The Hero Is Overpowered but Overly Cautious, Vol. 3

by Light Tuchihi

  “Oh, don’t worry. I haven’t forgotten about you. I’m impressed. You were working on getting this old hag to open her heart up to you first, huh? Then you dragged out her weakness. You lulled her into a false sense of security, then bam! Found her weakness. You’re good. From now on, think of this palace as your home.”

  N-no! That’s not what I was trying to do…!

  Grandleon shoves me out of the way to get by. Perhaps misinterpreting that as an attack, the earth serpent disguised as a fish appears and bares its fangs. But Grandleon simply laughs.

  “You’ll get your reward later. But first, I need to execute this bag of bones.”

  Ignoring me, he violently grabs the queen by the arm and drags her to the door. The fish that Seiya left for me will protect only me. Once it figured out that Grandleon had no intention of harming me, it returned to my body.

  O-oh no! The queen’s going to be killed if I don’t do something! I have to stop him!

  I open the door to go after them and look down the seemingly endless spiral staircase, but Grandleon is already gone.

  What the…?! How did he go down the staircase so quickly?!

  I rush down the stairs in a panic, but I’m so flustered that I trip and fall down them.

  Ugh! Wh-why did this have to happen?! Why now?! It’s only been an hour since I met with Seiya! He hasn’t even finished half of the Celestial Sword Dance!

  After finally making my way out of the tower, I look around, but Grandleon and the queen are still nowhere to be found.

  The execution site! When I looked at it from the tower…it was this way!

  My hunch proves right because, when I rush to my destination, I hear some beastkin talking while heading the same way.

  “I heard they’re gonna finally execute that queen.”

  “What? That old hag’s still alive?”

  I’m in a hurry, but there are too many beastkin in the way, so I can’t get by.

  “Uwoh! Uwoh, uwoh!”

  The beastkin in front of me look back as if they’re annoyed by my screaming.

  “What’s wrong with this fish?”

  “Don’t make us eat you.”

  They can give me dirty looks and taunt me all they want. I cut past them and solely focus on moving forward. After miserably running around for a while, I finally see Grandleon’s back. He’s making one of his men carry the queen while he leisurely walks ahead.

  Th-thank goodness I caught up!

  But the very next moment, I stop myself.

  Wh-what am I doing?! I run over, catch up with them…then what?! Am I out of my mind?! There’s nothing I can do to stop Grandleon!

  Lowering my gaze, I notice that I’m standing on gravel. Among the rubble stands a row of crosses for crucifixion, and there’s a guillotine nearby as well. Grandleon has already arrived at the execution site.

  There’s no longer anything I can do! Seiya…!

  But Seiya’s voice echoes inside my head.

  “I will be prioritizing the ritual over everything else this time.”

  I—I can’t…! Am I going to drag Seiya down again?! I can’t ask him for help no matter what! Besides, Ishtar told us to avoid direct confrontation with Grandleon!

  I’m immediately swallowed up by regret.

  All of this… This is all my fault! If I hadn’t taken the doll out of her hand, then Grandleon would have probably never noticed it! Seiya was right. This would have never happened if I had just kept my distance! I got too close to the queen!

  It’s too late for regret, yet I can’t help but blame myself. But the only one who can do something about my ceaseless remorse is the Hero.

  B-but…maybe Seiya will know what to do? Yeah…! Even if he has to fight Grandleon head-on, his overly cautious nature will once again guide him to victory!

  “Seiya won’t be able to w-win.”

  Adenela’s words suddenly pop into my head. Even if Seiya somehow uses Zet’s Berserk: Phase Two, which is supposedly an impossible task for humans, he would still apparently be no match for Grandleon. Going to Seiya for help like this would be meaningless. The Hexagram Ritual of Retribution is an absolute requirement to defeat Grandleon and save Termine. Which means… Which means…

  I’m sorry, Queen Carmilla! Please forgive me! I can’t save you…!

  The beastkin drags the queen along like luggage, her eyes vacant. Up ahead is the guillotine, standing tall with its blackened blade stained with blood. When I look at the queen’s exhausted, hopeless profile, I can still imagine her sweet smile from when I gave her that doll.

  Mom…!

  The instant I enter the cavern, I hear an ear-piercing crackle as the light inside the cavern violently flickers in the blink of an eye. The divine atmosphere filling the space must have dispersed like mist. Seiya pauses mid-dance, then runs the platinum sword into the ground.

  “…Rista, do you realize what you’ve done?”

  Seiya snaps his fingers, returning me to my original form, then casts a reproachful gaze at me.

  “All the work I put into defeating Grandleon—it was all for nothing.”

  “U-um… B-but the queen…is about to be executed…by Grandleon…”

  Seiya doesn’t say a word. Not knowing what kind of face to make or how to say it, I force a pathetic smile on my face.

  “Ha-ha…ha-ha-ha… Y-you’re sick of me, aren’t you? You’re wondering how long I’m going to keep dragging you down. I know… Even after I made up my mind that our relationship is nothing more than goddess and Hero, I’m still here… But…I don’t know what to do…”

  I approach Seiya, desperate for help, and place my head against his chest.

  “Hate me all you want. I don’t care if you punch me or kick me. But please… I beg you… Save the queen…”

  What am I even saying? There is no way Seiya can defeat Grandleon now that I ruined the ritual. Asking him to save the queen is beyond selfish. It’s reckless. But…still…

  “Even though my memories are long gone…even though I’m no longer human…she’s my mother…!”

  The tears endlessly drip off my cheeks.

  “Please… Please save my mother! I beg of you…!”

  I beg the human Hero as if I were praying to a god. A few moments of silence go by until…

  “You’re a goddess, and I’m the Hero you summoned. Nothing more, nothing less. I vaguely remember you saying that in the spirit world.”

  I tremble when I hear his sarcastic tone.

  “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry…!”

  The moment I apologize, Seiya grabs me by the shoulders and sternly pushes me away.

  “Mn…! Sniffle…!”

  No words are needed to convey his rejection. As he pushes my body away, I feel as if my spirit is far away from him as well. It hurts so much that I can’t hold back the tears.

  But…I was wrong.

  I hear the sound of metal clinking against metal. When I slowly look up with my tear-stained eyes, I see Seiya equipping his sheathed platinum sword.

  “You’re right.”

  “Seiya…?”

  “How I feel about you is irrelevant. If the goddess who summoned me wants to save the queen…then that’s what I’ll do.”

  After letting out a deep sigh, Seiya cracks his knuckles.

  “Besides, I’ll never be able to defeat the Demon Lord if I don’t have what it takes to defeat the Beast Emperor on my own.”

  Seiya looks at me with sharp eyes brimming with determination.

  “Let’s go, Rista. It’s time to save the queen and defeat Grandleon.”

  CHAPTER 23

  Beast Hazard

  As I bawl my eyes out, Seiya asks:

  “How much time do we have left?”

  While wiping my tears on the sleeve of my dress, I struggle to get the words out.

  “Mom—Queen Carmilla…is at the guillotine at the execution site right now…surrounded by Grandleon and many other beastkin…”

  Seiya quietly nod
s, then asks me to create a gate that opens near the execution site. Before leaving, he turns me back into a merfolk as well.

  “I’ll distract them while you save the queen.”

  After placing a hand on the gate to make sure the area is safe, he opens the door.

  “Mode: Berserk…!”

  A dark-red aura shoots out of Seiya’s body. His glossy black hair instantly turns red as fangs peek out from the corners of his mouth.

  H-he’s turning into a berserker already?! I thought he’d shape-shift into a dog beastkin and sneak into the crowd!

  I rush after Seiya as he disappears through the gate, then look around.

  The execution site is a few dozen meters ahead. In the distance, I can see a throng of beastkin crowding around the queen standing nearby the guillotine. The supposedly cautious Hero rests his unsheathed sword on his shoulder before powerfully charging forward. Eventually, a single beastkin notices Seiya approaching.

  “Huh? What’s going on…?”

  The beastkin’s eyes turn from the queen to Seiya.

  “Is that…a human?”

  “Where’d he come from?”

  The moment the beastkin expresses his curiosity, a red trail zigzags through each one of them. By the time Seiya passes the beastkin, their bodies have already been separated at the waist! A few second pass when…

  “E-eeeeeek!”

  “Ahhhhhh!”

  A few nearby beastkin shriek, but their torsos promptly fall to the ground as well. It’s chaos, quite fitting for a berserker. He then relentlessly cuts down each beastkin in his way. Executing the queen is put on the back burner because the site has been thrown into chaos. Even the beastkin in charge of the guillotine seems to have escaped before anyone noticed. Feeling that this is my chance, I head over to the queen while disguised as a fish. Only when she sees me does she finally seem to return to her senses.

  “Y-you’re…? Did you come to rescue me…?”

  “Uwoh!”

  I take the queen to a safe location away from the guillotine. Even if someone sees me, they’ll probably assume I’m a guard who’s making sure the queen doesn’t run away. After finding a place with no beastkin in sight, the queen finally notices Seiya. She stares hard as he slays the beastkin like a demon. Her eyes abruptly open wide as she shakes.

  “Is that…the Hero…? Yes… Yes…! He’s alive…!”

  Her voice is filled with hope. I give her a nod.

  I was able to get the queen back thanks to Seiya! My best option would be to take her as far away from here as possible, but…!

  Crunch. I hear something massive stomp the gravel.

  “…Looks like someone’s enjoying themselves in my courtyard.”

  Behind the mountain of bodies Seiya created is Grandleon, staring at the Hero.

  “You killed a few dozen of my elite unit in the blink of an eye. I’m impressed, human.”

  He seems completely calm, despite the fact that his men were slaughtered. His imposing presence is exactly what I’d expect from the king of the beastkin.

  I use Scan on Grandleon to double-check his stats.

  BEAST EMPEROR GRANDLEON

  LV: 99 (MAX)

  HP: 1,200,044

  MP: 0

  ATK: 856,121

  DEF: 819,637

  SPD: 807,711

  MAG: 58,754

  GRW: 999 (MAX)

  Resistance: Fire, Wind, Water, Lightning, Ice, Earth, Holy, Dark, Poison, Paralysis, Sleep, Curse, Instant Death, Status Ailments

  Special Abilities: Dark God’s Blessing (LV: MAX)

  Skills: Jet-Black Nail

  Personality: Wicked

  Seeing his attributes, which rival a high-ranking deity of the spirit world, again sends a shiver up my spine. Phase One of Berserk doubled Seiya’s stats, which means he has around 500,000 speed. His amazing agility even surpasses that of Beel Bub, the extraordinarily quick fly monster in Gaeabrande. But even then…Grandleon’s speed substantially exceeds Seiya’s. In fact…there’s a difference of 300,000!

  Seiya probably won’t even be able to perceive Grandleon at that speed! There’s no way we’re going to be able to escape that easily! What should I do?!

  I decide to secretly use my goddess powers for now and use Scan while watching Seiya and Grandleon.

  “Was there still a human this powerful hiding in Rhadral? Nah, that’s not possible. You’re the Hero who was summoned, aren’t you?”

  Seiya doesn’t answer and stays in a fighting stance, so Grandleon slightly softens his tone.

  “Hey, now. Lower your guard a little. We’re just talking right now. You’re the Hero who was summoned to this world, right? Right?”

  Seiya slowly opens his mouth.

  “…Yeah.”

  “Then I guess that means you killed Bunogeos, which also means you’re the one I talked to in Galvano… Tch. The tawny-haired demon was right after all.”

  Grandleon then smiles as if somewhat amused.

  “Anyway, you did a really good job playing the part. Really had me fooled.”

  “I learned how to shape-shift in the spirit world from the Goddess of Shape-Shifting herself. Nobody would be able to tell me apart from the real thing.”

  “Heh. You don’t say.”

  Grandleon lets out a suppressed laugh before spreading his arms out wide as if he has no intention of fighting.

  “I’m a simple beast. Power is everything to me. What do you say? We share a mutual interest. Let’s kill Demon Lord Ultimaeus together, you and me.”

  Wh-what the…?! Is he serious?! No…there’s no way he’d do that! But maybe Seiya could pretend to cooperate, and then we could escape when Grandleon’s distracted!

  But I’m the one who was distracted. Before I realize it, Grandleon has disappeared! As if having teleported, standing in front of Seiya with his right arm in the air is the Beast Emperor.

  “Jet-Black Nail!”

  He roars with a deep voice while swinging his Chain Destruction–infused claws. The powerful roar shakes the execution site.

  Seiya…!

  Grandleon’s attack splits the ground open…but Seiya is nowhere in sight. Clink! Out of nowhere, Seiya appears behind Grandleon. His sword clashes against Grandleon’s long claws as he strikes.

  “Hmph. You dodged my attack, then tried to attack me yourself?”

  H-he dodged that?! And he even counterattacked! Grandleon’s stats are clearly higher, so how in the world did he do that?!

  I look at Seiya and gasp. The dark crimson aura around his body increases, and even his eyes are red!

  Th-this transformation…! I-it’s not just my imagination! That’s Berserk: Phase Two!

  Phase One doubles your stats, but Phase Two triples them! In other words, Seiya’s attack is currently slightly higher than Grandleon’s! I tremble with joy.

  I knew he could do it! This Hero has mastered numerous skills that were said to be impossible! They said he would never be able to use Seven-Shot Shining Arrow or any techniques of destruction, but look at him now! He mastered Phase Two as well!

  But then I notice another change in Seiya. His eyes change back to their original color, and his aura is no different than it was a few moments ago.

  What?! Wh-what’s going on?!

  “If that was a fluke, then you better start saying your prayers. Here I come.”

  Grandleon closes in on Seiya once more and raises his right arm into the air, but Seiya’s eyes instantly change color, and he evades another attack. However, this time, Grandleon follows with a second. Twisting his body, he lashes out his left hand with claws extended. Seiya, on the other hand, is ready for it and ducks. The Jet-Black Nail slices off a few strands of hair, but Seiya backs away as if it was nothing.

  “You dodged again… It looks like that first one wasn’t a fluke after all.”

  Grandleon is taken aback. But there’s something I realize while focusing on Seiya.

  H-his eyes changed back to their original color…! Ah
…! Seiya… Seiya hasn’t mastered Phase Two yet! He must be using it for seconds at a time!

  He’s using Phase Two every time Grandleon attacks! Then he returns to Phase One after he dodges! It’s instantaneous! After learning the truth, I feel my breathing become unsteady. However, there’s still a chance we could win if Grandleon doesn’t notice.

  But the monster, who’s plotting to defeat Demon Lord Ultimaeus himself, smugly grins.

  “I can’t see your stats ’cause of your Fake Out ability, but I can see your aura fluctuate. It looks like your stats are suddenly increasing before every attack. Am I right? Then afterward, your aura suddenly fades again. In other words, you’re only able to surpass me for an extremely short amount of time…”

  Grandleon slowly moves his hands in a circle as if he was a kenpo practitioner.

  “So I’m gonna use Jet-Black Nail on you until you break!”

  Th-this is bad! He saw right through us! What is Seiya going to do?! While in Berserk Mode, not only can he not use his skills, but he can’t use fire or earth magic, either! If Seiya wants to distract Grandleon with magic and run away, he needs to get out of Berserk Mode first! B-but he’ll be killed the moment he goes back to his normal stats!

  Before I can even process the situation, Grandleon is already closing in on Seiya! He immediately starts his combo using Jet-Black Nail! Seiya uses Phase Two, dodging and blocking the attacks…but it isn’t long before the color of his eyes and aura fade! The Beast Emperor smirks.

  “Die.”

  But Grandleon’s body shakes, causing him to lose balance and miss his attack. Seiya promptly backsteps until he’s a safe distance from him.

  “What the…?”

  Grandleon mutters curiously. An earth serpent is curled around one of his legs. He clicks his tongue before slicing the earth serpent to pieces as if brushing dirt off his body. The earth serpent turns to sand while falling to the ground.

  “Don’t think your pathetic tricks will work on me again.”

  Grandleon glares at Seiya, but the ground before the Hero begins to crack and protrude. Out of nowhere, over a dozen earth serpents crawl out of the ground!