Orietta destroyed the castle gate with a two-million-gold full auto, and after passing through it, three beams of light pierced Cerberus’s head, vaporizing it in an instant.
“Charge!”
Thanks to the Platinum Laser, the surface of the drawbridge was carbonized and set ablaze in places. Perhaps I should have confirmed it before charging, but the Second Army, ignoring the Cyclops, sounded a nasty creak as they crossed.
“That damn dog, daring to lay hands on the Captain is punishable by death. Fufufu.”
Sophia, protected by everyone in the center of the White Lily Corps, sang in a gentle voice like a little bird and hugged me from behind. If I had left the castle gate, which Orietta destroyed at the cost of two million gold, to Sophia, it probably wouldn’t have cost a dime.
“Ouch!”
“Ouch!”
It seems Cerberus’s static electricity was still lingering, as my embrace with Sophia was interrupted.
“…The Third Army will also advance. …Everyone, let’s go.”
Christine looked at Sophia, then looked down at me with cold eyes from her horse and led the Third Army into the castle. I followed suit, sending the White Lily Corps into the castle.
However, we were caught in a traffic jam on the drawbridge. No one was on horseback, but it was terrifying to be stuck on a collapsing bridge. Just then, a fat man jumped on the bridge, intentionally shaking it.
As a Hero’s privilege, I unceremoniously tossed the fat man into the moat and moved forward. But even after moving forward, there was no sign of progress. Everyone seemed to have stopped. Priscilla would have moved, so it was strange that she wasn’t. Were they waiting for my arrival?
Although I hesitated to push my way forward by saying “Move!”, I had no choice but to push my way through to confirm the situation. I managed to get to the front, getting my fingers caught in armor and my foot stepped on.
A man stood in the spotlight on a live stage. He was a Demon, Koatotemites, the man who manipulated Christine to stop my heart, Darius McKenna. Standing alone in the castle’s courtyard, the corpses of the Second Army lay around him.
“Long time no see, Mikael Sin.”
This time, the spotlight switched to me, the audience. How dare he treat me, the Hero, like an audience member? I’ll show him who the protagonist is. When we last met, he was a Brigade Leader, but now he’s the Hero who will defeat the Demon Lord.
“Long time no see. I haven’t forgotten that face. I’ll get revenge for the Koatotemites now!”
Even if Priscilla turns into a golden Lycanthrope, she could probably put up a decent fight, but I can now unleash up to Godspeed Mode Five. I’ll end this quickly before more of my allies are harmed.
McKena stood confidently, surrounded by the Annihilation Brigade. It was hard to tell who was the protagonist. This stage is mine now. Know that you are merely an opening act. Everyone in the White Lily Corps, cheer me on. Just as I was about to take a step forward, a hand touched my shoulder from behind.
“…Please let me kill him.”
Without waiting for my response, a single white lily advanced. Possessing a beauty and ferocity that seemed otherworldly, she was someone I couldn’t even embrace without Godspeed.
“…Do you remember? About the Koatotemites…”
McKenna answered without hesitation. The surrounding Annihilation Brigade focused on their exchange, and I, the Hero, returned to the audience seats to eat popcorn.
“Of course, I remember, beautiful lady. Won’t you be my woman even now? I’ll entertain you.”
The meaning of his words caused killing intent to surge from the Annihilation Brigade. Strong killing intent emanated from the Third Army in particular. Some even declared, “I’ll entertain you,” setting up death flags.
“…After that, I thought about stopping my own heart. …I couldn’t forgive myself for stopping Mikael’s heart. …But you were the one who created the trigger for it.”
“That was masterful. It was quite an interesting show. It seems Lord Shin couldn’t cross the stairs to heaven.”
“I hope you fall into hell!!”
Nothing happened; neither of them moved. One was exerting power to stop her heart, the other was attempting to control her body. Involuntarily, they were engaged in a fierce battle.
“What happened? Christine-nee-san, she’s stopped moving.”
Alana didn’t understand. If one were to intervene between them now, they would undoubtedly lose their minds. Perhaps because it’s not Magic Power, but something else that can use Mind’s Eye. I can see it.
“Is it him? The one who can control people and monsters. What happens if Christine-nee-san is controlled?”
Will everyone die instantly? Half of the Annihilation Brigade that has advanced this far would die in an instant, and the rest would follow after the commercial break. Or perhaps it’s a trip to Hawaii for everyone? Hmm? Wasn’t the island closest to heaven New Caledonia?
“Don’t worry. Christine won’t lose.”
I think so. I really think so. That’s why I’m working hard. If, to put it mildly, there’s even a one percent chance that Christine loses, I’ll strike her neck with a hand chop in Mode Five.
I’m not used to Mode Five, so I can’t even hold back. But if Christine were to unleash her full power while being controlled, wouldn’t this castle be in danger?
“They’re killing each other, aren’t they? Who’s winning?”
Can’t Priscilla see it either? A large black aura is trying to engulf Christine. Compared to Christine’s pained expression, McKena seems to have the upper hand.
I’m driven by the urge to strike down McKena… now, while he’s focused on Christine, is my chance. I could sneak around behind him and cut off his head.
If I did that, Christine would be sad, and perhaps she would regret not being able to defeat him, stop her own heart, or take her anger and frustration out on me.
If she were to lose, I would strike Christine with a hand chop to save the Annihilation Brigade from annihilation. With Mode Five’s hand chop, at worst, I might detach her head. If I’m going to do it anyway, I’d rather leave a kiss mark on her neck than a hand chop.
“Sophia, Orietta, be ready to aim.”
Priscilla said this without looking at them. I never expected such words to come from Priscilla, but it’s necessary to protect the unit.
“Um, aim at whom?”
“Both… aim at both of them.”
Priscilla’s cruel order is something I should actually be giving. It’s unavoidable to protect everyone, but Priscilla’s heart to be able to say that…
“Correction. Aim only at the Demon. If Christine loses, I will go.”
I can’t let Sophia or Orietta shoot. While the Demon is one thing, Christine doesn’t have the physical abilities to dodge them.
The quiet battle raged on. The surrounding Annihilation Brigade, who had grown silent, watched. Christine moved first. With a pained expression, she fell to her knees.
Is this the end… Although she resisted McKena’s magic of manipulation, she couldn’t paralyze her heart, and she will regret not being able to get revenge. But I can’t afford to lose Christine.
As I started the countdown for Mode Five, Christine stood up again as if nothing had happened.
The expression from earlier was gone, replaced by a refreshing look. The way she wiped the sweat from her forehead was also beautiful. But this isn’t the time to be admiring her. McKena, with a relaxed expression, is looking this way.
“Do it!”
Mode Five! My Godspeed, slightly delayed by my admiration for Christine’s beauty. I’ll charge in with the resolve to perish. Just as I was about to deliver a hand chop to Christine, five centimeters from her neck, McKena’s chest swelled, and he collapsed, spewing blood.
“…It’s a difference in resolve.”
Christine said to me, looking me in the eye. As if telling me to make up my mind, she looked at me with gentle, quiet eyes. As I tried to embrace Christine, she collapsed, clutching her own shoulders as if trying to squeeze herself.
“Christine!”
She was sweating profusely, her arms clenched as if to stop her body from trembling. Didn’t she win?! Isn’t it over?!
“At… at least, for now… I’ll fight until I die…”
Orietta’s Railgun fired on full auto, and McKena was reduced to pieces of flesh. Simultaneously, cheers erupted from both inside and outside the castle.
“What the hell did that bastard do!”
Orcs, Cyclops, and Goblins, who had been inside the castle, rushed out and attacked the Annihilation Brigade with enraged screams. Even outside the moat, the soldiers of the Brigade screamed.
“It seems he left us a parting gift. He may have exerted his power to control monsters and fight until death.”
“What a troublesome thing to do.”
I agree, but if that’s the case, were Christine’s tremors and the faint pain in my heart also caused by McKena’s manipulation?
“…I… I can’t hold it back…”
Is Christine trembling because she’s desperately trying to suppress her own power?! This is bad. If she keeps exerting this supportive power until death, everyone will die.
“Priscilla, lead the Annihilation Brigade and go take the Demon Lord’s head. I’ll take Christine to a place with fewer people.”
“Can’t you stop it?”
“I can only think of minimizing the damage. I’ll give you the Demon Lord’s head, Priscilla. I await good news.”
I curled up small and embraced Christine, who was directing her power towards herself, and ran out of the castle. As I flew over the Annihilation Brigade, those below them clutched their chests in pain. For now, I headed north to a place with fewer people.
Slipping past the giants at Klinshberbach’s north gate, I just ran. It’s sad that all I can say to the trembling Christine is “Hang in there!”
Mode Five. If I run at this speed, even Melos could reach the king before lunch, but Melos probably doesn’t have heart pain. My heart is getting pretty dangerous.
“Christine-san, hold on!”
I veered off the main road. I don’t know where I am, but as long as there are no people, it’s fine. If there is someone, they’ll just have to accept their bad luck.
“…I… I can’t anymore…”
I face the onslaught of supportive power with the cheat of Godspeed.
