65 This Hero Versus His Party?

My limbs felt like they were being controlled, as if I was a marionette that was performing in front of an audience. My right hand was clenched around my broadsword even though I didn't want to do so. Rena was smiling gleefully to my left. She had a crazed look of determination in her eyes as she stared at my party. She cackled lightly as she stood proudly. It seems like she feels invincible.

My party was facing me. They were each brandishing their combat tools towards us. Tael was pointing his wand directly at my center of mass while Kany was crouched low, ready to pounce whenever combat would start. Erana was standing in the back line, ready to assist whoever needed it.

Honestly? I'm impressed by their coordination. I picked some really good party members.

Wait, I'm about to fight them…

"Come on Kenji! Let's show them what the power of love can do!" Rena shouted out. My face may have been blank, but I was screaming internally.

Ah Erana, please don't look at me like that. You too Kany. Tael, stop chuckling. I don't love this girl. Please stop thinking so poorly of me.

Rena took a deep breath. Since she's a bard, it stands to reason that her voice is her weapon. Erana seemed to think this as well as she suddenly covered her ears.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Rena shouted. Her voice echoed around the area many, many times. The volume was enough to make me dizzy. Tael and Kany also seemed to be discombobulated by this attack as they spun their heads around.

"Cure light wounds!" Erana shouted. Her healing light covered both Kany and Tael. They quickly recovered from their stupor. I, however, was not healed. I understand that I'm the enemy right now but it still hurts a bit…

"Hmm… Now that I think about it, I don't know any of their abilities… Kenji! What are their abilities?" Rena suddenly turned to me to ask.

Not letting this opportunity slip her by, Kany dashed forward with a surprising amount of agility as she attempted to drive her dagger into Rena. My body automatically moved as I deflected Kany's dagger towards the ground with my broadsword. She looked at me in shock for a moment before I delivered a hard kick to her left shoulder that sent her flying.

"Agh… Well, at least I withstood that one." Kany muttered as she clutched her shoulder.

"Their names are Kany, Tael, and Erana." I could hear myself begin to speak. That's right, I'm being controlled. It's entirely possible that my mind is also being read in some capacity.

"I see. So then I should take down the Kany girl first then Tael then Erana. Handle the problems first from most dangerous to least dangerous!" Rena happily declared. She was like a schoolgirl that just got a good grade on a test. Though I didn't agree with her observation, I still nodded my head unwillingly.

Rena prepared for battle, but I internally smirked. From years of experience playing RPG's and MMO's, I have learned that the most important target is actually the healer in the back, not the frontliners. As long as the healer is up, the frontline is going to be functioning at 110% capacity at all times. If Rena was knowledgeable in combat then she would do this.

"Hmph! You think it's going to be that easy to just take us down? Good luck with that!" Kany childishly declared. It seemed like she was trying to goad us to attack. If I were calling the shots then I would not fall into such an obvious ploy, but I'm not in control here so…

"Grrr… Okay then! Let's do this!" Rena shouted as she took another deep inhale. I immediately rushed forward in response to Rena's shout. Mully must have decided that I needed to prevent Kany from interrupting Rena.

"Frost!" Tael shouted. I suddenly felt an incredibly strong chill enrapture my entire body. It was as if I stepped out onto the north pole with nothing but my underwear on. My body slowed in response to this sudden cold that encompassed me. This slow was enough for Kany to easily sidestep my attack and instead launch herself at Rena once more.

Rena was forced to interrupt her attack. She exhaled quickly and jumped out of the way of Kany's swipes.

I slowly got back into an attack position. Instead of focusing my body towards Kany once more, I instead positioned my body towards Tael. Unlike before, the distance between us was much lower. There was barely even a meter between us. We stared at each other for a moment before Tael suddenly opened his mouth to speak.

"Hmph. Kenji-chan, you really think that distance is the deciding factor, don't you?" Tael asked me. Of course, I couldn't speak so I just gazed at him.

"Well, leave it to the former fat guy to not know the first thing about combat!" Tael mockingly shouted.

Even if I was in control of my movements right now, I think I would still attack Tael.

I raised my sword skyward and quickly brought it down towards Tael's head. Fortunately, he dexterously slid out of the way and nimbly dodged my attack.

"Hah! You seem to forget that my dexterity stat is rather high! Your untrained attacks won't do anything to me. Try using your strike skill! Maybe that will make a difference!" He smiled smugly towards me.

"T-Tael-san! Don't goad him on! I don't want to waste my mana!" Erana shouted out.

"Hah! It's never a waste when it's used on-"

I interrupted Tael's barking as I swung my sword horizontally towards him. He dodged this attack as well.

"I was right! He totally can't use his skills right now! If he was capable, then he would have done it by now!" Tael smiled widely as he declared this.

"E-Eh? What are you talking about, Tael-san?" Erana held a confused look on her face. It seems like she's getting increasingly flustered.

"Sorry! I had to test it!" Tael loudly shouted out.

This idiot really used himself as live bait? How could he do that? Is he insane? No… Something about the way that he's acting is telling me otherwise.

"Frost!" Tael shouted out once more. I could feel the sudden arctic chill roll over my entire body as I was hit by his attack once more. Like before, my movements were slowed. Frost must carry some type of speed debuff or something. Maybe this is because Tael is frost natured?

"Nothing personal, Kenji!" Kany suddenly shouted out as she appeared behind me and swung her dagger down. My movement was slowed so I couldn't dodge the attack, but I was able to block it with my sword. Sparks flew as our blades clashed together. Is she trying to kill me?

Kany jumped backwards slightly in response to my movements.

"Hah… Jeez Onii-san. To think you could react to assassin strike. That's impressive." Kany rounded her wrists as she said this.

"Oh, your new skill, right?" Tael lazily asked.

"Yep!" Kany declared. "I leveled up when we killed the bear so I got this skill as a result! Pretty cool, huh?"

"Good job Kany! With this we'll-"

My body didn't wait for everyone to praise each other. I could see that Rena was standing quietly as she was watching this one versus three. A part of me was happy that she decided to bow out, another part was frustrated that I had to cover her slack.

I sprinted towards Kany. It didn't seem like she was prepared for my sudden attack as she was late in raising her dagger. This momentary hesitation cost her as I grabbed her neck with my left hand and ripped her dagger out of her own hands. My unnatural strength allowed me to lift her off the ground as I began to choke her with one hand.

"Kah! C-Come on, Onii-san… Fight it… You loser…!" Kany was staring down at me as she said this.

"Yeah! That's right Kenji!" Rena shouted from the sidelines.

I began to squeeze harder…

"Entangle!" Erana shouted. Vines suddenly sprouted from the ground as they wrapped themselves around all of my limbs. I dropped Kany as my limbs were forced downwards.

"Fooo… Thanks Erana! You really saved me! ...Erana?" Kany held a smile that slowly turned to confusion as she watched Erana.

Erana quickly stomped her feet towards me. She met my gaze. I could feel the fury in her eyes. What do I-

*SLAP*

Erana just slapped me across the face as hard as she could. I felt the sting of dull pain as it ran through my cheek.

"Kenji-san! You have been out of control! First the singing at the inn, then the fight with Gin-san, now you're trying to hurt Kany? What's gotten into you? Is this really what a big brother should be acting like?" She stared me down as she yelled at me.

"Sorry." I instinctually said.

Wait… I spoke.

Everyone held a surprised look on their faces as I spoke.

It was only now that I noticed that I felt the strange sensation of something that was dangling from my ear.