Arifureta Vol 8 Chapter 3 (2/2)

With such a sound, the blurred s.p.a.ce was blown backward. Next, numerous claw marks appeared on the ground five meter from where they were. The claws were probably used to deaccelerate.

Seeing that, Endou, who fell on his b.u.t.t, turned pale and muttered.

“I-Impossible. For them to catch up now…”

As though using those words as a signal, demonic beasts that had tracked Endo and the Knights, appeared one by one. Endou remained sitting on the ground, shaken to be caught this fast. Until he arrived here, he had used “a.s.sa.s.sin” skills to erase his presence, smell, and magic trace while moving. The Demon Race woman was moving while searching for Kouki and the others, so it shouldn’t be possible to catch up with Endou who ran straight to the 70th floor.

Endou’s doubt was erased by the nightmare-like woman who appeared next.

“Tch. Only one, huh… I thought they had escape here where the teleport circle was… Looking at this, looks like they are hiding somewhere.”

Twirling her hair in irritation, the Demon Race woman who appeared riding on a four-eyed wolf’s back, made Meld and the Knights enter battle mode. From her words, the woman thought Kouki’s party would run towards the teleportation circle, and that’s why she came straight to this floor. With her guess off, she seemed to be irritated because she now needed to search around to look for Kouki and the others.

At the same time, it could be said Kouki and the others were still safe. Endou, Meld, and the Knights looked relieved, and smiled faintly. The demon race woman noticed them and snorted towards Endou and the Knights.

“Whatever, I also have a duty here… Let’s quickly kill them and begin our search.”

Immediately, all of the demonic beasts came attacking. The Chimeras charged and made the s.p.a.ce blur, while the black cats covered the distance like a gale. The Brutal-look-alikes were approaching with maces in their hands, and the four-eyed wolves were looking for a chance from behind.

“Make a circle! Defend the teleport circle to the end! Kousuke! How long are you going to show that disgraceful att.i.tude! Stand up and… run away! To the surface!”

“Eh!?”

As expected of the Kingdom’s elites of the elites. Meld and the Knights promptly made such a formation and cooperated against the incoming demonic beasts. From hearing Endou’s story about the demonic beasts a little while ago, they clearly knew they were obviously inferior in terms of offense, that’s why they chose to only defend and parry.

Endou slipped a surprised voice when Meld said, “Escape to the surface.” If it’s escaping, it would be better if all of us go together. When Meld said for him to get away from this place, Endou felt that rather than going to the surface, he had a responsibility to return to where Kouki and the others were.

“Stop daydreaming! Tell the surface about the Demon Race!

“B-But, Commander Meld and the Knights…”

“We are… going to made this place our graves! Kousuke! Destroy the teleport circle once you get to the other side! It’ll at least buy you some time!”

“Th-That’s…”

Meld’s intention was clear. Even if they went to the surface, the demonic beasts would immediately teleport, too, if no one bought them even a little bit of time. If that happened, they’d lose the method to lose the pursuers, and they were likely to be killed when the pursuers catches up. Therefore, the best choice was for only one to escape while the rest buys him some time. If the time could be bought, the other teleportation circle on 30th floor could be destroyed, and he’d lose the pursuers. The teleportation circle was the type carved on the ground, so it could be restored using “trans.m.u.tation.” After one had escaped and told the stationed force on the surface about this, they only have to restore the circle, and it could be used again by Kouki and the others.

The one chosen to escape was Endou, but because Meld previously said to cast away anyone other than Kouki, Endou was puzzled because this time he was told to escape at the expense of the Knights. It was the reason why he could not move immediately.

Toward such an Endou, Meld roared his deepest wish as the intense battle unfolded.

“I am sorry for being powerless! I am sorry I could not help you! I am sorry you weren’t the chosen one! Kousuke! This is the last wish of the worthless me! So please hear it!”

Toward the puzzled Endou, the big bro-like man’s last wish was conveyed.

“Don’t die!”

Those words made Endou understand everything. Meld, in reality, never wanted to let anyone die. If someone must be sacrificed to let the others survive, it would rather be the Knights. Meld and the Knights wished for not only Kouki, but all of the students to survive. For him to be “chosen” made Endou full of bitterness.

Endou bit his lip and used all of his might to turn on his heel towards the teleport circle. It was because he felt he would not be a man if he didn’t answer the wish and resolution of Meld here.

“Don’t think you can!”

The Demon Race woman raised her hand towards a black cat while activating her own magic. The black cat shot out the tentacles on its back with a great velocity. In addition, stone spears also flew in the air riding on her killing intent.

Endou somehow managed to cut the tentacles with his shortsword, and bent his body to the side. It looked like he wouldn’t be able to evade the following stone spears. The reason for the his incapability of evading was because of the positioning of the tentacles, and the wonderful timing of the spears that came in succession. Endou gritted his teeth and prepared to receive the impact. Even if he was to receive the attack, he was determined to keep running and jump into the teleport circle.

However, the expected impact didn’t come. One of the Knight had jumped out of the formation and used his body to s.h.i.+eld Endou.

“A-Alan-san!”

“Guh… don’t worry, and go!”

With the stone spear piercing his abdomen, the Knight named Alan swung his sword to parry the attack of the incoming demonic beasts, and said to Endou with a truly manly smile. Endou strongly bit his lip as though he was biting it off, and ran towards the teleport circle.

“Tch! What persistent small fries! Aim for that boy!” The Demon Race woman sent out new order in a little haste… but it was too late.

“Hah, this is our victory! Don’t you look down on Herrlicht Kingdom’s Knights!”

Meld revealed a fearless smile as he shouted. At the same time, Endou activated the teleportation circle and disappeared. The Demon Race woman ignored Meld’s words and thrust her hand towards the demonic beast. The demonic beast could directly manipulate magic power, so the teleportation circle could be activated without the need for troublesome chanting. Thus, she thought she could still make it in time, if she was quick enough.

However,

“I told you not to look down on us!”

Meld and the Knights had skillful techniques and teamwork Kouki’s party didn’t have. Using their experiences, they obstructed the incoming demonic beasts’ movements. They were outnumbered, but their defense skill and ability were praiseworthy.

To begin with, it was abnormal for Meld and the Knights to confront these many powerful demonic beasts, no matter how much of a desperate effort they put forth. Alan, whose abdomen pierced by stone spear, was finally exhausted and the balance was destroyed when he fell on his knees, and could not persist against the demonic beasts anymore. With that opening, one of the Chimeras breached their defense line and reached the teleport circle.

The Chimera disappeared the same time the glow of the magic circle was lost.

“Kuh, one, pa.s.sed, huh… Kousuke… don’t die.”

Meld’s mutters was erased by the demonic beasts’ roars. Unable to stomach that she let Endou escape, the Demon Race woman sent the demonic beasts simultaneously towards Meld and the Knights.

“Fuh, we have decided our grave would be here, so let’s rampage to the end. Guys, show them the spirit of Herrlicht Kingdom’s Knights.”

“””””Ou!”””””

With Meld’s instruction, his subordinate Knights answered with a high-spirited shout. The spirit put into their shouts, even though it was just for a moment, made the surrounding demonic beasts flinch.

… Ten minutes pa.s.sed

Silence once again returned to the room with teleportation circle on the 70th floor.

“Uwaaaaa—!!”

With a shout mixed in between scream and war cry, Endou jumped out from the teleportation circle in «Orcus Great Dungeon»’s 30th floor, immediately wielded his shortsword, and tried to destroy the magic circle before him.

“Wh-What!? Eh, you! What are you doing!?”

“Stop him.”

“Catch him.”

A black-clothed boy appeared from the teleportation circle, suddenly raised a shout and began to destroy the magic circle with the sword in his hand. This made the surrounding people, dressed as Knights, stand in blank surprise for a moment then they raised angry roars and jumped at Endou to obstruct his destructive action.

These guys were Meld’s subordinates who was responsible of protecting the teleportation circle on the 30th floor. Because of the force deficiency, there were people who were at their limit just by guarding the 30th floor. Unable to destroy the magic circle with a blow, Endou struck for the second time, for the third time, and when he only need one more swing to destroy the circle, he was barely stopped from destroying the magic circle.

“L-Let go! If it’s not destroyed, quickly! Those b.a.s.t.a.r.ds will-! Let go!”

“Wh-, aren’t you from the Hero’s party!? Why are you…”

After seeing him closely, the Knights knew the person acting like a madman was one of the hero’s companions, and the Knights spontaneously loosened their holds as they whispered voices of surprise. With that chance, Endou once again swung his shortsword and destroyed a part of the magic circle, but he was one step too slow.

The magic circle once again glowed and activated. Thus, in the next moment, a blurred s.p.a.ce attacked Endou and the Knights.

“d.a.m.n it!”

“What’s—! Guuaaa!!”

Endou immediately jumped back and was barely able to evade the Chimera’s attack. However, the Knights who didn’t know the situation and should have been able to evade, defenselessly received the Chimera’s claw attack, and died with deeply torn armor.

One of their comrades who suddenly sprayed blood, made the other Knights panic. Endou frantically shouted towards the Knights with a voice filled with impatience.

“It’s an enemy! Be careful of the blurring s.p.a.ce! More will come if we don’t destroy the magic circle!”

Endou’s scream-like voice made the Knights regain their senses. However, at the same time, one more person was slashed and blown away. There were seven people guarding the teleportation circle on the 30th floor. And now two had been killed.

Endou grit his teeth towards the fact and used an “a.s.sa.s.sin” skill called “Wallrun,” to run on the ceiling and aimed to destroy the magic circle from above. However, the Chimera noticed him and tried to intercept him by jumping.

Although they still didn’t understand what had happened, the Knights guessed it was necessary and jumped towards the Chimera that was trying to attack Endou. However, the Knights could only see the Chimera as a blurred s.p.a.ce, so naturally they didn’t understand what kind of attack it had; they understood nothing about it. That’s why, the Knight who jumped behind the Chimera had his neck bitten by the tail-snake, while the Knights right beside its flank was beaten by its wings and thrown to the ground.

Nevertheless, it was not meaningless. The Chimera somewhat lost its balance and Endou was able to evade its dangerous claws and fangs. It was not a complete evasion since his shoulder and flank were gouged, but the snake tail was slashed, and the Chimera fell into the ground when they pa.s.sed each other.

The Chimera flapped its wings to regain its balance to land on the ground slightly away from them, while Endou immediately stood up after he fell on his shoulder and simultaneously swung his short sword in his hand towards the previously damaged teleportation circle.

At the same time it landed, the Chimera turned around and once again rushed to kill Endou. However, at that time, Endou’s shortsword was already pierced the magic circle with all of his might.BAM!, a clear sound effect rang out. It was the evidence the magic circle had been destroyed. The trace of magic when the teleportation magic circle was used had disappeared.

“With this—… kh… gaa, AaAAAAAH!!!”

Succeeded in destroying the teleportation circle, Endou inadvertently leaked a relieved sigh because no more pursuers would come. However, the Chimera’s fangs bored into his right arm in the next moment, and he screamed due to the sharp pain. The strong jaws tried to bite off Endou’s right arm.

The Knights charged towards it and used all of their might to attack the Chimera in order to disturb it. The Chimera whose side were pierced by strengthened short spears, inadvertently loosened the force on its jaws. Endou pulled out his right arm, slipped out the concealed knife from his left sleeve, and slashed the Chimera’s eye.

The rampaging Chimera slashed two more Knights to death when they approached it to give it the finis.h.i.+ng blows. Endou threw the knife in his hand, but the Chimera, with a slashed eye, evaded by instinct.

Immediately, one of the Knights suddenly raised a scream. He inadvertently looked towards the source and saw the Knight who previously had his neck bitten by the snake, was beaten to the ground. The Knight’s lips turned purple, writhed in pain, and died in no time.

“d.a.m.n it!”

Seeing that, the last Knight ran out to kill the snake, but it was a fatal mistake. The Chimera whose back was turned to the Knight noticed the incoming enemy and immediately attacked. Covered in wounds, Endou squeezed out all of his remaining strength, and activated his certain kill attack towards the neck of Chimera that attacked the Knight.

“DieeEEEEE!!”

Being separated from his companions, forced to desert Meld and the Knights, for the Knights he knew to be killed, and various grudges mixed into his shout, he struck a fatal blow demonstrating all of his power. He tore the Chimera’s neck from the nape, and it died in a moment.

Due to the inertia, Endou who sprang from the Chimera’s flank, crossed it, and rolled tremendously once he reached the ground. Enduring the pain in his shoulder, right arm, and flank, Endou lifted his upper body with his left arm to confirm, and burn the Chimera’s death into his eyes.

The Chimera laid quietly looking to be completely dead due to the partly torn up neck. However, Endou’s expression was weak as though he was going to cry rather than feeling joy, and he couldn’t help but whisper, “d.a.m.n it!”

Before his gaze was the figure of the last Knight who rushed out. He was falling p.r.o.ne. With sword gripped in his right hand, his face had turned purple. Beside him, was the torn up snake. Perhaps, right before the Chimera attacked, he slashed the snake that sprung to him and his face might be bathed by the toxin inside its body. Resultantly, all of the Knights who were guarding 30th floor had been annihilated.

Because he could not save even one person, Endou cried as he shouted, “d.a.m.n it!,” many times. He shouted the same words for a while, and Endou, who thought he had died due to blood loss, took out the highest grade ointments and recovery potions from the tool bags he got from Meld and the Knights. After his wounds were treated by the emergency set, he silently lined the Knights’ corpses in a corner of the room where the teleportation circle was.

For a little while, Endou watched the Knights’ figures, and slowly turned around to advanced a step toward the surface. His face was as pale as a ghost, and his eyes were hollow without any ambition. Thinking “Once again only I survived,” Endou’s heart was tightened by a heavy, cold chain. The current him moved his body just like a machine that only had to fulfill the role he was entrusted with, and he single-mindedly aimed towards the surface.

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