“Tect won’t be here for a few more days. Let’s head in his direction, even if just a little, in the meantime.”
“That’s right. There’s no guarantee he’ll arrive here within a week, after all…”
We started walking towards the Royal Capital, where Tect was supposed to be heading.
You can’t fight on an empty stomach.
We somehow made our way while surviving along the way.
It’s been four days since we left the Demon Lord’s castle…
“Haa… I’m at my limit. I’m hungry.”
“Me too… I’m hungry and have no strength.”
“What should we do… I’ve had some training, so I’m fine with this level of fasting…”
“Thanks to my recovery and high stamina, I can still move even if I’m hungry…”
At this rate, Einima and Cliff won’t be able to move.
We’ve already left the Demon Lord’s territory, and there’s lush greenery all around.
We’ve been catching and cooking edible berries and animals (Kaine’s knowledge, Erna and Cliff’s cooking), but the amount we can get is small, and the nutrition is unbalanced, so it would be difficult for the two of them to continue walking like this.
“I have no choice… Einima and Cliff will have to part ways once we reach the nearby town.”
“B-But we’re not…”
“Yeah. We can move.”
“Even so…”
“You won’t be able to fight properly in that state, right? Even though Tect is weak in terms of combat, he’s still one of the Four Heavenly Kings. I can’t take you to this fight when you’re not in perfect condition.”
“That’s not true… We’ve become stronger…”
“What if… what if you become a burden if we take you along? What if you’re taken hostage? I’m not just saying this for your sake. Rationally speaking, I think the two of you should wait in town.”
Hearing that, the two of them probably thought they couldn’t argue.
They gave up and decided to stay in town.
We continued walking and found a town that day.
“Then, Cliff-san, Einima-san… this is a temporary farewell.”
“I think we’ll be able to meet again soon.”
“Kaine, Erna, be careful.”
“Please don’t do anything reckless, okay?”
“Yeah, don’t worry. We’ll win.”
We parted briefly and immediately set off on our journey.
“It might be the first time it’s just the two of us, Kaine-san.”
“That’s right… We have to defeat Tect quickly, take back the Royal Capital, and reunite with Einima and the others.”
“Muu… What is it, what is it! Are you saying you don’t like being alone with me?”
“I didn’t say that. It’s fun… well, I shouldn’t say that in this situation. But Tect is still a big problem if we leave him alone. I regret not killing him back then.”
“That’s right… We have to defeat Tect-sama quickly… right?”
“Yeah… What did you just say?”
“Um… I said we have to defeat Tect quickly.”
“I, I see. I must have misheard… Sorry.”
“No… There’s no way I would mispronounce Tect-sama’s name as Tect.”
“That’s right… right?”
Wait, this feeling from Erna…
“So you were already being controlled… Since when?”
I took out my sword and pointed it at Erna.
“No, that was a mistake… Why am I talking like this… No, stop! Please stop! Tect-sama!”
Something’s wrong. Her reaction is different from the guys who were controlled before.
“You’re not being controlled…?”
“I’m not being controlled… But I feel like I’m becoming something that’s not me.”
Her way of speaking is strange, but she’s not attacking me or trying to force brainwashing. Maybe it’s an act…
“Could it be that you were almost controlled once, but Erna’s stats are high, so you weren’t completely controlled?”
If that’s the case, then I understand…
“Maybe that’s it… I don’t think it will interfere with combat, so I’ll keep walking like this. Is that okay?”
“Of course not! Let’s turn back to the town we just passed…”
“Oh, there’s no need for that.”
Looking closely, there was a woman in front of us. Fiery red hair… the Third Knights Order’s crest… That’s…
“Master!?”
Erna said.
If she’s Erna’s master, then that person is the Flame Emperor, Elfatokles.
But according to Einima, Elfatokles is being controlled.
“It’s been a while, my disciple, Hero Erna. And nice to meet you, A-Rank Adventurer Kaine-san. There’s a good cave ahead, so we can rest there. Together…”
“Do you think we’ll go… Mugg!”
(Kaine-san!? What are you doing?)
I stopped Erna from speaking.
(Just wait. Elfatokles is probably trying to lure us into the cave and make us fight Tect in a place where we can’t escape… If that’s the case, now that we know Elfatokles is being controlled, we have the advantage. There’s no way we can’t use this.)
(…Understood.)
“Then we’ll go with you.”
“Is that so? Please follow me.”
With that, Elfatokles turned her back.
However, she’s wary and won’t let us get close.
(…There’s no chance coming.)
(It can’t be helped. It’s strange no matter how you think about it for the Flame Emperor to suddenly appear. The other side probably doesn’t think we’re not wary.)
“…Let’s take a break, there’s a river here. Let’s hydrate.”
Elfatokles said that.
(Hey, spit out the water you drink later.)
(Yeah.)
However, at this time, a golden opportunity arrived. Elfatokles turned her back and went into the river.
Erna is the closest. I can’t reach.
Even if I threw a stone, I wouldn’t be able to knock her down in one hit, and more than anything, the goal isn’t to kill her.
If we’re going to knock her unconscious, there’s no better chance than now.
(Erna! Strangle Elfatokles’ neck as it is.)
(O-Okay.)
However, she’s hesitating, and even though she’s getting closer, her hands aren’t moving.
(What are you doing!? If you don’t hurry…)
(I know!)
Erna slowly brings her hands closer to her neck.
Just as she was about to grab it, Elfatokles turned around.
“Oh, so you noticed after all that I’m being manipulated.”
Elfatokles drew the long sword from her waist and quickly swung it at Erna.
She seemed to have dodged it instinctively, so she’s safe, but if it comes to this, we can’t avoid fighting Elfatokles.
Elfatokles blushed and said happily.
“Tect-sama is in the cave ahead.”
“Then I’ll have to pass through there.”
“Fufufu… If you want to pass, defeat me first.”
Saying that, Elfatokles pointed her left hand at us and cast a spell.
“Fire Arrow Rain.”
Then, countless fire arrows appeared. They disappeared into the sky, and two seconds later, they attacked us.
I managed to handle them all. If it’s the current me and Elena, it doesn’t seem like we can’t win if we work together…
Erna was hesitating to knock Elfatokles unconscious earlier. If she doesn’t want to attack her own master… this battle is going to be bad.
In the first place, we have to head to Tect’s place quickly.
We can’t afford to waste time here…
“I have no choice, Erna! Help me if you can fight! Let’s defeat her as quickly as possible.”
However, the words that came back from Erna were unexpected.
“No, Kaine-san, you don’t have time, do you! I’m sorry for what happened earlier. It’s my fault that we’re in this situation. So please, Kaine-san, go defeat Tect alone.”
“But if that happens, Elena will be facing Elfatokles alone…”
“I’ll stop her. For hours, for tens of hours… for hundreds of hours… So please, leave this to me and go ahead!”
“!?…Understood. I owe you one.”
I go ahead without hesitation.
“Do you think I’ll let you go? Fire Ray!”
Something like a beam of fire was released by Elfatokles at me.
“I won’t let you! Fire Ray!”
However, Erna canceled it out with the same technique.
“Master… I didn’t think you were the type to be manipulated.”
“Oh? It’s not so bad to be manipulated, you know? You should be manipulated here too.”
“I’d rather die! Now, wake up quickly! Master!”
Erna grips her sword.
In order to overcome her own weakness…
I’m heading to subjugate Tect, leaving it to Erna.
Erna probably won’t be easily defeated even against the Flame Emperor, but after all, unless we defeat Tect, the problem won’t be solved from the root.
Entering the cave, I annihilated the small fry with stones and headed deeper and deeper.
I faced a Chimera on the way.
“Oops, if you’re going to pass through here and defeat Tect-sama! First, me!”
I defeated the Chimera while it was talking. I don’t have the余裕 to fight fairly right now.
“Sorry… If you were alive, I would have fought you seriously next time.”
I started running again with all my strength so as not to waste time.
………………………………
………………
……
About 15 minutes after starting to run, there was something in the back of the cave.
Of course, it’s him.
“Yo, Tect… Long time no see. Was it you who manipulated Erna?”
“Long time no see, Kaine-chan. I don’t know what happened to Erna-chan, though.”
“I don’t want you to call me that.”
“It doesn’t matter what you call me.”
“…That’s right. We’re going to kill each other now. It doesn’t matter what we call each other now… Tect, I’m going to kill you.”
“Yeah. Try it? Don’t think it’ll be the same as last time.”
“You’d better not think I’m the same as last time. The current me won’t lose to any of the Four Heavenly Kings, you know?”
“Is that so? Actually, I was thinking of quitting the Four Heavenly Kings~. Someone as powerful as me~? It’s not good to be under someone else~. Yeah, I’ve decided. Once this battle is over, I’ll quit the Four Heavenly Kings and become the ruler of the world~! Of course, I’ll dominate the Demon Lord and the Thunder Emperor too! Sadly, Kaine-chan won’t be able to see that sight~!”
“Hmph, as if someone like you could dominate anything. Not even the Thunder Emperor or the Demon Lord, let alone the world.”
“I can do it~. After all, I was even able to dominate that Elfatokles~.”
“…Do you really think so?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, whatever, shall we begin!”
“That’s right~! I’m itching to kill you too~!”
We drew our swords and entered a battle stance.
A slightly longer chapter…