“It’s a Wyvern—!!”
One of the Temple Knights on watch was the one who noticed it.
The “Rainbow Sword” and the Temple Knights led by Vincent-san, who had been ordered by Hero Klein to stay back as they were deemed non-essential to the fighting force. While the Temple Knights, having received orders from the Holy Church, had to comply, the “Rainbow Sword” had no such obligation. However, Dolton-san and the others, knowing the threat of the Elemental Dragon, sensed Aria’s intentions and decided to obey to prevent the Temple Knights from dying needlessly.
Of course, as high-ranking adventurers with connections to the Claydale royal family, there was also the intention of avoiding conflict with the Holy Church, but the biggest reason was their trust in Aria and Snow, the Kingdom of Claydale’s greatest assets.
Still, as adults, they felt a desire to protect girls who seemed to have just come of age from politics, and had decided that if a problem arose, they would intervene in the battle with the Fire Dragon, even if it meant opposing the Holy Church.
Just then, as the roar of the “Dragon” signaling the start of battle echoed from afar, and everyone momentarily turned their attention in that direction, Wyverns burst out from all around.
“Uwaaah!”
Where could so many Wyverns have been hiding in these Rocky Mountains? One Wyvern, rapidly approaching, attacked the Temple Knight on watch. The Temple Knight screamed but reflexively raised his shield. But in that instant, an arrow flashed past above his head.
“Gugaaaaaaah!?”
The arrow, unerringly, pierced one of the Wyvern’s eyes. The attacked Wyvern hastily flew off, escaping into the sky.
“Dolton-san!”
Miranda-san, who had been the first in the group to notice and shoot the arrow, called out, and Dolton-san, understanding instantly, moved forward with his shield and axe.
“Vincent-dono! They’ll target those who are isolated!”
“My apologies! Everyone, group together and prepare for attacks from above!”
At Dolton-san’s voice, Vincent-san, who had been caught off guard and frozen, also raised his shield and gave orders to his men.
Normally, detecting enemy attacks is the scout’s job, but with Aria, who usually did that, absent, their response was delayed. Nevertheless, thanks to Miranda-san, a Wood Elf with a hundred years of experience who also served as a ranger, they were able to deal with it without being caught by a surprise attack.
Wyverns are formidable enemies, reaching Rank 4, but even without a Magician and a scout, they could handle about five of them.
“They’re coming from the front too!”
But then, from the direction of the Rocky Mountains where the Hero’s party had gone, four more Wyverns were approaching.
Wyverns, though considered lesser dragons, are Monsters, not Phantasmal Beasts, and their intelligence is not as high as true dragonkin. Therefore, they hadn’t expected them to take actions like “hiding in a group,” which led to their carelessness.
No, what was truly terrifying was probably the Elemental Dragon that perfectly commanded these less intelligent lesser dragons. It was unclear what had happened in the Rocky Mountains, but at the very least, the Fire Dragon had deemed the humans who came to this land as enemies.
“Jesha-san, protect Mira-san! Feld-san and I will take down the ones that come down!”
“Yeah!!!”
With Snow, the Magician, absent, only Miranda-san, an archer and Spirit Magician, could defeat the Wyverns in the sky. The Temple Knights could also use bows, but the chances of piercing the Wyverns’ thick hides were low, so Jesha-san, wielding a greatshield, took up the role of guarding Miranda-san, who was likely to be targeted by concentrated attacks.
However, Wyverns couldn’t breathe fire-like breath; their attacks consisted of their giant claws and fangs, and the poisonous stinger at the tip of their tails.
Therefore, for a Wyvern to attack, it had to descend to the ground, which was Dolton-san’s group’s chance to strike. The problem, however, was its attack power.
Jesha-san, a Rank 4 Dwarf warrior, could withstand it. But while Vincent-san, also Rank 4, might manage, Rank 3 Temple Knights could be crushed even if they blocked with their shields.
Nine Wyverns circled overhead, looking for an opening to dive down and attack the Temple Knights.
“—Slash—”
An instant judgment. Feld-san, seeing this, leaped out without thinking about taking damage, and directly used a Battle Art to slice off a Wyvern’s wing.
Battle Arts, which caused a slight stiffness after use, were difficult to use in a melee. Aria, who often fought alone, only used Battle Arts when she was certain of a kill, but Feld-san, like a true adventurer, trusted his comrades and tried to reliably reduce the enemy numbers using a Battle Art.
Even so, if multiple Wyverns attacked simultaneously, the humans on the defensive would be at a disadvantage.
“Here it comes!”
“Guaaaaaaaah!”
One Wyvern dived in, heedless of minor injuries, and swept away one of the Temple Knights with its massive tail.
As he screamed and flew through the air, another Wyvern tried to sink its claws into him mid-air, but just then—
“—Cross Blade—”
A figure, diving in at high speed, sliced off the Wyvern’s wing and neck in mid-air.
That person was—
“Nighthardt-dono!”
At Vincent-san’s cry, the swordsman Nighthardt-san landed, grimacing as he flicked the blood from his sword, then pointed it towards the Wyverns in the sky.
“I came all this way for you incompetents! You should be grateful!”
His words were arrogant, but his participation nevertheless created a chance for victory. But what had happened to the fight with the Fire Dragon, where Nighthardt-san was supposed to be?
“He’s an irritating fellow, but there’s no way a Hero would fall behind against a mere dragon. You’ll probably hear the Fire Dragon’s screams soon enough.”
The Hero’s party members weren’t exactly on good terms, but they still trusted each other’s abilities. As if to prove it, the Fire Dragon’s cry was heard again from the direction of the Rocky Mountains.
“…Did I mishear? It almost sounded like you said you’d fight me.”
To us, who had suddenly regained our senses, Hero Klein was smiling cheerfully, but his eyes weren’t smiling at all.
After doing all this, who does he think he is?
“That’s what I said.”
“Heh…”
A Killing Intent-laced Intimidation oozed from Klein, who maintained a faint smile.
The power of the “Hero,” whose true strength was still immeasurable… Even the injured Fire Dragon, sensing the unpleasant aura trying to fill the space, remained prostrate on the ground, bracing itself.
“How did you manage to return to normal?”
“Can anyone truly bind a person’s heart completely?”
In response to that question, Aria wiped the blood flowing from the forehead she had injured by hitting herself, with her thumb, and calmly readied her knife and dagger. Klein’s mouth twisted slightly.
…You say that so easily, Aria.
It might seem like a technique that can be loosened by pain, but we couldn’t avoid it or resist it. If that’s truly a Spirit’s [Divine Protection], then it’s a terrifying technique that can only be escaped by harming oneself until a countermeasure is found.
But I saw it, you know? You were able to move because Kitty-chan’s antenna, which shot out from your Shadow, slapped you across the face, right? There’s no need to tell him that, of course. Still, to break my curse, [Pain]… isn’t that a bit much?
“Well, it’s true that it’s less effective on people whose hearts are hard to sway.”
Klein said with a wry smile, then slowly pointed his fingertips at us.
“Well then, that’s a problem.”
“—!”
Before, we were almost controlled by that gesture alone, without any warning. But this time, it’s not that.
“Either way, some training is necessary, you see.”
A strong light gathered at Klein’s fingertips. It wasn’t magic. If it was a Spirit-derived [Divine Protection] like the “charm” or “brainwashing” from before, then this was “restraint.”
The Divine Protection of darkness binds the mind, and the Divine Protection of light binds the body. If it’s truly a Divine Protection, we’ll be captured again.
As I instantly raised the Magical Element within my body to resist, Aria glanced at me for a moment.
Ah… I see.
Thud!
“Have you given up, Aria?!”
Klein sneered at Aria, who had leaped towards him without even trying to dodge. The instant the particles of light released from his fingertips were about to envelop Aria—
“Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!”
Kitty-chan, leaping from Aria’s Shadow, spewed out an enormous amount of dark Magical Element towards the light, like a breath attack.
“What!?”
Light and darkness clashed. Kitty-chan had been wary of Klein all along. Even when our minds were bound, she hadn’t shown herself, supporting Aria minimally.
Kitty-chan had hidden her existence until the very last moment, once the Hero became an enemy.
However, Klein, though surprised, immediately reached for his sword with one hand.
With the attack that had defeated the Fire Dragon earlier, he could intercept Kitty-chan.
But you see—
“—!”
The sword was frozen fast, as if bound to its scabbard. Klein… you’re far too confident. To think you’d take your eyes off me.
The Ice Whip, creeping up from directly below, froze his sword and stopped its movement for an instant.
Just for a moment… but that’s more than enough, isn’t it, Aria?
“You cur!”
“Hah!!”
In that instant, Aria, using Kitty-chan’s body as a springboard to leap over her, slashed at Klein’s head with a knife as he showed that momentary opening.
The battle against the Hero has finally begun.
What is his true power?!
Thank you, as always, for pointing out typos.