CH 34

Chapter 34

"It seems you've noticed."

Said 'The Guide', his voice rising as he peered intently at the telescopic magic tool.

"In order to put some life into an incomplete magic stone, you need to use a living person. So far, so good."

The problem with people with complex emotions was that they were difficult to control.

So I was looking for someone who had strong and simple negative feelings, and that man, Aston, appeared.

When I told him that I didn't need any money at all if he would just help me out a little, he got on board easily.

He then planted a magic stone in his body on the grounds that it was necessary for revenge, and then used it as the nucleus to create a golem.

"Now, Zenos. How will you bring the curtain down on this battle?"

The client's body should have already been absorbed into the magic stone and almost completely assimilated.

If you want to destroy the demon stone, you have to kill the person himself.

Therefore, there is no choice this time.

With the golem's death, the battle would come to an end.

That would be the only choice.

"But you've healed and saved so many people, and now you're going to end up killing a former party member who picked you up. Isn't that a painful scenario?"

What I'm interested in is how this Zenos guy is going to make that choice.

In exchange for a few cheap lives, I'll get to see something interesting.

'The Guide' chuckled at that.

= - =

"Sorry, guys. I need you to move back for a moment."

Zenos said to the people in front of the golem that was regenerating.

"But, Teacher."

"Linga is still determined."

"We'll take care of the front line. We'll take care of the front, and with Zenos' logistical support, we won't lose."

"Well, that's the way it should be."

Healers don't stand on the front line - that was the 7th most common saying of my master.

If you concentrate on your own fight, you will neglect to support your friends.

In addition, if you get injured, your magic will be less accurate, which could result in the total destruction of the party.

So, he was completely right. But...

"I'm sorry, but I'm the only one who can finish the job."

"Teacher..."

At Zenos' serious tone, the demi-humans all looked at each other and slowly backed away from the scene.

"It's almost morning. I'm not a fan of the sun, so I'm going home."

Carmilla, who was floating behind him, said.

"Yeah, I'll be back soon."

"I'm not worried about you. I'll have a cup of tea waiting for you."

"You're patronizing me, but you're the one who has to prepare it, right?"

"C'mon..."

Carmilla turned herself around and left the scene.

The residents of the slums had already been evacuated from the surrounding areas.

The area was extremely quiet.

"Aston. We're the only ones here now."

My voice echoed through the rubble-strewn city.

"In this city, you approached me. That's how we started, right?"

As I stepped on the gravel, I gradually closed the distance between us.

"Damn. It's not like you to help a kid."

Aston must have been from a lower class of citizen.

-- The reason he's so obsessed with money and authority is because he lost his little sister to an illness because he couldn't afford medicine. He denies it, though.

I happened to hear Gile, who has known Aston the longest, telling another member of the team that.

The image of his dead sister may have overlapped with that of the child who was already vaguely conscious and crying.

In other words, is there still a faint part of humanity left in him?

『 ROARRRRRR ! ！！！！』

The golem that had finished regenerating stood up and let out a yell.

It raised its arms to the sky and took a combat stance facing Zenos.

"It seems that you still have some anger left in you. Do you hate the dog you picked up and abandoned because it seems to be happier than you? Aston."

Zenos strode nonchalantly toward the golem's massive body.

"'Well, you may have been through a lot, but I had nothing to do with it."

A white glow gathers in my right hand.

The surgical scalpel that was used to treat Lev before changed shape and transformed into that of a sword.

"And besides, if you think about it carefully, I hate you a 1000 times more than you hate me."

I rushed out of the way.

I dodged the arms that came down with a roar by reinforcing my leg strength.

『 ARGHHHHH ! ！！！！』

I cut off the golems right knee with my sword then I turned and severed his left knee.

I dodge the crumbling upper body as it rolls, then quickly stand up and slash the left chest in a cross.

A crack appeared in the rock armor, exposing the inside of his chest.

"Hello, we meet again."

As expected, Aston was there.

His skin was blackened by the magic stone.

His eyes were vacant, and a muffled "Ahh" escaped from the back of his throat.

"It's not that I missed you, though. This is the last time I'm going to see your face."

Zenos said, swinging his sword down and slicing Aston's arm in two.

A low scream echoed in the sky as he waited for morning.

"I don't have the energy, and it's a pain in the ass, so let's get this over with as quickly as possible."

= - =

"So that's how it's going to be..."

'The Guide' on the hill nodded quietly as he looked at the situation below.

"It's a good thing you're not afraid to kill him. I'm not really that surprised."

I wasn't surprised by that in itself.

And as long as it's someone who works within the scope of your expectations, there's nothing to be afraid of.

I think I might have been a little overzealous.

"Hmm, that's it. The end wasn't as exciting as I had hoped, but I guess it can't be helped..."

After saying that, 'The Guide' gulped.

"....No, no. This is--!"

= - =

『 ARGHHHHH ! ！！！！』

The white blade wielded by me mercilessly chipped away at the body of Aston, who was fused with the magic stone.

The golem and Aston's screams mixed together, and a bizarre sound filled the surrounding area.

The golem went wild, and rocks and mud began to regenerate with Aston at its core.

I repelled them, sometimes protecting myself with my own magic, and then turning around again.

"Oh, it's so tedious!"

The demi-humans was watching Zenos from a distance.　

"I wonder what he is spending so much time on."　

"Linga agrees. He should have defeated him quickly and easily."

"Is that how stubborn he is...? No...."

Lev's eyebrows furrowed, and she opened her mouth with a look of uncertainty.

"Zenos may be about to do something crazy."

= - =

"Is he destroying and healing him ......?"

'The Guide' who looked into the telescopic magic tool felt his own voice trembling.

It's not just that this Zenos guy is wielding a sword in a futile attempt.　　

He is cutting out the parts that have been eroded by the magic stone and regenerating the human parts little by little, until there are only pieces left.

What kind of person could do such a thing?

'The Guide' felt a shiver run down his spine for the first time.

"What a guy..."

= - = 

My slashing continued.

His body was cut down, and what little human tissue remained was regenerated.

As the damage from the magic stone erosion advanced, I would heal it again.

As I repeated the process endlessly, the golem's movements became sluggish.

"...... I'm not sure what to say."

Aston, whose human side is slowly returning to him, makes a faint sound.

"In all honesty, it would be better for the world and for people if you were dead."

I breathed on his shoulder and wielded my Scalpel.

The night was slowly beginning to fade.

"is... why...?"

"What? You understand the amount of damages? You can't pay the full amount if you're dead, so we'll be collecting from the mastermind as well. If you die, tell us where the mastermind is and then you can die. That's the first reason."

As the human part of the body increased, the rocks that had served as the armor began to fall in tatters.

I managed to lift my fatigued arm.

"Secondly, you're a bastard, but you've had two positive effects on my life. Picking me up from the favelas and a gold coin given on a whim."

I swung my sword down and regenerated the missing piece.

With that gold coin, I decided to start a healing clinic after I saved Lili's life.

That was a big turning point in my life.

"Third. The biggest reason why I'm barely keeping you alive..."

With all his strength, I wielded my last Swing.

"That's because I'm a healer."

-- There are no healers, so join our party.

-- You're not even a licensed healer.

-- There's no one who can hurt us now that we're stronger without your self-made healing magic.

-- Hey don't act all happy now we're criminals

"You got it, you stupid son of a bitch."

"...... I know, I know how awesome you are...."

All the armor crumbled and Aston fell to his knees in despair.

"This is not... human work..."

He looked at his healed arms and muttered weakly.

"I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel. Is this your way of getting back at me?"

"I don't know about that. You're thinking too much."

"..."

A gust of wind blew through the two of them.

The distant mountain ridges were tinted brightly, as if to announce the arrival of morning.

After a few moments of silence, Aston spoke up.

"I could vaguely see you supporting the demi-humans... You've been supporting us all along like that..

"Suddenly you're creepy. What are you up to?"

"That's awful..."

No, I don't blame you for thinking that, but... You've been using other people all your life, and now you've ended up being used.. by them.

Aston looked down and said, then rubbed his forehead on the ground.

"I know I can't say anything else... but let me just say this... I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Zenos."

It sounded like the first heartfelt words he had heard from Aston.

Zenos exhaled lightly and patted Aston gently on the shoulder.

"That's enough. Look up, Aston."

"No, that's not going to make me feel any better."

"That's fine. It's hard to hit you in that position, isn't it?"

"...What?"

"Now that you're human, no need to hold back, right?"

"What?"

《 Ability enhancement》《 10x Arm Strength 》 

"I saved some of my magic for this."

"Wait a minute."

"I'll tell you the fourth reason why I let you live. It won't do me any good to get rid of you when you're unconscious."

Zenos slowly raised his right arm, which was covered in blue light.

"I'm not going to let you get away with it, I'll never forgive you if you just get down on your knees!!"

"ARGHHHHH"

A straight shot to the right with all his might exploded in Aston's face.

The blown up body disappeared in the refreshing shimmer of the morning sun.