think of anything else. Yet, Baran was so mature, so different from me.
“Normally, this isn’t a role I would take on…”
S-Rank Adventurers are granted considerable privileges, allowing them to act independently in emergencies. While there is an obligation to report, decisions regarding unexpected attackers can be made on the spot. If they find it displeasing, they can even kill. Such freedom is permitted because the existence of an S-Rank Adventurer is immensely significant to the nation.
“If there were a person capable of facing an army alone, even those of royal blood would kneel.”
To submit to a strong individual. The retired Adventurers from the battle at the Garden of Beasts, and the whispers I occasionally hear at the Adventurer’s Guild, pierced my heart. To possess power means to bear such responsibilities. I had thought I had grown strong in the Abyss Cave, but I had no understanding of the weight that power carries.
“Hahaha! Rua, you are quite humble. With such strength, you could silence those noisy folks with ease.”
“Do you do that, Baran? But then again, you probably don’t have anyone talking behind your back…”
“Not at all. I pretend not to hear, but there are countless who do not think kindly of me. I am in direct opposition to the Tenryu-ken, and for now, that group is the most numerous. Especially that Ryoho, who seems to hate me as if I were the enemy of his parents.”
“R-Ryoho?”
“I cannot count how many times he has tried to destroy my dojo through various means. Well, in any case, I cannot afford to worry about it.”
I couldn’t believe Baran, who laughed heartily while saying such things. He must have gone through far worse than I could imagine, yet he was so tough.
“When you try to achieve something, there will always be those who oppose you. Since there are as many answers as there are people, it cannot be helped. If you wish to accomplish something, you must push through without listening to others. Otherwise, you will achieve nothing.”
I had done the same until now. I understood it in my head, yet I found myself hesitating. Balbus, Nice, and even Elmera were all trying to do what they wanted, even if it meant being forceful. In more extreme cases, the Demon Lord Army was the same. They wouldn’t listen to our side at all and would never yield. They firmly believed in the justice they held within themselves.
“The Tenryu-ken and my Unshou-ken both have solid principles. Since there are those who believe in them, both are just. However, I think imposing them on others is wrong, hahaha!”
As I stared at my clenched fist, I absorbed Baran’s laughter. My own sense of justice—if I had one, I should pursue it. Whether it was about Elmera or defeating Phantoms, none of that mattered. I finally understood what I wanted to do.
“Oh, a bird!”
“A birdman, actually.”
A bird Beastkin was approaching from the sky. I thought it might have come from the Royal Capital of Negesta, but what could it be? Boss Balbus himself had said that this matter was left to us.
“B-Balbus! What is this procession?”
“We captured the invading humans. This is not my intention. More importantly, do you have business here?”
“W-Whoa… to capture this many humans…”
“I asked if you have business here.”
Under Nice’s glare, the slightly plump bird Beastkin seemed to snap back to reality, diverting his gaze from the procession. There was no need to intimidate him like that. Perhaps Nice was even scarier than Balbus.
“By the command of Lady Elmera, the Phantoms will begin their full-scale advance to various nations starting tonight.”
I see, Elmera. If you intend to do such things, I will do everything in my power to stop you. I don’t know who you are or what you believe in, but if you intend to take lives, I will show no mercy.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Finally, have we reached the limits of this pathetic human race?
Monsters! Muscle-bound women! Idiots, idiots!
Hah, for a long time, I’ve been accurately documenting that fool’s weaknesses in this Shin Report, but now that we’ve come this far, I can’t think of anything else. That damn duck of a person showed up with all that pretense, yet turned out to be nothing special at all.
What’s this about being a “next generation”?
If there was time to pour tax money into that, there are plenty of other things to do. Damn Noibranz!
Ah!
Speaking of which, I no longer need to defeat Rua.
If that’s the case, I should change my approach!
After all, using such vulgar words like “damn” doesn’t suit this refined Shin Report.
So from now on, I shall be more elegant!
Oh ho ho!