Author: Yume Neiji

(3 days ago)

While the elite of the kingdom’s army, led by Arvish, were making their way through the dungeon, I was riding a homeless griffon to the Royal Capital. Here’s the plan. Using my division skill, I and my clone were to deal with the hero and his troops on one side and attack the royal capital on the other.

That doesn’t mean I have abandoned the chance for a negotiation though. Just like in the Empire, I’ll try to make the king agree with my terms. Of course, if he still resisted, he would have the same fate as the emperor of the empire. I don’t think that King Logas is that stupid.

“We’re almost at the royal capital huh.”

I sit crossed legged on top of the griffon and stared at the horizon. In the distance, the Royal Capital could already be seen, and the castle where the king resides towered in the center. When we get close enough, I made the griffon land in the meadow. We will have to wait until the night.

The goal is to carry out a night attack and conquer the Royal Capital at once. Of course, that’s not the real purpose. It is to buy time for me to have a discussion with the king.

I took a dead branch out of the bangle and set it on fire. I decided to have an early dinner while watching the sun set.

◇◇◇

I checked my pocket watch.

It’s two o’clock in the morning. In Japan, this time is known as the dead of the night. The meadow is only filled with animal sounds, and there is an unusual silence. The Royal Capital also seemed to be asleep, with only a few lights left.

The time has come. Let’s execute the strategy.

“Come forth, my familiars!”

A dazzling light filled the meadow. One after another, homeless skeletons emerge from the ground. They are commanded by the Nine Legion Commanders. All of them have evolved into golden skeletons and they reflect the moonlight dazzlingly. The summoning lasted about a second. The troops totaled to 300,000. Countless red lights were looking towards the Royal Capital.

“Conquer the Royal Capital.”

“Katakata”

Skeleton 1 clattered his jaw in response. Following the orders of the legion commanders, the horde of skeletons begin to march in unison to the Royal Capital. When they reached the outer wall that surrounded the city, they inserted their fingers into the gaps in the walls and began to climb up. There are no guards on the outer wall, perhaps because of negligence. The skeleton climbed the wall and easily penetrated inside the Royal Capital.

Seeing that, I activated my race. Horns appeared on both sides of my head and wings stick out of my back. I then opened the eye on my forehead and my preparation is done. I’m going to meet the king so I also have to focus on how I look. After all, this negotiation must proceed on the premise that it is in favor of Homeless. If I am seen poorly, I could lose the advantage.

I straddled the griffon and we fly into the night sky. The fact that I did not fly on my own is the style of a champion that I come up with. Isn’t it cool to appear there ridding a griffon? Kukuku.

As I look at the Royal Capital from above, I can hear many screams echoing through the city at the dead of the night. I told them not to attack the citizens unnecessarily so they should only be shocked seeing the skeletons.

Of course, I strictly told them not to touch the duke’s family and the house of the Earth Fang team. The people who jumped out of the building moved to the east gate as if fleeing from the skeletons. When I looked into a certain house, I saw a mother with a child in her arms trembling in a corner of the room.

I’m sorry for this, but I’m in a situation where I can’t back down.

I made the griffon fly again and ask it to send me to the royal castle.

“The king should be here.”

I stepped foot on the cobblestones and looked up at the building where the king lived. I had seen it several times when I came to the Royal Capital, but I never thought that the day would come when I would go inside like this. The gate leading inside was tightly closed, and two gatekeepers were guarding against me as they hold their spears at ready.

“I can hear a commotion in the castle town. Then, you are a demon who is aiming at King Logas, our wise king.”

“I look like a demon huh. Hmmm, that’s not bad either.”

“What are you muttering to yourself? The two of us, the twin gatekeepers, will defeat you!”

The two well-built gatekeepers looked exactly alike. The only difference is that the colors of their armor are blue and red. Their face looked exactly like the Nio statue, and they exuded an air of intimidation that could silence even a crying child. However, when I look at their status, it appeared that they are not a big deal. At best, they can boast being a high human.

““Muooh!””

The two of them fall to the ground with a thud. There is no need to fight them. I used paralyzing eye and incapacitated them both.

“I’ll go on then.”

I pushed the wooden gate and it slowly opened. I instructed the griffon to wait here, and then I stepped inside the castle.

“It’s too quiet… Haven’t they noticed the commotion outside?”

With the sound of my footsteps, I searched for the room where the king is. At this time, he should be sleeping in his bedroom, but I can’t find it. There are too many rooms. I opened each door and checked, but I only saw someone sleeping in a chair, several people wearing black robes laughing while killing birds on a magic square, and even a bed that was shaking. The king is nowhere to be seen.

“As expected, he is in the upper floor. I should narrow down where to look.”

As I moved upstairs, I ran into a knight in the hallway. As soon as he sees my appearance, he draws his sword and slashes at me. With a spinal reflex, I drew my sword and parried his sword.

“I can’t believe that a demon has entered the royal castle. As a knight under His Majesty’s direct command, I will kill you immediately!”

“Hoh-, so you’re a royal knight guard huh. Tell me where the king is then.”

“I won’t tell you that!”

The young knight, who must be in his early twenties, kicks me in the stomach while standing close to me. However, because I possess the Impact Nullification skill, his blow is no use at all.

“Ugee!?”

In return, I gave him a light belly punch. His armor dented in the shape of a fist and the young knight knelt on the floor holding his stomach. When he was incapacitated, I activated my Dictatorship skill and asked him a question.

“Where is the king?”

“Ugh… in-… in the throne room…”

Throne room? I immediately thought of the place where he holds his audience. I don’t know much about castles, but the room he just talked about should be usually large. If so, it is very likely that it is installed on the first or second floor.

“I got to look for a big door then. Thank you for your help.”

“D-Damn it… I’m a knight under His Majesty’s direct command…”

I tapped the knight on the shoulder and moves on. He’s still young. He should use today’s failure as a springboard to live. As I walked down the hallway, I found a majestic door. It was decorated with gold and it depicted elves, dwarves, wingmen, beastmen and dragoneuts kneeling in front of a figure resembling a human sitting on a throne. However, for some reason, human bones are standing near the human. They hold a spear too.

No, wrong. It’s a skeleton. It is a picture of a human subduing a magical beast and forcing the five races to prostate before him.

“What does this mean though? Why a skeleton?”

As if in response to my question, the heavy door opens on its own. At the far end of the room, I saw a man sitting on a throne.

“Welcome, my kingdom’s most wanted criminal.”

The man wearing a crown seemed to be welcoming me with open arms. His body is as fat as a pig, and his sticky gaze makes me feel disgusted. This is King Logas. The pinnacle of humans.

“It looks like you were expecting me to come.”

“Gufufu, I knew when you attacked the royal capital. It would be a disgrace to the royal family if I didn’t welcome the guest.”

“A guest you say?”

“Indeed. I guess you came here because of the bounty. I am a generous person. I’ll at least listen to what you have to say.”

I feel something unfathomable from King Logas. I, who should have an overwhelming advantage, is now under pressure. Sweat dripped from my forehead.

【Analysis Result: Sodom Logas: Lord of the Kingdom of Logas. Contrary to his appearance, he possesses high intelligence and physical abilities. He has assassinated his 20 brothers in the past. Rarity: SS, Overall Ability: A】

【Status】  Name: Sodom Logas  Age: 67 years old  Race: Primordial Human  Occupation: King  Magic Attribute: Water Magic: Aqua Arrow, Aqua Cure, Spearrain, Aquarius Recovery  Skills:  ▹Special: Search ▹Advanced: Appraisal, Clairvoyance, ▹Intermediate: Impact Nullification, Intimidation ▹Beginner: Spear Emperor Technique, Limit Breakthrough, Slash Nullification, Dictatorship  Evolution: Conditions are not met.  < Evolution Conditions: Spear Divine Technique (Beginner Level), Limit Breakthrough (Special Level), Self-Regeneration (Beginner Level), Awakening (Beginner Level) >

As far as the status is concerned, I don’t think I am inferior. However, the impact nullification and slash nullification skill seem to be a threat. When it comes to the race, it’s impossible to even tell what characteristics he possessed.

“Are you looking at my status? How is it? Great, right?”

“Why is it that your ability is so high? Isn’t it normal for a king to be inferior to his royal knight guard?”

“That’s a stupid question. It’s because I’m the king. Knights are just decorations after all. A true ruler must also be at the top of his or her own power. Well, I don’t hate strong pawns.”

 King Logas takes a sip from the glass he holds in his right hand. There was sparkling water in it.

“I see, it’s the saint water huh. I’ve heard that all the water sources are monopolized by the royal family.”

“Wouldn’t it be foolish to share the mysterious water with the commoners? I think you can understand my feelings.”

 It’s a painful word to hear. Indeed, I too, want to keep that water a secret. This is because it is my biggest advantage. It was all thanks to saint water that I was able to build the foundation of my life. I am discomfited, but I partially agree with the king’s words.

“There’s nothing to worry about. The kings of the six kingdoms all have a monopoly on the Saint Water in their territory. It’s not that you’re special.”

 It makes sense. The imperial royal family also had an unnaturally high status. Considering that the conditions were the same as mine, the difficulty can be explained.

“Now that we know the secret of our strength, let’s get down to business. I would like that you remove the bounty on our heads.”

“Fine, but there are conditions in return.”

“Mmm, tell me.”

“Homeless can only be under my direct control. And of course, that’s not all. You will receive the title of Hero and marry my daughter.”

No matter how I look at it, it’s insane. He branded me as a criminal and now he says that he will give me the title of hero. It’s like he just returned the palm of his hand. Moreover, I was stunned and speechless about marrying a princess.

“At first, I was annoyed with you guys. But I changed my mind after seeing tonight’s amazing military strength. To take down my capital city in one night, you are worthy of becoming my pawn. Gufufu, I’ll praise you for that. You have shown me your worth.”

“Do you not really care even if your city is conquered?”

“Your abilities are excellent, but in my mind, you’re nothing but a servant. No matter how much the parasites living under my feet disappear, I won’t have any feelings for them. I’m the king and the Kingdom of Logas itself.”

Did he just call his people, parasites? In this case, the empire’s emperor was better. Emperor Dragnil was obsessed with hegemony, but he still saw his people as people. It makes me sick to think that I spilled so much blood to protect this man.

 The king continues to speak,

“I’m going to appoint you as the overall commander of the invasion operation. You shall lead those skeletons and restore back our former glory.”

“Invasion? To the five kingdoms?”

“That’s right. Five thousand years ago, we humans, were defeated by them. Until then, we were a superpower that ruled the continent. Why should we, their descendants, be content with such a small kingdom? Isn’t that unreasonable? That is why we have to get it back. I should sit in the original throne.”

“I refuse. I don’t have the intention of accepting such ridiculous proposal.”

“Then, are you’re saying it’s okay with you that you remain to knows as a criminal? Don’t you want to become a hero?”

“I’m not interested. I’ve decided to get rid of you.”

I smoothly draw my sword. It’s ironic that I will be the one to kill the king of the kingdom I protected. But now that I’ve heard those words, I can’t leave him alone. He wants to raise another war for his own self-interest.

“Negotiations have broken down. I’ve given you a chance and you rejected it. For a beast that does not understand my merciful heart, I’ll grant you a death you well-deserved.”

King Logas commanded, “Kill him!”

Then, from behind the throne, two skeletons with metallic bodies suddenly appeared. Unlike the silver skeleton, the surface of its body is a smooth mirror surface made of stainless steel, and both eyes have blue light. The sword held in his right hand reflects a dazzling light, perhaps made of the same material.

“Magical beasts… you subdued them?”

“This is the legacy handed down to our royal family. With their advanced technique skills, their superpower has strengthened, and they subdued these skeletons. They are harder than steel and possesses high offensive skills, it can carry out any command. It’s a lost art now though.”

“I see. That’s why you set your eyes on Professor Jill. That is also why the dungeon of the dead is full of skeletons.”

“If you know about the dungeon of the dead, then your army must have been taken from there. That mass grave was an important military force that the royal family was preparing to once again pacify the world. I was planning to have Professor Jill create an army of hundreds of thousands of immortals. I didn’t expect you to get ahead of me.”

Did the humans’ created superpowers because they wanted to lead an army of immortals?

I finally got it right. Even if I don’t intend to do it, I can say that I was imitating the ways of humans in the past. But even knowing that, I won’t let go of the skeleton army. I am me. Like I care!

““Katakata!””

The two skeletons slashed at me.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Arvish’s sword clashes with Suketarou’s sword. The hard sound makes the air tremble, and the killing intent of the two them intertwines like two snakes. In contrast to the hero who attacked valiantly, our general moves calmly. Suketarou uses his sword to deflect the powerful attack and immediately retaliates. Deciding that he couldn’t handle it, Arvish distanced himself in order to reorganize.

“It’s a sword technique on par with that of a legendary beast. For Homeless to have a subordinate like you… it’s really unbelievable.”

“…………”

“No reply huh. Well, it’s okay. Even if you clatter your jaw, I won’t understand what you are talking about. Alright, let’s continue the battle.”

Suketarou blocked the hero’s slash which suddenly accelerated with his sword. However, the different and heavier sword pressure made Suketarou’s feet sink to the ground. I, who was observing the fight, was surprised by the sudden power-up.

Was he hiding his powers? 

No, I’ve never seen anything like that before. If that’s the case, Arvish is growing up in this fight. That’s all I can think of.

“Hahaha! I’m the real hero! I’m still going to get stronger!”

“Katakata”

The red aura that had been emitted from Arvish’s body gained even more momentum. In order to investigate the mystery of his insanely increasing power, I decided to investigate the hero with my analysis skills.

【Analysis Results: Arvish Gloris: The third son of the Gloris family. A man who awakens as a hero after a grueling training. His power is still in the middle of its growth. Rarity: SS, Overall Ability: B】

【Status】  Name: Arvish Gloris  Age: 17 years old  Race: Human (Hero)  Profession: Hero  Magic Attributes: Fire, Holy  Magic: Fireball, Fire Arrow Skills: Superhuman Transformation, Hero’s Vessel ▹Intermediate: Explosive Sword Dance, Sword King Technique, Spear Technique, Shield Technique, Danger Detection ▹Beginner: Fist King Technique, Limit Breakthrough  Evolution: Conditions are not met  < Evolution Condition: Sword Emperor Technique(Beginner Level), Spear King Technique(Special Level), Limit Breakthrough (Special Level) >

I’m surprise that there is a Hero specie. It seems that there are still races that I don’t know about. The scary thing is that he is still in the process of growing. Currently, his overall ability is still B, but there is a high possibility that it will change to A in the near future. Furthermore, he is in the middle of a battle with Suketarou. Unexpectedly, I thought I was being cautious, but it seemed that I was underestimating Arvish. If Suketarou were to be defeated, I would have no choice but to deal with him.

“Ooooou! It’s rising! Power is coming from the depths of my body!”

“Katakata”

“What’s the matter, skeleton!? You are now being pushed back! Resist more! Draw out my power!”

Suketarou retreats little by little as Arvish gains momentum with his strong blow. He is no longer able to handle the slashes of the enemy, who is getting stronger and faster. Still, I stayed put and continued to watch the battle. Because I believe that Suketarou can do it.

No, I forgot, there is also Duranosuke. The armor that Suketarou wears is also my familiar.

Clang!

Suketarou’s sword repelled Arvish’s sword strike. A turning point comes in a situation where there was only a defensive battle.

“Tsk. Don’t get conceited just because you pushed it back!”

Arvish unleashes another onslaught but it is different from before, Suketarou blocks his sword with minimal movement. He smoothly let his blade slide and slashed into Arvish’s left shoulder. It is a beautiful, efficient, yet terrifying blow.

“Uguahhh!?”

Arvish leaped backwards away from Suketarou. Blood dripped from his left shoulder, and I can tell that the wound was not shallow. He doesn’t have any healing skills so there’s no way for him to heal it right now.

However, I had doubts on Suketarou’s sudden increase in power. Well, it is possible that he also added Duranosuke’s attack to synchronize with his attack. In the first place, Suketarou is the only subordinate among my familiars who wears a sacred beast as armor. I guess that change was caused by that peculiarity.

“Not yet. I can still get stronger. I can finally kill Shinichi Tanaka, who turned me into a virtual phantom, with my own hands.”

Arvish’s aura swells even more.

However, I am quite confused. I am being resented for a long time now. Is it the pride of a noble, or is it something else that drives him that way? If I think about it, I don’t really understand why he is so obsessed with me.

“Uwooooh! Explosive Sword Dance!”

“Katakatakata”

Arvish and Suketarou collide. Suketarou is knocked off by the hero’s swordsmanship, which has been further enhanced. However, while spinning in the air, he extended a dark chain (Shadow Bind), from his left hand and wrapped it around Arvish. Upon landing, Suketarou clatters his jaw instead of smiling.

“Do you really think you can stop me with something like this!?”

Arvish’s aura changed from red to purple. The Superhuman Skill has evolved into the Superhuman Reform, and his overall ability has been changed to A. Once again, it seems that Suketarou has brought out the hidden power of the hero. The chains of darkness are torn off, like a fierce god, the aura Arvish releases overwhelm his surroundings.

I called out to Suketarou.

“Do you think you can defeat him? If you can’t, I’ll take your place…”

“Katakatakata”

Suketarou replied that he could still do it.

I’m the type of guy who doesn’t give up on anyone. However, my subordinate says he can do it, so as his master, it’s my duty to believe him.

“Like a corpse, go back to the graveyaaaaard!”

With a powerful thrust that could be mistaken for an explosion, the hero cuts towards Suketarou. The opposing general also fought back with all his might. When the two swords collide, a shock wave was generated. The blades of the swords rubbed against each other, and the two glared at each other at close range. Their power contend with each other. It’s a situation where either side can win.

“Haaaaaaaaaaaaaa”

“Katakatakataaaaa”

The spirit of the two of them is conveyed here. The area beneath their feet were cracked by the impact, and cracks were spreading like a spider web. I don’t think the floor will collapse, but it would be better to repair it after the battle is over.

The battle that lasted for several minutes came to an end. Arvish started pushing Suketarou. The general’s body is arched but he manages to hold on to it in such painful position. If he loses here, there is nothing left for him.

“Hahahaha! After I bury you, I’ll chop up your master, Tanaka, into pieces!”

“Katakataaaa!”

Suketarou said, “Don’t underestimate Tanaka-sama’s faithful servant!”.

Those are nice words but it’s very painful to lose him like this. I decided to draw my sword and intervene between the two of them.

 ――But I stopped in my tracks.  This is because Suketarou’s body started to glow faintly. Then a blinding light was emitted from him, both Arvish and me closed our eyes.

“Katakata….”

When the light subsided, I turned my attention to Suketarou. Standing there was a platinum knight that reflected a sparkling light. His eyes are filled with purple light, and in his left hand, he holds a shield with a skull on it. The strange thing is that not only Suketarou, but also Duranosuke has changed color.

Could it be that they evolved at the same time?

When I look closely, I can see that the Mithril sword that I gave him has also undergone a transformation. The wooden handle was made of platinum, and the blade reflected the scenery as if it was new. However, it seems that the mechanism that uses magic stones has been excluded. It’s a little disappointing on that part.

【Analysis Result: Suketarou: A new race born from Suketarou’s fusion with Duranosuke in the process of evolution. Rarity: L, Overall Ability: SS】

【Status】  Name: Suketarou  Race: Homeless Platinum Skeleton (General Species)  Magic Attributes: Earth, Darkness, Saint, Nothingness  Magic: Rock Bullet, Rock Armor, Metal Wall, Ground Hammer, Shadow, Shadow Field, Shadow Bind, Mindbreak, Purify Skills: Familiar Summoning, Soul Eating ▹Special: Search ▹Advanced: Intelligence, Self-Healing, Shock Absorption ▹Intermediate: Axemanship, Spearmanship, Hammer Technique, Archery, Fist King Technique ▹Beginner: Sword Emperor Technique, Shield King Technique, Body  Domination rate: 100% dominated by Shinichi Tanaka  Evolution: Conditions are not met  <Evolution Conditions: Sword Emperor Technique (Special Level), Outstanding Talent (Beginner Level), Self-Regeneration (Beginner Level), Dictatorship (Special Level) >

Duranosuke…… Has it been absorbed?

While I was delighted with Suketarou’s new appearance, I felt sorry for Duranosuke. No, it was true that at first, I thought he was just an armored magical beast that would suit Suketarou, but I never thought that he would be absorbed. However, since the appraisal says “fusion”, it may be that consciousness has also been assimilated. I decided to think so to escape from guilt.

“Don’t think I’ll be frightened by the change of your color! You are just a magical beast that tricks people! I’ll recite the last words for you and help you cross over right away!”

“Katakata”

Suketarou said, “A hero with evil heart, I will give you the ending you deserve.”

Suketarou runs with his black cloak fluttering. His appearance is just like that of a General. I was inwardly excited to see my subordinate so full of dignity.

The two collided again.

“I’ll kill you! Explosive Sword Dance!!”

The hero who jumped up unleashes a technique on the general. Immediately, Suketarou blocked the explosive slash with his shield and flashed at the defenseless hero.

Arvish’s left arm flung through the air with fresh blood.

“Agggh!?”

Suketarou stares at the enemy lying on the ground. The hero had lost an arm from his shoulder. The expression on his face as he writhes in pain no longer shows a trace of composure. Arvish stood up with his remaining right hand.

“Not… Not yet. I can still do it.”

“Why are you so obsessed with me?”

“You won’t understand. How I felt when I got promoted as I took the head of the general that my rival killed… I have to get it back. Back in the days when I was called the child prodigy and was the strongest. The only defeat I had must be erased. Otherwise, I can’t be a true hero.”

“So you’re saying that if you defeat me, you’ll be satisfied?”

That’s rubbish! If he is not the strongest, he won’t like it he says. Isn’t he just quibbling around like a child? Besides, I don’t want to be recognized as a rival. I’ve never thought of it that way.

Should I still kill him?

“Suketarou, make it easy.”

The general nodded at my words. Arvish is in a precarious state. There is no need to prolong the battle any longer. However, the hero suddenly began to laugh.

“Do you think that if you kill me, you’re done?! If the hero dies, the soldiers of the kingdom will rush here! His Majesty will never forgive you!”

Soldiers all over the kingdom? It’s a terrifying threat. However, it would be a pity if I misunderstood, so I will just explain it to him.

“The king you know is no more. Moreover, Arvish Gloris is not even a hero.”

“Huh? What are you talking about? Did you start talking nonsense out of fear?”

“I know you’d think that way. Well then, let me give you a hint. These guys are my followers, but in fact, they are less than half of them here. Moreover, I am just the clone of Shinichi Tanaka.”

“Less than half of it… Clone…… No way…”

It looks like he has finally noticed.

Yes, the kingdom has already been conquered by the main body and the other commanders. In other words, the kingdom of Logas is under my hands now, and Arvish has been stripped off of his title as a hero.

“That’s a lie! If that’s the case, what am I here for then?”

“I’m just stating the facts. Just think about why you all need to came down here before I attack you.”

The reason why the twenty-eighth floor of the Mohed Great Dungeon was chosen as the battlefield was to separate the hero and elite troops from the royal capital. A happy miscalculation was that the general was also with him. In the absence of a general, it is difficult to lead the army. It was the perfect opportunity to attack the Royal Capital.

I took advantage of the Kingdom’s strategy to complete this operation. I named it “Surprise, Surprise! Operation Royal Capital Invasion.”

“I see, the reason your subordinates appeared was to keep us from going home. They appeared to be defeated to a certain degree too…. I guess that’s the result you opted to.”

“That’s right. We needed to make you realize that the Homeless party is right ahead, and also make you believe that the mission was going well. Skeleton 7 was defeated, which was unexpected though.”

“Damn it! Are you saying I’ve fallen into your trap!? I-! What is going to happen to me now?!”

“Don’t ask me. You brought it to yourself.”

The last conversation is over, and Suketarou raised his sword. Arvish still raised his sword and showed his willingness to fight. If he hadn’t grown up distorted, he might really become a hero that everyone admires. Still, it’s a pity though.

“Please stop!”

Feria stood in front of Suketarou. She knelt on the ground with her hands together as if praying.

“What do you mean?”

“Please don’t kill Arvish-sama, please I beg you!”

“Do you want me to overlook the person who came to kill us?”

“I fully understand your anger! Even so, I ask you to let him go! I swear we will never appear before you again! I apologize for what we have done! Please!”

Erna decided to keep Feria alive. I have no complaints about that, but it’s a different story when it comes to keeping Arvish alive. Letting a mage go and letting a hero go have different meanings. In addition, he may grow rapidly in the future and he could bare his fangs again. The seeds of conflict should be picked while they are young.

“Move, Feria.”

“Arvish-sama…”

 Arvish pushes Feria away and steps forward. My eyes widen slightly at his attitude.

“Hoh-, that’s valiant of you. You’ve made up your mind huh.”

“Hmph. I just want to thank you for not killing Feria. But the battle isn’t over yet. Shinichi Tanaka. Fight me.”

 I smiled inwardly at the hero’s bravado. That spirit is what I like though.

“Okay, then I’ll deal with you specially.”

 I draw my sword and wait for him to move.

“Tanakaaaaaaaa!!”

Arvish takes a leap and aims for my neck. A sword without hesitation, it is a living sword that is different from the time we first met. I take a swing to his neck as he passes. As I sheathed my sword, the head of the hero behind me fell to the ground.

“Arvish-samaaa!”

Feria ran up to him and held his head. The tears she shed made me feel that there was definitely love between them.

“Erna, how long is Aquarius Recovery effective?”

“Do you mean after death? Hmm, maybe a minute.”

“That’s enough.”

I approached Arvish’s body and then I activated my Skill Picking and Race Picking skill. I acquired his race, explosive sword dance, superhuman transformations and hero’s vessel.

This is also an experiment. I was curious. What will happen to those who are deprived of their race?

I then took Arvish’s head from Feria and Erna uses Aquarius Recovery on his body. The neck connected to his body in the blink of an eye.

“I… I am alive?”

 When Arvish woke up, he sat up and looked dazedly at his hands which had been restored. Upon checking with my analysis skill, his race had turned into just a human, no special specie was connected to it. It seems that the fact that he was deprived of his racial characteristics by me led to a downgrade.

“Why did you bring me back to life? Maybe I will take revenge you know?”

“If you can, try it. You’re just a mere human now.”

“What do you mean?”

 After confirming his status, he covered his mouth with a stunned face.

“My race! My skills! What’s going on!? What did you do!?”

“So noisy. Just be grateful that you have been saved.”

 There is no next time after all. Compassion comes only once. I then confirms with Feria.

“You promised that you’ll never show yourselves before us again. If you break that, you know what will happen.”

“Thank you for your generosity. I will definitely keep my promise.”

“Good. Leave immediately.”

“Yes. Let’s go Arvish-sama.”

Feria bows deeply to us while Arvish remained silent. He took one last look at me before leaving. I don’t know where they’re going from now on. However, as long as he is alive, he should be able to do it all over again.

I then decided to return to the base with my subordinates.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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“Uhahahaha! Show them the difference of your strength!”

At the command of Professor Jill, the artificial lich continues to attack the motionless skeletons. However, someone cut through the flame burst that Ignis released, he quickly leapt in front of the professor.

It was Sukejiro. He holds the flying dragon bone sword in his right hand and shows off his golden body. The professor swallowed his saliva at the sight of the dazzling golden light reflected before him.

“Amazing! The silver skeleton was pretty good, but a gold one is just the right skeleton that my lich deserves! Ignis! Get this material right away!”

“Katakata”

Armed with a red magic stone on its forehead, the lich follows the professor’s words and unleashes another Flame Burst. The huge fireball hit Sukejiro directly and dust was blown away with the explosion.

“““Katakatakata”””

Multiple jaw clattered. A dome of darkness was formed in the place where Sukejiro was, and the power of the explosion was brilliantly extinguished. When the darkness disappears, three black lich appear from underneath his shadow to protect Sukejiro. The professor let out a gasp of amazement.

“Did you deploy multiple shadowfields and extinguished the power of Flame Burst? A magical beast that has such degree of intelligence huh… But this is very interesting. In this way, I will be able to showcase the real strength of my created lich. Ignis, Aquanis, Ael, Tila. Deal with them!”

“““Katakatakata”””

Each of them sets a target and scatters. It was Ignis vs Sukejiro,  Aquanis vs Lich A, Ael vs Lich B and Tila vs Lich C. Once they closed the distance to their target, they immediately proceeded to a hand-to-hand combat.

Ignis delivers a kick. Sukejiro dodged it with a backstep and then he activated the Shadow Bind. Ignis slipped through the chains of darkness that stretched out from the ground as easily like a monkey and then he kept his distance. For Sukejiro, who has a large physique, Ignis seems to be a difficult opponent to fight.

On the other hand, Aquanis and Lich A were also engaged in a melee battle. They clash with their canes and kick each other. However, perhaps because of the difference in basic performance and skills, the artificial lich was being pushed back. The reason why it became a melee battle is simple. Because both of them possessed dark magic that weakens magic, they lacked a decisive factor. That is probably why they opted to weaken their opponent with physical attacks first and then finish it off with magic.

However, I must add that it would have worked if it was a normal lich.

Lich A landed his palm on Aquanis’ rib cage and wielded the Flame Bomb almost at the same time. The man-made lich was shattered into pieces by the impact of the explosion and then it fell to the ground.

“Aquanis!?”

 Professor Jill exclaimed.

This outcome is as expected. The Homeless Lich are versatile lich, they are not only good at physical attacks but also with magic attacks. It is particularly evident in the presence of their skills. The artificial lich on the other hand didn’t seem to be using any skills. In other words, they are fighting only with basic stats and magic. That won’t defeat my Homeless Lich.

As proof of this, the other two were also shattered by the Zero-Distance Flame Bomb that was thrown at them when Lich B and C took advantage of their opening.

“A-Ael!? Tila!? Why! Why is it my Lich!?”

The artificial lich named Ignis, who carries Skeleton 7 on his back, is the only one left. Right now, Sukejiro is at the mercy of Ignis, who is smaller than him and he was unable to land his attacks. If the distance was wide enough, he could unleash a powerful magic attack but it will be avoided. And even if Sukejiro closes their distance, the more Ignis was able to dodge his slash attack. While blocking the storm of multiple flame bursts with his shadow skill, Sukejiro is intently watching for his chance of victory.

“Ignis! Kill them all at once with magic! With your power, you can do it! Avenge the three of them!”

“Katakata”

Ignis raised his wand high to the sky, and then an enormous amount of magical power swirled in it. As I was watching the scene, I also felt a bad premonition about this situation where the air vibrates.

“This is the forbidden magic Hellflare!”

As many as 30 fireballs fused in the sky to create a giant ball with a diameter of 20 meters. It’s probably a ultimate spell caused by the multiple use of Flame Burst. If it were shot, the entire floor could be engulfed in flames. Even I, felt anxious.

Then, the fireball was released, Sukejiro, who is clad in shadow, catches it with both hands. The hot air even reached my place and Sukejiro’s feet were slipping on the ground. It’s like a little sun. Lich A, B and C also rush in as support but they can’t stop the Hellflare. In order to do something about this critical situation, I should also go to help.

“Katakatakata”

That’s when Skeleton 7, who was tied to Ignis’ back, clattered his jaw. Apparently, he had fainted until now. His red eyes look around to check the situation.

“7! Kill Ignis!”

At my command, 7 clattered his jaw. He tears off the rope and slashed his spear behind Ignis. It’s a brilliant slash. He drew a straight line directly from below to the top of the head, cutting Ignis in half. The magic in the sky vanishes, and Sukejiro and the others, whose body parts are charred, fall to their knees on the ground.

“M-My Ignis! Im-Impossible!!! It’s the ultimate lich! There is no way he could lose!”

Professor Jill sat down helplessly. I turned my gaze to Sukejiro and sends him a wordless message. I once received a request from him, but as long as he is hostile, I could not let him go alive. I don’t want him to make something crazy out of resentment after all. In that case, I should clean it up properly.

As Sukejiro slowly approaches him, the professor repeats his excuses with a frightened expression.

“I-, I was only forced by His Majesty to accompany them. I am a victim just like you!”

“Katakata”

“I’ve always thought that the king was a piece of trash! He wanted to monopolize my sublime knowledge! But if it’s you guys, we can work together! With my great wisdom and your exceptional materials, together, let us build the true ultimate lich!”

“Katakata”

“My research can change the world――”

Sukejiro’s sword cut off the professor’s neck. I felt that it would be a shame to kill someone who could create an artificial lich. However, there must be some knowledge that should not be released to the world. An example of this is the man-made magical beast. In a world where mass murder is already possible by magic, the existence of a killing machine is too dangerous. I think it’s still too early for that in this day and age.

“Katakata”

7 reported his return as he knelt at my feet. At one point, I thought he was dead, but he was safe. Suddenly, at that moment, the bodies of Skeleton 7 and the three lich begin to glow. It’s the light of evolution.

 When the light went out, a golden 7 appeared.

【Analysis Result: Skeleton 7: Race born by turning the Homeless Skeleton into a sacred beast and further evolving. Rarity: SS, Overall Ability: A】

【Status】  Name: Skeleton 7  Race: Homeless Golden Skeleton  Magic Attributes: Darkness, Nothingness, Holy  Magic: Shadow, Shadow Field, Shadow Bind, Holy Lore  Skills:  Soul Eating ▹Special: Leadership ▹Advanced: Spear King Technique, Taijutsu A, Taijutsu B, Hardening ▹Intermediate: Swordsmanship, Spearmanship, Hammer Technique, Archery ▹Beginner: Self-Healing Domination rate: 100% dominated by Shinichi Tanaka Evolution: Conditions are not met  <Evolution Conditions: Spear Emperor (Beginner), Slash Resistance (Beginner), Dictatorship (Beginner) >

It seems that 7 has finally evolved into a golden one. The strange thing is that, unlike humans, magical beasts can complete their evolution in an instant. Well, I don’t really understand if I think about it, so maybe it’s better to think of it that way. I nodded deeply in approval when I saw the figure of the three lich.

【Analysis Result: Demilich A: The evolution of a Homeless Lich. It is ten times more powerful than the standard Demilich. Rarity: S, Overall Ability: A】

【Status】  Name: Demilich A  Race: Homeless Demilich Magic Attributes: Darkness, Fire, Nothingness Magic: Shadow, Shadow Field, Shadow Bind, MindBreak, Flame Bomb, Flame Burst, Charm Skills: Familiar Creation, Familiar Strengthening, Familiar Summoning, Soul Eating ▹Intermediate: Swordsmanship, Search, Hardening ▹Beginner: Spear King Technique, Fist King Technique, Attack Prediction Domination rate: 100% dominated by Shinichi Tanaka Evolution: Conditions are not met  < Evolution Conditions: Spear King Technique(Special Grade), Fist King Technique(Special Grade), Attack Prediction (Special Grade) >

His black skeleton and red eyes remained the same, but his canines were long and sharp like those of a vampire, and his fingers and toes were like claws. In addition, two horns grew from his forehead, and a tail extended from the buttocks. It’s like the skeleton of a demon.

Equipped with power befitting their sinister appearance, the three of them fell to one knee to show their loyalty to me once again. At that moment, Sukejiro came to us. He shook his head when he saw the four of them.

“Hey, you just missed out on the evolution this time. You’re already golden so don’t be discouraged.”

“Katakata”

He seems to be feeling anxious as his subordinates completed their evolution. Well, all the legion commanders have become golden, so it is clear that his position is in jeopardy. It seems that it is not pleasant for him to lose the deputy general position to his subordinates.

That being said, I have no intention of removing Sukejiro from his position as Deputy General. He is a large skeleton and he boasts a strength that cannot be treated on the same level as the other golden ones. If there is one person who can compete with him, it is Suketarou.

After I had finished checking their evolution, I turned my attention to Erna.

“Air Cutter!”

“Flame Bomb!”

Feria and Erna’s magic collided and the wind blew around them. Speaking of a confrontation between the two of them, it sounded good, but it seemed that Feria was the only one who had growing hatred.

“I’ll clear up the humiliation from that time!”

“You are the one who started the fight you know! If you’re going to hold a grudge, hold a grudge against yourself!”

Wind and flame collided again. The two of them were unleashing magic while running.

“For a long time now, I just couldn’t forgive you! You are blessed with a better birth and environment than me yet you didn’t have a talent for magic! I should have been born into the Frederia family!”

“That’s irrelevant! There’s nothing I can do about where I am born to, and who decided that I don’t have any talent? You can’t just decide whether someone have talent or not!”

“That’s it! Those defiant eyes! No matter how much I bully you, you won’t acknowledge me! I can’t forgive you! Spear rain!”

“That’s a given! I can’t respect someone who bullied me! Rock Armor!”

Small spikes of water rained down directly above Erna. But before it hit her, the rock armor obscures her and it repels the spikes of water.

“Earth attribute!? It should have been only two attributes, fire and light!”

Erna escapes from her earthen armor and activates her magic, leaving Feria in shock. Then her outline faded and she disappeared.

“Camouflage!? Where did you go!?”

“Here!”

After appearing in front of Feria, Erna gave her an uppercut. If I had to name it, it would be Erna’s Heavenly Fist. Her fist hits Feria’s chin and she was hurled in the air.

“Not… Not yet…”

 Feria gets up unsteadily. Erna had a sad look on her face.

“Why are you so hung up on me? If you win, what good will Feria get from it?”

“That’s how the strong thinks you know. I want to win. It’s a shame to lose to a rival.”

“Rival?”

“I don’t think you know but, the Benesse family has long regarded the Frederia family as their rival. Since birth, I have been educated to win over the Duke’s family, and that the Benesse family will eventually take over. That’s why I can’t afford to lose to you.”

 A dense magical energy is released from Feria’s body. It stagnated around her body and converged on her wand at once.

“Original Magic, Storm Phoenix”

 A gigantic water ball appeared then it quickly changed its shape and became a large bird. The flapping of its wings creates a gust of wind that blows everything away. Erna remained motionless, staring at the spell.

“This is my highest magic! It’s the height of a master-level magic that you can’t reach! Come on, Phoenix! Defeat that stupid woman!”

The water phoenix soars high in the sky and flutters its wings towards Erna. The wind that swirled up fell on the target in the form of hundreds of blades.

“Cancer”

A thick wall that looks like solidified darkness appears from the ground without a sound, protecting Erna from the blades of the wind. Perhaps it was a mixture of dark magic and earth magic, but the wind dissipated without even scratching the walls.

In addition to that, Erna mutters as she refines her magic.

“Laser”

The beam of light emitted from the wand severed the phoenix in two, even burning Feria who is directly below it. Her skin is scorched and her beautiful hair are burned away causing a strange smell. Wrapped in a ball of fire, she writhes in agony on the ground as she let out a scream like scratching glass.

Erna extinguishes the fire with water magic and uses Aquarius Recovery towards Feria. In an instant, the burns disappeared and she returned to her original appearance.

“(Hiccup)… uwaaaaaa”

“I’m going to let it go this time, so don’t think about revenge anymore. It’s not all about the house. Feria should think for herself and live her own life.”

Erna spoke to Feria, who was crouching on the ground and crying. I guess she didn’t feel like killing Feria who is her classmate and is from the same village.

But that’s fine. If Erna thought of letting her go, it wasn’t my turn to interfere. Erna hugged Feria, who continued to cry.

“I-I’m sorry, (sniffle) I’m sorry! (sniffle) Actually, I am jealous of you! I wanted to be friends! But I can’t do that! I don’t know what to do!”

“That’s enough. I forgive you.”

Erna smiled brightly but Feria didn’t seem to be able to say anything. However, the expression on her face changed. I felt that it was as if something that possessed her had been destroyed. Their conflict has finally come to an end.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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