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Volume 5, Chapter 5 - Black Dragon King, Part 3

There was nothing but dead people everywhere. There was nothing but wreckage in her surroundings.

A foul smell polluted the air, and chunks of burned flesh were scattered around. It was as if the place had been heavily bombed, and there was not a single body with all five parts intact.

However, only the girl at the center of it was allowed to exist in that world. And the strong wind caused the red-haired girl’s body to fall forward. But the girl didn’t want to fall over, stepping forward as if to reject it.

“Ugh… guh… agh…”

Everyone could see that the girl was fading in and out of consciousness.

The girl’s body was swaying like a dead tree agitated by the wind as if it could collapse at any moment. Her hollow eyes look around and see that the blue flames are burning the “Fallen One.”

“…Terrific.”

A blue-green-haired girl, Skaaha, is dragging her feet and spilling her thoughts.

“Liz-dono… Are you alright?”

She called out to Liz, concerned for her safety, but the girl did not respond.

Skaaha gritted her teeth and put her hand on Liz’s shoulder.

“…How far have you dived into recklessness?”

There is still a residue of power in the air. How deep did she reach in one breath? If she’s not careful, she could end up being a cripple.

“Ice Emperor, lend me your strength. I’ll bring her back.”

As if in response, the Ice Emperor emitted a blue light.

The only way to bring her will back was to apply force from the outside.

“Liz-dono, forgive me if this is a little rough.”

But the hand on Liz’s shoulder was wrapped up.

“……It’s okay.”

Liz turned around. She was breathing unevenly, and her face was pale, but she had a satisfied smile on her face. In her hand, she was holding the Flame Emperor, which was glowing with red light.

“I’m glad… I’m really glad. I thought you weren’t coming back…”

Skaaha hugged Liz, her voice quivering. She smiled and thanked her, rubbing her back.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Skaaha…”

However, a look of alarm immediately appeared on both of their faces. This is a battlefield. Weak prey will be the first to be targeted.

There was no time to share the happiness. In the blink of an eye, the two were surrounded by enemy soldiers.

“Your Highness Celia Estrella, I ask you to surrender.”

One of the knights suggested without fear.

Liz brushed a strand of hair from her shoulders and smiled.

“I refuse.”

“Then… we have no choice. I’m afraid I’m going to have to be rough with you.”

The knight muttered and drew his sword. When the knight drew his sword from its scabbard, the other enemy soldiers held their spears and swords in the same manner. But judging by the trembling tips of the spears floating around them, they are definitely afraid of the power of the two girls.

“It looks like we still have to fight.”

Liz swung the tip of the Flame Emperor’s blade menacingly.

“…Let’s breakthrough here and meet up with Aura-dono in the rear.”

Skaaha held up the Ice Emperor with a powerful light in her eyes.

The enemy soldiers, who saw the resolve of the two, showed obvious dismay.

That is when it happened.

“Princess! I’ll save you now!”

Tris’s loud voice rang out, and the roar of horseshoes cracked the air. From the rear of the surrounding enemy soldiers came the clang of blades and the clash of swords.

The enemy soldiers, in a panic, began to break apart, and in the blink of an eye, the ranks fell apart.

It was less than twenty horsemen who broke out of the ranks.

One of the horses pulled up under Liz and the others.

“……Are you two okay?”

It was the petite girl who muttered nonchalantly while shaking off the blood smeared on her spirit weapon.

“A-Aura! You were safe too!”

When Liz’s face broke out in happiness, Aura nodded with a blank expression.

“…I am glad that Liz and Skaaha are also safe.”

“Aura-dono, how is the war situation?”

“Nameless has escaped. There’s no need to fight anymore.”

For some reason, despite the fact that they had the upper hand, the second-in-command of the rebel army, Nameless, fled the battlefield with a small force. When Aura finished her explanation, she had one of her guards bring in two horses without riders.

“Most of the troops have left. All that remains is here.”

At the same time that the flames were covering the entire area, Aura sent out a message to everyone. Saying that further fighting was pointless and that they should leave the battlefield immediately.

“I see… If that’s the case, we’d better get out of here right away.”

The rebels have more than 10,000 troops. Now that they have abandoned their respective fronts, there is a possibility that the remaining Liz and the others will be swarmed by the enemy.

“If that’s the case, let’s run through it all at once. Follow me!”

The mounted Liz turned her horse’s head and swung the “Flame Emperor” forward. Aura felt that it was useless to tell her to rest, so she sighed and sent instructions to the troops while waving her spirit weapon.

“…Retreat with great intensity.”

At the sight of Aura, Skaaha climbed into the saddle and shook her voice with enjoyment.

“Aura-dono, there is nothing to worry about. Fighting retreat is one of my specialties. Leave it to me.”

Wrong. It is not that she is worried, but she is more just dumbfounded.

Aura turned her leaden eyes to the two of them, but to no effect.

“…You’re both injured.”

“Aura, follow behind me.”

“…?”

Normally, it would be the other way around, but Aura’s shoulders slumped as if she was tired of arguing. Not caring about such an atmosphere, Liz turns her gaze to the place where Hiro is positioned.

“I wonder if it’s okay over there…?”

“Right ― Mm…”

Skaaha is about to say something and closes her mouth. And then she had a smile on her face.

“It seems to be all right.”

“Yes… Then, let’s go that way.”

Aura also seemed to notice, and Liz, who saw the tip of her fingers, also showed understanding in her eyes.

A cloud of dust is rising from the east. It was gradually getting closer.

“Follow me!”

Liz and the others galloped their horses in unison toward the place where the noise was rising. It’s only a few dozen cavalries, but their assaulting power is not to be taken lightly.

A wall of infantry is instantly crushed. Above all, running in front of them were the two wielders of the Five Emperors of the Spirit Sword.

Everyone was terrified.

The following horsemen thrust their spears into the backs of the fleeing enemy soldiers, suffocating them.

As they pushed forward with all their might, they arrived at a place where screaming and shouting echoed. In its center, a man in black was riding a strange animal and cutting down enemy soldiers.

Each time the silvery-white sword dispersed a particle of light, a cloud of blood stained their vision red, and the reverberations of their screams were sucked into the ground, mass-producing corpses.

Enemies whose swords had been repelled had their throats crushed, and those whose spears had been snapped had their skulls shattered. There was no such thing as armor. In front of him, the tip of the sword pierced through the body as if everything was paper.

It was only one horseman, but his brute force, which rivaled a thousand, was so terrifying that it gave one a chill.

“……Liz?”

Aura tilted her head. This was because Liz, who had been vigorously kicking the enemy around, had stopped moving. This means that the path that has been opened for them is now closed. The soldiers guarding her were also puzzled as they slashed at the enemies around her.

Aura did not ask, “What’s going on?”

She knew the reason.

(That Hiro is not Hiro.)

On the battlefield, Hiro stifles his emotions and slays his enemies without hesitation.

Sympathy would lead to fatal results. The regrets linger forever. If you don’t kill, you will be killed. It is because he has thrown himself into such a world that he is able to separate the two.

That’s why he keeps alive those he can use and cuts down those he doesn’t need.

Even so, he never found any enjoyment in it.

But… Aura thinks.

The Hiro of now is not the same. His mouth was twisted into a hideous smile as he slashed down the enemy soldiers.

Those who lost the will to fight had their heads chopped off, those who fled were stabbed in the back, and his deadly blade killed even those who surrendered. Eventually, Hiro’s gaze turned to them as he destroyed the head of an enemy soldier who was crying out, perhaps having noticed the presence of Liz and the others.

“…Looks like everyone’s okay.”

There is nothing to see in those black eyes. It’s just that the darkness is spreading.

But the atmosphere on his body was sad. It’s filled with a heart-wrenching sadness, like a child who has lost his mother and is at a loss for words.

“I’m really glad you’re okay.”

Hiro smiled coldly. The blood dripped from his bloodied hands and was sucked into the ground. The painful sight made Liz tighten her grip on the reins as if she was feeling something. She was about to open her mouth to say something, but shook her head, smiled, and approached Hiro, trying not to let her anxiety be noticed.

“Hiro, I’m glad you’re okay too.”

Aura thought that Liz was a strong girl, as she said in a cheerful voice. Even though there were many questions that she wanted to ask him…

And Hiro had a soft expression on his face that did not show the slightest hint of the previous mood.

“Yeah, but we don’t have time to be happy about each other’s safety.”

“Um? What do you mean?”

“It seems that the First Prince Stobel has invaded the imperial palace to take the life of the emperor.”

“Wha… is that usurpation?”

Liz’s expression tensed up. Next to her, Skaaha was getting irritated when she heard the name of the person she was going to take revenge on. Aura tilted her head and pointed her leaden eyes at Hiro curiously.

“No, I don’t think it’s usurpation. No one would follow him if he took the emperor’s life under such circumstances. The only thing that awaits him when he becomes the naked king is beheading.”

“Ugh, that’s also true… Then what does Stobel intend to do…?”

“Liz-dono, it’s better to think about it later. Let’s get out of here first, and then we’ll figure it out.”

Aura watched the three of them talking from afar. There was something about it that didn’t make sense to her.

(Why… Hiro went to the trouble?)

Aura’s suspicions were aroused, but she was in no position to interfere.

“Anyway, Liz, you must go to the Imperial Palace immediately. Skaaha can follow along with you.”

It was time to fulfill his promise, Hiro said at last. Aura didn’t know what kind of promise had been made between the two of them, but seeing as how Skaaha had nodded emphatically, it seemed certain that they would go.

“Then I’ll take care of this, and you two head for the palace.”

“What about Hiro? You’re not coming with us?”

“I’ll be right behind you. Once I’ve ravaged this place.”

The area was surrounded by enemy soldiers. The thick walls are closing the distance as if they are pressing in. It’s not going to be easy to escape now that the momentum has been killed.

“Then we’ll meet up with you later! Hiro, you must come!”

“Hiro-dono, I’m sorry. I’d like to help you, but…”

“You should put your feelings first. You should take care of Liz.”

“Yeah, I’ll take care of her!”

Forgetting about their own wounds and fatigue, Liz and Skaaha let their horses run. Beyond that, there is a wall of enemy soldiers, but the two of them with the Five Emperors of Spirit Sword will be able to breakthrough.

“Aura, what are you doing? You should take your guards and follow the path that Liz and the others have opened.”

Hiro was right; there was no time to stay long.

Therefore, Aura put the question straight to the point.

“…Who told you about Stobel?”

“From former General Loing. He told me about it on his last breath. He said that by renouncing his right to the throne, Stobel was trying to divert suspicion away from him and keep the eyes glued to the battlefield ― it didn’t matter whether he won or lost, from the beginning, Stobel was only after the emperor’s head.”

“…I see.”

“Aura, we don’t have time to talk about this. You must go quickly.”

“Mm… See you later.”

Aura turned her head and started to gallop away.

And the moment she passed Hiro…

“What?”

When Aura turned around, she could only see a large number of enemies filling the rear.

“……”

“Aura-sama! The enemy is closing in! Please hurry!”

Aura was rushed by the soldiers guarding her.

“…Hiro.”

Aura turned around one more time and then started to gallop.