◆ Avangarde Arena ◆
“Nine hundred, ninety-six, one thousand, mmm…”
“Once again, it’s Rua. What on earth is going to happen now?”
The voice of the large-mouthed demon and Shitakka was hoarse, and they had completely run out of things to say. Dawn was breaking. The last monsters I defeated were six that had been among the audience. Sometimes the executioner was just one, and other times there were several. At times, there were dozens, making it quite a challenge.
There was only one thing I needed to be careful about: not breaking the footing. From the moment the match began, I would take down my opponent in a single blow without letting them do anything. If I adhered to this, there was nothing to worry about. Moreover, there were quite a few monsters that were so terrified of fighting me that they tried to flee and ended up getting killed. Thanks to that, I probably had over two hundred victories by default, not just a hundred. In such cases, those victories didn’t count towards the total, so for instance, even if it was my hundredth match, the next one would still be counted as the hundredth. It felt like a scam.
Whether they fought or fled, they were killed by me. The arena was eerily quiet, all due to Vandalsia. By the way, the monsters that begged for their lives were also killed before I could spare them. Even though they were monsters, it weighed heavily on my heart. Perhaps Vandalsia was aiming for this kind of exhaustion. Because of that, I felt more drained than usual. I had experienced this during my time with the Comet Wolf Brigade. The fatigue of the heart translated into physical exhaustion, something I had been acutely aware of lately.
“This is pointless. Even if everyone here attacked me, I wouldn’t care.”
“Oh my, how cocky of you. Should I, Glare, crush you myself, hmm?”
“Stop it, Glare.”
Vandalsia hadn’t shifted his posture for hours. Meanwhile, Glare had been lounging around with a fierce expression, constantly changing her position. She spat disdainfully, her attitude truly foul. Speaking of bad attitudes, Elmera was no different. Initially, she seemed normal, but now she appeared bored, comfortably sleeping on a bed. Where did she even get that bed? Despite having been terrified of Vandalsia, she now seemed at ease. If a Catastrophe were to occur, she would be dead. What was she thinking?
“Ninety-nine, one hundred, one…”
The three monsters summoned by Vandalsia didn’t even attempt to approach me. Maybe four or five seconds passed in silence before those three were erased right before my eyes. As if that was a signal, the audience erupted into screams of despair, a sight that had become common after surpassing ten battles.
“I-I might be next…”
“No, no…”
“Enough already! This is truly meaningless!”
I didn’t understand why this was happening, but seeing that smirk on his face confirmed it. Yes, I had known from the beginning.
“I will reward anyone who kills that girl over there. How about it? Feeling motivated now?”
That’s right; from the start, he had no allies or enemies. The one he wanted to torment and bring to despair wasn’t just us humans. To him, monsters and humans were irrelevant. He enjoyed breaking someone, which is why he was called the King of Destruction. No, he deserved a different title altogether. Destruction was something I could handle alone; he should be called something else entirely.
“One thousand, mmm…”
The executioner monster tried every trick to escape, but there was no escaping him. No matter how high they jumped, they couldn’t escape the Vanishing. It didn’t matter if they were wrapped in a tough shell or were agile monsters; there were no exceptions.
“Nine hundred, mmm…”
Looking up caused my neck to ache as I saw a massive Golem, a mix of rock and glittering ore, standing atop the crumbling arena. The strategy remained the same, regardless of size; if you thought I would lose focus, you were sorely mistaken. Yet, something within me was creaking.
“Even monsters cherish their lives and feel fear. Yet you continue to kill, for the sake of those humans over there.”
“So what?”
“You, born from parents with monster cells, are not so different. If you had awakened among monsters, you might have been doing the opposite—killing humans and saving monsters. How pitiful; just look over there.”
The monsters in the audience were all too terrified to watch the fight anymore. They were battling their own fear of being chosen next. This was exactly what Vandalsia wanted, and it hurt deep within my heart. I had realized this while fighting. Beyond the fatigue of battle, there was something else accumulating: the pain of the heart.
“You deny me, yet humans keep livestock for food. Some indulge in hunting as if it were a game. In my case, I’m just a little different from other humans. The essence remains unchanged; you and I are the same.”
“No.”
“What do you mean by that, after having hunted so coldly and calmly until now?”
“Don’t compare me to you! I—”
“Do you have something you want to protect?”
It wasn’t because he spoke first. It was the moment Vandalsia snapped his fingers. I understood that it was a signal for something to begin. The darkness beyond the iron-barred door. Someone was walking out from there.
“As promised, I have prepared a reward for your one thousandth battle. Accept it.”
What approached was neither a monster I had fought before nor an Evil Noble. I couldn’t say anything other than that one word. Why? Why?
“Lua-chan…”
My beloved girl stepped forward the moment the iron-barred door opened. At that instant, a strong wind blew, tousling Kurinka’s golden hair. It was a cold breeze that seemed to signify this moment.
“Kurinka… what happened?”
“Show me your card.”
“Y-yes!”
“Stop! Don’t say that! If you do, I’ll take you down, large-mouthed demon. No, it’s not your fault; it’s that demon up there watching the spectacle. Demon, you.”
“What have you done to Kurinka?!”
“Executioner… Kurinka… criminal, Rua.”
Seeing Kurinka, who looked like she might vanish at any moment, her eyes tightly shut as if crushed, made it clear. There was no way Kurinka would willingly want to fight me. She must have been threatened regarding the hostage.
“This card was hastily arranged. Isn’t that right, Alcist?”
“Yes, it’s for my princess’s hope.”
“To relieve the pressure of being Alcist’s fiancé, there’s no other way. To be of help to Alcist, the only option is to kill that Rua. If this is accomplished, it will give that girl great confidence, won’t it?”
“You bastards!”
“Stop it, Lua-chan! Trust me! I believe in you, just as you believe in me!”
If it weren’t for Kurinka’s anguished cry, I would have completely slaughtered those demons on the throne. Vandalsia was always ready to kill the hostage; it was a race to see which would happen first. It was a competition of sorts.
“…Why?”
“Because we promised to trust each other.”
Even with tears in her eyes, Kurinka was saying she believed in me. Asking why this happened was pointless. It was all because of the demons over there. Alcist’s fiancé? Evil Nobility, save the jokes for your weakness. Really, enough already.
“I understand.”
“Woooah! This is getting interesting!”
“What a card! This is what I’ve been waiting for!”
“Let’s bet on who wins!”
My voice was drowned out by the crude ruckus of the audience of monsters. They had been trembling just moments ago; what was this? More than that, it was Kurinka. Regardless of what had happened, we needed to trust each other. They didn’t understand how strong that bond was. Kurinka and I had decided to marry and live our lives together.
“Of course, if you hold back or don’t fight, the lives of the hostages here will vanish. Now, let’s begin.”
“I’m coming!”
At Vandalsia’s command to start, Kurinka transformed into a Dragon. Just as I thought, it was her full power, fueled by her trust in me.
The pressure of her wings was so strong that it nearly blew away the monsters in the front row of the audience. Kurinka was powerful now. Without hesitation, she unleashed her Flame Breath.
“You won’t hit me!”
I could tell she was genuinely trying to burn me alive. The heat was so intense that it scorched the crumbling floor, melting the spots where it struck. I didn’t know what the floor was made of, but the fact that it was melting something that looked like stone was extraordinary.
But the speed was slow. I could have taken down those monsters making a fuss over there, but to me, it felt like time had stopped. So, this is what it meant.
“You’re still fast… then how about this?!”
Simultaneous chanting of Speed Force and Might Force. No, there was no chanting. In other words, Kurinka had simultaneously enhanced her speed and strength—no, as a Dragon, her flying speed and muscle power. I had experienced this many times; with this, she could gain more than double the strength.
With that, Kurinka charged at me with incredible speed, repeatedly closing the distance, and at times, unleashing her breath attack to disrupt my movements. But even that wasn’t enough. Most of the magic Kurinka could use was supportive in nature. As for offensive spells, she had only a bit of holy magic and Exorcism to eliminate the Undead, none of which were effective against me. In that case, it would be far more effective to leverage my physical abilities as a Dragon and attack relentlessly. Yes, Kurinka simply wasn’t suited for combat in terms of skills. If I weren’t her opponent, this battle would have already been decided, and she knew that. It was precisely because she understood this that she was giving it her all.
“You’re so fast! I can’t hit you at all! Ahahaha!”
“Kurinka, you really do have a different presence when you become a Dragon! Fighting like this isn’t so bad after all!”
Even when Kurinka was trying her hardest to kill me, she couldn’t do it. Both of us were aware of that, which was why this battle was unfolding as it was. Still, I had to attack; otherwise, Vandalsia would kill the hostages. But since my opponent was constantly flying in the air, I had no choice but to unleash my Sonic Ripper.
“Sonic… Ripper!”
Of course, I was giving it my all. My aim was perfect, but the only issue was that I had taken too long to prepare. That was intentional, of course. Just as I expected, the slash grazed Kurinka and disappeared far into the sky. Even though it merely grazed her, the sheer force of the wind pressure alone could obliterate most opponents. Kurinka was no exception.
“Angel Heal!”
I had already begun chanting just before unleashing my Sonic Ripper. I needed to do that to ensure I had enough time, and that exaggerated stance was meant to buy me that time. There was a chance Vandalsia might notice, so I prepared myself for Kurinka’s next charge and clung tightly to her head.
“Fuh?!”
“I’ve got you!”
“Geez! Come on!”
Kurinka shook her head vigorously, but I wouldn’t let go. If I did, she could fly away, and who knows where she might end up? Yes, it wouldn’t be good at all.
“Hey, hey! Those guys are coming right at us!”
A twisted-haired, strange-looking member of the Evil Nobility stood there, mouth agape in confusion. I wasn’t going over there. No, our target was right next to them—the prison where the hostages were locked up. Humans were confined in a cell next to the arrogant Vandalsia and his fellow Evil Nobility, behind iron bars. With a single swing, I could break through that wall. Since I was still clinging to Kurinka, one wrong move could send us plummeting straight down.
“N-no way! Lord Vandalsia, their target is the hostages!”
Just as Belmund realized this, we slipped right into the midst of the hostages. But their eyes were already vacant, and despite our flashy entrance, they merely stared blankly at us. To my left, I could see Vandalsia and the others. They were also behind iron bars, seemingly connected to that throne where they were watching.
“I told you. If you play the fool, there will be no human lives left.”
His words made it clear he was displeased with our battle. But I wanted to say he was a bit late to notice. My approach to the hostages had significance. Of course, Kurinka was here too. That meant I could sufficiently protect the hostages from Vandalsia’s Vanishing and Catastrophe.
“Catastrophe!”
A white sphere appeared, aiming to erase the humans. At the same time, I slashed through it. To be honest, it appeared instantaneously, and normally, one wouldn’t be able to react to something like that. Except for me.
“Ngh…!”
“I won’t let anyone die anymore.”
It felt like the people who had already lost all hope were starting to regain their consciousness. Those who recognized my presence began to stand up unsteadily.
“No way, the Flash Strike Girl is here!”
“Is she really here…?”
“I saw her fighting over there, but…”
“You can relax now. I’ll take care of those guys over there.”
“Yes! The Flash Strike Girl is here! Yay! Yay!”
I could see the excitement spreading among the hostages as they exchanged glances. Even though the demons were still present, they held hands and expressed their joy, trembling with anticipation.
“Rua-oneechan, are we going to be saved?”
“Yeah. It was scary, but it’s going to be okay now.”
As I patted the head of a small girl, I deliberately averted my gaze from Vandalsia. Just as I expected, another Catastrophe sphere was coming after us, as if to say I had left an opening. Although I had mentioned it appeared instantaneously, that wasn’t entirely accurate. Initially, a small sphere would appear and then rapidly expand in place. It was just that the speed made it seem instantaneous. In that case, I just needed to slash it the moment it appeared.
It wasn’t just Vandalsia who was taken aback. Glare, who had been standing next to him, was now on her feet. Only Belmund wore a bitter expression.
“Indeed, it seems you are the cancer in this situation! Flash Strike Girl Rua!”
“Belmund, it’s been a while. This time, I’ll take you down for sure.”
“V-Vandalsia-sama!”
“This is… absurd!”
Vandalsia seemed utterly shocked that the Catastrophe had been shattered, and he smashed his fist against the throne he had been sitting on, shattering it. Fragments of wood scattered around, yet he remained standing.
“I’m here too, so as long as it doesn’t completely vanish, I can heal as much as needed!”
“Thank you, Kurinka. With our destruction and regeneration, we don’t have to fear his Vanishing.”
From that spot in the arena, no matter how fast I rushed to the hostages, the Catastrophe would always be faster. I had surpassed the speed of light during Schwelm’s battle, but that didn’t mean there was no danger. Just in case, I had to be certain. If there was even a 1% chance that someone could die, then it was something I shouldn’t do. That’s why I endured through a thousand battles. I never imagined such an opportunity would come so soon.
Vandalsia thought he could do anything with Catastrophe, which was why he was so shocked. Oh, he probably didn’t even understand the nature of destruction itself.
“Hey, hey, hey! What are we supposed to do now?”
“…Well, don’t panic.”
Suddenly, Vandalsia became calm, which piqued my interest, but more than that, I wanted to reflect. It was true that Kurinka had grown stronger. But she wasn’t strong enough to take on the Evil Nobility over there, and it was because I had forgotten that this situation had arisen. This time, it turned out fine, but had I made a mistake, I could have been killed. If that had happened, no amount of regret would have sufficed. I would have lost my reason to live. So I had to reflect; I needed to protect Kurinka.
“I’ll protect you, Kurinka.”
“…I caused you trouble, didn’t I? Can I rely on you this time? I’m sorry…”
“I’m the one who should be apologizing. I put you in danger.”
With Kurinka, who had returned to her human form, behind me, I unconsciously distanced myself from Vandalsia. The hand I held behind me was damp. Even though she was trying to act tough, the sweat on her palm conveyed her anxiety. I could only imagine how dangerous it had been for her while I was away. How scared she must have felt.
I’m such a fool. I’m really such a fool. No matter how many times I reflect, it’s never enough. If anything happened to Kurinka, I wouldn’t be able to go on living. Yet, despite that, no matter how much my level increased, how many spells I learned, or how many times I transformed into a Dragon, the shy and timid Kurinka from before hadn’t completely disappeared. Especially not in front of Vandalsia and the other Evil Nobility. It was only natural that she couldn’t stop trembling.
“Kurinka, rely on me.”
“…Okay.”
At this point, I wouldn’t hesitate to assert myself. I was confident that we had connected through our adventures up until now. I didn’t understand the logic behind it, but I knew it to be true.
“Hey, hey, hey, hey! Hey! It seems like you’re getting a bit too cocky!”
“What are you doing, Fiancé?”
A blonde member of the Evil Nobility pushed aside the twisted-haired one. What did he mean by “fiancé”? I had no idea who he was talking about.
“I’m not your fiancé! I have Rua-chan!”
“Fiancé, please don’t be so selfish. I intend to make our life after marriage a comfortable one. I’ll get you whatever you need, and I won’t spare any effort for your happiness. What is it that you find unsatisfactory?”
“K-Kurinka. What is this guy talking about?”
“This Alcist thinks for some reason that I’m his fiancée…”
“You’ve already decided on the wedding arrangements, haven’t you? What are you talking about?”
Kurinka had married me. She had acknowledged it herself and told me, yet Alcist was giving some nonsensical response. I had spoken and fought with many people up until now, but I had never encountered someone so incomprehensible. I had no idea what he was saying.
“F-Fufufu… It’s almost time.”
Suddenly, Vandalsia shook his shoulders with laughter. The chilling truth behind Vandalsia’s intentions was that this public execution was merely a means to buy time. If I could defeat Vandalsia and his companions here, it would be a decisive victory.
But it wasn’t that simple; he had caused calamities far beyond mere defeat. I knew all too well the meaning of his infamous title, one feared more than his actual power.
“Rua, you are indeed strong. Even if we all challenged you together, we would not emerge unscathed. You have fought with such fervor that you could traverse the Abyss Cave. I have long wondered where that fighting spirit of yours comes from… Is it wealth? Fame? A mere girl, not even of the Hero’s bloodline, has the strength to defeat me; it must be something far more valuable.”
Occasionally, Vandalsia chuckled softly, pointing a finger with unnaturally long claws at me.
“What you seek is power. To wield that power to accomplish something—namely, revenge.”
“…What are you trying to say?”
“Have you completed your revenge? If there were foes you could not defeat with that power, this world would have ended by now.”
“So, what then?”
“And now, you have something to protect. The reason you wield your power is to safeguard what you cherish. I shall now demonstrate just how fragile that is.”
“What are you planning to do?!”
“You are gravely mistaken if you think my forces are concentrated solely in this Royal Capital. They will come pouring in from all directions, and many humans will die in the process. The people of the Royal Capital will die.”
I understood completely. I grasped what he wanted to convey, what he intended to do. It was to let countless people die right before my eyes.
“Th-then…”
“You may claim to protect what you cherish, but can you truly safeguard them? No matter how much power you possess, you cannot save everyone. In the end, you are weak. Look, your lips are trembling. Hehehe…”
“Hehehe, the arrangements were made long ago.”
“I commend you for that, Belmund.”
“Lady Rua, I have been pondering how to defeat you. After much thought, I have concluded that your downfall will come when you fail to protect what you wish to safeguard. I considered taking Kurinka as a hostage, but with your speed, even that would not be a viable strategy. Ironically, that has just been proven.”
If I move, these people will be killed. If I don’t move, many will die. Even I cannot save everyone. It’s frustrating, but Belmund is right; cold sweat trickles down my back.
“K-Kurinka. Leave this to me.”
“Understood!”
“Ah, but that won’t do.”
Of course, they would seal that option off. Alcist, the twisted-headed one, and Glare. If I truly put my all into it, I might be able to take them all down in one blow. But I was genuinely afraid of Alcist. His words were incomprehensible, but I had a bad feeling about him. It felt like it wouldn’t be so simple; at the very least, landing a single hit seemed difficult. Moreover, he had been acting strangely, fixating solely on Kurinka, as if I didn’t even exist.
“Now then, fiancée. Shall we return to the palace?”
Alcist extended his hand as if to say this was the end. Of course, it was directed at Kurinka.
“Rua, you can bear strong children. How about this? If you swear to become my queen here, I might just spare you.”
“But Glare is here…”
“Don’t get the wrong idea. You’re number 496, you little virgin brat. And if you want to become my queen, I’ll kill you if you speak informally to the First Evil Queen.”
Those words were cruel. Unlike Hatra or Karein, he spat them out with disdain, showing no femininity whatsoever. While Vandalsia and Belmund seemed to be enjoying themselves, he looked perpetually bored.
“So, what will you do?”
“Of course, I refuse.”
“Then the negotiations have collapsed.”
“Is it time?”
The Demon Lord jumped up lightly from below, his silhouette in a black cloak leaving an impression of what a Demon Lord should be, and his words carried a different weight. It felt like a response to Vandalsia.
“D-Demon Lord.”
“You are not alone.”
“What do you mean…?”
“V-Vandalsia-sama…”
A monster resembling a scaled humanoid with bat wings fluttered toward us, looking weak and on the verge of death.
“What is it?”
“A great army… a great army is… advancing toward us… Humans, and also… Beastkin… Giants…”
“What?!”
“The troops that had subdued the southern region… have been completely… annihilated…”
The monster managed to utter those words with its last ounce of strength. Vandalsia didn’t understand what was happening, but I did immediately. I didn’t know how or why it had come to this, but to me, it was hope incarnate. They had come to help us.
“Hey, Kurinka, could it be…”
“It might just be that…”
“The best course of action in this battle is to create an environment where you can fight without any reservations.”
After the Demon Lord’s words, the sky was obscured by something enormous. The arena, no, even the Royal Capital was shrouded in darkness. What I saw when I looked up was…
“W-What is that?!”
Even Vandalsia stood up at the sight of this colossal being. So, they finally arrived. It’s over now, Vandalsia.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Huh?
I had a dream.
In that dream, Rua was fighting Kurinka.
Kurinka turned into a dragon and crashed into a wall.
Ah, even in my dreams, those two are truly unreal.
Huh?
Fwoahhhh! Why is Vandalsia here?!
What is happening?! What on earth is going on?!
Someone, please explain in one sentence!
That’s the Demon Lord.
Could it be that I’m still in a dream?