Chapter 53: Fighting Back

Inside the Orcus dungeon, Floor 70

"Damn you," Kouki growled at the demon who took Meld as a hostage.

"Hey, don't look at me like that, it hurts my feelings you know," Cattleya says sarcastically.

Beside her stood a large horse-face demon holding bloodied Meld.

"Shut up you demon! I will defeat you; you will see!"

Kouki then prepared his holy sword to launch an attack.

"Kouki don't… You are not completely healed," Kaori said worryingly, still in the middle of healing him.

But Kouki didn't listen and ran towards the monster who held Meld.

Shizuku saw the sudden reckless charge from Kouki and covertly backed away. 

"Kouki don't," Kaori said in worry.

"Captain Meld, wait for me I will save you," Kouki charged towards the monster which held Meld.

Cattleya seeing the Hero charging recklessly smiled sinisterly, "Now! Achtod!" she said in an ordering tone.

As soon as she said, another large horse face monster popped out of thin air behind Kouki and struck him down.

"Bang!"

"Aahhh!!"

"Kouki!!" everyone screamed seeing Kouki captured by another strong monster.

Ryutarou seeing his best friend captured like this got up after being somewhat healed by Kaori. 

"Damn it, Kouki I am coming," Ryutarou tried to help but his body wasn't completely healed, which only left him enough energy to stand.

"You know, I am really disappointed. To think you actually fall for it. As I thought you are not worthy at all," Cattleya mocked.

Kaori seeing this precarious situation turned towards Shizu who might be able to do something. But [Where did Shizu go?] before she could search for Shizu she heard the demon speaking.

"Hear me, heroes, I am here to invite you to join our side. You all are still inexperienced in ways of fighting and that is understandable, with our help you could unearth the hidden potential that lies within. Join us, and we will welcome you with open arms." Cattleya finished her speech.

"No…way… who would…team up w…ith demons? I have… promised I will protect… humans, there is no way I will fight with you," Kouki indignantly said.

Cattleya smilingly says, "Still naive, I say it sounds like a good deal. I mean if you all refuse, then you guys don't leave me with any choice other than to kill you." 

Hearing Cattleya's ultimatum everyone started to panic.

"What should we do…"

"Oh no we gonna die…"

"We can't just give up…"

In the middle of the chaos Eri the black bob-haired girl with glasses spoke up, "I-I think we should ta-take her offer."

Everyone listening to her talk looked at her with shock and some spoke up in astonished tone.

"Eri?!"

"Nakamura! Have you gone mad…"

"..."

Ryutarou hearing Eri talk became angry and grabbed her robe, "Nakamura! Are you betraying us?!"

"Eeek! N-no that's not it, I just don't want all of us to die, and if things keep going on like this, we will all die." saying that she started to shake in fear.

"I know what are you saying, but…"

"I am with Nakamura in this," Hiyama spoke cutting off Ryutarou.

Ryutarou hearing those words released Eri's robe and looked at Hiyama, "Hiyama, you damn Coward!!"

Hiyama looks at Ryutarou with a grimace, "Tell me, is there any other way out of this mess, Ryutarou? If there is tell me…"

Ryutarou fell silent, "that's…"

"At this moment Amanogawa who was our only hope lost to the demons and now we are trapped surrounded by monsters and no one is coming for our help, our defeat was sealed."

Hiyama then shifted his gaze towards Kaori, "We either die here or we get to live. If these two are the only choices. Then I say the choice is obvious."

"What do you guys think," Hiyama asked everyone.

"How are we supposed to run away?! We either fight to the death or do as they say. If it's between fighting or dying I am choosing to Live, as long as we are alive there's hope, right?" Hiyama urged everyone to choose the obvious option.

Everyone sees the despairing reality and starts to think about what Hiyama just said 'As long as they live it should be fine…' At this moment almost everyone thought about this.

Hiyama saw everyone making twisting expressions and thought, [It looks like my plan is working] thinking that he looked at Kaori who had a conflicted expression.

To Hiyama, humans or demons didn't matter, the only thing that mattered was Kaori. As long as he could convince Kaori to join the demon army everything will be fine.

[It looks like one more push is needed.] Hiyama was about to ask Kaori directly…

But he got cut off by Kouki, "Guys… don't do it. Don't be… tempted, leave me and run… away…" just as Kouki said. 

Cattleya sees the heroes squabbling with each other and smiles to herself seeing everything going according to the plan.

[Just one more push is needed] Coincidentally she also had the same thought as Hiyama.

Meld who was silently preparing the whole time finally spoke, "You…guys just worry about… yourself and… survive."

"Captain Meld" the worried student stopped thinking about the decision and looked at him with worry.

"Oh, you are quite the stubborn one, still not willing to die," Cattleya said looking at Meld.

"I know… it's too late to be saying this… but I always regretted having you in all this mess. In the first place, we shouldn't have summoned you guys. So don't worry about us… walk your own path… and return home."

Meld slowly grabs a necklace on his neck and crushes it, "From the beginning, THIS IS OUR WAR TO FIGHT."

As Meld crushed the necklace large amount of mana started to pour out of his body. Meld then flexed his body crushing the hand of the horse-face monster's hand. He then imbued his fist with magic and blew the monster's head, killing it.

Meld's gaze then was on Cattleya, "Demon! THIS IS THE END FOR YOU." He then with a roar charged towards Cattleya.

"I see trying to do a suicide attack huh?" grinning sinisterly she continued, "Too bad for you, I was prepared for something like this."

"Abund!" just as she said that name from a dark corner of the dungeon a roar came.

"Grraaaa!!"

It was a turtle-shaped monster with red glowing orbs in its shell. With that roar, all the magic from Meld's body just vanished. 

"What?" His magic was completely drained, and the charge slowed down completely exhausting Meld, "I am sorry…" saying those words he fell. 

"Captain Meld!!" Kouki screamed unable to get out of the monster's grasp. Upon unable to help he clenched his fist.

Cattleya seeing her chance prepares a magic attack to finish off Meld.

"I won't let you," Shizuku waiting for the perfect chance swung her sword towards Cattleya's neck.

…

Moments earlier

Shizuku activates <Stealth > skill hiding herself from everyone and slowly moves towards Suzu who is standing in the rear.

After getting close enough Shizuku whispered in Suzu's ear, "Don't scream, it's me. Just listen."

Suzu almost screamed but she covered her mouth and listened to Shizuku's voice coming from behind.

"I will sneakily ambush the demon, on my signal, you create a wall in front of me to block an attack, understand?" Suzu hearing the plan was shocked for a moment, but thinking it might work she nodded determinedly.

Shizuku then slowly backed away to a dark corner and used <Stealth > and <Sign Perception> to slowly move closer to the demon. When she reached right behind the demon, she waited for her chance to strike. Which came when Meld charged forward and Cattleya was preparing a magic spell.

[This is my chance.] Shizuku then took a sword-draw stance [Yaegashi style, 'Vacuum Slash.'] thinking that she then drew a highspeed slash.

Right when it was about the cut off the demon's head a sharp metallic sound near her neck was heard.

"Clang!!"

…

Cattleya startled, hurriedly jumped away surrounding herself with orc monsters. She then saw the black-haired girl standing there in the middle of a sword swing, she was trying to pry away her sword which was stuck in the snake tail mouth of the chimeric monster.

Cattleya, upon seeing herself so close to death, sighed in relief. If she previously hadn't ordered the chimaera to hide and protect her, she was sure she would have died just now.

Cattleya feels a mixture of irritation and relief and says, "I have given you enough time to decide, join us now or Perish."

She then looked at Shizuku, "You girl, you almost had me but too bad for you, I was prepared. Normally I would kill anyone who tries to kill me. But killing you will be such a waste, you have so much potential hidden inside you. I am sure after you gain enough experience, I can make you my right-hand man, how about it." Cattleya urged Shizuku. 

Shizuku finally prying away her sword jumped back making distance, "I'm sorry but I decline, I already have someone I wish to find."

Cattleya hearing the answer she expected sighed "So this is how it ends." she then raised her hand to signal to attack Shizuku.

"It's really a pity you didn't join us and it will be a nuisance if you left alive. As a sign of respect, I myself will end you." she then started to conjure a dark orb and pointed at Shizuku.

Shizuku seeing the perfect chance was about to signal Suzu. But she then heard a cold chilling voice. 

"YOUU…"

Cattleya, upon hearing that voice, felt her instincts screaming danger. As she sought out the source of the voice, she realized it was the hero, his eyes, it was silver, "shit…"

She then immediately gave the order to the monster, "Achtod kill him now."

…

Kouki sensing this immense power flowing in his body felt euphoric, he thought in his current state he could do almost everything.

Kouki sensing danger from his left, saw a large fist heading his way. He then easily swatted away the large fist and broke out of the monster's grasp, then blasted away the monster with a blast of mana.

The monster flew back like a ragdoll smashing into the wall.

"Boom!!"

Kouki after dealing with the monster looked at Cattleya with silvery eyes, his anger pouring out, "HOW DARE YOU DO THIS TO MY FRIENDS," he roared releasing a blinding silver aura.

Reacting to his aura the holy sword reacted to it and flew back to its master. Kouki held the holy sword which also released a blinding light coating itself in a silver aura of light.

He pointed the sword at Cattleya and declared, "I will defeat you."

…

"Chapter end"

******************************************************************************************

Author note:

Hello guys, with this chapter, I have written over 100K words and the views are over 1M. I thank you for your support.

(If you like my story, give me power stones. If you don't have power stones. Then please comment, and Rate my FanFiction. It will motivate me plenty to write more. Thank you.)

Join My Patreon. Currently, there are 3 advanced chapters present and soon more chapters will be uploaded.

link: p@treon.com/RoneMix71

Change @ to a