by Aneko Yusagi
“Don’t let them get away! You must kill them all! Look at what they’ve done to me! The vassal weapon belongs to our country. We cannot allow them to escape—”
Raphtalia turned back to stop his tirade. “It’s too soon. If you move in the next ten seconds, you’ll still die. You’d better keep healing magic going for the next few days.” Raphtalia bowed deeply and then raised her face. “We didn’t pick this fight with you, and we do not wish for war. If you can consider the situation dispassionately, you will see that an alliance with Glass’s county is in your best interests. When you reach that conclusion yourself, please discuss it with your government.”
He didn’t give up. “Wait!”
“You mustn’t move!”
“Don’t believe her! I’ve already cast healing spells on myself! You’ll see!”
Slowly, the women and soldiers began walking after us. Trash #2 rose to his feet to join the fray, when...
“... How unfortunate. We truly wished to end this without any unnecessary bloodshed.”
“I agree. I had hoped that your nations could form an alliance that could usher in an new era of optimism for the future of this world...” Raphtalia sighed.
Glass nodded in agreement. “Naofumi, you had better not watch. I’ve seen Glass and L’Arc slaughter people like this before,” Kizuna said.
That just made me want to watch more.
Raphtalia seemed resigned to this outcome, reasoning that they had brought it upon themselves.
“Rishia, you’d better not look, either!”
“Rafu!”
“Feh... Why? What’s happening?”
Filo and Raph-chan were trying to keep Rishia from watching.
I actually didn’t need to watch to know what was going to happen. I’d seen it in anime before—that thing that happens when someone is instantly sliced up.
“What are you doing!? Hurry up and... ugh...”
First came a sickening, crushing sound. Then it was followed by the hiss of blood spraying into the air.
“Kyaaaaaaaa!” the women screamed.
“—Youuuuuuuu!”
I couldn’t make out what he was trying to say.
Too bad. I didn’t feel a bit of sympathy for him. I didn’t really care about his name, but I wonder what it was...
I could only think of one thing to say: “The world is rid of another piece of garbage, heh, heh, heh...”
“Mr. Naofumi!” Raphtalia shouted, chastising me.
I didn’t see what was so wrong with what I said. This creep had been trying to kill her!
And he’d done everything he could to get in our way.
“Kiddo, I know you want to be cool, but I wouldn’t laugh. You wouldn’t want to see it by accident.”
“I wouldn’t mind... as long as it’s not too gross.”
I didn’t really want to turn and look at the splattering gore behind me, but I still couldn’t pass up the opportunity to gloat. There were plenty of people back in the world I came from that I’d like to die this way, but if they actually did, then it wouldn’t be a good thing.
Anyway, that’s how we won the battle and escaped.
We left the town over its rooftops.
“What kind of attack was that?”
It was so fast that I hadn’t actually been able to see what happened. It looked like she had just cut the monsters with her knife. But it couldn’t have been that simple—what was all that stuff she’d done with the fishing lure beforehand? That must have been setting up the killing move. It might have been a sequence of skills, like when I use Shield Prison and then Change Shield (attack) and follow those up with Iron Maiden.
“Hm? Oh, the skill connects all of the enemy’s weak points and then cuts through them. It doesn’t always kill them, though. Sometimes it just cuts very deep.”
So it was actually a really strong attack, and the enemy only fell apart if the attack was strong enough to kill them.
“What were you doing with your fishing lure beforehand?”
“It’s a skill called Lure Needle, and it multiplies damage. Anything hit with the lure will take double damage on the next attack.”
That was why she told everyone not to attack until she was ready. If someone had attacked, then it would have taken the multiplier off of her follow-up special attack.
“The effect only lasts a little while, so I was in a hurry. If the enemy figures out what’s happening too quickly, they can cancel the effect.”
“It was pretty nasty.”
So the lure lowered the enemy’s defense for the next attack.
An attack like that could really mess up my strategy.
“It’s not as simple as it looks. The lure only affects the area that it touches, so you have to make sure that you hit the enemy’s weak point. It probably wouldn’t do all that much against you.”
I had experience with something similar in some games I’d played. There was a skill that worked the same way—strengthening the next attack in a sequence. I normally used it as a trump card during tough boss fights. But if the boss’s defense rating was already really high, then it obviously didn’t help as much.
The skill’s effect only lasted for a little while, which made it pretty fickle to use right. I often felt like I was relying on luck.
Kizuna was clearly very skilled with it, though. She must have been an amazing fighter.
She couldn’t do damage directly against human opponents, but she could probably use that lure skill to deal damage indirectly with the help of her teammates.
That was probably why Raphtalia’s attack had been more effective than she had anticipated. Maybe that was the reason she sliced him in half.
Could they have really saved him if they kept casting healing magic on him? To tell the truth, I didn't really care that he had died. The world was better off without him.
“Hey, can you get in touch with him now? I don’t know how many people I can take with me, but we could use my skill, too.”
“One second,” Kizuna said, holding an ofuda to her forehead and whispering to herself, “Yeah, I got him. He says he’ll meet us at the agreed place. You want to go back first?”
“Probably. You’ve got Glass and everyone with you, so you should be fine. I’m not sure how many people I can take with me through the portal.”
“You use the skill but don’t know its limitations?”
“I’ve never felt the need to test it out.”
Back in Melromarc, I didn’t have the need to—my only friends were Raphtalia, Filo, and Rishia. I never tried to use the skill with Eclair and the old lady or Keel. I never tried to see how many people I could use it with. The cool-down time was pretty long, too, so I was careful not to waste it.
“Something tells me those women of his will be out for revenge...”
“I’m sure we can handle them—they don’t have the tigers anymore. Don’t you think, L’Arc?”
“Sure thing! With Kizuna on our side, we’ve got nothing to fear!”
Kizuna was like me in that she could handle herself fine, as long as she had teammates to work with. She’d be fine, as long as she was with Glass and the others.
On the other hand, all of our enemies were together again. If Kizuna turned on us, we’d never survive.
Kizuna, Glass, L’Arc, and Therese... I suddenly imagined them scowling and attacking me. I didn’t think I could win.
How much did I really trust them?
“Alright then, we’ll use my portal to teleport back to your country, ahead of you.”
“Sounds fine to me. We should all be good. Let’s split up.”
“I’ll see you soon. Alright then, we’re going. Portal Shield!”
And so we left them behind and teleported back to the country they called home.
Epilogue: Together Again
We went back to the castle in the country that Kizuna called home and waited for the others to return. It didn’t take long to receive word that they were back.
“Oh. Um...”
Glass was sitting seiza-style and, apparently, being lectured by Kizuna. L’Arc and Therese were kneeling behind her. It looked like everyone was in trouble.
“What’s going on?”
“Hm? Do you remember the stuff we heard about the waves a little while ago? I’m a little upset with Glass for just buying into it and going to your world to try and kill you,” Kizuna said, crossing her arms.
“Kizuna, it’s not that simple. I felt I had to do it for the sake of the world...”
“Of course you did. You heard a legend, assumed it was true, slipped through the dimensional rifts during a wave, and tried to kill the heroes you found. Is that right?”
“Yes...”
I could hardly believe my eyes. The stern, serious, samurai-like Glass turned her face to the floor in shame. I knew that her and Kizuna were close, but it sure looked like Kizuna was the boss.
“Kizuna. I know how you feel, but don’t you want to hear our side of the story? Huh?” L’Arc asked.
“Yes, we were only trying to protect this world that you hold so dear...” interjected Therese.
Kizuna wasn’t impressed. She narrowed her eyes and barked, “Fine then, answer me this. Can you think of a time when vassal weapons from another world came through the waves to kill the heroes here?”
“Well, um...”
“Can’t answer me?” Kizuna snapped. Everyone turned their eyes away.
They could have just lied. But they knew each other well enough that they probably couldn’t get away with it. Glass in particular looked like she’d be a terrible liar.
“No, no, I can’t think of a time that happened. Not in this country or in another—though we are not privy to what happens in other lands.”
Based on what I’d learned in this new world, I felt it was likely that whoever was in the world on the other side of the wave rifts was responsible for calming the waves.
“Wasn’t it you, Glass, that said you hated the idea of peace built on the sacrifices of others? How could you say that and then rush off to murder people?”
“I...”
Kizuna was really interrogating her. I liked the sound of it. But they must have enjoyed their time together before Kizuna disappeared. Kizuna’s house made that much clear.
“Okay, listen up. It’s true that protecting the world and extending its life is important, but that doesn’t mean you can kill other people to do it. I know that the legends are written that way, but don’t you think we should look for another option before we rush into something like that?”
“Yes, but we did all the research we could. And yet...”
“You couldn’t find another way, so you snuck off to murder the heroes? Is that it? If you can’t find a way, maybe you should keep looking! Even if vassal weapons from another world did come after us, that doesn’t give us an excuse to do the same thing!” Kizuna shouted. Glass looked intimidated.
I hadn’t pictured their relationship like this at all...
They looked like children being scolded by their mother. My cheeks flushed.
“Mr. Naofumi, you’re smiling.”
“What are you laughing at, Kiddo? Are you enjoying this that much?”
Raphtalia told me off, and L’Arc joined in—but Kizuna glared at him and he backed off.
“What’s wrong with that? You tried to kill me, and now you’re getting a lecture. What’s not to like?”
“Sigh... Glass is tough enough, but you’re something else, Naofumi,” Kizuna sighed, slapping her palm against her forehead. I didn’t disagree.
L’Arc nodded along with the lecture but kept stealing glances at me.
I could see where he was coming from, but there was no need to worry. I didn’t consider myself a champion of justice.
“At the very least, now that I’m back, I am firmly against this plan of yours to go to other worlds and kill their heroes!”
“Um...”
“Got it?!”
“Y... Yes!”
“That goes for L’Arc and Therese, too!”
“Right, yeah. Good—I didn’t really want to fight with Kiddo. Destroying another world to save your own isn’t really our style, anyway.”
“Very well. And luckily we reached this conclusion before we were actually able to defeat Naofumi,” Glass said.
L’Arc looked and Therese and then at me. They both looked happy.
If they were going to look at me like that, then there was only one thing to be said: “Then you shouldn’t have tried to kill me in the first place.”
“Shut up, Kiddo! Stop trying to act cool!”
“L’Arc!” Kizuna shouted, and L’Arc immediately closed his mouth.
Kizuna could really command a room.
We’d met by accident, but I was sort of jealous of her commanding presence. That’s how the holy heroes should be. Either that or she was too good for the job.
“And, Glass, please think about this. You know that I can fight monsters but not people. What do you think would happen if someone with a vassal weapon from another world came for me?”
“...”
Glass didn’t answer. I could see why.
Kizuna couldn’t fight people. If someone with a vassal weapon came after her, she’d have to fall back and depend on her friends. But the heroes were summoned to the waves. Was she really being summoned to her death?
“Glass, I think there’s a reason that the holy heroes are summoned to the waves.”
“A reason?”
“Yes. We’re summoned to the waves when we might be killed there. That makes me think that we might not need to fight in the waves at all. They summon us because they need us. If that’s true, then maybe it’s because the world gets more time until the next wave if the heroes stop it, or maybe they can stop the fusing of the worlds.”
“...”
“I don’t know if I’m right. But based on what you are saying, if the heroes exist to protect the world, then there shouldn’t be any reason for them to fight in the waves. And yet, isn’t it the heroes’ duty to do just that?”
Kizuna muttered that she hadn’t been fighting in the waves, because she’d been stuck in the labyrinth. Then she gripped Glass’s hand.
“They don’t write about it in the legends. But I don’t believe it. I don’t believe that we are supposed to protect our world by destroying another. We can’t do that.”
“... Understood. I apologize.”
Glass turned to me and lowered her head. I couldn’t think of a reason to stay mad at them. They were clearly doing what they thought was right, and they were leagues better than the jerks that summoned me to Melromarc, only to lead me into a trap.
I knew that they were good people. After Kizuna disappeared so long ago, the state of her house was enough to prove it. They protected their friends. It was clear that they cared.
I was even a little jealous of their relationship.
If Raphtalia had been chosen by a weapon back in our world and I had gone missing—would she have done the same thing for me?
I looked over at her. Raph-chan was climbing up onto her head from her shoulder.
“What is it?”
“I can understand how Glass feels, so I won’t say anymore.”
If it were possible, I wanted to have the sort of relationship that Kizuna had with her friends. It was nothing more than a wish, but I’d be happy if Raphtalia felt the same way about me as they did about Kizuna
“As long as you’re not going to try and kill me anymore, I certainly won’t pick a fight with you.”
“Kiddo...”
“Naofumi...”
“Great. So we can all be friends, right?” Kizuna said, holding out her hand to me.
I slapped it away. “I’m not into that sort of thing.” I wasn’t the type to get all misty-eyed over sentimental friendship. I mean I liked that sort of thing in games and manga, b
ut I hadn’t had enough positive experiences in these worlds to justify taking the leap of faith that sort of relationship required.
“Anyway, we can certainly keep working together. I’ve got something I have to do, and I could certainly use the help.”
“That’s right. Didn’t you want to get back the power that was stolen from your world’s protective beast?”
“Exactly. That’s why we came here—to make the guy with the book of the vassal weapons, Kyo, pay for all the chaos he brought to our world.”
I hadn’t forgotten. I had to avenge the Spirit Tortoise—avenge Ost’s death.
Raphtalia nodded, and so did Rishia and Glass and then L’Arc and Therese. Everyone was very solemn.
“Kizuna, I can tell you this without doubt: Kyo is no longer fit to hold the book. The vassal weapons that we hold have begun to demand his defeat and subjugation,” Glass explained.
“Well, if he’s done all that you say, of course he needs to be taken care of. If your weapons are demanding it, then I won’t stand in the way. Naofumi, I’ll help you—so please, allow our cooperation to compensate for the harm that Glass and her friends tried to inflict upon you in the past.”
“What does it matter if I forgive them? Our goals are the same. If we don’t stop Kyo, this world will be in danger, too.”
There was a good chance that Kyo was up to something with the power he had taken from the Spirit Tortoise. He probably had to do something before he could use it as he pleased. We had to find him before he could pull it off.
Damn... We weren’t any closer to accomplishing our goal than we were when we first went through the portal.
“Got it, Kiddo? All that is well and fine, but look—everyone is here together for the first time in forever. Do you know how long Kizuna has been missing? Let’s go all out and celebrate tonight!” L’Arc clapped his hands, and the attendants mulling about the castle all started running around.
It looked like they were getting ready for a party.
The whole castle sprang into action when he clapped his hands. Just how much authority did L’Arc have here?