20 CHAPTER 19: HALF A DAY (1)

I can't say how much time has passed now but one thing is certain.

"Haoo!!"

"Gna-"

The number of monsters coming has decreased. It isn't to the point one would say we can win this but at least, the difference is visible. And because it is visible, the will to fight remains. I the to admit it but I can't handle everything alone. So having the people here supporting me is important.

"I am a hero as well, dammit!"

Ian has joined the fight. Together with another guy who mustered the courage to move their lazy ass, they are fighting mostly goblins, covered by three knights who assist them. I say assist but it is more like they do the hard work and the heroes just finish them off. Well, it's not like they are used to all this so I won't judge them for now.

"Krii!! Krii!" A group of goblins advance to me but then, they are literally stroke by lightning. Sarah's precision has greatly increased since she has started launching her lightning spear.

She is aiming closer to the people now, and it helps a lot when the knights are overwhelmed. But there is something that bothers me.

"Hyaa!!" A harpy screams at me with its stifling voice and I launch my chain to hook it then bring it down and cut it. But this time, I have tried not to use magic. Still, it dies and turns to smoke.

Does it mean we heroes are naturally using magic? If that's the case then is there no heroes whoever left children here? Can't those children use magic and fight as well? If it is the other way around…

"Hey!! Watch out!"

"Gnahh!!" A cyclop attacks me using a log again but seriously, haven't you learned your lesson even now?

I run forward while his massive hands are coming down and before he strikes the ground where I was, I am already at its feet. Their skin is tougher around the feet and legs but it is not steel. I penetrate it with my sword and slash through the flesh. I then evade its shaking due to the pain and without caring about its soundful scream of anger, I hook on its head and jump then pierces to the brain.

"Isn't it about time for you to step in?"

I look at their commander and he hasn't moved since he arrived? Is he waiting for us to be tired? It would be a good idea indeed but Emilia is resting right now. Thanks to the general commotion this fight has become, she doesn't pay attention to me and focus on what she can do. That's what she should have done from the beginning.

"Do you really think you can take him on?"

The assassin from earlier tries to kill me but once again, she can't hide her desire to kill completely. I block her attack then jump back but by the time I raise my head, she has disappeared again.

"Hide and seek, huh…" I am not good at playing games but if you insist.

The monsters start attacking me with more vehemence than earlier. Goblins and gargoyles especially come. Goblins aren't a great problem but gargoyles and the stings they carry at the end of their tails can be pretty annoying to evade. I wonder what kind of poison they have in there. While I dodge their attacks, I can feel her eyes on me.

"Were you not supposed to kill the Valkyrie instead?" She previously tried to kill Emilia so is it out of personal grudge that she has switched to me or is it her new mission?

"What does it matter?"

"Giii-" I slice through a goblin and then she appears behind me. That was too predictable though. I evade her then I punch her stomach. She manages to soften the blow by using her other hand but I still send her off a few meters away.

"Sir hero!!" A knight then suddenly appears before me. Why in hell have you come here?

"What are you doing?"

"I am protecting you, sir hero!" He cuts two goblins who turn into steel immediately as their necks were almost completely severed. See? You are just wasting my time. That's not helping.

"Move out of the way." I kick him before the assassin can send his head flying off.

"Guah! What are you doing?!" He falls on his stomach and he turns to look back at me, I am already blocking the assassin's attack. You should consider yourself lucky.

"Hm…It seems your skill is something that can harden your skin. It's not a difficult skill to deal with."

Maybe it is because I have blocked her attack by using my sword but with my hand. By the feeling I have, I guess she went through the armor even though I have reinforced it with Amplify. Or maybe the effect of Amplify has already ended. I really need to quantify how long it lasts. Why was I so stupid that I didn't do it until now, I wonder.

The assassin then leaves after that, disappearing again. So her mission was just to confirm which skill I am using? Then she just made a huge mistake.

***

After my little fight against the assassin, the monsters who are coming to me have changed. Most of them are ogres using blunt weapons. Cyclops evade me and goblins don't even look in my directions. I guess they have somehow received their orders. Their only problem is that…

"Haoo-"

"Haoo-"

Sarah doesn't seem to have a shortage of magic. She is now throwing her lightning spear with great precision; I am even starting to be jealous. You know what, now that it has come to this, it is time for me to see their boss as well. The guy has been standing there like he owns the world for the past while.

"Sir hero! Behind you!"

"Haoo!!"

"I am going."

I run forward without caring for the ogre that was trying to do whatever from behind. To my surprise, none of the monsters are trying hard to stop me. Once I get past them, I can't hear them following me. It's like their orders is just to move forward. Well, it is a good thing for me so…

"Giii-" Some goblins before me get stricken by lightning. This girl is a real busybody.

Still, it is a hurdle to evade all those monsters while running up the hill. If I was as strong as him, I would have just made my way through. I must admit that having Amplify as my only skill is rather disappointing in that regard. But it is okay, I have my own way of fighting so it will be okay, I will definitively reach that place, definitively.

As I finally reach the summit, I can feel the gaze of my opponent. The feeling of threat coming from him is the same as him. I am sure I have goosebumps on my skin already.

"And that's the sign you were what I was looking for!"

Two ogres suddenly appear out of nowhere, trying to stop me but I rapidly use my chain to hook the first one by its mouth but because he resists when I try to shift him towards its friend, it tears off his cheek and some teeth leave with it.

"Haao!!"

"Haoo!!"

They both scream while trying to smack me but they are slow. Even considering that they are angry, they are a bit slow I think. I dodge their attacks and stick them together with my chain. I jump above and pull their arms with me. When I land, I can hear them falling as well. I haven't killed them but it should be enough for now.

"Now, it's just us, Commander." The guy looks at me like I am just small fry. This amount of pressure he is emitting is really what I needed. To be reminded of the distance I still have to cover, it feels great.

"What are you smiling about, man of another world?"

As he says that, I hear the loud noise of Sarah's skill together with the ground trembling behind me. She really does have a lot of energy, I must say. His voice is chilling, it would probably cool down the most heated warrior there is. Also, now that I am up close, I can see clearly that part of his body is still that of a human. The left part of his face, half of his torso, and his left arm are still human-looking. Does it mean he wasn't a demon at the beginning? Then perhaps people can get demonized as well. That would be very bad news but if it is the case, he would have talked about it in his book I think. So the occurrence must be quite small.

"I wonder myself why I am smiling. Perhaps because you are in front of me."

"Seeing your death makes you smile?" He raises his sword and places it on his demonized shoulder. "I guess the heroes which were summoned this time are real fools then."