14 – The Boy who controls Monsters
Evacus sensed that all eyes were on him, and so he puffed up all of the fur on his body.
‘Your Hero!? Ridiculous! That is a monster!’
“You do not understand? No, it is that you don’t want to believe.”
He saw how Gardekie and Sydia looked pale, and his mouth twisted into a grin.
“The mighty one of the skies, a being belonging to the lowest rank of the dragons, the Wyvern. And the other is made of magical ore, a giant of mithril, the Mithril Golem.”
‘Impossible! Why would your Hero have such a thing! And to be able to control both at once!?’
A young boy was standing right behind the golem. He wore travelers clothes and held a staff.
‘In-in the first place, why are you here! You never offered to join the hunt!’
“Can we stop pretending? Lord Gardekie.”
‘…Hmph. Indeed. I suppose this is what you were planning from the very beginning.’
“Very perceptive of you. But when did you notice? When you cut off communications with me? When you stepped on me in the god seat? Or was it when I brought the message of the Sage’s invasion?”
As he talked, Gardekie’s face was filled with murderous rage.
‘You gutter rat! I’ll rip out your sly little tongue!’
“Do as you will. Now, Lady Saliashe.”
He made sure that his voice reached the other mirrors.
“Shall we fulfill the duel agreement that was made between us earlier?”
‘…At this time? Before the dragon god’s return, and in the middle of my plan. Well, I suppose this is what you always intended.’
Saliashe also purposely made it so the others could hear her through their mirrors.
‘When Sheto, my subordinate, defeats all of the enemies that bind your Hero, your Hero will then hunt down the rest.’
‘Evil goddess! How dare you speak of us like that!’
‘Ah, so you were eavesdropping, Lord Gardeki. This is our alliance. It has nothing to do with you.’
‘Yo-yo-you…’
“That being said, it seems like the kobold is struggling more than I thought. And some trap of his has resulted in many Heroes not being able to fight. I just thought it was a good opportunity for me.”
‘Since when! When did you have this alliance!’
“Well, it was just a matter of trusting each other. The weak must use their minds and work together in order to beat the strong.”
‘The weak!? Saliashe, you are a greater god. Why would you ally yourself with this lowly plague god!’
‘Watch your words. That god may be cunning and lowly, but he never attacked the weak or slandered others as evil. The real scoundrel here is you. ‘Majestic Champion’? What a joke.’
The words made his heart ache a little. However, he discarded the sweet feeling with emotionless iron. And like that, the rat addressed all of the gods.
“Well, the gods are all out of our mosquito net now. So let us boldly begin the duel.”
‘You have some nerve, saying that after seeing how my Hero is troubled. Still, I have no choice. I accept.’
‘Wai-wait!’
“We have no reason to wait. Satoru. Challenge that kobold, Sheto, to a duel.”
‘Huh? Really?”
Satoru had not been given any details. He was just told to bring out the two monsters and wait.
“Yes. Sorry to keep you waiting this long. This is your first battle against another Hero.”
‘Fine! Then, to Sheto the kobold…’
‘STOOOOOPPP!’
The shout echoed to all of the mirrors.
However, within the darkened forest, the attack from the Heroes could be seen hitting the flying monster in the sky.
It was so sudden that Fuminori was stunned.
He had been about to chase after the kobold when the mithril golem and wyvern appeared right in front of him. Not only that, but he could hear Gardekie’s angry voice in his ear. He was screaming about treachery.
“Um, Lord Sydia!? I don’t understand… Huh!? Evacus!? What do you mean!?”
“Ayano-san! Over there too!?”
“It-it seems like something crazy is happening up there… Fuminori-san. That boy.”
The boy who stood by the feet of the golem. He looked familiar as he opened his mouth.
“Fine! Then, to Sheto the kobold…”
“STOOOOOPPP!”
A single blade that writhed like a snake was unleashed from the group of Heroes. The attack bit into the wyvern’s neck.
“GIEEEEEAAAAA!”
“You little shit!!”
The boy with the snakebite sword shouted. His torn arm and face had started to heal, but still looked raw.
“Coming out of nowhere and talking about duels!”
“Woah!”
The sorcerer boy looked a little scared at the sudden vicious attack.
“That monster cut my face and arm. And he ruined the blessing I was saving! I’m the one who gets to kill him!”
“What’s with that guy? He’s really mad.”
‘Hero! You join the fight as well! Destroy the arrogant Evacus!’
The old god in his ear seemed to be out of his mind. In the first place, Fuminori didn’t even know who Evacus was.
“Destroy? Are you saying that I have to defeat that golem and wyvern!?”
‘Why do you think I gave you the divine vessels! Defeat that Hero and destroy the rat’s ambitions!’
“But isn’t that the guy who helped us find the kobold!? Besides, he’s just a kid!”
‘On this battlefield, it does not matter! All Heroes understand this.’
It was ridiculous. He never should have followed this god. Still, he turned to Ayano, who stood next to him.
“I…can’t do this! I don’t care!”
“Damn this! Ayano! Let’s quit this charade! We should get out of here!”
“Fuminori-san?”
“As I said! I’ll protect you no matter what!”
He grabbed her by the shoulder and tried to move away.
However, the other Heroes reacted in an unexpected way. They all held their weapons and unleashed it at the boy.
“Id-idiots!”
“STOOOPP!”
Arrows, magic, sword slashes, thunder and fire flew through the sky.
However, they all landed in the wrong direction and vanished.
“Wh-whaat…?”
“The heeelllll!!”
There was a shout, and the snakebite sword swung towards a tree, opening a big hole in it.
“Why-why!? I can’t aim! I can’t…see him!?”
“But he’s right there!”
“Yeah! But as soon as I aim, he disappears!”
Then the wyvern opened its mouth.
“All of you, retreat! Ruuuunn!”
He held Ayano and jumped to the side.
“AGHHHHHH!”
The Hero with the snakebite sword was burned by the wyvern’s breath. And this time, he turned into golden light and disappeared.
