Chapter 4.2 (2/2)

The feeling of holding real sword is different from holding a shinai[i]. .

It was closer to the feeling when I held a katana back in japan.

This blade, a naked blade, was different from the drawn katana at that time, this sword might really kill people.

In the end, I couldn’t refuse Modes’ request.

I was just unable to refuse the request of his miserable self.

Moreover, I wanted to laugh at myself when I introduced myself as Diehart.

Diehart. That is the name of the villain of the anime which I saw a long time ago.

He’s a clown with uselessly high pride who is easily defeated by the hero.

That name is definitely fitting for the current me.

I called myself with the name of the villain in the anime since I don’t want anyone to notice that it was me, especially Shirone.

The helm given by Modes is the one that’s used as a defensive gear by the dark knight and is the type that covers my entire face.

I chose this one so that Shirone won’t recognize that it’s me.

It seems the helmet is equipped with the magic that won’t hinder my words in spite of wearing a helmet.

And then, this magic also slightly altered my normal voice.

My usual voice will be heard as a different voice by the other party as long as I wear this helmet.

And, there were red gems attached on the eyes part of this helmet. It seems the effect is to protect my eyes from the magic that will affect my vision.

Moreover, in spite of the red gem covering the eyes, my field of vision is wider than usual because of magic.

I can see them from behind this helmet.

The one with fascinating, long and beautiful hair is Mizuouji Chiyuki.

The soothing beauty who’s Reiji childhood friend is Yoshino Sahoko.

One of the two junior, a model, Sasaki Rino.

The other one is the feral child of the academy and also the ace of track and field club, Todoroki Naomi.

And then, my childhood friend, Akamine Shirone.

All of them form an army of beauties. They’re surrounding Reiji.

Shirone’s standing beside Reiji.

To be honest, I didn’t want to see her standing beside Reiji.

That’s why I didn’t want to see it.

Never did I think that I’ll see that scene today.

I look at Reiji.

Golden patterns are engraved on top of his pure white armor.

He is wearing a golden circlet with a blue gem embedded on it on his head.

There’s a luxurious-looking crimson mantel attached to his back.

That was exactly the ideal figure of the hero of light who’s summoned by the goddess.

To be honest, I feel that he’s cool.

On the other hand, I’m the underling of the demon king. Moreover, I’m standing alone without any comrade beside me.

What the hell is with these differences. This tragic situation made me want to cry.

「Everyone, fall back」

As expected, Reiji’s telling the girls to fall back.

It seems he’ll grant my one-on-one match request.

I feel great pressure as I stand before him.

Now, I’m starting to regret my decision.

Why the hell am I not showing any refusal.

This is not a match but a battle to death.

And yet, I don’t have the resolution to die.

I’m burdened by fear.

I only have a feeling of being slaughtered miserably.

Fool, I’m such a big idiot.

Even at this moment, I can still throw away my sword and then beg for forgiveness from my opponent.

But, why do I keep tightening the grip on my sword.

Reiji’s also drawing his sword.

His sword blade is exuding brilliant light. It seems that my opponent also has a magic sword in his possession.

「I’ll end this in one attack」

Reiji let out a refreshing smile. That smile is the form of his absolute confidence in the fact that he absolutely won’t lose.

This will be our second fight. I think that his smile is similar to his smile during our first match.

We face against each other for several seconds.

「If you’re not going to come, I’ll come to you！！ 」

The first to move is Reiji.

Reiji kicks the ground and instantly closes the distance between us. His speed is far more higher than Runfeld.

But, I can see that his movement isn’t that much different from that time.

Reiji suddenly vanished when he’s right in front of me.

I also anticipated that move. It was the same move which defeated me.

I hold my sword in my right hand.

A shockwave is transmitted to the swordblade. I parried Reiji’s attack with my sword by turning my wrist and turning my waist while shuffling my feet.

Though Reiji stance is crumbled due to that―

「Oops！！ 」

One’s stance usually will crumble if they’re put in the same situation as him. That Reiji regained his stance with his self-styled rotation is…

Truly a monkey-like movement. Just what kind of reflexes does he have in him？

When Reiji regained his balance, he’s coming to attack from the front.

I won’t take that attack from the front; I parry it by turning my sword and then side stepped with sliding movement in order to not destroy my center of gravity.

The sliding movement on the ground[i] is something that I just learned recently after such long and arduous training.

Reiji, whose balance is crumbled, turns to the side.

Just like that, our blades interlock again.

Everytime our blades interlock, the inside of my head’s becoming pure white.

The sound of our swords clashing at each other is resounding loud and clear.

「Kuh！！ 」

And then, during who-knows-how-many-of Reiji attack is coming at me.

It was a sloppy attack which is coming with an impatient voice.

I just naturally swing my sword while dodging that sloppy attack at the last moment.

The feeling of my sword tearing something is being transmitted to my hand.

I can feel as if the time stopped at that moment.

The sword that I swung tore Reiji’s body from his right shoulder all the way to his left waist.

It might be a fatal wound and yet, it couldn’t slice his body in two.

Blood is bursting out from his wounds.

「E~h …….」

Reiji’s face possessed a disbelieving look while he looked at his own body.

And then, slowly falling forward.

「Reiji-kun！！ 」

「Rei-kun！！ ！ 」

「Reiji-senpai！！ ！ 」

「Reiji-kun！！ 」

「Reiji-kun！！ ！ 」

Five screams resounded at the same time.

The girls make their move.

I retreat to the back as I feel their killing intents.

That moment, a gigantic lump of fire came crashing down on the place where I was standing a moment ago.

Before I knew, a giant from that gigantic fireball is standing in front of me.

Standing on it’s side is Sasaki Rino.

「Go, king of flame！！ ！ 」

When she screamed, that flame giant comes to attack me.

I, who feel the incoming danger, stretch my left-hand which isn’t holding my sword to the front.

「O Black Flame！！ ！ 」

The black flame coming out from my hand protected me from the attack of that giant.

It’s the only magic that I remembered before this fight.

「Rei-kun！！ Heal the wound, ART OF HEALING」

Yoshino Sahoko is rushing to the side of the collapsed Reiji.

「Everyone！ ！ Gather at Reiji-kun’s side！ ！ 」

The girls are standing on Reiji’s side on hearing the panicking voice of Mizuouji Chiyuki.

「Transfer（TELEPORT）！！ 」

The attack of flame giant stopped almost at the same time as I heard Chiyuki voice.

Thus, I couldn’t see the trace of people in front of me just a while ago.

「Have I won…………」

My body is trembling as I muttered those words.

Just like that, I fall on my knees.

[i] Ground Shrink