displayed its true abilities.
—Invisible slash attacks.
When all the spirit weapons disappeared, what fell from the sky, was one beautiful sword.
As Hiro kicks the ground below and leaps forward, he grabs 「Excalibur's」 handle.
「Haa!」
He tore through the monster's head, and as he finished his swing, the tip of the sword pierced into the ground.
A thunderous roar shakes the air, and at the same time, it smashes the earth and the ground trembles.
The monster's body is blown to pieces as if it had exploded. The pieces scatter in all directions and sink into the mud.
At the center of it all, a young boy is fighting for breath as he looks up to sky and takes in oxygen.
The rain stopped. From the s.p.a.ces between the eerily squirming grey clouds, the sun s.h.i.+nes warmly on Hiro as if to bless his return.
「Hiro!」
The crimson haired young girl— Liz rushes over to the young boy and embraces him.
Having spent all his strength, Hiro is unable to catch her and falls onto his back.
Although he wants to say something to her, his priority right now is oxygen and he's unable to move his mouth freely.
「There's a lot I want to say to you… but I'm glad you're okay.」
While she grabs Hiro's face with both hands and plays with it, Liz let's out a sigh of relief.
As always, the young boy is unable to say anything while she has her way.
As she does, Cerberus comes to Hiro and rubs his head against his shoulder.
In the corner of his eyes, Aura was staring at him while being supported by her soldiers.
Alfred was yet to regain consciousness and was receiving treatment from the medics.
Tris and Margrave Grinda approached with signs of excitement still lingering on their faces.
「Y-You're amazing. To think you would exterminate a monster like that all by yourself…」
Margrave Grinda pinches his own cheek to see if he had seen a dream.
And next to him…
「Hmm… Boy, just who are you exactly?」
Tris mumbles.
As if that were a starting signal, a explosion of joyous screams rang out from behind.
『Amazing… That attack… Were you able to see it?!』
『Eh, y-yeah, of course I could.』
『Don't lie. There's no way you'd be a private if you could see that.』
『H-Hey… huh?』
『What the h.e.l.l—?!』
The excitement of the boisterous soldiers soon came to an end.
A ground shaking, thunderous roar of hooves shook the air and inundated everyone's eardrums.
There is a feeling of oppression which tightens their chests each time the gap closes.
『The Fourth Imperial Army…?!』
They might have run away if they weren't allies.
While letting off such enormous aura of intimidation, the entire army, which stretched out as far as the eyes could see, came to a uniform stop.
Two horses at the head of the large army approach Hiro.
The Sixth Imperial Princess and three others stood before General Loring.
They were all looking at the general with cautious eyes.
The general can guess why. They probably want to question him as to why they appeared at this particular time.
No matter how they press him, he just needs to dodge their questions evasively.
Loring gallantly dismounts his horse and put his hand to his chest. He then knelt before the Sixth Imperial Princess.
「Your Highness Celia Estreya, I truly apologize for our late arrival. The rain which fell until a while ago slowed our army's advance and it seems we did not make it in time.」
As he lifts his face, he looks at the young boy being held by the Sixth Imperial Princess.
Even if he was a failure, to think he would defeat a …
If there was one capable of defeating him, he thought it would have been the Sixth Imperial Princess, the possessor of 「Laevateinn」.
But that's only if it were a group effort.
He never would have imagined anyone could destroy the monster alone…
And the young boy looked about the same age as the Sixth Imperial Princess at that.
(This is… interesting.)
The young boy's battle lit a fire within the commander in chief.
He wants to test him. He wants to see just how strong he is with his own two hands.
But Loring squeezes his hands tightly enough for blood to seep out and he resists his urge.
It wouldn't be any fun to defeat a weakened opponent.
Defeating the young boy right now would be as simple as taking care of a ch.o.r.e.
(I'll save the fun for a later time. That isn't my objective right now.)
And then, he noticed it. There was a bloodl.u.s.t emanating from beside him.
「… You're a dangerous one.」
The one who quietly muttered was First Imperial Prince Schtobel.
He looked like a supreme ruler atop his horse as he gave off an overwhelming presence.
His ruffled golden hair resembled a crown.
Without hiding any of his intent to kill, the sharp glint in his eyes pierced through the young boy.
(This is bad…)
Loring's face stiffens.
「… He might become a nuisance.」
「Please wait. In this current situation—」
A lightning strike surged out from Schtobel's hand.
It was impossible to follow it with the eyes.
By the time he realized what happened, the young boy's body was thrown into the air.
Everyone looked on dumbfounded at the young boy who flew up like a sc.r.a.p of paper.
「Hiro…!!」
The first one to scream out was Liz.
She rushes after the young boy who came slamming down onto the ground.
Schtobel jumps down from his horse and approaches in long strides. In his hand is one of the Five Imperial Spirit Swords, the battleaxe 「Mjölnir」.
「Elizabeth. Get out of the way.」
「Don't be ridiculous! Why did you do this?!」
As if resonating with Liz's anger, flames spiral up from 「Laevateinn's」 blade.
「Mjölnir」 rages with electric shocks in response to a worthy opponent.
「… To think you would point your blade at me. You don't actually think you can beat me, do you?」
「I don't care if I can't win. I won't let you lay a hand on Hiro!」
This is what you call an explosive situation. A fight to the death could begin at any moment.
No— Liz would likely be one sidedly made sport of and killed.
There is that much of a gap between the strength of the two.
「All I'm doing is trying to exterminate a pest following my dear little sister around.」
「You're saying Hiro is a pest?」
Although Loring thinks this to be a bad situation, he's unable to think of a way to stop them.
If he ends up killing Liz here, it would be impossible to hide it from the Emperor.
There are too many witnesses.
If the possessor of 「Laevateinn」 were to die here, the throne would surely move further away.
He should be aware of this. So why?
(Does this mean he sensed that much of a threat from him?!)
Schtobel opened his mouth annoyed.
「Is that man that important to you…? Or is there a reason he has to be so desperately protected?」
「Yeah, there is. If you kill him, I doubt father will forgive you.」
「What did you say?」
It may have been a difficult decision for her.
After glancing at the young boy lying on the ground, Liz's face was dyed in a deep sadness.
「He— is a descendant of the Second Emperor.」
—The die was cast.
—The world begins to move centering around the young boy.
