episode_0016

22.

The front line where the kingdom’s army and the devil’s army clash,

The walls of Fort Agerton were in chaos, with the Demon King’s army stubbornly trying to climb up the wall to cross the fortress, and the Kingdom’s army struggling to stop it.

Even though it was defended by a fortress, it was the kingdom’s army that was at a disadvantage.

Humans in this world who can use magical power are strong, and women are stronger than men, but they are inherently weaker than the various monsters and demons that make up the Demon Lord’s army.

Humans, on average, were inferior to the Demon Lord in all aspects, including strength, stamina, agility, endurance, and even the ability to handle magical power unique to this world.

As an exception, even goblins, whose bodies are slightly weaker than humans, are stronger than young humans of the same size, and they know how to cleverly use their small bodies to take advantage of their stealth and unexpectedness to deal with humans.

Against the devil’s army made up of such things, the kingdom’s army made up of humans can only avoid being pushed back in battle against the devil’s army by relying on castle walls or forming tactical formations.

As the battlefield becomes more chaotic and becomes a melee where individuals struggle for survival, the casualty rate of the kingdom’s army increases significantly compared to that of the demon king’s army.

As Anir, Barche, and Elise walked on the walls of Fort Agerton, they were told that the front line could not be maintained in Fortress Agerton as it was, and that if the hero did not come, they would have no choice but to retreat. I felt it painfully.

“Ugh! die! Die!”

“Goddess, you always look down on us and protect us. Even in the bottom of the valley of suffering, the Goddess is watching over us….”

“Hi! Hehe! Heeheehee?!”

“It hurts, save me, someone, please, save me…”

Shouts, prayers, sincerity, pleading, all human voices became empty noises on the battlefield and disappeared as they swirled in the air.

Even though Anis, Barche, and Elise had allies who could be saved if she just stretched out her hands, even the saintess Elise turned away from them with a stiff expression on her face and headed across the battlefield toward the goal.

There were many people who could have been saved just by stepping in for a moment, but they understood very well that if they delayed to save a handful of lives, many more people would lose their lives.

They held on tightly to the robes that concealed their presence and advanced beyond the screams and moans, eventually being able to face their target.

“I see, you guys are the ones who only target commanders under me these days, so you’ve been sneaking around like this.”

Before they could even take off their robes, the other person noticed their presence, turned his eyes toward them, and spoke to them.

Since they had reached their goal anyway, there was no longer any need to hide, and Anis, Barche, and Elise all revealed their hidden sides.

The monsters, unable to speak human language, saw them and screamed loudly in displeasure.

“Barce, please.”

“I was already preparing without you saying it.”

As soon as Barche finished reciting the spell she had prepared, a sharp pillar made of earth rose up from the ground surrounding them and pierced the nearby monsters from below, simultaneously blocking the approach of the monsters beyond.

Even though it was made of dirt as a result of magic, it was as hard as an iron bar, but there were still some monsters trying to break through.

Each time, Barche cast appropriate magic to control the approaching monsters.

Meanwhile, Anise stepped forward with her sword drawn. Elise followed at a short distance.

“Thank you for waiting.”

“Well, it’s natural because I hate being disturbed by such little things.”

Even in a sitting position, the large body that was looking down at Anise slowly stood up.

Muscular red-brown skin with prominent wiggly veins, a lumpy body with even the chest, the symbol of a woman, only visible as part of muscle, and both long, outstretched hands were suddenly holding axes with red and green blades, respectively.

A giant corps leader who boasts tremendous power emanating from his gigantic body, a being at the top of the Demon King’s army currently attacking Fortress Agerton.

If she were to go to the front line, she would, with her huge size and strength, crush the fortress from its weight and neutralize it in an instant. If she was not killed here, there would be no future for the kingdom’s troops defending Fort Agerton.

Anis raised the warrior’s strength to the fullest through the connection she received from the warrior.

This time, it was already said that Anis would bring out all the strength of the warrior to deal with the corps commander, while Barce and Elise would assist.

“Is that the power of the famous hero? Hehe, you hero, the best opponent has come.”

Seeing Anise’s mood change, the corps commander seemed to have noticed something.

However, Anise did not seem to realize that she was not a hero but had merely borrowed the hero’s power, but Anise did not bother to correct that mistake.

“Are you saying there is no need for words? Yes, that is also the attitude of a great warrior. Good, come! Hero!!”

As if responding to the cries of the corps commander, who raised her ax high, Anis, with her entire body engulfed in the power of a warrior, rushed forward with her sword in hand.

Soon after, there were several bursts of drinking that were hard to believe were caused by just two beings.

Victory and defeat were decided quickly.

Unlike Anise, who has minor injuries here and there, but is standing upright on the ground with an intact sword, the green ax has a broken handle and the red ax has fallen to the ground along with one arm, with a long arm on her chest extending from her shoulder to her side. The corps commander was lying down with his back leaning against a piece of junk with a deep cut.

“Kuuu…. Is this really a hero… But for a hero like this… it’s not enough to reach the Demon King… ”

Anise’s face distorted at the words left by the corps commander, who enjoyed the battle until the moment of death and smiled with relief.

Because she felt it too. In the end, perhaps because it was borrowed power, Anis was unable to gain the upper hand even against the corps commander.

Anise won in the end because she had adequate support from Elise, and if Elise’s support had been a little lacking, Anise would have fallen on this spot.

“Don’t worry too much, Anis. It’s probably because I’m still immature in handling the hero’s power. It will get better over time.”

“Okay, don’t be too swayed by the enemy’s last bad words. That kind of thing is just like a curse, curse.”

The Demon King’s army, which suddenly realized that the corps commander was fighting due to an explosion that sounded from one side, stopped the battle and stood back to watch, immediately retreated to the other side as if the tide was going out as soon as they saw that the corps commander had lost his life.

Anise calmed her ominous heart as she listened to the loud cheers that rang out from Fort Agerton.

“More than that, now that it will be widely known that the warrior’s power defeated the corps commander, I am worried about the warrior remaining in the castle.”

“I said that before…”

“I know, I know, you asked me to do this, and the Royal Guard and the Chief Maid are by my side. They say they will give priority to the warrior even if the queen orders it.”

Before the words she always said came out of Anise’s mouth again, Barce interrupted her.

“It may not be a big deal, but even if I know it, I still think about it because I want to see it. What is our hero doing right now, and is he waiting well…”

Anis and Elise’s eyes also became faint as Barce spoke while looking towards the direction of the royal castle in the distance.

After a moment of silence, Elise opened her mouth.

“First, let’s think about what we need to do. If we defeat the Demon King as soon as possible, the kingdom will be safe and we will be able to see the hero again.”

Anis and Barce nodded as if agreeing with Elise’s words.

“Okay, starting tomorrow…”

The three women’s gaze turned to the other side of Fortress Agerton, toward the direction where the Demon King’s army had retreated.

The path walked by all warriors of all time,

Because it was a difficult terrain where it was useless to drive an army, only warriors and a few party members could break through to defeat the Demon King.

The road leading to the Demon King’s Castle was opening its mouth towards them.

Starting tomorrow, we have to break through that road.

Once you start walking the path, there will be no days of rest until you reach the Demon King who will be waiting at the end of the path, silence the Demon King’s movements and bring peace to the kingdom.

Having borrowed the power of the warrior, they each strengthened their resolve while thinking of the warrior who was not here.

23.

“Hmm? Ah, this was the feeling.”

“Hero? Is there any problem?”

Rachel looked at me with worried eyes and asked, and I responded by waving my hand to indicate that it was no big deal.

“No, there’s something I’m not familiar with.”

The feeling of borrowing the hero’s power, Anise, Barce, and Elise, had each checked it once before leaving, but the feeling of something I didn’t even know was inside my body suddenly leaving my body was still unfamiliar to me.

That doesn’t mean my body loses strength or something goes wrong, but I still flinch because I’m not used to it.

Anyway, seeing as he borrowed the hero’s power, it seemed like there was an important battle going on.

After briefly wishing the girls who had borrowed the hero’s power good luck, I turned my attention to Princess Liana, who had a devastated expression on her face.

“A bet is a bet, so you should keep your promise, right?”

I grabbed Princess Liana’s shoulder with a smiling face, and she looked at me with trembling eyes.