Chapter 36: A Pack of Wyverns

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/37/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

I pop out of the hole I dug on the way in, and the sun is still high.
If I head back now I should make the capital by sundown.
…I’m really tired today.

I don’t want to meet monsters, so I fly high.
At this height I can see the surroundings all at once, so I feel safe.
I’ll look at the nice view and go home at a leisurely pace, no rush.

That’s what I thought, but.
There’s a pack of wyverns over that way.
And they seem to be attacking something.

“…Haa. Ring.”
“—Multiple demonfolk: under attack.”
“Demonfolk? Demonfolk, the ones in the war?”
“—Affirmative.”

The long war between humans and demonfolk.
It only ended three years ago; the memory is still fresh.
My town didn’t take damage, so it doesn’t feel real, but.

“Hmm… well, anyway, shall I go.”

I dive straight in at the same altitude. Continue reading →

Chapter 35: Mr. Box Golem

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/36/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

Nuaah… I’m still a bit unsteady…
I don’t know if it’s the recoil from just now or if I’m hungry, but maybe I should have rested a little more.
But I don’t want to hang around too long in ancient ruins.
You never know what will come out.

Almost at the entrance. Let’s go home already.

“—Ouka! That floor—!”
“…Heh?”

Ring’s voice, unusually hurried.
The next instant the floor goes buiin, and the view I was seeing changes.

Ha? What?

“—The warning was late. A transfer trap.
—Confirming present location. Numerous mana readings in the vicinity, caution.”
“…Anyway I get that it’s dangerous. Ring.”
“—Sakura-Drive Ready.”

“Ignition… they just keep coming, huh.”

Bones well up from the ground, boko boko.
Skeletons, but a lot of them. More than ten.
Every one is armed with sword and shield.
Anyway, shall I punch through them.

“Now then. Shall we dance together, you bones.” Continue reading →

Chapter 34: Soul Shift

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/35/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

I run into skeletons a few times, take them down without trouble, and reach the room I was aiming for.
The range going up means I don’t have to run, which is very convenient.
The hitch that power drops the farther it goes hasn’t changed, though.

“Now then. Ring, this room?”
“—Affirmative: there is residual mana of Ouka’s.”
“…Then, well, shall we go in.”

A little tense, I put my hand on the same kind of round thing that was at the entrance.
A gachari, and the door opens.

Inside it’s like a warehouse. All sorts of boxes stacked up.
It’s messy so it’s hard to tell, but the room seems fairly wide.
In among that, one iron bed is sitting there.
Lots of metal plates and cord-like things attached.
…What is this. Looks hard to sleep on.
But I feel like I’ve seen it.

“—Ouka. There is a designation on the metal-plate portion.”

Nn? The plate, this? There is something written.

Type-0 [killing Abyss]

…This is me, right? Continue reading →

Chapter 33: The Ancient Ruins

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/34/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

It’s a fairly famous story that at the Heroes’ and Demon King’s final battle, “God-Demon Annihilation” and the Demon King fought hard enough to change the terrain.
The earth split, the sky tore, and a new mountain range was born, they say.

Well, that’s the kind of story that Hero… or rather, Tsukasa, would do.
And that final battle was fought near Gernika’s old Demon King castle.
And not far from the old Demon King castle were the ruins I was aiming for.

Or rather, they were buried.

“Hey, Ring. There’s no entrance, is there?”
“—Searching… buried in earth. No other entry or exit hits.”
“For real.”

Well. If a fight on the level of a natural disaster happened nearby, a buried entrance isn’t strange.
One big sigh. Can’t be helped. I’ll do it.

I take a stance with the handgun-type devices. But what I’m using this time isn’t mana rounds. A big drill.

Kyuiiiiiin…!

A high sound, and I grind away at the ground. Continue reading →

Chapter 32: The Gravekeeper

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/33/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

Early morning, before the sun is fully up.
I wake to the noise.

I get ready and go outside, and even at this hour the town is full of life.
Stalls are already out; everyone is moving around busy, but somehow cheerfully.
I buy breakfast bread at a stall along the way and walk eating it, and I hit the harbor right with sunrise.

The sun comes up from the wide sea’s horizon.
The waves catch the morning sun and glitter. Pretty.
Lots of sailors are going in and out of the ships, and the unloaded cargo is being carried toward the market.

I sit on a big rock, eating bread and staring vaguely, and a big splash goes up in the distance.
A water monster, maybe. It’s huge.

…The fact that I think it looks filling might mean I’m a bit far gone. Continue reading →

Chapter 31: Mother

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/32/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

When I show my face at the guild, Liza worries about me like crazy.
Apparently my eyes were still red. I messed up.
Unnyu. I thought the swelling had gone down.

“Ouka, are you really all right? If something happened I’ll go raid them, you know?”
“Please don’t say dangerous things. You’re the only comfort I have.”
“Oh, excuse me. But I am actually worried?”

Same as always. She smiles at me, warm. It settles me.

“I’m all right. If something happened I’ll settle it myself.
Ah, but if it gets to where I can’t, please help me.”
“Say so properly when that happens, okay?”
“Yes… ah, I’m going out for a bit, so please tell the guildmaster too.”
“I see. Take care.”
“Okaaay. I’m off.”

I leave the Adventurer’s Guild, go straight through the city gate, and then.
Once I’ve checked there’s no one watching, into the sky.
I fly a little slower than usual. Continue reading →

Chapter 30: Artificial Hero

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/31/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

“I only heard it from the former knight-captain… from Owen, but you’re apparently a prototype of an ‘anti-Demon King artificial Hero.'”
“…Haa. Eh, artificial?”
“An anti-Demon King artificial Hero. A Hero made by human hands. Owen found you fifteen years ago in ancient ruins in Gernika and took you in, apparently.
After that, I heard he left you with a church he knew.”
“Nngh… I-I see.”
“My blessing is absorbing the Demon King’s mana. That’s probably why you malfunctioned.”
“…Um, I’m sorry. I know you’re talking about something serious, but.”
“What?”
“…Can something be done about this?” Continue reading →

Chapter 29: Summoned to the Castle Again Today

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/30/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

I go back to the guild full, and there’s a summons from Kanon.
Same as last time, I walk to the royal castle, tekuteku.

“Chiwaaas. I’m here again.”

I greet the gate guard. I come so often lately we’re fully acquainted.

“Oh, Ouka. What’s today?”
“Kanon called me.”
“Again? What did you pull this time?”
“Rude. I haven’t done anything.”

I stick out my tongue, nbe.

“Haha. Sorry. Go on, the usual room.”
“Okaaay. See you.”

I go into the castle and a maid shows me to the usual room.
I knock, knock knock, go in, and Kanon, a beauty no matter when you look, greets me.
She seems in a better mood than usual today, somehow.
Usually she’s a cool beauty, but today she’s smiling and cute.
A feast for the eyes. I’m grateful.

“Um. Why are you worshipping.”
“Ah, please don’t mind it. So, I heard from the rumors, you found Katsuragi Arei.”
“Yes, thanks to you I was able to reunite with my older brother. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m glad.”

Uumu. She must really love her older brother.
She’s in a better mood than I’ve ever seen. Cute. Continue reading →

Chapter 28: A Festival

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/29/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

When I wake, the city is noisy even though it’s still early morning.
And I can hear people’s cheers.
What is it. A festival or something.
I go down to the first floor; there are fewer customers than usual, but the mistress is smiling, in a good mood.

“Ma’am, morniiing.”
“Oh, good morning.”
“Did something happen?”
“Well, you see, a Hero who’d been missing for two years has apparently returned.”

Oto. Maybe this is that?

“Would that be Katsuragi Arei?”
“That’s the one! The Heroes went missing right after they beat the Demon King, came back once, then went right out traveling again.”

…That’s just running from Kanon, isn’t it.
I don’t know, that person is scary. Only a hunch, though.
But I see. If they’re back, they’re at the castle, maybe.

“And the knight-captain has returned too, apparently. The whole capital is in a festival mood.”
“…The knight-captain?”

Come to think of it I hadn’t met them; they weren’t in the capital.
From how the talk’s going, maybe Kodama Renju, who I searched for the other day.
No, more than that. A festival mood? Continue reading →

Chapter 27: Leader of the Heroes of Salvation

Author: Kurohitsuji
Raw: https://ncode.syosetu.com/n2086fk/28/
Translator: Lilia v4
Editor: Yuriko AYA

◆ Viewpoint: Katsuragi Arei ◆

The air shakes with a dragon’s roaring.
One cry, and the mana in the atmosphere runs wild.
I throw an arm up to shield my face, but the wind pressure pushes my body back a little.

He takes that opening and spreads his wings. Bad. He’ll escape into the sky.

“Renju!”
“Here we gooo!!”

Renju bursts from cover, long, soft black hair streaming, and in an instant shears off the dragon’s right wing.
It loses its balance and goes down where it is.
A terrific sand cloud rises with the rumble of the earth.

An opening.

“Wake up, God-Forged Iron Stake!”

My partner manifests on my right arm, wrapped in blue mana-light.
A silver gauntlet. A giant iron stake linked to a revolver jutting from elbow to the back of the hand.
Thrust ports lined from the shoulder across the back.

God-Forged Iron Stake.
The most inconvenient blessing the goddess ever sent.

“Let’s go…!”

I blast the verniers on my back and leap into the air.
Full speed, wide open, nothing held back.

The scenery blows away behind me at a terrible force, hard to even see.
The dragon, building-huge, closes at a rush.

——”Load”

The dragon opens its mouth and starts sucking in air. A precursor to breath. Bad.
I kick the boosters and bounce straight up at a right angle.
Immediately after, flame fills everything below.
If that hit, there wouldn’t be a scrap left.

But. Continue reading →