Volume 9 - CH 8

Mitsurugi, the guard who's been following Janatha.

If we don't defeat this guy, we won't win.

If the soldiers continue to come, they will be able to cut through the white without knowing it, making it difficult to defeat Janatha.

He has a lot of money, and if he tightens his security, it will be even more difficult.

So it's now or never, and there's not much time left for battle.

The Vidale Medusa's skill attacks are troublesome, but he's not my enemy.

Ione, who is fighting with her eyes closed with the skill [Mind's Eye], is also fine.

So, I'll keep Vidale alive until the last minute.

If I defeat this guy, Janatha might have a sense of danger and run away first.

"What's up!　Come on, Alec!　You're freaking me out!"

The stone snake (Medusa) Vidale, who holds a shield in both hands, can only provoke and attract the enemy, as he has no offensive moves on his own.

His fellow warriors play the role of attackers, but they don't have much offensive power either, equipped with shields in one hand, and one of them has already been defeated by Serina.

"Hmph, you're backing down while saying that. Come forward, Vidale. I'll deal with you. Come into my special move range. Don't tell me you're afraid of a lower ranked B-rank?"

Of course, I don't have any such special moves. The best I can do is [Tortoise Shell Binding].

But if I say this in a smug manner, he will surely back down.

If you see the Starlight Attack of Serina, it is natural to suspect that the other members of the party also have such a special move.

Especially the one who is leading this party. Vidale would think so even more so.

Well, there aren't many rare skills that are that bullshit, though.

Vidale's eyes lit up.

It was a petrification attack.

"Kkuhh!"

Serina shielded her own eyes and distanced herself from Mitsurugi, but he still remained motionless.

What the hell are you doing? good grief.

I don't care. Just attack quickly.

It's all about setting things up, isn't it, with your skills?

Irritated with Serina, I started walking towards Vidale.

――O flames of pitch-black darkness, consume all and burn to ashes, Firewall!"

Then Letty made a wall of fire behind Vidale.

But that was in front of Mitsurugi and Janatha, so it was hard to see them from here.

The thumbs up and wink from Letty is very annoying, but she can't read my strategy at all.

The enemy's ball to be packed is Janatha, and the most dangerous one is Mitsurugi. ......

"Tsk, hey, the magician there!"

But Vidale also seemed annoyed and paid attention to Letty.

"Fu~, I don't see it, I don't see it, I swear!I'm not looking at you. I'm not going to play into your hands!"

"Letty!　Watch out, evade!"

Ione warned her, but the warrior was closing in.

"Eh? Gyaan!"

Hey ......, there are other enemies out there, so you'd better be careful about that!

I checked Letty's status window just to be sure, but she still had about 30 HP left. However, her status was stunned.

So that leaves me, Serina, Ione, and Meena.

Defeating the stone snake Vidale is a piece of cake, but there's still the hero Mitsurugi left...

I know he's over level 40 from my previous appraisal, but I'll try to [Appraisal] Mitsurugi again.

【Name】　Mitsurugi Yahiko

【Age】　28

【 L ｖ】　42

【Class】　Hero

【Job】　Assassin

【 Race 】　Human

【 Gender 】　Male

【 H P 】　341/341

【Status】　Healthy

【Description】

A hero from another world who was summoned by the Gilan Empire.

He is active as a wandering assassin.

His personality is disciplined and sometimes active.

Bounty: 300,000 gold.　

His level hasn't changed from before. The only things that have increased are his bounty and age.

Happy birthday.

Well, it doesn't really matter.

My level is 29, which is still lowel that him.

"Meena, use the potion."

"Yes, master."

"Owner!　The soldiers are here!"

The shopkeeper of "Dreuro" looks outside and shouts.

"Phew, finally."

Janatha breathes a sigh of relief.

Tsk, I'd like to save and then attack here, but we're running out of time and there's no real save function.

Yeah, go ahead!

I swing my sword and use my [Instantaneous Movement Lv5] and [Unexpected Strike Lv5] skills at the same time.

The scenery changes, and I see Mitsurugi's back. Beyond that, a wall of flames.

Okay, even with Letty's interference, I succeeded in getting into the store side.

And I've got Mitsurugi's back!

Now I know what I have to do.

All I have to do is swing my right sword down with all my might.

Mitsurugi doesn't move. I guess he doesn't even notice.

The only thing he has on is his sword. He is not wearing any armor.

So if I hit him, he'll take a lot of damage.

I can do it.

Serina was hesitant because she didn't have a chance, but as long as she didn't get evaded, she could do whatever she wanted.

Zash!

I heard a small sound in my ear, and I felt a response.

However, even though blood was spattered all over, Mitsurugi's clothes were unscathed.

What?

"Alec!"

I understood the situation as Serina called out my name with a tragic cry and rushed towards me.

Damn, my arm is on the floor and it's falling.

I didn't even know what he had done, whether it was a magic trick or a skill.

No, on the contrary, Mitsurugi still kept his back to me.

His posture changed slightly, and he seemed to have pulled out his sword. ......

I couldn't even see the moment he pulled out the sword, let alone the edge of it?

It's a spine-chilling skill.

This is more than the indicated level.

It's as scary as a lvl 86 Spectre Overlord.

I feel like Polnareff, telling it like it is....

"Damn it!"

I stepped back to get some distance from Mitsurugi and hit the [Ice Javelin] repeatedly with no chanting.

Of course, I'm also aiming for the Janatha next to him.

It's more of a decoy or a barrage than an attack.

For the first time, Mitsurugi looked back at me and started swinging his sword to cut off the ice spear, but I should have gone with this long-distance attack from the start.

Why did I get closer?

Well, at the Marquis of Seiren's house, that assassin took my back, and I thought I could use this [Unexpected Strike] skill.

Anyway, I need to calmly sort out the situation.

Right now, I can't use my sword because Mitsurugi cut off my right arm.

The only thing I can use is magic.

"Alec, I'm coming to get you......"

"Serina, don't force your way in!"

"Kyaa!"

It was a close call, but Serina successfully repelled Mitsurugi's sword.

But I don't think she could see it.

I guess I'll have to give up on close range combat. We still have Ione's ougi, but it would be a shame if we tried them and she got hit in the process.

The priority is for us to survive, not for Janatha's life.

At worst, I was even willing to let Janatha escape here, but with Letty's Firewall spell still active on the front of the store and me on the inside, Janatha seemed to have nowhere to run.

"Kkuh! You guys, we need to attack fast!"

Janatha said to the shopkeepers and mercenaries who were there, but that's unreasonable when all you're doing is defending yourself.

The other side is a B rank. It's not just a B, it's a B-rank who has defeated disasters that A-ranks couldn't handle.

Janatha, on the other hand, only had low-ranked slaves in his store lineup.

Since he was competing with low prices, high level, high quality mercenaries would be out of the question from the start.

Moreover, since he was the only one with rare equipment, the strength of the slaves around him was negligible.

The only exceptions are Mitsurugi, who is a guard, and Vidale, who seems to have been hired recently.

"Patience, you've kept me waiting!"

On the other hand, I have a number of trusted friends here.

Saki came back, even if her life was in danger.

It doesn't matter if your opponent is a higher ranked A-rank.

What is there is not calculation, but a bond built on trust and confidence.

It is because we are truly equal that they will not betray me, and I will not betray them.

"I'm telling you to kill that guy!　Now!"

Janatha ordered the slaves.

"Eekkk, Ow,ow,ow!"

"Uwaaah!"

The slaves in the area began to scream in pain, but the slave crest forced the order.

But that wouldn't work if their lives were in danger.

No matter how much pain you're in, you can't move if you think about losing your life by jumping into this barrage of ice javelins.

"Clear! I've defeated Vidale!"

It looks like Luka, who has recovered from his petrification, did it.

"Clear! I defeated the other warrior!"

Ione has defeated a second warrior.

"The priest has escaped! Jouga's in pursuit."

Lily report in.

"Then all that's left is Janatha and Mitsurugi!　Everyone, cover this way!"

Serina gives the order and continues to slash at Mitsurugi.

That's not it, Serina.

"Serina, defeat Janatha!"

I'm confident of victory and give the order.

"All right!"

Mitsurugi seemed to be invincible in close combat sword attacks, but his abilities as an escort were limited.

The last time I saw the Flame Swod in the store with Janatha, Mitsurugi had warned Janatha to keep his distance.

I remembered that.

"Starlight attack!"

"N-no way, this is where my dream is ...... guhah!"

Janatha's black armor split in half vertically and he collapsed, coughing up blood.

You've been cutting down other people's lives, sucking their blood, and dreaming good dreams, and you're going to apologize to them in hell.

Mitsurugi was unable to move during this time.

I had stalled him with a flurry of ice javelins.

There was no need for me to finish off Janatha.

And.

"I give up."

Mitsurugi puts his sword away, and I stopped my attack.

He could have gone on for quite a while if he wanted to, but even Mitsurugi wouldn't have been able to stand being attacked by three magicians in isolation.

Besides, his employer was already dead, and the mission was a failure no matter what.

"Stop the battle!"

"What are you doing!"

The soldiers are coming.

"We'll take care of things here. You go with Meena to the temple."

Serina picks up my arm and says.

"Yeah, then, I'll leave it to you, but tell them it was self-defense."

"Yes, of course. They were the ones who set us up first."

"That's what I said."

I smiled and escaped through the back door of the store.