episode_0251

“I felt it even in my memories back then, but this place has a really strange feel.”

In this world that’s at best somewhere between medieval and modern times, the only city with a futuristic look straight out of science fiction.

That’s exactly what this place, Raptia, is.

But at the same time, and incongruously, there’s no sign of life here.

It’s not just the plants that are absent; you can’t feel even the shadow or hint of a person.

That was the case when I entered Tahmiel’s memories before, and it’s the same now.

“Tahmiel is…. over there.”

Even in this place filled with skyscrapers all around, one particularly tall building stands out.

Tahmiel’s magical energy can be felt right there.

Judging from how blatantly it’s being felt, she probably has no intention of hiding it at all.

If that’s the case, it’s not like she ran away or tried to hide….

“…Does she want me to come?”

What does she want….

If it were Tahmiel, she could have come to Raptia with her own power even without the transfer gate’s help, but seeing that she deliberately activated the transfer gate so that I could ‘follow’…. it certainly seems like she wants me to follow…. I don’t know what she wants me to do after I follow.

So, one step.

I took exactly one step, no more, no less.

At that moment, a sudden, ear-splitting alarm began to blare throughout Raptia.

“W-What is it?….”

…That’s strange.

I haven’t done anything yet?

As the alarm rang, I instinctively stopped and looked around, and an announcement of some kind, from I don’t know where, began to play.

[An intruder has appeared in Raptia.]

[Security Level 2. Activating Security Level 2.]

“Intruder?…. Ah…. Are they talking about me?”

Well….

Tahmiel is from here, so there’s no way she’d be caught as an intruder, and the transfer gate that sprung up on the ground, I don’t know what they’re planning to do with it, but it’s still deactivated, so these guys wouldn’t have any intention of accepting anyone.

I guess I have no choice but to be treated as an intruder since Tahmiel activated the transfer gate with her own power and I just came trotting along after her.

“Screw that, who are you calling an intruder right now? Do you want to die?”

I don’t think I used to be this kind of person, but lately I feel like I’m suddenly getting angry a lot.

Anyway, Security Level 2 seems to be just the feeling of a bunch of intruder-repelling robots rushing in to dogpile on me.

Ah, right. Given the world setting, a “golem” would be a more accurate term than “robot,” wouldn’t it.

I quickly drew my Holy Sword and swung it lightly. The strike, swung with a precise sword path, instantly cut down the rushing robot, and even left deep scars on the surrounding buildings.

“…I can’t control my power very well since leveling up.”

It doesn’t really matter when I’m not in combat.

But when I enter combat situations like now, no matter how much I try to reduce my power, I end up putting in slightly more force than I expected.

Rumble rumble rumble! Ruuuuuumble! Crashhhhh!!!!

“See, this is what I mean.”

I shook my head as I watched the buildings with deep sword marks eventually give way and collapse like felled trees in a domino effect.

The stats I received as a level-up bonus totaled 5.

I used 1 each on Strength and Agility, so….

Do I need to invest the remaining 3 in Skill to control my power?….

“Ah, but it’s a bit of a waste to invest just for this reason….”

As I was having such pointless worries, the sound of the alarm that was ringing so loudly changed slightly.

[Destructive acts within the city have been detected.]

[Readjusting the security level according to the state of destruction.]

[The revised security level is Level 5.]

[Citizens are advised not to leave the buildings.]

Clang.

In the midst of the loudly ringing alarm, a very small sound, like the friction of metal, was heard.

A sound like something metallic opening…. That kind of sound.

And from the moment that sound was heard, a green gas, like fog, began to spew out around me.

“What is this?”

[system: ‘Poison’ is being absorbed into the body.]

“Poison?”

These guys even use poison?

Is that why the alarm just now told people not to leave the buildings?

First, I hurriedly held my breath.

Then, I gripped my sword more firmly and put a little force into the hand holding the Holy Sword.

‘Sword Emperor Secret Art, Earth Split – Reverse’

I swing the sword in reverse toward the sky.

The flow of sword energy created along the path of the swung sword creates a storm that sucks in the surrounding poison with all its might and shoots up into the sky.

Eventually, all the poison that had spread around completely disappears.

“Oh, that was dangerous.”

Fshhhhhhhh

“….”

But, of course, the poison didn’t stop just because I blew it away once.

The poisonous fog, which I thought had disappeared, quickly began to fill the surroundings again.

Seeing that, I sighed involuntarily and drew out my magic power.

“Tch…. Samadhi Flame.”

Whoosh

A flame that blazed from my fingertips.

And the flame gradually touches the green poisonous fog that is starting to fill the surroundings.

Fzzzz…. Crashhhhh!!!!

“…Huh?”

Crashhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

An ear-splitting roar that surpasses the alarm.

The flame that touched the poisonous fog instantly grew larger, and then triggered a massive explosion, causing a chain explosion that used the green poisonous fog as a guide.

Crashhhhh!!!

Crashhhhhhhhh!!!!

The explosions that occurred in a chain reaction instantly turned the entire city into a wasteland.

And from the wasteland, in a hellscape where everything is burning with flames, slowly….

“…I didn’t think this would happen.”

I walked out.

* * *

“….”

“….”

An incredible explosion occurs.

An explosion so powerful that the entire city is shaken.

No one could have imagined that he would use a dust explosion to get rid of the poisonous fog.

Even more unimaginable is….

“In the middle of an explosion that turned the entire city into a wasteland…, he walks out unscathed?….”

The man…. Raptia’s Spokesperson stared at the hologram with a dumbfounded look.

The cities of Raptia, which contain excellent heat-resistant and cold-resistant functions, are being destroyed and melted by the shock and heat of the explosion, showing how hot it is.

One man walking out of such a hellish place as if nothing had happened.

All of the clothes he was wearing had burned away, but he and the Holy Sword remained in perfect condition.

The Spokesperson felt a chill down his spine for a moment at the bizarre sight.

And watching that sight, Tahmiel said with a faint smile.

“I told you.”

As if mocking, or perhaps enjoying it.

“Our era will not come. Should I tell you one more thing? Even if you absorb me here…. you can never defeat that person.”

“That’s…. something we’ll have to find out.”

Even so, the Spokesperson reaches out to Tahmiel without giving up.

Tahmiel does not resist the touch, and accepts it completely with her eyes closed.

This is also her destiny, but she is not afraid.

She has already met the person who will break her destiny.

‘So please.’

Hero, Leon.

* * *

Even in this chaotic explosion, the appearance of the tall central building in the center of Raptia remained the same.

Was only that made particularly sturdy?

“Come to think of it…. In Tahmiel’s memories, there was definitely a transfer gate in the basement of that building, wasn’t there?”

…No, now that I think about it, that’s strange.

I definitely came through the transfer gate, so why didn’t I appear there and instead fell outside the city?

“…Well, does it matter.”

When I got very close to the central building, signs of life suddenly appeared.

“…?”

But what’s strange is that all the signs of life were all ‘identical’.

The signs of life felt by each person are bound to be different, but what I’m feeling now is completely the same.

And what’s even stranger is that the feeling I’m getting is that I’ve felt it somewhere before.

“…Wow.”

“….”

And when the signs of life that I felt appeared before my eyes, I couldn’t help but swallow a hollow laugh.

Girls who all look the same start to appear one by one.

Well, in a science fiction city like this, something like this could appear, I guess. That thought flashed through my mind.

“Artificial life forms?…. And that appearance is…. the Sword Demon.”

It’s a somewhat distant memory now, but if I try to recall it, it still comes to mind clearly.

Girls with expressionless faces, with silver hair and bluish blue eyes.

“If I remember correctly, the Sword Emperor was wandering around the world and discovered the Sword Demon in a destroyed city?….”

Raptia sinks, and the Sword Demon, an artificial life form to protect this place, obtained power from the Sword Emperor and wandered around in search of her lost hometown, seeking power….

“Ugh, seriously. Stop adding these backstories now!!”

[Sword Emperor Secret Art] + [Spatial Slash]

“…?”

The moment I gripped my sword, they also took a stance with the swords in their hands, exactly the same way.

That stance was… completely ‘identical’ to mine.

“…Ha.”

At that sight, I couldn’t help but let out a hollow laugh….

“If you can copy it, then try it.”

Mountain Divide

Die, ghost of the past

It cuts everything at once.

Artificial life forms, buildings, everything is cut down.

“…Hoo. So…. is it you?”

“….”

The very last of the last.

Tahmiel’s presence ‘disappeared’, and what appeared was a man.

“I’m a bit busy? So let’s finish this quickly.”

“Haha… You’re full of confidence.”

“Well, of course. You’re weaker than me, after all.”