Beyond the Hero’s Death – 18 | Sousaku – 創作

Episode 18 The Bloodstained Princess ⑦ – The Descending Evil Sword

―――I heard an apologetic voice, saying, “I'm sorry".

"You" have nothing to apologize for. I was about to answer that when I woke up and slowly realized that I was drifting through a lightless space. I could also feel water droplets at the corners of my eyes as if I had been crying while I was sleeping.

『Are you awake, Celestial Knight?』

I heard the voice of the devil, but I didn't have the energy to answer back. Not because I was being mean or anything, but because I felt uncomfortable, as if a big part of myself was missing. ……I just feel a little better about the melancholy I have been feeling since I let Al die.

"……What happened? What did you do? "

I could understand that the devil had done something to me, so I asked her back.

『I just forged a holy sword, you know? It was not steel that was struck though, but rather your heart, Celestial Knight. ……I'm very grateful that you've “seen through” the kingdom――― Yeah, that was a good foundation. A swing of this sword is no less than the Holy Sword of the Goddess, this really gets me excited.』

As I listened to the devil's words, I felt a weight on my waist that I did not remember, so I moved my gaze and saw a sword with a black hilt sheathed at my right hip. ……The sword, with its familiar decorations, caused my eyebrows to furrow.
It had the exact same structure and ornamentation as the holy sword wielded by Al. But unlike Al's sword, which was beautifully dyed in white, blue, and gold, the sword at my waist right now was all black, as if it would not even reflect light.
Upon closer inspection, I found that my own armor had a similar black coloring. ……Looking at it made my head hurt.

『I recommend that you do not try to remember. ……While forging the Holy Sword, you, Celestial Knight, were forced to confront your own heart.
If you try to force yourself to remember now, you might go crazy…… You'll remember when the time comes, eventually.』

The devil laughed heartily with a “ku ku ku ku” sound. Although she is truly incomprehensible, I am starting to get a faint idea of what kind of person this woman is. At the very least, she should not be allowed to be roaming around in this world.

『That being said, I have just the right opponent for a trial slash with the Holy Sword. And with Lady Divine Bow about to die, I think you'd better hurry up.』

……Falty? I awoke from my stupor and at the same time, the sensations in my extremities became clearer.

"Falty is? ……Right, I need to go now……!! "

I flailed about, remembering that I was on my way to the Elven Kingdom. Where the hell are we in the first place? Is this the campsite where we were before I lost consciousness?

『I can be somewhat flexible about the point of return when traveling back to this world――― Take this as a bonus.』

With these words from the devil, I felt a floating sensation and the next moment I was thrown out into the sky somewhere on the outer edge of the forest, between the plains and the forest. Is this the forest where the Elven Kingdom is located?
While thinking so, I noticed a huge dragon that I had seen in the kingdom――― There was the figure of Hroboros opening its mouth and trying to let out a breath, as well as the figure of Falty, who was hunched over.
In terms of the situation, I would say that the battle was between Hroboros and Falty, and Falty lost…… As far as damage to Hroboros is concerned, she did a lot of damage, so I think she should be praised for putting up a good fight against an opponent with an overwhelmingly unfavorable affinity.

"……Help. Help me, Al."

I heard Falty's voice saying that. I clenched my teeth, feeling my chest grow tight at the sound of such a tone of voice as if she was about to cry at any moment. ……Yeah, I'll help you.

I landed at about the same time as the breath was released, so I immediately put up the barrier of the “Celestial Sword” while holding up the shield on my left arm.

"All right. ……But sorry I'm not Al."

The barrier was destroyed by the breath, but I immediately redeployed the barrier and pushed the shield out to hold back the breath. Each time the barrier was broken, I repeatedly redeployed it, and each time my foot was slowly forced backward, but if I didn't stop it here, both Falty and I would inevitably perish, so I clenched my teeth and took it all in.

"Raoul?! What? Where did you come from? "

I could hear Falty's surprised voice from behind me, but I didn't know what was going on. ……But whatever it was, I'm sure I got here just in the nick of time, so I'm grateful to the devil.

I glared at Hroboros from behind my shield, and it seemed to have changed its target from finishing off Falty to me, the intruder, which caused Hroboros to also howl at me, lowering its body as it glared down at me.

"We'll talk later. Can you move? "

"―――Hroboros led its army here, I fought them, and I even used my trump card, but then I used up all my mana, and……! "

From Falty's rushed words, I understood the general situation. So, you're out of magic and stuck after playing your trump card for the initial attack on Hroboros? Then I have to do it while protecting Falty.

"All right. ……I'll take care of the rest."

After saying this, I removed my shield and pulled out the “holy sword” on my right hip.

"Is that, Al's Holy Sword……? "

I did not respond to Falty's mutterings but tightened my grip on the sword. Seeing that I had drawn my sword, Hroboros began to gather magic in its mouth again. Another breath is coming, but probably bigger than the last one…… After studying my barrier from earlier, it plans to burn through the barrier with enough power to overwhelm it entirely.

"―――Oh, can you tell, Elven Princess? Is it to be expected since it has the same shape as your deceased loved one's possession? "

"Who are you?! "

"Nice to meet you, Divine Bow. You can call me Devil."

Looking back at the exchange, I saw that before I knew it, the Devil was standing next to Falty. Falty also raised her voice at the devil, but it was only natural since a person (? ) suddenly appeared nearby. But as usual, I think calling yourself a Devil is a poor way to introduce yourself. The Devil, who was blissfully unaware of such a thing, helped Falty up at her own pace.

"Fufufu, it is time to unveil Celestial Knight's new sword. Please watch it carefully."

Falty's gaze fell on the sword in my grip at the sound of the boastful Devil's voice.
The black blade, which did not reflect even the sunlight and had no luster or shine, was a frightening sight…… with black-purple miasma emanating.

"A black, Holy Sword……? "

Falty's surprise was justified…… Indeed, it was a perfect copy of the “ Holy Sword” that Al had used, exactly replicating the guard, the grip, and the pommel, except for the color.
Stamping my feet and gripping the hilt with both hands, I took the sword in a grandiose stance, sending a torrent of “black light” out from the sword, and as I swung it down, the torrent of darkness was directed toward Hroboros, who was also hurling the breath at the same time.
The darkness and the breath collided midway between me and Hroboros, with the aftermath becoming a raging storm.

"Celestial Knight, I have set it to the same power, same recoil, and same burden as the Holy Sword of the deceased hero. ―――Boys like that kind of thing, don't they? "

I gritted my teeth at the words of the Devil. Yeah, it's absolutely perfect…… I'm gonna cry.
In the meantime, something black was rising from the hand that gripped the sword, creeping up my body.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! ! "

The more I screamed while enduring the intense pain of something eroding me, the more the darkness gushing from the sword increased. The darkness, which increased in power with my cry, gradually pushed back the breath of Hroboros, and finally blasted away the flame of the breath.
The approaching darkness caused Hroboros to turn its body away to evade it, but it was unable to do so, resulting in the darkness biting into its left shoulder.
The darkness tore through its body crushing it as it went along with the movement of my sword.
It was a roaring, hammer-like blow that crushed, smashed, and twisted. ……It was different from Al's Holy Sword, which had flashed sharply with brilliance, this was more violent, like ripping it out with anger and brute force.

"……Evil Sword."

I heard Falty muttering. ……Yeah, this isn't a Holy Sword, right? It is much uglier and more terrifying.

"You are correct."

For some reason, I heard a satisfied Devil's voice, but I ignored it for now.
As the dragon's body was torn apart by the force of the sword, Hroboros’ final cry resounded along with both the gaping wound and the distortion of the dragon's body.
Finally, it traveled from the left shoulder to the right side of the body with the sound of flesh being cut off and bones being shattered, and finally, with the sound of “something” being shredded, it completely split off the body.
It was so gruesome, so horrific, so fierce, a blow that ripped the life out of it.
……In its last moments, Hroboros looked at me, its mouth twitched, and it passed away. As if to say, "I'm satisfied". I don't know what the calamity, the Dragon King, was thinking, but somehow, I got the impression that this was the case.
Its huge body, cut in two, crumbled to the earth with a thunderous crash. The lower half of the body, severed at an angle from the torso up, stood upright, and the body at the end of the severed end rolled motionless on the ground, each crumpling limply and disappearing into ashes.
And with the defeat of their master, Hroboros, its army turned on its heel and fled in disarray.
Thrusting my evil sword into the ground, I watched as the ashes of Hroboros fizzled away as I gasped for breath, my shoulders heaving.