BXBX NOVEL Volume 8 5
December was close to ending.
Being atop a mountain, it had become fairly colder. Even so, when compared to his original world’s Japan, the changes of the four seasons were gentle, and there wasn’t really a need for heavy outfits that kept out the cold.
It was after breakfast.
The talk started from Diablo.
「Sasala, about how much more time do you think is needed for the rest of the training?」
「Eh? Training is something that continues throughout one’s lifetime, desu......」
「No......I’m not talking about that sort of spiritualism. I’m talking about how much more time until I can take the trial for breaking through the limit and getting to above level 99.」
She hung her head down.
「ッ......Y, yes......Of course, you would worry about that.」
His body had already recovered from being strange due to the Gold Fruit, and he had accumulated a fair amount of training with the sword. It was probably a good time for him to test his strength.
「I have a single goal of breaking through the limit. However, I cannot be absent from Faltra City for long. If you say that I cannot take the trial for a while, then I will need to return there temporarily.」
「Yes, I understand......Please......let me think about it for a bit.」
Saying that, she then kept silent.
Diablo turned his eyes to Rem and Shera.
「What will you two do?」
「......For me, I will only do even just a bit more training while you are staying in this area.」
「Are you not going to take the trial?」
「......Giving up before challenging something, is not something that I like to do but......as I am now, I do not believe that I have reached the limit of the Races.」
「Fumu.」
Certainly, Diablo losing to Rem and Shera in their practice times, hadn’t happened.
Shera raised her hand.
「I’ll, take the trialー」
「Wha!? ......Shera, you can’t even win against me, you know!?」
「I mean, doesn’t it sound like fun?」
「......The Master Swordsman’s trial, I’ve heard that if you fail it, then you will definitely lose your life.」
「I don’t want, anything painfulー.」
Rem desperately trained saying that she would catch up to him even if it was just a little. In that alone, her growth speed was number one.
Shera participated with the reason of being because she would be bored alone. She was lacking enthusiasm though......
According to Sasala’s judgement, it seemed that Shera was the one blessed with talent.
Going “Come to think of it, this girl was also a genius”, he remembered.
Even when she was just a child, she was a level 40 Archer──And even though she hasn’t done much adventuring, she had now passed level 80.
Shera herself aspired to be a Summoner, but possessing a natural talent as an Archer, it seemed that she also had a hidden aptitude as a Warrior.
After that, Sasala shut herself deep within the estate the whole time.
==
Part 2
Evening──
Soba was prepared.
Unlike the first time, it was served in a draining basket. Just as Diablo taught her, it was a wooden frame draining basket.
Since they were unable to obtain bamboo (it was unknown if it even existed in this world), some wood used as firewood was shaved down to sticks that were like splittable chopsticks, and those were layered on top of each other to make it.
The soba would split when picked up with chopsticks, and the jaw wouldn’t get tired when biting it.
This was soba.
It seemed that Sasala tried out many ways of doing things in terms of the heat level when boiling it and the amount of water when kneading it.
Shera raised a shout of joy.
「Deーliciousー!!」
「......Personally, I prefer meat, but there is no mistake that this is delicious.」
It seemed that Rem also liked it.
Diablo deeply nodded.
「Umu.」
The taste of a well-known store deep in the mountains──although it didn’t go that far, it was proper soba.
Sasala lowered her head.
「Thank you very much......I believe that it was thanks to Diablo that it became delicious.」
「Hmph......I merely spoke of my preferred taste.」
The one who worked hard, was her.
「When Tou-sama picked me up, he let me eat this soba.」
「I see.」
So it was a taste of her memories.
He felt like he understood the reason why Sasala, who didn’t show much interest in anything other than the sword, tackled only soba making with zeal.
「Tou-sama’s soba, it cut really easily, was soft and limp, and I ate it with a spoon though.」
Going “Ahaha......”, Sasala made a strained laugh.
Diablo shook his head side-to-side.
「I am sure he made it soft so that it was easy for a child to eat.」
「Ah......」
「Well, he might have simply failed in making it though.」
「It would have been great, if I had asked him about it......I, should have......asked Tou-sama......about more various things. Not just about the sword.」
「That is just how people are. When they get on in years, men will stop talking about themselves. And then, children will take an interest in other places. And when they start having thoughts regarding their parents, it will be when they themselves have become a parent.」
There are also cases where at that time, their parents will have already passed away.
Sasala wiped the corner of her eye.
「It is lonesome......isn’t it......」
「When you yourself become a parent, you will understand a parent’s feelings a bit.」
「Nn......Is it something like that?」
「Whether it is true or false, you will have to check for yourself.」
Diablo wasn’t at an age where he could talk about old age, and he had never raised children either.
Sasala nodded.
「About Tou-sama (foster father), and about Tou-sama (father)......I, want to know about them. I will need to live a long life then.」
「Now that you mention it, Graham was a hundred years old, wasn’t he.」
「Yes.」
For her to talk about the previous Master Swordsman, there should be a reason for it.
After trying to think about it, it could only be related to their talk that morning.
However, Sasala had said nothing about that.
But, as if it were a different topic──
「Diablo......Tomorrow morning, you will climb the mountain. For the sake of the Master Swordsman’s trial.」
He replied with a nod.
「Got it.」
「It, it is something dangerous where you may lose your life.」
「I would have it no other way.」
「Also, since it will be a disqualification if you use magic......please be careful.」
「Hou?」
In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, there was something called a 《Magic Warrior》. It was a Class like the 《Punching Magician》 for Magicians where they develop in both magic and the sword.
However, in contrast to how the 《Punching Magician》 was a jack-of-all-trades and was unpopular, the 《Magic Warrior》 was a staple class.
At the beginning, they would develop their basic parameters while advancing as a Warrior-type, then after the middle stage, they would obtain great firepower.
Sasala made a difficult face.
「Erm......Th, there are also Warriors that use magic......but......Diablo, in your case, if you use your magic, it wouldn’t even be a trial.」
「That is true too.」
If a level 150 Magician were to defeat an enemy meant for a level 99 Warrior, there wouldn’t be any meaning to it.
==
Part 3
Diablo climbed the mountain.
It was like a forest up until the area that the estate was at, but when it became close to the summit, the trees that were taller than a person’s height disappeared.
Trees grow even in cold lands and high lands, but in this place that was higher than the surrounding mountains, the winds were too strong.
The seedlings would be blown away before the roots could grow, or the leaves would be blown away and cause them to wither.
「Uuー, so tiredー」
Shera raised a groan, and Rem encouraged her.
「This is why I told you to wait at the estate. If it’s now, you can still go back.」
「I don’t want to wait all by myself, and I don’t want to go back by myself even more.」
Sasala also raised her voice.
「P, please hang in there......We are almost there.」
──Good grief.
Diablo looked over his shoulder.
「Following me in a crowd like that. Wasn’t the trial something meant to be challenged alone?」
「ッ......I, I am, monitoring you. To make sure that you won’t use magic.」
「I do not mind the monitoring though.」
Rem answered.
「......It is for visual training.」
「I’m here to cheer. Diablo, do your best♥.」
Shera waved her hand.
──Is it alright for a trial to surpass the limit of the Races to be treated like an athletic meet like this?
They came out to a flat area.
It was a barren place with nothing but sand and stones.
From the other side of the shade of the rocks, an earth tremor drew near.
──So it came out.
Diablo drew the long sword that hung on his waist, the 《Seraphic Sword》.
「Be careful!」
Rem shouted, but Sasala stopped her with one hand.
「Please get back! From here on out, you are not allowed to even give advice.」
「......I, I understand.」
「Nnnn」
Shera covered up her own mouth with both of her hands.
The three of them separated from him.
Since Diablo was a Magician in the MMORPG Cross Reverie, he had not cleared the Warrior’s trial.
However, he grasped the contents from the walkthrough site.
He needed to defeat the Demonic Beast 《Great Master》 unaided.
Sasala did not speak of the details, but he had in fact anticipated it.
From the shade of the rocks, *nu*, a large body revealed itself.
「OOOOOOO!!」
It had a skeleton head, and a body of nothing but bones. Within its ribcage, a scarlet crystal shined. If it was just in appearances, it was close to the small fry monster called Skeleton, but it was too gigantic.
And then, it held a stone large sword in its hand.
Diablo stuck his left hand out towards the enemy and──
「Whoops......」
going with the natural flow, he almost used magic.
A monster that was gigantic and could only fight with close combat, that was a good target.
Diablo fixed his stance.
The stone large sword had a far longer reach than his own 《Seraphic Sword》.
Should he charge in from afar?
It was a hand often used, but it was not to his liking.
He was not fast enough to be considered as being on the side that uses charging in-type attacks.
It would be different if he had the speed of a 《Magi Gunner》’s bullet but......otherwise, the side being charged at would be able to calmly cope to a surprising degree.
No matter what move it is, using it haphazardly is a poor plan.
He slowly closed the distance.
So fun, is how he felt.
This was the exact opposite way a Magician would fight.
After all, even though he would normally stay distant and formulate a plan, now he was getting closer himself.
「Hmph......Fufufu......」
He spontaneously leaked out a laughter.
The Great Master swung its stone large sword.
「JIEAAAA!」
──I’ll evade this.
Despite its large build, it was unthinkably fast.
However, if compared to Sasala’s attack, it wasn’t that fast.
He moved his weight from his left foot to his right foot.
He pulled his leftover left foot.
Without moving the center of his body from his spinal column, his stance didn’t break.
In the past, he would jump around like a grasshopper to dodge. If he was going to counter attack with magic, then that would be fine but......
If both of his feet weren’t firmly on the ground, then he wouldn’t have a live sword.
Diablo used it.
「《Sword Smite III》!!」
It was a charge in-type Martial Art.
After purposely entering the opponent’s range, dodging their attack, and finding an opening──
There was meaning to using it with this timing.
The Great Master was in the middle of its stiffness from using a move.
《Sword Smite III》 was a part of a Martial Art series where after closing the distance in one go, it would slash at the enemy.
It was possible to cancel the attack after the approach and change to a different action. Not doing that made one be considered a beginner.
However, he knew of the meaning of “things like cancelling in Sword Smite was airplay” that was spoken in a section of walkthrough BBS.
Airplay was where even though someone hadn’t actually played the game, just by seeing it in a video or a walkthrough site, they can speak of it like an expert at it.
Diablo didn’t cancel the attack.
He didn’t need to.
The Great Master was in the middle of stiffness, so his attack would definitely hit.
If it hit, then it was possible to bring in a consecutive attack.
「Haaaaaa!!」
《Heat Sonic》──It was a Martial Art learned at level 80. It was a powerful technique that makes the edge go red hot, and cuts eight times in an instant.
The Great Master’s right arm broke. Together with the stone large sword, it fell to the ground.
「OOOOOOOO!!」
It raised a ground shaking scream.
Diablo made a follow-up blow.
「One more!」
Again, he hit a 《Heat Sonic》 on it.
Bisecting its rib cage, he broke the scarlet crystal that was within it. That was indeed its vital spot.
The Great Master raised a voice of death throes.
──Did I do it!?
No, not yet!?
A defeated Demonic Beast should turn into particles of light.
The Great Master’s broken crystal scattered about. When those pieces fell to the ground, the ground swelled.
「Mu!?」
The rocks broke, and new Great Masters appeared.
Moreover, it was the same as the number of fragments.
It increased into six of them.
Diablo curved the ends of his lips.
「Kukuku......That’s how it needs to be......I, will surpass the limits of the Races as a Warrior after all!」
He hit another Martial Art on one of the Great Masters.
「GUGAAAAAA!!」
Piercing from the back side of its body, a different stone large sword came pushing through.
──They pierced their companion!?
Struck with the stiffness after a Martial Art, he received a direct hit.
「Gugah!?」
Blown off, he tumbled onto the ground.
Diablo’s flank was grandly opened, and blood came gushing out.
For an instant, he lost consciousness.
He had a habit of using a potion the moment he felt that he had received great damage.
The habit he had in the game saved Diablo even in this other world.
While he was unconscious, he consumed an 《HP Recovery Potion》.
「Kuh!」
Getting up, he immediately jumped away.
The attack of another Great Master came assailing him.
「JIEAAAA!」
He didn’t even have the time to catch his breath.
Come to think of it, Diablo had done nothing but practice going one-on-one. Something like one-on-many was......
──No, something like practice, is unneeded!
When he was a Magician, he had experienced it over and over and over.
Diablo had always done it as one-on-many.
With his own movements, he guided the monsters’ positions. In a way so that he could momentarily make it a one-on-one.
He would defend against attacks from the enemies that were further back by entering the shadow of the enemy that was before him.
This wasn’t anything different.
──Even if my weapon changes to a sword, my experience is useful.
「HA! I am the Demon King Diablo! Even if mere level 99 monsters swarm against me, they are no match for me!!」
Diablo slaughtered the six Great Masters.
==
Part 4
Sasala felt her chest become hot.
In regards to Diablo, it was hard for her to say that she herself had raised him up. She had the impression that he brought himself up on his own.
Even so, getting the real feeling of the growth of someone she had favored, there was a joy to it.
At the same time, a sense of tension increased.
She tightly clenched her fists.
「............」
「He did it!」
Shera jumped up.
Rem quietly nodded.
「......As expected of him.」
「Sasala-chan, Diablo passes, right!?」
「......Isn’t that obvious? After seeing that fight, there should be no objection to the fact that Diablo had surpassed the limits of the Races as a Warrior.」
In contrast to the two that were in a celebratory mood, Sasala made a serious expression.
「A, about that, I will talk later......Rem and Shera, please stay here. Absolutely do not come out.」
She instructed them to stay in the shadow of the rock.
Shera tilted her head.
Rem noticed it first.
「Could it be!?」
「I, I......need to settle things.」
Sasala rushed out from the shadow of the rock.
「Diablo! Please move back!」
She shouted.
He complied.
「You are going to fight, aren’t you?」
It seemed that he had sensed it.
Sasala nodded.
「O, of course.」
If there was a strong Adventurer, that would come attacking. It was said that when a high level monster is defeated, recognizing their ability, it would appear from nowhere.
The six Great Masters that Diablo defeated turned into light particles and vanished.
A large monkey densely covered in thick hair stood up.
──The Evil Monkey.
The previous Master Swordsman Graham.
Sasala’s foster father. Her benefactor that saved her life, taught her the sword, and raised her.
In its hand, there was a single katana that had a crest of a crescent moon engraved on it.
「OOOOOO......」
「I, I will be his opponent......Tou-sama. This is what I have decided.」
Saying that to Diablo, she thought about things once again.
She didn’t know what her foster father’s true motives were.
However, the desire that caused him to go as far as changing into an Oni, wasn’t it to have a showdown against me? is what Sasala thought.
If he were to have cast away even his own self, not driven by hatred or jealousy, but for the sake of mastering the sword, that was very much like her foster father.
Sasala readied her sword.
With just this, the Evil Monkey wouldn’t react.
「Tou-sama......I will, defeat you.」
She released killing intent.
「O, OOOO......」
He readied his katana. It was the completely same stance as her own.
The distance was about twenty steps.
Diablo fell to the back. Sensing Sasala’s feelings, he decided to leave this fight to her.
──I need to defeat him!
For the sake of answering, Tou-sama’s feelings!
Sasala used a Martial Art.
「Yaa!!」
She swung her sword.
Ignoring the distance of twenty steps, the slash reached the opponent.
──Martial Art 《Limitless》[1]
Since he knew her intentions, there was no way it would hit.
He dodged it.
A counter attack came.
《Crumble》[2]
From a distance, rocks acting as her foothold crumbled.
Sasala jumped to the side, but during that time, her foster father filled in ten steps worth of distance in one go.
《Instant Thrust》[3]
They glared at each other at a close distance.
「Tou-sama!」
「GUOOOOOOOOO!」
He came slashing at her.
There was trace of his olden days in his appearance. It was a large monkey densely covered in thick hair. It was the Evil Monkey.
Right before the slash of his katana reached Sasala──
His opponent moved back.
At almost the same time, she had launched her own slash.
It was called 《Placement Stone》[4].
It was a Martial Art that made the opponent cut air and launches an attack that is momentarily delayed.
Making use of her foster father’s intent of attacking, she made herself the bait, but it seemed that he sensed it just before it happened.
「You sure are composed......」
Remembering the days she passed together with her foster father, Sasala felt like crying.
The desire of wanting to cross swords with him even just a little bit longer, and the feeling of not wanting to see her completely changed foster father.
She herself needed to be composed──she was self-aware of that.
If things dragged on, openings would surely be created.
It started again from Sasala.
「Yaa!!」
「OU!」
He repelled the attack with his katana.
So powerful.
With that physical strength, there was no mistake that her foster father had become stronger than when he was human.
Fast.
The speed of his slashes increased.
His precision was also high.
The sharpness of his techniques increased.
Even so, Sasala was stronger, faster, and more skillful.
On the twentieth crossing of their swords, she had cornered her opponent. Hitting the crescent moon katana from below, she repelled it up.
「Seei!!」
「Gah!?」
Her opponent’s flank was open.
If she mowed down his torso, it would end. Defeating the Evil Monkey, this fight would end.
「ッ......Tou-sama......!!」
Her hands trembled.
She had trouble breathing.
Tears overflowed.
Sasala didn’t cut him down.
Translator’s Notes:
[1] Original: 無極, Read as: むき
[2] Original: 崩, Read as: ほう
[3] Original: 瞬突, Read as: しゅんとつ
[4] Original: 置き石. I don’t know if this is supposed to be a reference to the handicap stone in “Go” or if it just a reference to a decorative garden stone.
==
Part 5
Diablo shouted her name.
So a level 200 fight was this fierce──is what he thought in astonishment.
It was an exchange of what seemed like rule breaking Martial Arts that he had no idea how to deal with.
Before, Sasala had said “as an Adventurer, you’re probably stronger than someone like me” but, how would it be if she fought seriously?
At the very least, if it were Diablo before he leveled up as a Warrior-type, he would have been cut down with the first Martial Art that ignored distance.
Even the Evil Monkey, as expected of something that was the previous Master Swordsman Graham who had turned into an Oni. He was unmistakably a formidable enemy.
Even so, Sasala was the superior one.
Taking control of their fight, she broke the enemy’s stance. He thought that she would kill him with that last attack.
At that instant──
She was not a Master Swordsman, but had returned to a girl that missed her foster father.
「Sasalaaaaaa!!」
Diablo’s shout didn’t get through.
There was no way the Evil Monkey would let that opening get away.
Without any hesitation, he struck his katana on her.
「ッ！」
Sasala fell face down onto the ground.
Fresh red blood spread out on the rocky area.
It was an attack that slashed diagonally from the shoulder. Most likely, it had reached her heart, and seemed like it resulted in instant death.
Diablo’s hand trembled.
He took his Magic Staff, the 《Tonnerre Empereur》, out from his pouch. At the same time, he also took out an Ability Increasing Potion.
The enemy was a level 200 Warrior──
Just him going all out still wasn’t enough.
「《Flare Burst》!!」
Last time, he had evaded this.
However, the fact that he evaded it should mean that he can’t withstand it.
Just as expected, the Evil Monkey jumped away before the explosion could happen.
Gaining a small bit of time, Diablo transformed the 《Tonnerre Empereur》. Into the Magic Sword clad in purple lightning, 《Libéré》.
With this, his attack would increase sevenfold. However, his MP consumption would also skyrocket.
「《Lightning Arrow》!!」
Arrows of light, enough to cover up the sky, headed towards the Evil Monkey from all directions.
There is no way he could evade this.
「Shi!!」
Astonishingly, the Evil Monkey cut away the approaching 《Lightning Arrows》. It were as if there were a barrier made through slashes.
So it meant that magic with that level of power wouldn’t get through.
「In that case, 《Lightning Bullet》!!」
Next came bullets of light.
The power was in a different league.
It was originally a single shot attack, but it increased to several bullets through 《Libéré》.
He evaded them.
「Kuh......」
He was too fast.
Even if it was done from a bit of a distance, to think that not even the magic that took down Feudal Lord Galford would get through to him at all.
「OOOOO!!」
The Evil Monkey swung down his katana.
Diablo moved to the side.
The slash bisected the air. So it was the Martial Art that ignored distance.
If he had not seen Sasala use it in the earlier fight, he would have been killed.
──So what I need is a high powered, impossible to evade, ranged attack!
「《Cross Blizzard》!!」
Countless tornadoes came forth.
They would freeze everything that they touched, and would break and scatter that through the gales.
The Evil Monkey kicked the ground.
He immediately closed the distance.
It was because if the caster were killed, the magic would vanish.
「OOOOO!!」
The slash of a former Master Swordsman, came falling.
Diablo caught that with the Magic Sword 《Libéré》.
「Gah!!」
His bones creaked.
He felt like he was going to be blown away.
However, he endured it.
Firmly stepping on the ground with his feet, and putting all of his body’s strength into his sword, he pushed back.
If he were to lose to the pressure, his posture would break. And if that were to happen, he wouldn’t be able to cope with the next attack.
「GOOOOOO!!」
The flow was the same as his fight with Sasala earlier. At a distance where it seemed like he could reach if he extended out his hand, he stopped his feet threw countless slashes.
What was different was──that Diablo’s ability was not yet good enough for him to cross swords with the Evil Monkey.
A one-sided defensive fight.
Moreover, it was difficult to even defend against him.
Diablo curved the ends of his lips.
「Hmph......Damned monkey......Haven’t you forgotten something?」
「GOFUU!?」
「《Dark Press》!!」
Magic from up close.
Moreover, having no need for it to make a direct hit, it was an area attack, though the range was quite short.
Making the opponent’s weight increase several times, it would seal their movements.
With the Evil Monkey’s level, it would have a limited effect but......his slashes had definitely weakened.
In addition to that, while catching the opponent’s katana with his Magic Sword, he stuck out his left hand.
「Be frozen! 《Absolute Zero》!!」
However, Diablo’s left hand that was stuck out, was sent flying.
Fresh blood scattered about.
「Wha!?」
「GUFUO」
──So everything up until now was just a lure!?
In the Evil Monkey’s left hand, he was gripping a short sword.
Where was he carrying it?
By perceiving the opponent from their outward appearance to their equipment, Diablo was able to guess variations in their way of fighting.
Even though the opponent’s equipment should have only been a single Japanese sword......
「Diabloー!?」
Probably watching from the shadow of the rocks, Shera raised a scream-like shout.
In front of those girls, he would not show an unsightly appearance.
He gritted his teeth.
──Did you think you won just by taking a single left arm!!
Diablo made him eat a head-butt.
The Evil Monkey tried to evade it, but it hit his left shoulder.
「UU!?」
「The activation requirement, is touch!」
There was no rule that said that it had to be done with a hand.
《Absolute Zero》 activated.
The Evil Monkey started to freeze from his left shoulder.
At that rate, his whole body would surely turn into an ice sculpture──But things wouldn’t go so easily.
With instant judgement, he swung his katana towards his own body.
Fresh blood spilled onto the ground.
Into the pool of blood, *botori*, the Evil Monkey’s left arm fell. It was frozen.
The hand breaking, the short sword fell out.
The Evil Monkey’s short sword that fell onto the ground, as if it had melted, vanished. However, with the blood from cutting Diablo, and through the Evil Monkey’s own blood, Diablo knew that it had existed there.
──Was it a short sword that could turn invisible!?
What was unknown at level 200 wasn’t just the techniques, but the weapons as well.
Both sides had lost their left arms.
However, it was hard to say that they were equal.
Diablo became unable to use any sort of potion. There was no way he could let go of the weapon he held in his right hand.
In the MMORPG Cross Reverie, there was no loss of limbs, and no matter how much damage was received, items wouldn’t become unusable.
In this other world, it was different.
Diablo’s body wasn’t as sturdy as a level 200 Warrior’s body. He was at a disadvantage in a drawn-out battle while bleeding out.
──I have no choice but to decide the match with the next attack!
However, the Evil Monkey’s gaze was glaring at something different from Diablo.
「GRRRR......」
「Wha!? You, where are you going!?」
The Evil Monkey kicked the ground, and started running in an unexpected direction.
Towards the two girls watching from the shadow of the rock──Towards Rem and Shera.
Did he react to something?
The Evil Monkey’s target was moved from Diablo who was in front of him to Shera. Was it when she raised her scream not long ago?
Diablo’s heart sprang up.
「As if I’d let you go! 《Lightning Meteo》!!」
Countless lightning attacks fell towards the Evil Monkey.
The enemy gouged the ground with his katana.
Breaking the rocks, a cloud of dust fluttered about.
Right before the lightning of the 《Lightning Meteo》 hit the Evil Monkey, it hit the fragments and sand that were blown up, and then flowed towards the ground just like that.
──He cut the ground and turned it into a lightning rod!?
It did nothing but slow him down.
Faster than Diablo could fire his next move, the Evil Monkey arrived at the spot the girls were at.
「OOOOO!!」
「Hii!?」
Shera was a genius as an Archer, but she was weak when danger drew near. Her body freezing up in fear, she became unable to move.
Rem met the enemy with a Summoned Beast.
「《Aslau》!!」
Being cut away with a single sword stroke, it turned into a black crystal.
No matter how strengthened it was by her equipment, with a level 40 Summoned Beast, it wouldn’t even work as a shield.
The Evil Monkey turned towards Shera, and swung down his katana.
When Diablo was about to fire a whole body magic──
「Wha!?」
There was someone that caught the Evil Monkey’s katana.
They cut in in front of Shera, with a sword in hand.
It was Sasala.
Blood was flowing from her forehead.
「T, Tou-sama......Please stop......Shera is......my disciple and......m, my friend......-nan desu.」
Shera shouted Sasala’s name.
Rem opened her eyes wide in astonishment.
「So you were alive, Sasala!?」
「I, I......seem to have a constitution where I don’t receive damage, once per day, after all.」
「But, the blood is......」
「I was fine, being cut but......since I was slammed down into the rock underfoot with a lot of force, I hit my head.」
It seemed that she flashily started bleeding because of that, and had lost consciousness for a while.
Diablo let out a loud voice.
「I will ask you this, once more, Sasala! You are going to fight, aren’t you!?」
「Y, yes. I will fight.」
「Will you cut him down!?」
「ッ......That is......If that is, Tou-sama’s desire!」
She pushed back the katana she caught.
The Evil Monkey moved back.
Sasala held her sword overhead.
That sword, carried a light to it.
She looked defenseless, but the Evil Monkey didn’t attack carelessly. So it was because he knew about it that he didn’t make a move.
Sasala opened her lips.
It was quiet, but it was a voice filled with resolve.
「Tou-sama......This is the last move that I was taught by you, Tou-sama. I beg of you, please see it with your own eyes.」
「GRRRR......OOOOOOOOO!!」
The Evil Monkey shrieked, and raised his katana overhead.
Sasala also responded.
「TEIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!」
Whole bodied howls.
The light that dwelled within her sword enveloped Sasala’s whole body, and before long, everything was turned into a torrent of light.
It resembles 《Transfer》──is what Diablo thought. It was a magic where one would turn into light and travel to another town in an instant. In this world, there was surely didn’t exist movement that was faster than that.
It was an instant.
No, was there even the passage of an instant?
At the same time she turned into light, it was already over.
When he realized it, Sasala already stood at the Evil Monkey’s back. Her sword was swung down.
And then, even the Evil Monkey, his katana had taken a full swing.
「KA......」
Between the two that had their backs turned towards each other──
Sasala collapsed.
Did she lose!?
Diablo rushed over to her.
「Oi!?」
He roused her in his arms.
Sasala, shedding tears, cried.
「I, I did it......」
「What did you say?」
Diablo moved his eyes to the Evil Monkey.
Dropping his katana, he turned around to face this way.
On his body, there was the sign of being deeply cut from his left shoulder to his right flank.
Blood was spurting out.
*Hara hara* His monkey fur fell.
The appearance that was a large monkey densely covered in thick hair turned into his former human appearance.
「......That was magnificent.」
The one who was the Evil Monkey──the previous Master Swordsman Graham, collapsed onto the floor.
Sasala rushed over to him.
「ッ!? T, Tou-sama!??」
「Fu, fufu......So despite, turning into an Oni......I couldn’t reach you......」
「Tou-sama! I, I......I......」
While shedding tears, Sasala hugged Graham. Her shoulders trembling, she wept.
「......Y, your sword......had reached the state the founder had sought after......As your teacher, there is no greater......happiness.」
「N, no way......Someone like me, still had far to go!」
「However......I became impatient......For a match with an extremely great swordsman. E, even if......I had to fall into heresy......」
As they thought, he did it for the sake of fighting against Sasala.
He sought a single bout not as her parent, nor as her Shishou, but as a single Warrior.
Going *gohoh*, Graham coughed violently, and spat out blood.
「Tou-sama!」
「......Do not cry......I......am satisfied. H, having fought......with the serious you......it was the best match, of my life......Guh......It’s unfortunate but, this body was simply incompetent.」
「Tou-sama, I, simply did as you had taught me......」
「Something like, my teachings are......」
Diablo stood at the side.
「”The arts of a Master Swordsman, are for the sake of teaching people”──That is what I have heard. In that case, you should be proud, predecessor. The daughter you had raised, is the strongest Warrior.」
It seemed that Graham was no longer able to move.
He moved only his eyes towards him.
「......O strong, Adventurer.」
「I am your disciple’s disciple though.」
His voice became softer.
「......care......hter......Take care......of my daughter」
「Leave it to me.」
With a trembling hand, Graham entrusted his katana to the young girl.
「Sa......sa......la.」
「Tou-sama!」
「......」
His last words, didn’t make a sound.
However, his expression, was that of a father looking at his daughter.
The previous Master Swordsman breathed his last breath.
He would never open his closed eyes again.
Sasala fell onto his chest.
「AAAAAAAAAAaaaa, Tou-samaaaaaaaaaaaaaaー!!」
Diablo couldn’t do anything but watch.
He had no words of comfort.
It was because he felt that it was what Graham desired and thought that there would be a meaning to it for the two of them that he entrusted the conclusion to Sasala.
However, was he truly not mistaken about that?
A young girl killed the foster father she loved and respected with her own hands.
──Was this the correct thing to do?
He would surely carry this question for the rest of his life.