267. VS Vanguard – Total War (Part 8)

The battle with Randall has begun.

“—First, let us test the waters.”

Simultaneously with entering the barrier, Arrogance swung his magic sword. He unleashed slashes made of blood—大量ly generated by his Fresh Blood Territory, then compressed and strengthened. Thanks to ‘Heroic Hymn’, ‘Demon King’s Praise’, and ‘Demon Army Advance’, their power had risen to horrific levels.

“What of it?”

In contrast, Randall didn’t move. He simply held his hand forward.

Pachan.

The slashes of blood reverted to mere liquid. Randall was unharmed.

“He nullified my attack…?”

“No, it didn’t feel like that. If he’d nullified it, the blood slashes themselves would have vanished.”

It was likely some kind of defense or resistance skill. Since the blood remained and merely splattered, the target was probably the attack method itself: the “Slash.”

“Slash Reduction… or perhaps Slash Nullification…?”

“Correct,” Randall answered, revealing his trick nonchalantly. “If you wish to land a slash on me, it is impossible unless it is a strike that surpasses a Sword Saint.”

“How generous of you. You’re just going to tell us?”

“It is because it is only ‘at that level’. Certainly, you all have become remarkably strong, but even so, that much is not enough to bridge the gap between me and you.”

Randall’s expression remained unshaken.

“It is a stroke of luck that you entered the barrier.”

As Randall raised his hand, a single sword appeared from the void. A plain longsword with no decorations. Yet, contrary to its appearance, it possessed a terrifying presence. …That weapon is seriously dangerous.

“Next, it is my turn.”

A thud echoed as he kicked off the ground.

“This, too, is a mere test of waters.”

“Ts—!?”

Randall’s sword was closing in right before my eyes. I couldn’t even react; just before the attack landed, Kiki’s ‘Reflection’ activated.

(That was close… If I hadn’t had Kiki cast that on me in advance, my eyes would have been gouged out—)

Immediately after that thought, with a sound like glass shattering—pariiiin—Kiki’s ‘Reflection’ was smashed to pieces.

“Wha—!? UOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

I twisted my body almost purely by reflex. If Kiki’s ‘Reflection’ hadn’t slowed his speed for even a fraction of a second, dodging would have been impossible. Randall’s sword passed through the exact space where my face had been milliseconds ago. To avoid a follow-up, I kicked the ground again and leaped backward.

That was close… I can’t believe Kiki’s ‘Reflection’ was broken. Even though Kiki evolved into some kind of race called an Ol Teumessian and the strength of her ‘Reflection’ should have increased.

“Not finished yet.”

“Ts—!?”

Cutting off my thoughts, Randall was already before my eyes again. Fast. No skill activation. Just pure physical strength produced this speed. I readied my ninja blade to meet him. Naturally, Lightning Style was already imbued. A two-stage weapon designed not just for sharpness, but to paralyze the opponent.

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”

“Hmph.”

Collision. The stalemate lasted only an instant.

Paki. Like a dry twig snapping—my ninja blade broke. Randall’s sword was perfectly intact. He showed no signs of being paralyzed. So he doesn’t just have Slash Resistance; he has resistance skills for paralysis and poison too.

“Tch!”

“Kazuto Kudo!”

Arrogance instantly deployed a shield of blood in front of me, delaying Randall’s attack for a heartbeat. In that split second, I leaped back to put distance between us.

“As expected, I cannot take you with just this much. You truly seem to have been strengthened considerably. How wonderful, the blessings of skills. Or should I say, as expected of the system she created.”

The blood shield shattered.

“…He’s strong.”

“…Yeah. Strong. Too strong.”

I knew it, but Randall is indeed strong. Overwhelmingly so.

『—Arrogant and greedy. A heartless person who views everyone but himself as a pawn. But he’s strong. The pinnacle of humanity is undeniably him. Randall is the only human in history permitted to stand on equal footing with the Six Kings.』

I recall Libera-san’s words. This is the peak. The strongest man of the other world. That is exactly why—

“…I find it distasteful,” Arrogance muttered softly.

“Distasteful? And what would that be?”

“That while possessing such power and such knowledge, you attempt to defile this world.”

“Defile? …I will apologize for involving you in our circumstances. However, if we do not merge with this world, there is only destruction for us. There is no other way—”

“That is not it.”

Arrogance cut off Randall’s words.

“Chaos Frontier. A new world where two worlds have merged. I have no complaints about this world itself. I would not have been born if it hadn’t become this world. In fact, I am grateful to this world. I am glad it gave me life.”

“Then—”

“That is exactly why. What you are trying to do is a profanation of this world.”

“…What did you say?”

“I am a monster. Tormenting, toy with, and killing humans is my greatest joy. To be born so and to live so is my reason for existence. …Well, for now, I am teaming up with humans, albeit temporarily. It is highly against my nature, though.”

Fresh blood gathered around Arrogance. It transformed into countless arrows and was unleashed at Randall.

“The meaning of life is more important than anything. If one wishes to live so, that will is more precious than anything else. But what are you doing? You are not a human of this world. People who aren’t even of this world are warping it for their own convenience, destroying its way of being, and trying to defile it. It is only natural that I find it distasteful for an outsider to spit on this world, is it not?”

Randall swung his longsword. With that single motion, all of Arrogance’s blood arrows were negated.

“—You are a clear ‘Enemy’ of this world. As one who lives in this world, I cannot tolerate your schemes.”

“…Do not speak as if you know anything, you mere monster.”

Randall’s expression distorted with displeasure.

“Warping the world for our own convenience? What of it? Certainly, we are clear anomalies in this world. That is why conflict with the natives is unavoidable. If the sacrifices of my country’s people can be reduced by even a little, I will warp this world as much as I must. That is the duty of a King who is entrusted with his people.”

Randall took a step forward. Closing the distance in an instant, he swung his sword at Arrogance. Arrogance reflexively met it with his magic sword.

“Guh…!?”

“We eliminated our enemies and reshaped this world into one convenient for us? What is wrong with that? No nation exists that does not clash with others to pursue its own interests. That is what war is. Or does war not exist in this world? Surely that is not the case?”

An exchange of blades. Arrogance clung on, but Randall’s power was overwhelming.

“If there is a clear difference in power, it is only natural to force one’s own convenience upon the other. Understanding is, in the end, nothing more than a product of compromise. And we are—stronger—than you, and stronger than the humans of this world. What is strange about the strong prioritizing their own convenience? It is the law of nature.”

Biki! A crack appeared in Arrogance’s magic sword.

“Gaha!?”

“Arrogance!”

Arrogance’s main body is that magic sword. Damage to the sword becomes damage to Arrogance himself.

“…Had you cooperated with us, I would have let you live. It is a pity.”

“Don’t say things you don’t mean. It’s sickening.”

“Die.”

Randall’s sword was about to slice through Arrogance—or so it should have.

“…What?”

Arrogance was no longer there. Randall’s gaze turned toward me. Arrogance was standing next to me.

“…You saved me, Kazuto Kudo.”

“I’m glad I made it in time. Though, I’m surprised I could actually do this in this state.”

It was a spur-of-the-moment attempt, but I’m glad it worked. Arrogance’s main body is the magic sword, and I am its owner. And I have a skill to store my possessions.

—Item Box.

It’s nothing complicated. I simply ‘stored’ Arrogance into the Item Box. A loophole in the rule that living things cannot be stored.

“Still, this is a problem. I didn’t think the power gap was this large.”

“…The original estimate was that we’d train for another six months and then use ‘Heroic Hymn’ to just barely stand a chance…”

It’s frustrating, but Libera-san’s assessment was correct. No matter how many unique skills we gain through ‘Heroic Hymn,’ and even with Mayor Uesugi’s ‘Unity of High and Low’ removing the party limit so every member present gained unique skills and further strengthening, there is still a gap in power. Randall is that strong. Unreasonably so.

“—But we can win. No, we will win.”

“Hoh…”

Randall is still looking down on us. He’s convinced we are the weak. That is where our opening lies. I’ve obtained some good information through that exchange just now. Plus, I can feel a presence from the shadows at my feet. I had intentionally asked Momo and the others not to participate in the battle yet. Because I had something for them to do.

The setup for that is finished.

“Arrogance, I have a plan. Listen up.”

If this plan works, it will be the deciding blow. We can overturn the Vanguard’s—Randall’s—ambition from the very foundation. With our current selves, it should be possible. I will definitely make it succeed.

End of 267