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Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou:Volume 10 Chapter 1

2016-03-19T08:27:00Z

Ragzzz: /* Part 2 */

==Chapter 1 – King Sailing Out==

===Part 1===

Everyone wanted to know about [Hayashizaki Kazuki]―.

Carrying a lofty mission inside their chest, a group of three people were lurking inside a forest. While being wrapped inside the chorus of the crickets and the grassy-smelling greens, they were squatting inside a thicket.

Their figures with their eyes sparkling fiercely even while avoiding people’s eye was endlessly close with that of criminals.

“Even if he is hiding inside the toilet, I’m not going to let even a hair of his ass escape and make the article for sure.”

A man wearing a worn out shirt and chino pants murmured with a low voice that sounded sticky.

His alias was <Turtle Oota>. He chased around people that were famous in society vindictively, if he didn’t see any smoke then he would fabricate the source himself, even people in the same profession called him [Information Pyromaniac] in dislike, he was a [scandal specialist journalist].

“The glimmer of my lens cross over the far away space and cut through an instant…”

Beside the Turtle, a man that was setting up an old fashioned film camera murmured.

This man’s alias was <Simo Heyhe Iijima>. With his telescope lens and magic reinforced eyesight he caught his target accurately from extraordinary distance, he then burned that perception sight into his {{furigana|Psychofilm|Magic Impression Heat Film}} like a sniper, he was a [peeping photo specialist cameraman]. <ref>Simo Hayha, a legendary Finnish marksman</ref>

“It’s in that direction see. I caught wind of information that says if Hayashizaki Kazuki is staying in that lodging house.”

The one who was pointing at the sea from between the trees and saying that to Turtle and Simo Heyhe was the woman that was the third person of the group.

The woman’s alias was <Anal Kirishima>. She retired from the Knight Order due to a mental injury from her battle against the Demon Beasts, besides using her experience for military analyst activity, she also sold the Knight Order’s secret information to the mass media and made a killing in profit, she was a [former knight with a lax mouth].

Journalist, cameraman, informant, the group of three were hiding their body inside the national forest that spread along the coastline. There was a cove ahead of the forest. It was a calm natural harbor without any wave.

Any kind of large-type ship surely could anchor there.

“A hidden cove in the forest that is forbidden to enter… it’s completely a [hidden harbor] isn’t it?”

Turtle murmured. Anal was “Right, it’s a hidden harbor” and nodded.

“When the knight order received people and material from a foreign country, they secretly used this cove. Even if there is no diplomacy, we are still rarely exchanging things with the outside. This is made a secret from the people by them.”

Anal once again leaked out an important secret of the Knight Order.

Talking about the recent happenings, the Einherjar―Beatrix and her team that came to Japan for the sake of temporary cooperation was also entering this country from this cove with the Knight Order’s guidance.

“But why does… Hayashizaki Kazuki that just became this country’s {{furigana|King|Basileus}} and his companions had come to this kind of place, I wonder.”

Kirishima narrowed her lip. Turtle’s thick lip warped in a grin and he laughed.

“Exposing those guys is our job here. Maybe it’s a secret meeting with an important person from abroad, perhaps even a secret transaction for suspicious things from abroad that came here. By chance it’s Hayashizaki Kazuki himself that is going to a foreign country?”

After Turtle said that out loud, “No way though…” he immediately denied it himself.

Ten-odd years had passed since Japan severed diplomatic relations with all foreign countries, for the Japanese people that lived in an island country, the place beyond the sea had naturally turned into something like an alternate world for them. It was an unimaginable place that was full of the unknown.

Stepping out into the unknown world―it was unthinkable for a person who had just become a King to brave that kind of danger. He didn’t really understand in truth just what was this existence called as King, but… they were big shots right?

What a human thought of the first thing when they rose to a seat of power was [their own self-preservation]. As a journalist, the [big shots] that Turtle had observed until now were all like that.

Turtle held hatred towards influential people. When he heard that a high school student, a young boy named Hayashizaki Kazuki obtained a seat of power, that hatred of his flamed up especially fierce.

He was going to put that guy in an article and make him into his own source of income, he couldn’t help but think that reflexively.

“Well, if he is really here then anything he does is fine. If it’s material about Hayashizaki Kazuki, then any kind of article will sell at a high price. And if that happened to be a scandal then that’s just the best. If we can just get his figure having an affair with a woman in a photo then…”

The facts that were understood about Hayashizaki Kazuki were few. At best there was the graduation album from his middle school period or the interview of his schoolmates of that time, the scoop the public got was just around that much. But something like that wouldn’t satisfy the curiosity of society. Everyone wanted to know more in regards to [Hayashizaki Kazuki].

Society sought stimulation, but the Knight Order was strictly protecting that young man’s privacy.

That incurred the anger of Turtle.

What <King>. This country is a Democratic Country. The people were exactly the King, wasn’t that it?

Things that the people wanted to know had to all be reported.

If they were trying to hide information, then that was evil. To expose that was a journalist’s justice.

A single small article would blaze up society. A single small article would throw down the fame of an influential person to the ground. To be able to achieve that was exactly the happiness of a journalist.

The public would surely snap at it just like Turtle… he would exaggerate even trivial thing into something grand… he would mislead… stir up society… he was going to cause a large blaze.

Oops, he must not become only too heated up, he also had to be vigilant of the surroundings calmly.

Turtle lowered his breathing and concentrated Enchant Aura into his ear to search for sounds. The danger detection ability that he cultivated from his long journalism activity. Even in the case that the Knight Order was putting up security, Turtle had the confidence to succeed in escaping before he was discovered.

“Can you see something even from here, Simo Heyhe? Something like a strange movement of human shadow or…”

“If I don’t get a little closer… No wait… that’s! That’s!?”

Simo Heyhe that was kneeling on the wet ground and peeking into his finder passionately, aimed his shutter with raging vigor.

“What, did you find something, Simo Heyhe!?” Turtle’s voice reflexively turned loud.

“You uncles, what are you all doing in this kind of place?”

―Suddenly a voice came from behind them.

The group of three had their hairs stand on end from shock while turning back.

A girl that looked like an outdoor type with her short-cut lively hair style was tilting her head with her eyes wide open.

“Si, since when!? There were no footsteps at all!”

“I don’t sound off any footsteps after all.”

No, not only her footstep. There was not a single sound coming from the girl. Even when Turtle fully strengthened his hearing with his magic power, whether it was her heartbeat, or her blood flow, even the creak of her bones or muscles were not audible.

The membrane of magic power that faintly covered the girl’s whole body was erasing all vibrations.

It was an advanced magic technique he had never even seen before.

It was exactly a modern ninja. But a long sword was holstered on the girls’ waist, he also had seen the uniform she was wearing before. This uniform was―the uniform of the Knight Academy’s Sword Division.

“Wh, why is a student, in this kind of place”

“That’s my line you know. Eerr… this place is a state-owned land where entry is forbidden. I am a student but I received a quest for the security of this place and I am given with the rights to apprehend or forcefully expel any suspicious person.”

The girl talked with an awkward way of speaking and took out her student identification from her skirt’s pocket. [Sword Division Second Year・Tsukahara Kazuha] was written there.

No matter how her atmosphere felt like she was not used to dealing with adults, but―she had no opening.

The girl’s stance was always prepared to draw out her katana anytime. If they tried to run they would immediately get cut down.

“Thi, this child, I’m sure she is the <King>’s close associate. You know, that [Chouki(Favored Princess)].”

Kirishima who was a military analyst was trembling. She had heard that right now in the Knight Academy there were special students. The King’s close associates, several people that were Chouki… It was a phrase that was not suitable for this democratic country.

“I, I’m not one of the Chouki. …Not yet.”

A bitterness ran through the expression of the girl named Kazuha for an instant.

“Not yet?”

The instant the three’s awareness reacted to Kazuha’s reply, all of a sudden Kazuha’s hand reached out smoothly. Her thin fingers entwined around the camera and took it from Simo Heyhe’s hands. “Ah” He leaked out a foolish voice.

It was a move that was like a wind that blew through the opening of the awareness. As if they were facing against a master of martial arts.

“Errr, so all of you are journalist? I’m confiscating the film.”

Kazuha’s expression relaxed when she understood that she was not facing dangerous opponents. She was a beautiful girl. But with a forceful manner she pulled away the film from the camera and crushed it in her grips.

So the elite cadet of the Knight Academy was this kind of monster.

“WHY-!” Turtle turned desperate and yelled.

“Why is the King concealing himself!? The people have the right to know!”

“That’s, because even the King has privacy.”

Kazuha huffily scowled. “He is also a normal student besides being a King you know?”

“This country is a democracy! We the people cannot just go along with this just because suddenly we are told that a young boy is a King! Everyone wants to know about the King! Being a spectacle like a panda is also included among the duty of someone like a King!!”

“…Even though Loki and his comrades might still conceal themselves in this country, there is no way we can just publicize his every single action like that don’t you think. Besides even if he is called the King, he already fights without asking for any reward already, asking him to be like a panda or whatever is just too much.”

The three snorted their nose ”fun” all at once. Whether Turtle, Simo Heyhe, or Kirishima, all of these three didn’t think of anything at all except for their own profit.

A King that continued to fight without asking anything back, such thing couldn’t possibly be true. Besides that kind of person wouldn’t become an interesting article. He undoubtedly had a hidden side. They came here fishing for that hidden side.

“Mentioning the King… there is the rumor that every holiday he was walking around the town with a different girl each time. If you are also a girl, what do you think about that kind of thing?”

Turtle inquired expecting a bitter reaction from a fastidious girl at that age.

If this girl was hiding even a little antipathy towards the King… he was going to pull that story out of her, stir her up, until she was ablaze with fury from his prided smooth-talking. And then if he could record that, he could turn it into an article just with that. Turtle shrewdly pressed the switch of the recorder he hid inside his pocket.

“Eh? That’s… i, isn’t that just fine? There is a circumstance that can’t be helped and all. Also… he faced all of them sincerely with all that he got, those of us around him properly understand that… even me, that…”

Kazuha looked down while her cheeks reddened with a puff, she defended the King while her body was fidgeting around.

“…As I thought, this child is the King’s Chouki. She is completely making a face of a maiden in love.”

“It’s no good, seems like she is not holding even a single speck of antipathy for the King.”

Kirishima and Turtle exchanged words with each other secretly with small voices.

Those voices were clearly captured by the ears of Kazuha that had been reinforced with magic.

“…I’ll cut and kick out all of you.”

Kazuha put her hand on her katana and a threatening tone entered her voice. The three panicked while saying “Wait, waiit!”

“What are you all doing since a while ago-! All of you have no intention at all to lend your ear except for the story that you want to hear! Writing with that kind of self-important behavior is just going to create a crazy article!! With what kind of feelings do you think Kazuki became the King in that snowy mountain…!!”

Right there, a footstep that parted through the grass and came closer could be heard.

“Tsukahara Kazuha. It’s going to be the guard shift soon. Go eat some breakfast, it’s the navy curry.”

“Eh, curry straight since the morning?” Kazuha looked back to the voice.

“Nn? Who are those guys?”

The one that appeared was a small statured girl that was wearing a similar Sword Division uniform. She had the cherubic face like a kitten with her hair tied into a ponytail that resembled a cat’s tail.

“Ah, Kanae-san. These people, they are gossip reporters that want to write bad articles about Kazuki.”

Kazuha talked with an expression of anger that she was unable to clear away.

“WHHAATT?” The cherubic face of the ponytail girl underwent a complete change into that of a Hannya.

Sharp sounds rang out from the mouths of the sheath that were at their waists.

“Let’s cut them down.” “I too think so.”

Both of them faced each other and nodded.

But that act became an opening for an instant. Turtle yelled “We are escaping!!” and pulled the hands of Simo Heyhe and Anal, then they dashed away at full speed.

“Oi, they escaped.”

“It’s fine even if we don’t purposefully chase them, that kind of people. It looks like they are unrelated to Loki.”

Even though violence seriously appealed to her but Kazuha felt a hesitation, she released a deep sigh while being disgusted.

―After running back until the entrance of the forest, Turtle and the others finally noticed that they were not pursued and stopped their feet.

But they already didn’t have the mood to enter the forest once more.

“Simo Heyhe, in the end what picture did you managed to take just now?”

“A ship.”

Simo Heyhe murmured with a tone as if he had even seen a ghost.

“…An extravagant and shiny ship like the [Titanic] at the movie a long time ago was peeking out from the gap between the trees. This is the first time I saw that kind of amazing ship.”

“Amazing ship…? Is it for the King…?”

Turtle who was supposedly a man who thought of nothing else other than his own profit was taken aback.

“The King… is he seriously going outside the country? Isn’t that something amazing?”

If this was really true, then it overturned the common sense. Due to the King that ignored the danger, the relationship between Japan and the foreign country―namely the [world] was going to shake and move on a grand scale, there was no mistaking it.

This was not a scandal or anything. But…

===Part 2===

The pure white ship that was floating on the secret cove was sparkling radiantly from being bathed in the morning sun of summer.

It was as if a holy woman was bathing in cold water in the spring inside a forest.

“What do you think, Hayashizaki-kun. This is what the Knight Order gambled their dignity to construct―[Solomon the 2nd].”

Kazuki and all the others were lining up on the wharf that was sticking out from the cove. Vice Chief Yamagata puffed out his chest proudly.

Kazuki and the others were staying at the small lodging house of the Knight Order that was hidden inside the forest.

Solomon the 2nd was constructed in a certain workshop and then it was transported here during the night into this cove. And then this morning, it was making its debut in front of Kazuki and the others who just woke up.

Kazuki and co. would traverse across the sea towards the mysterious continent―<America> with this ship.

Rather than feeling shocked, Kazuki felt astonished instead.

“Should I say it’s amazing… Or perhaps I should say that it’s fine even if you didn’t go this far…”

Looking at the really wide gap compared to the first [Solomon] that time when he was infiltrating the Ise Imperial Shrine, he reflexively lost his words.

This ship was truly an [extravagant passenger ship]. But Vice Chief Yamagata was from ''the generation where traveling abroad was still done'', a generation that Kazuki couldn’t even imagine.

With the people of the country becoming unable to travel overseas, the culture called a cruise travel also went through a decline.

The very concept of [extravagant passenger ship] itself―it already didn’t exist inside Kazuki and co.’s common sense.

They couldn’t see this ship with the total length of 100 meters and total mass of 10000 tons other than a gigantic monster of the sea.

It was just too overdone. In the first place, Kazuki had a sincere and healthy poor person mentality that was fine with anything as long as it had the minimum ability. He didn’t get what need there was to make the ship until this gigantic. To say nothing of why inside this gigantic ship there was a pool, a fitness room, a movie theater, a dance ballroom, a sushi shop, and a burger joint wholly installed, he didn’t get the meaning at all.

“Is there any meaning in all of these?” ―His frank impression was all expressed in that one sentence.

“After all, now is different than when you went to Ise, you have no need to escape or hide. And above all you are different than at that time, now you are the official [King] of the country. Moreover Arthur and the others that are honored visitors from another country are going together with you to America, there is no way we can make you all ride a poor looking ship.”

“So it’s concerning the honor of Japan.”

“I know you don’t really want to be extravagant or anything, but we want to have you who is the King of this country to ride the best ship there is. That’s how it is. This is service.”

“…I really can’t calm down at all.”

“Actually I’m also thinking of doing something about that student uniform but…”

Vice Chief Yamagata made a wry face at Kazuki’s outfit.

“There’s just no way, wearing something that looks really like a king is just too much. On the other hand, I’m not at the age of wearing suits, a student uniform is the proper attire for a student, don’t you agree?”

There was no summer or winter arrangement with the uniform of the Knight Academy, but Kazuki was matching the feel of the season and took off his jacket and turned out with his light shirt appearance. Because he was the only male in the Magic Division, his shirt that was an order-made was hand-sewn with smooth alchemic threads, a definite article of rare beauty even if it was worn out of shape.

But it was undeniable that its base design was really like a student.

But before he was a King he was a student first, Kazuki thought. It didn’t mean that he really liked to study, but he had the feeling that he wouldn’t become a respectable adult if he neglected his duty as a student too much.

Kanae came close to Kazuki’s side and pulled lightly at his sleeve.

“If it’s Nii-sama then you will be fine even if you are completely naked, you are the pride of Japan no matter where you go.”

“Don’t think that everyone in the world is a brocon like you, you idiot.”

“Fufu-, but Otouto-kun is a King of Magika Stigma. You should be at the top in exposure rate too.”

Kaguya-senpai hugged his back tightly. Her thin fingers moved swiftly and unfastened the buttons of his shirt in turn from the top. “Wa, wait senpai…”

“That’s right―! I too think so―!!”

Hikaru-senpai crouched and tackled Kazuki’s legs, she then tried to pull down his trousers.

“Senpai!? Hey, senpai!”

Kazuki held his shirt with both his hands and his knee was pushing back Hikaru-senpai’s face.

Kaguya-senpai was smiling while cheering “Eei pull~, eei pull~”, Hikaru-senpai too whose face was quite roughly kneed was happily laughing “Ahaha!”

“Certainly it’s unfair that it’s only us whose appearance has a high exposure rate. I too want to see Kazuki naked.”

With a passionate gaze, Koyuki was staring at Kazuki whose clothes were in a half opened state.

“Ye, yeah, Kazuki’s naked body… as expected the charm of a warrior dwells inside the physical beauty…”

Beatrix’s cheeks were slightly reddening. She who was an Einherjar(Norse Knight) of Germany was also here in order to go together to America as the representative of the cooperation set-up between Japan and Germany.

“You are just going to approve this? Wait, stop it, don’t look at me with those hungry eyes of a predator, don’t blush on your cheeks.”

Kazuki felt a terror that was like a fear of a prey in front of a predator while holding back and fixing his shirt.

“Something like getting naked is no good. I’m going to design a King’s clothes that will bring out Kazu-nii’s coolness into prominence!”

[[image:Magika No Kenshi To Shoukan Maou Vol.10 019.jpg|thumb]]

Even Mio came butting in. Her skill in sewing shamed even a professional but…

“I’m getting anxious that you will make something sparkling that strangely looks like shoujo manga style here…”

It felt like she would make him wear a shirt made from gold and silver thread attached full of frills. He wanted frills to be attached only to maids.

…Was it really that selfish to want to wear a normal male uniform just like this?

“Kazuki-oniisan, I want you to appear like [Muscle King Sugure] desu!”

“That’s a cosplay then. Isn’t that a King of a different world already.”

Although he said that but he really wanted to listen to Lotte’s request whatever it was for her. Kazuki took that character’s cool pose while yelling a cool line of the character, “Worthless punk is not needed here…!” The eyes of the otaku Lotte and Kamimura-san were shining, even Kazuha-senpai had a heart mark flying from her while saying “I don’t really understand the meaning of the sentence but maybe it looks cool…”

“I see…” The King of Britain, Arthur, nodded.

“Please wait, what are you understanding from that exchange just now?”

Kazuki became worried about the honor of Japan but Arthur was “Hahaha” laughing largeheartedly.

“Well, it’s just as Vice Chief Yamagata said. It seems in Japan modesty is included among the virtue, but a King also has the dignity that is demanded from a King. Your retainer will be self-aware as a retainer with your king-like behavior which in turn will make them offer their allegiance even more.”

Arthur looked up at the extravagant passenger ship and nodded in satisfaction.

“It’s a beautiful ship. Once there were also famous ships in my Britain that were called The Britannia and The Queen Elizabeth. After all, Britain is a similar island nation―an oceanic country like Japan.”

“Leme too is pleased with this ship! An idiotic name like Solomon the 2nd doesn’t suit this elegant ship! Just name it as the Queen Lemegeton!!”

Leme materialized beside Kazuki and hopped up and down even though her appearance was already an adult.

“Your character is just not fitting a queen’s character. Arthur-san, don’t you feel uncomfortable riding a ship that moves using an engine?”

Kazuki became slightly worried and sneaked a look at the true feeling of Arthur who looked largehearted.

This person was also accompanying them to America. Rather, this person was the one who proposed the idea in the first place.

“Of course I don’t like it. But you have your own culture, I’m the guest here. And then thinking from the view point of your culture, I can understand that this ship is something reasonable. Though if Queen Regina also comes with us, she will surely turn angry without doubt though.”

The Magic Advanced Countries other than Japan really put their faith in their Mythology. They possessed the creed that rejected science civilization.

But it seemed the degree of that rejection was different for each Mythology. Germany and Italia were really fierce in their rejection, but Arthur‘s Britain seemed comparatively lenient.

Surely the reason why Arthur was more friendly to Kazuki compared to the other Kings was also because of that.

―On the other hand, they had no idea what would happen in America where they were going to head to.

By any chance, perhaps they were worshiping a Mythology that was even stricter in this respect.

If they flew carelessly using an airplane to that kind of place, they might be shot down by magic.

Therefore this ship. Furthermore they were going to efficiently use engine to advance until halfway and when the land was near they would unfold the sail, this was a ship that adopted hybrid form that could also become a sailing ship.

“…An engine ship huh. I wonder if I’m better off swimming…”

Beatrix murmured with a real determination in her voice.

Kazuki caught the scruff of her neck forcefully.

“Don’t you separate from me for even a moment.” When he whispered that, Beatrix’s cheeks reddened with a puff once more.

“…I, if Kazuki said until that far then…”

“After all you are a dangerous character that I cannot take my eyes off carelessly.”

Beatrix fell down on top of the wharf in great shock. And then “Don’t you toy around with the pure heart of a war maiden!”, saying that she kicked and struggled while rolling over on the ground.

“Besides no matter how much you swim it’s impossible to cross the Pacific Ocean like that don’t you think? We are the ones who forcefully dragged you to go so you are not going against your faith at all.”

Civilization was the symbol of arrogance. But Kazuki was using cooperation as an excuse to forcefully make Beatrix board the ship, so it couldn’t be said that Beatrix was being arrogant. She was just a victim.

“This ship, was it constructed just in one week?” Kazuki turned back to Vice Chief Yamagata asking that.

They decided that they were going to America using a ship one week ago.

“No, this is a small-type passenger ship of the old era that is not used anymore now that we thoroughly repaired. After all there is no time. This ship is quite small to be called as extravagant.”

“Whaaat, so this is not its maiden voyage then.”

Roshouko butted in and chuckled ‘kishishi’. The leader of the anti-China resistance organization <Ryouzanpaku>, Roshouko too was also going together with them to America by Kazuki’s ''order''. She turned to Leme.

“Queen Lemegeton, it’s old y’know. Yaa―ii, old, old.”

“Gu, gunu―! What a humiliation to call a woman old!! As I thought this ship is just Solomon the 2nd!!”

Leme kicked and struggled vexedly and stamped her foot in frustration.

Beside her Beatrix was still rolling around kicking and struggling on the wharf.

Even though these girls had the appearance of beautiful lady…

One more person, Silirat who was the combat specialist of Ryouzanpaku’s leadership was also going with them. The girl with features that looked like a boy, Silirat was “Awesome shipp―!” Her eyes were honestly turning round in admiration.

'''BOOOOOOOOOOOOO-''' The steam whistle was sounding. With consideration so it wouldn’t be audible outside, its reverberation was low-key. The steam whistle made them feel the beginning of the journey.

“Yosh, the time for sailing out has come! Now, please get on aboard!! And then sweep away the darkness of the enigmatic America!!”

Vice Chief Yamagata yelled in great mood. He was a honest uncle.

The door in the flank of the pure white ship opened, from there a ramp was coming down to the wharf.

With that stair, Kazuki and the others went up with a certain stride.

“Please take care of Japan!” He looked back for the last time.

Vice Chief Yamagata was not going together with them. Just like that he saw off Kazuki and co. from the wharf.

Another person was taking the duty as the [ship captain] and that person had already been waiting for Kazuki and co. inside the ship.

The spacious and wide corridors inside the ship looked completely like a high grade hotel.

“ “Awesome―!!” “ Karin and Silirat let out their voices together and ran around like kids.

They really couldn’t think that currently they were inside an engine vehicle, it made them doubt whether they were really floating on top of the sea.

A red carpet was spread out at their feet, the mahogany wall and ceiling emitted a mature gloss, handrails of marble metal with gold blended into it were continuing ahead.

It was an overwhelming splendor but―at the same time it was also a decoration he had seen somewhere before.

“This, isn’t this ship renovated based on the image of the Witch’s Mansion-!?”

Kaguya-senpai immediately noticed and raised an excited voice. Kazuki too was thinking of completely the same thing.

Surely this was the tasteful discretion of Vice Chief Yamagata.

“Then this ship is Queen Kaguya isn’t it? Talking about the Witch’s Mansion means Kaguya-senpai after all.”

“Queen… but the King is Otouto-kun. I’m not the queen though.”

“The word Queen doesn’t only mean a female ruler of the country, it can also be used to refer to the King’s empress so it’s fine. The word queen by no means is referring to someone that is aiming for the throne.”

When Arthur pointed out, Kaguya-senpai’s expression brightened “That’s it!” and she hugged at Kazuki’s neck. “Queen Kaguya! Otouto-kun… ehehe, I’m Kazuki-kun’s wife-♪”

Kaguya-senpai was a person that had acted a lot like a big sister as a senior student council president, but she was hiding a feeling of wanting to rely on someone and getting spoiled.

Kazuki stroked gently the head of Kaguya-senpai as if treating his little sister. He had become able to do that even more naturally compared from before. Kaguya-senpai narrowed her eyes and moaned “nn~” pleasantly.

Kaguya-senpai stared at Kazuki ecstatically. Her expression told him her desire to kiss. A charming soft and full lips. For the sake of preserving the level 10 magic that could be used just once from kissing… Kazuki had never kissed Kaguya-senpai with whom he felt a bond this deep. Kazuki had never kissed with her. He really wanted to do it.

“Now that I remember, America where we are going is perhaps using English language right? Arthur-san, can you teach us English during the voyage?”

The Knight Academy―not only there but the school education of this generation’s Japanese had few classes about foreign language.

Because they lost diplomatic relations, the classes about that area decreased little by little.

Having said that, now that he thought back, not to mention the Kings that were Arthur and Regina, even Roshouko and Beatrix were really fluent in Japanese that made him feel the difference in their international awareness.

He was told that Lotte learned the Japanese language in three days using the power of Telepathy. Even though that was a prodigious act, it was possible for Kazuki and co. too to learn the fundamental speaking ability during this long voyage.

“That’s fine. Before I came to Japan I too was cramming Japanese language, but it was very useful when Mr. Yamagata became my conversation partner in practice. Putting language study into practice is the best way to learn.”

“Thank you very much. We can also spend the voyage without boredom.”

Leading his companions in groups, Kazuki headed to the bridge where the ship captain was waiting.

Even if this usual extravagant passenger ship had extravagant rooms, the inside that had never been visited by guests anymore would become coarse. But this ship, for the sake of welcoming the [King], there was no oversight at all from one end to another end. Even until the vicinity of the engine part, even until the parts that were only trivial, all of it maintained a perfect exquisiteness.

So to speak this ship was a lady so beautiful even until its intestine.

Hikaru-senpai laughed “Ahaha-“ looking like she had thought of something interesting.

“Even though Kaguya is black-hearted, but this Queen Kaguya is beautiful even on the inside eh.”

“I, I’m not black-hearted you know!?”

“Even though Kaguya fell constipated, but Queen Kaguya is clean even until inside its stomach eh.”

“My bowel movement is not that bad!!” Kaguya-senpai swung around her hands in anger.

It was hard for Kazuki to comment on that so he only moved forward while smiling wryly.

Cabins and lounge where they could watch outside were gathered at the front area that had the most beautiful scenery, there were various amusement facilities in the middle part, and the back part was filled with practical facilities that were essential for the ship to move like the engine room.

At the top level of that practical facilities, there was the bridge where they could look over everything. Advanced computers and GPS were loaded there, it was the brain where the control of all the equipment inside the ship was performed.

They ascended to the highest floor with a low volume elevator.

When the elevator door opened, the atmosphere of the top level was different with the sight until now.

This floor was not for the sake of making people feel welcomed, it was a space for the sake of designing and implementing strategy. Extravagant ornaments kept a low profile and stylish sense of cleanliness was pushed out to the forefront. The wallpaper was pure white and there was no more carpet under their feet making their footsteps reverberate with hardness.

“Even though Kaguya’s head is full with perverted things, but Queen Kaguya’s brain is…”

“That’s enough already!”

“As I thought this ship is not suitable with Kaguya so let’s name this ship Prince… no, Princess Hikaru.”

“You are secretly jealous!? No way, just no way, this ship is Queen Kaguya―!!”

Kaguya-senpai and Hikaru-senpai began to quarrel when they reached the top floor.

“Both of you, please stop your fight.” Kazuki finally mediated between the two.

“Besides it would be better without all this gorgeousness and make it more like a tough warship.”

“If it is that kind of ship, then what kind of name should we give it?” Mio asked.

“Shouldn’t it be Barbarian Beatrix then.” Kazuki gave an unserious rude reply.

“Calling it barbarian… that makes me blush.” Beatrix’s cheeks reddened with a puff.

“That’s the name of other country’s people you know!? No wait, you are blushing from that!?” Kaguya-senpai retorted.

“As I thought let’s just call it Pretty Sister Kanae from now on!”

“No, this ship should be called Forever Love Mio-Mio!”

As for Koyuki, “It’s not like I want my name to be included in this ship’s name or anything but… but this ship’s exterior is white isn’t it? Talking about white then it’s me isn’t it?” like that she kept glancing at Kazuki. Kohaku went “Even thought this is exactly the time where this one have to say some cool name and stood out but this one cannot think of anything…!”, she was holding her head. Behind her was Lotte and Kamimura-san holding hands happily singing the theme song of some old anime about the sea.

“Everyone don’t just say anything as you please.” Kazuki made a troubled face from being unable to put the situation in order.

“All of you are really getting along well, it’s so interesting.” Arthur looked fondly at them while smiling.

“Geez! It’s decided already that this ship is Queen Kaguya!”

While Kaguya-senpai was declaring so, they finally arrived at the bridge and pushed open the door.

A whole surface of ocean blue spread out in their field of vision.

Large reinforced acrylic panel was laid out around the bridge that was located in the highest place of the ship so that they could look over the surrounding 360°, it was to the degree that they even hallucinated of almost getting hit by the wind.

From the flowing panorama, it made them feel the moving of the ship―heading toward America.

“Welcome, Kazuki.” The person waiting for them in the bridge―the captain of this ship called out to him.

“No, I wonder if it’s too impolite to call the King without honorific?”

“Akane-senpai!”

With various sailing gauges behind her, Akane-senpai was standing with an intellectual smile on her face.

She was not wearing the uniform of the Knight Order, but an invigorating white sailor uniform.

It was an outfit that wanted to impress the style of the navy, but it was complemented with a cute miniskirt.

“Also Kanon-senpai too.”

Beside Akane-senpai was a sulking Kanon-senpai that was sitting on the floor grasping her knees.

“By any chance is this ship’s captain… one of you?”

“Fufufu-, we have learned all the knowledge and skill necessary to become a navigation officer in just this past week.”

When he looked carefully at Akane-senpai, her eyes had faint black circles around them from lack of sleep. She looked like she had been losing weight too, but the sense of fulfillment of a hard-worker was also mixed in her tone of voice.

Kazuki didn’t understand how great of exploits was that but just from watching the monitor and gauges variation lining up the bridge, he could imagine that what she had done was not so simple a thing.

But certainly for the sake of the sailing this time there was a need for someone to do that job.

“In the operation this time there was an indispensable need for an ocean specialist. But on top of going to an unknown country, we cannot bring anyone weak that will only be a hindrance. There was no one among the knights in active duty that was convenient like that. That’s why an order to ''become that'' came to me and Kanon.”

When Akane-senpai said that, Kanon-senpai who was sitting still on the floor yelled “Who can do something like that, idiott―!”

“Kanon could only finish half the course, that’s why I became the ship captain, and Kanon is the slave.”

The faces of everyone of the Witch’s Mansion were shaken from shock. The power relation dynamic of the two who were once president and vice president had been completely overturned.

“Kanon has to be absolutely obedient to the order of me and Kazuki in this ship, so if there is anything troubling you just give any order you like to her.”

“Gugii―! I am a third year here―! I’m the true super ultra student council president that is the most important in the Witch’s Mansion you know―! Why to a first year I have to―!”

“What are you saying to the King. Watch your words carefully, you are just a mere slave here.”

Akane-senpai stepped her foot on the back of Kanon-senpai who lost her temper. …She stepped on Kanon-senpai!

“Akane-senpai is so cool!”

Hikaru-senpai’s eyes shined. Both of them had the close relation as the present vice-president and the former vice-president.

“If it’s Akane-senpai it makes me want to get stepped on a little… it really makes you think like that right, Kazuki!”

“Eh, I didn’t think that, what’s with that?”

“I too want to step on Kaguya like that!” She said that with her eyes shining in sparkles.

The latent thing Hikaru-senpai hid inside her really cannot be measured huh, Kazuki thought.

“…Next, Roshouko-san, I heard that you too have the knowledge about sailing technique.”

Akane-senpai called out to Shouko that was following along in the back.

“Nn? Well, Ryouzanpaku is constantly moving between small islands using ship after all. But even though I have the knowledge as a sailor, I don’t know at all about the way to use machines like this yeah.”

“That’s fine. Charlotte, you are half-assimilated with Prometheus, so you also understand how to control this ship don’t you?”

“Yes.” Lotte nodded obediently. “The wise man Prometheus that granted civilization can handle anything that is a machine all with his instinct. Though I don’t understand about sea or weather desu…”

“In other words if both Shouko-san and Lotte combined their strength they can become a full fledged sailor.”

When Akane-senpai said that, Lotte made a smiling face like a sunflower and rushed close to Shouko.

“Shouko-oneesan, please take care of me desu!”

“O-, what’s with you, what a cute girl huh.”

Shouko hugged Lotte’s neck roughly and stroked her head grindingly. Lotte went “Please don’t grind my head~” while laughing.

Shouko was a dangerous character whom he didn’t know what she was actually thinking inside.

…He had asked Lotte before whether she could sense Shouko’s state of mind with Telepathy. However the security of the heart of Shouko and Arthur were constantly solid, Lotte was mostly unable to sense their mind.

When someone became the top class human of another country, surely they would need to accumulate such training.

“I, Kanon, then Shouko & Charlotte will control the ship alternately in 8 hour shifts on the voyage from now on. Even though it’s called controlling the ship but most of it is done by the computer, however a human watching over it is still needed. I’ll also have everyone except Kazuki to form a duty chart and help on various works inside the ship, okay?”

Everyone replied “Yes!” all at once.

“…How about me?”

“You are the King, so just relax dignifiedly.”

Everything in front of Kazuki turned dark.

“…Don’t do any work… is that what senpai is saying…!?”

Even though he was not even tired, he was told something like don’t do any work. How could such a thing be possible?

“Senpai, that sailor uniform, is there more for our share too!? That sailor uniform is cute!”

Mio who liked western clothes immediately had her eyes brightened.

“Of course. So that we can differentiate between who are in duty and who are off duty, I’ll have everyone else wear sailor uniform too while they are working in the ship.”

“Akane-senpai, is there no sailor uniform for me…?” Kazuki said that imploringly.

“Originally sailor uniform is an outfit that a man can wear too, but here I didn’t prepare anything else other than the skirt-type for girl use.”

“Can you let me work too if I wear that…”

“…That’s disgusting you know.”

When Akane-senpai answered so with an expression that was holding back her laugh, Kazuki hung his head down powerlessly.

“By the way… you have got to decide the ship’s name now. What are you going to name this ship?”

Akane-senpai asked Kazuki the owner.

“It’s Cool Beauty Akane.” Kazuki who was ruled by despair carelessly said that.

“…Eh? Wha, what are you saying.”

“Otouto-kun-!” Kaguya-senpai shook his shoulders with a desperate face.

“I’m sorry, that’s a joke. Captain Akane, the name is Queen Kaguya please.”

“I, I got it. Like this it’s a strange name isn’t it… why is it featured Kaguya?”

“Please don’t say that it’s strange!” Kaguya-senpai said in a huff.

“…Well then once again, Queen Kaguya, leaving port!!”

Along with Akane-senpai’s declaration, the steam whistle rang out once more.

It announced their separation with Vice Chief Yamagata who was seeing them off from the wharf.

The speed of the ship increased and the scenery outside the window sped off.

Suddenly a goose flesh sensation welled up inside Kazuki and he rushed to the back window of the bridge.

The land was rapidly becoming farther. Already he couldn’t even make out the figure of the person that was standing on the wharf.

Japan was gradually becoming distant. He went away from Japan―just from that he was driven by an unknown feeling of loss and drifting feeling as if he was becoming someone that was not him.

Ten-odd years since Japan lost the diplomatic relations with foreign countries. Kazuki was raised until now with his roots firmly planted in the land called Japan without being particularly aware of the existence called a foreign country.

That everything was overturned…

He finally embarked to a [foreign country] where everything was unknown―

According to Arthur, the founder of magic that was the alchemist Basileus Basilleon left behind these words―[When all the Kings truly are present, the battlefield of the Kings will rise from the bottom of the sea].

Arthur thought that Kazuki was the last King and came to Japan, but, even with Kazuki becoming a true King, there was no unusual phenomenon that happened anywhere in the world.

Then it was the unknown continent [America] that was separated from east and west with Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean and had cut off all relation with other Magic Advanced Countries. In that land that was without a doubt a Magic Advanced Country, A King still hadn’t been born.

Right now the balance of the world was in the middle of breaking down. Loki who had his stronghold in Japan and performing guerilla war was lending his hand to China who selfishly wanted to invade Japan, and then Russia was added into that alliance.

In order to oppose China・Loki・Russia, Japan needed an ally.

Kazuki had to pull the King of America that was going to be newly born to his side.

Kazuki had to prevent Loki from pulling even the King of America to his side.

This was a journey for the sake of that.

===Part 3===

Loki didn’t think that he had failed.

But for the person in front of his eyes that was a betrayal.

Because of that he had to be cautious in his behavior.

“Oh mann, what a failure this is! Even though our side had collected two Sacred Treasures, who will ever think that we are the ones that lost eh! Even though Ikousai too had also completely mastered using Susanoo’s power flawlessly at that! This is a conclusion that even the god-sama cannot predict yeah!”

For the time being Loki would laugh hard while saying that and took a peek at the other party’s reaction.

“Fufufu…” Fu Zi also laughed.

The imperial capital of Chukadou, Beijing. They were in the magnificent palace of that city, <Shibi Palace>.

Loki was invited inside the extremely luxurious private room of the emperor.

“Fuhahahaha! Tis’ no problem at all, my friend! Our heart is not that small to lose our composure just from a failure of that degree! After all our heart is the heart of China!! Fuhaa―hhahahaha!!”

'''Pishi-'''…a crack entered the pure white make up of her imperial face. The excessively thick make up was split from laughing too much. The jewels and ornaments with weight several times her own body weight that decorated her whole body rang out clinking sounds '''jaran jaran'''.

If according to Loki’s aesthetic sense that saw through all of that addition, Fu Zi who had just welcomed her age of fifteen was a natural beauty even without relying on all of that makeup and jewelry. But the Emperor of Chukadou was the ultimate star that shined bright in the center of the world. Her beauty had to transcend ultimately above human’s comprehension.

And as the result of aiming at the beauty that surpassed the ultimate, the heavy makeup conducted on her imperial face was already a mask. What was attached on her body was not clothes but armor made from precious stones―no, she was a robot made from gems. The gems were arranged geometrically in accordance with the rule of divination, it could even be seen like a mandala.

Fu Zi was not a beautiful girl―her appearance was an abstract painting.

The culture of China is just incredible… Loki who was facing her thought so.

But, however―at the same time Fu Zi was also a compassionate human.

“Fuhahahah―! Gefu-! Gofun!!” Fu Zi laughed too much and choked.

“Euuu-!” Letting such hoarse voice escaped, glob of tears appeared on her eyes. She couldn’t wipe her tear or anything with her sleeves that were covered with gems, so the tears were evaporated using Pyrokinesis. For a while she leaked out painful breath of “Hi―, hi―” and then Fu Zi recovered her calmness.

“However… Loki…”

Fu Zi slowly raised her imperial face. When the smile vanished from that expression, the crack that entered the make up was naturally mending. Throughout that beautiful face that was all like a sculpted model, only the glint of her eyes were like a flame.

“…We feel a slight tedium… We won’t act narrow-mindedly like asking responsibility from you but… because of your failure now the [invasion] is far away…”

“I guess so. If we interfere even more forcefully than this, Britain and Italy will seriously come attacking. The real point will be how Germany who is acting like a third party will act then.”

―’After that was America perhaps.’ Loki added inside his heart, now that he was mentioning about important point.

“…How sluggish it is to peek at the movement of the third party or the like. Look…”

Fu Zi dignifiedly raised both her hands and thrust them in front of Loki. Small palms like maple leave peeked out from the opening of the sleeves that were sewed through with jewelries. Those palms were trembling over and over as if being poisoned by something.

“The <Dragon of Heaven’s Decree> that is residing inside us is rampaging inside… Also, our head hurts. Our skull is pressured creakingly by powerful impulse… Swallow up new land he say… rule over new people he say…”

The light that dwell inside those eyes, if Loki had to be the one to express it then he could only call it as madness.

<Dragon of Heaven’s Decree>―the Diva that the girl was contracted with was that kind of being.

It was not a god or a devil. ''It was an existence that originally shouldn’t exist inside the Taoism Mythology''.

Fu Zi when she was driven by her impulse was… dangerous.

It even made him think whether her mind that had been strained until the limit was going to pop with a snap exactly now.

Loki changed the topic of their conversation.

“But there is also a thing that we obtained see. Rather what we got was perhaps even greater. We was able to make an unshakable relationship of cooperation with Russia.”

“Is that so? …But our friend Loki, our tediousness, our headache, its unbearable.”

“Ha?”

“If you say that Ilyailiya is cooperating with us―call Ilyailiya here. It would be best for us to deal with her here and liberate Russia. That’s the best cooperation she can give. For the current us.” <ref>The us here doesn’t refer to Fu Zi and Loki, but the us here is the royal way for the emperor to refer to herself alone</ref>

“Wha… what are you saying!?”

Deal with her―kill her. Loki panicked from this reason that had transcended the dimension of a mere quick temper.

“You are saying that anywhere is fine, that you want to rule, so you are going to just kill the guy that became your ally! You do that and on top of losing Russia, after that Britain, Italia, Japan, three countries are going to attack you all at once!! Even if I can take on Japan, your load is just gonna be too heavy taking on the remaining two kings, have you ever thought of that!!?”

“You are making a single mistake in your thinking.”

Fu Zi waved one of her trembling hand. Her voice was also trembling.

“You keep making balanced calculation by considering that factors like Advanced Countries or Kings whatever in equal measures―but those factors are not equal. We… just taking on two Kings of Britain and Italia as opponents simultaneously at most, there is no way we will be the one that fall behind.”

She was going to show that she could take on Arthur and Regina simultaneously. Fu Zi was saying such things with a trembling voice.

‘That’s just a big talk’, Loki was unable to laugh it off like that.

The battle ability between Kings was not equal. The power of each Mythology was not equal.

“Watch, my figure.”

As if an overflowing power that couldn’t be held back, Fu Zi’s whole body was emitting radiant light.

The thick makeup, the countless jewels, all were reduced by the magic power. Inside the light only for an instant Fu Zi returned to her original human appearance―at once <the emperor’s Magic Dress> was formed on that body.

White skin was exposed. Even while exposing feminine beauty, both her arms that were the symbol of [strength] were covered by violet dragon scale like amethyst, horn and claws were elongating out ominously from her head and fingertips. On the other hand her chest and waist that should be hidden as an aristocrat were covered by golden garment, on her back a [halo] was shining.

Violet and yellow were once colors that were restricted by China’s royal family. …A human dragon clad in restricted color….

In order to let Loki know of that power , Fu Zi showed her transformation into her battle mode.

“So this is the Magic Dress of the <Dragon of Heaven’s Decree>… even I who am a god is overwhelmed. This is certainly a [gravity].”

Chinese Tao’s chief god <Dragon of Heaven’s Decree>―that was certainly too different in nature compared to other Divas. One factor that made Loki want to get closer to China was also because he wanted to confirm that peculiarity from up close.

China’s abyssal history―4000 years. The current population of Chukadou―was actually 1.8 billion people.

What was called as Mythology was the crystallization of the thought the people who lived in that sphere of civilization had stored. At present the people of China with the number that reached 1.8 billion human had continuously stored for 4000 years until now a colossal volume of prayer―the Sinocentrism.

Even while believing that China was exactly the center of the world, the people was constantly tormented by the reality of starvation and wars. Inside that cruel reality, the people excessively and earnestly prayed, that someday the possessor of heaven’s decree would appear in this land, build the ideal China, and brought about the ultimate equality and peace.

That torrent of prayer―turned into a savage dragon. Not a god and not even a devil, a single dragon.

This dragon completely swallowed Taoism Mythology as the superior fantasy―that was how Loki interpreted it. It was different with a normal Mythology. Compared to a normal Mythology―it was in a different league. Powerful. It was not a weak truth.

“Our suffering is the prayer of the people… there is no possible way this power will fall behind against the likes of Mythology…”

A trembling voice―however it was not a weakly trembling voice. Rather it was a voice that was trembling from the inability to hold back the overflowing power. It was by no means a big talk. Certainly the <Reborn Emperor> Fu Zi was shouldering the volume of desire that could possibly utterly defeat both Arthur and Regina at the same time.

But Fu Zi who was shouldering the Sinocentrism itself in that small body was constantly tormented by Sinocentrism desire of invasion. If the girl didn’t continuously invade, the dragon inside her would rampage madly and corner her mind into the edge of madness.

Loki utterly scorned the too powerful strength that couldn’t be restrained.

“We ain’t gonna understand how the relation between Japan and Germany is going to roll from now on. After all the Einherjar had completely acted rashly like assaulting the comrades of Hayashizaki Kazuki in Fuji’s sea of trees. But between Russia and Germany there is no obligation or resentment, a flat relationship. If you attacked Russia, then there is the possibility of Germany being added to the list of your enemy as the sanctions of that. You are gonna turn the whole world as your enemy.”

Suddenly, Fu Zi released a part of the power and recovered her composure.

“…Certainly putting Russia under our rule immediately is an imprudence. Then… if Russia had become our ally, it’s better to quickly attack Japan. It’s no matter even if Britain and Italia turn into our enemy, we don’t need any just cause or anything. This way of thinking is just natural isn’t it?”

“Don’t you say something of such small caliber.”

“…Are you saying that we are narrow-minded.”

“Even if you are not small but you don’t have any strong patience.”

“We are just loathing an unnecessary patience.”

A furrow of violent emotion appeared on Fu Zi’s forehead. Her eyes were blazing. But Fu Zi didn’t show short temper against Loki. She was going to listen to Loki’s story until the end. After all it was something that a person with large caliber would do.

She was just a mere girl overstretching herself.

“I’m saying that it’s just idiotic for someone so powerful like you to make a bet where the worst case is possible. Picking a fight ‘Come on, I dare you’ at Japan, Britain, and Italia where they might be waiting for you with all sorts of preparation, no matter how you gonna think about it, it just ain’t smart. Even if it’s you, the worst case always exists.”

“There is no such thing as the worst case. …No.”

Even while Fu Zi was denying it with her anger exposed, she immediately reconsidered.

“Certainly it’s undeniable that we don’t understand well about Arthur, Regina, or Japan’s new King. There is no doubt of the result if we are compared against a known opponent, but it’s just as you said, that [there is something unknown] means that [the worst case exists].”

“The time to attack is when you have composure while you can sense your opponent’s movement. Whether the opponent is really waiting for us with all sorts of preparation, or perhaps he is doing something else… Perhaps they are even going to America right now.”

Even Loki didn’t know about that continent’s current condition. Knowing about that place through Kazuki was also interesting.

“Mu? In the case that he is being absent than isn’t it easy to capture the country instead? Let’s go.”

“That’s why I said that it’s not certain whether that guy is really away or not. Regina returned to her country and it seemed that she opened a meaningless grand parade. On the other hand we don’t know what the hell Japan and Britain’s Kings are doing right now. We also don’t know what kind of attitude Germany is gonna take against Japan. That’s why I told you to first investigate it for the time being. After doing that we can do anything without any trouble waiting for us right?”

“There should be the former Yamato’s spies still hiding in Japan shouldn’t it? Something like what kind of action the King is currently taking should be easily known.”

“Because of the current progress those spies are in the middle of being purged, there is still some that survived but they are completely on high alert there. They cannot move. ''Those like the press want to know about the King, if they published a scoop about what is the King doing right now then that would be great, so we are right now waiting for them to do our job for us''.”

Loki laughed jokingly.

“We see… if there is only that information then we can immediately attack them but…”

‘I don’t wanna have the situation become like that for now though’, Loki thought. He would also be troubled if China won overwhelmingly.

‘Don’t you guys dare to leak the information easily’, Loki prayed to the government of Japan.

“Well, those guys are also not as naïve as we thought. They are hiding their movement carefully. I thought because that country is full of peace idiots that they will even expose more about Hayashizaki Kazuki in a variety show or something y’know.”

“The King is the country’s greatest battle power. Surely the people are immensely curious about the new King, but if the King become a spectacle following the demand then it’s the same as leaking out their most important military secret. It was also a path that we once went through. We thought that Japan is still an inexperienced country, but it seems they are able to understand the importance of a King.”

Fu Zi nodded. As long as she was not driven by her madness then she was a wise girl in the first place.

“Understood. First we should grasp the movement of Japan’s new King and Arthur Basileus, isn’t that right?”

Loki nodded back, “Also, Germany’s movement too.”

In the first place Loki wanted time. Loki’s Einherjar was the weakest force among this whirlpool of power. They had obtained China and Russia as allies where they finally could steadily advance the materialization of their comrades that were Chaos Side’s Divas. Now they were in the middle of doing that.

Even so if they were going to attack, then rather than targeting Japan that had Hayashizaki Kazuki, it was more convenient to target Britain. That place was the center of magic civilization. The legacy of Basileus Basilleon was there. In other words there was the secret of the world that even Loki didn’t know there. If he could make China attack Britain and received that legacy secretly from the sideline without being discovered….

Would he be able to control however much great power in front of his eyes and moved to his own convenience then…

She was driven by madness therefore this should be simple.

By nature Fu Zi was a young wise girl therefore it was simple.

The trembling of Fu Zi’s fingers stopped―the girl’s power of will halted.

“We clearly understand the advice of you who are a friend. We are going to reflect on our imprudence that tried to walk an easy path from yielding to our internal pain. Tis’ no problem.”

“So it becomes no problem, that’s good then.”

“We like you and Kaya.”

Suddenly, Fu Zi’s expression burst open in wide grin that suited a girl her age.

While Loki was taken aback by that frank way of talking―he pitied the weight of the thing this girl shouldered.

The 4000 years fervent prayer of 1.8 billion people. When it was turned over, it was the resentment of the people toward China’s successive generations of dynasties―to the powerful people. It was only natural that the power of resentment had an aspect that brought about madness as a curse. On both shoulders of the wise girl that was still young, all of that weight was burdening her. A colossal volume…

“Kaya too said that she likes Hiroko-chan yeah.”

“Fufu… fuhaa―hhahha! Tis’ no matter!!”

Being called by her nickname Hiroko-chan, Fu Zi puffed her chest with that small body and laughed delightfully.

“Thinking back… I think I have never heard about your political philosophy. If you obtain the world in your hand, what will you who are carrying the will of the Dragon of Heaven’s Decree bring about to this world?”

“Hmm!” Fu Zi replied brightly as if she was going to reveal a valued treasure.

“Our wish is for the people’s peace. Our prayer is for the people’s equality. For all the people to be in our hands, to make all the people―into [crimson nopperabou].” <ref>Nopperabou is a mythical being with flat featureless face</ref>

===Part 4===

When Akane-senpai operated the control panel, a large table of marble gradually rose from the floor of the bridge. The bridge was transformed into a meeting room that was balanced with the feeling of liberation of the blue ocean.

Kazuki and co. encircled that round table and began the briefing.

“Regarding the voyage… even though I called it that but the majority of the distance we advance will be managed by the computer. We anticipated that when we get closer to America the GPS will be unusable, but until that point there will be no problem to confirm our position with GPS, we can still get in contact and coordinate with the home country.”

Kazuki thought “Eh?”

“We cannot use GPS when we get closer to America?”

“It’s not just limited to GPS, we also cannot take satellite pictures. All the action to find out about a foreign country using the power of technology is blocked by magic power. …You have never seen such thing in practice have you? Like the situation of a Magic Advanced Country’s city’s photograph taken using a satellite picture.”

Now that she mentioned it he had never seen it. He didn’t notice when he was not told like this, but now that she said it that was a picture that he really wanted to see. Arthur shrugged his shoulders.

“If that kind of thing is taken from the space and Japan is constantly monitoring other countries like that, the other Magic Advanced Countries will quickly declare war on Japan.”

Certainly. This was why America was said as mysterious.

“Even if we photograph a satellite picture, we won’t be able to differentiate anything other than a blur of blue magic power light. This blur of magic power light was named as [magic power cloud]. Its source is not really clear. Some people say that perhaps it’s a magic that is unconsciously manifested by the ‘exclusion against foreign countries’ mentality of the people that lives in that country. Unconsciously… or rather, perhaps I should call it… group latency consciousness.”

Magic that was exerted unconsciously or group latency consciousness―certainly he had heard before that there was that kind of thing.

Something like, because of the strong feeling of man and woman, the magic phenomenon that was unconsciously invoked made it hard to avoid pregnancy.

“Most likely the magic power cloud obstructs the GPS signal. No matter where, all kind of waves are blocked. Maybe they had confirmed the existence of satellite photos, so the cloud is put in the sky, or so we thought, but even the access through the undersea cable that connected the mainland Japan with overseas is also repelled away. Though this is only if the other country still hasn’t thoroughly destroyed the facility there.”

“We haven’t.” Arthur shook his head. “That kind of facility is still remaining in our Britain and the other Mythology countries too. After all it’s not like the instant we became a Mythology country we immediately abolished and destroyed all civilization leaving nothing behind.”

“Yes, Germany and the surrounding vassal states are also like that desu. The abolition of civilization was progressed little by little. It’s by no means that everything had already been completely abolished.”

“Now that you mentioned it, Lotte was watching Japanese anime from your sickbed right, using a DVD player.”

When he said that from recalling the information, Lotte nodded “Yes desu”.

Germany was abolishing the civilization even fiercer than Britain. Even so that Lotte could hide a DVD player in her possession where she could still use it, that meant that science civilization was still surviving there.

“The act of trying to know about other countries using the power of technology is repelled away. That’s why the countries of the world are so mysterious then.” Kazuki was convinced.

“Lessons regarding the magic power cloud is given in the second year. It’s not unreasonable that you didn’t know about it. After all, the Knight Academy gives the maximum priority of training the students until they reach the level of strength where they could participate in quests.” Liz Liza-sensei added.

“Right, we the second years knew about it. But it is really strange don’t you agree?”

Kaguya-senpai knitted her eyebrows.

“Despite it being a school that should be teaching us the right way to use power, anyway first they taught the way to use power right from the beginning and the knowledge only came later…”

“Situations where reality cannot catch up with ideals often happen.”

Arthur said a philosophic view from his position as a statesman in reality.

“Japan’s government is really able. They are very interesting. With how our country turned into a Mythology country, there are some aspects where we are a little distant from this kind of systematic way.”

“But Japan has some aspects where its perception is a little pampered.”

Shouko who was not at the table but leaning on the wall suddenly added to the conversation while gazing as if looking at somewhere far away.

“Pampered?” Kazuki asked back.

“The people of this country are still―even when they have experienced the outbreak of war with Yamato―thinking that, it’s impossible for a war to happen with a foreign country, or something aren’t they?”

“Perhaps that’s true.” Kazuki nodded while feeling the bitterness of making an excuse.

“Rather than that, I think that we have become unable to have a real feeling of the foreign countries’ existence…”

Conception’s outside―it became a blind spot. Even Kazuki in the first place didn’t have the conception of obtaining information about overseas with the power of technology.

“Anyways, we have the satellite assistance for the majority of our voyage, so rest easy.”

Akane-senpai concluded that for the time being.

“In our estimates, the fastest we can reach America is in ten days. We will stop the engine when we get closer to America and open the sail. We don’t need to worry about the sail operation because the computer will manage it, but the speed then will be dependent on the wind. That’s why the food was prepared with extra.”

“Well, just leave it to me when you cannot rely on the machine anymore.”

Shouko hit her chest loudly. Akane-senpai directed doubtful eyes to her.

“…Is it really okay, to rely on this person?”

“For the time being, I think it is okay senpai.” Kazuki took the responsibility like so.

“The Knight Order and Ryouzanpaku are maintaining the defense of Japan, but… even if there is something happening in Japan we are going to need around the same ten days to return back using this ship.”

Akane-senpai said. If something happened then surely it was because of China. But…

“I think perhaps there will be no such thing. After all, Regina returned back to her country flashily.”

Mio who sat beside him tilted her head asking “Why?”

“Even if the enemy sense that I and Arthur are not in the country, Regina would have to make an appeal that at the very least she is in the position where she can move anytime. On the surface Regina won’t cooperate with us, but perhaps even if she doesn’t come along with us to America, she is still thinking some about us.”

“…I see, there is also that kind of way of thinking.”

Arthur’s eyes opened wide and he hit his palm in realization.

“I felt betrayed in my heart thinking that she would just overlook the disturbance in the world’s balance you know. So she made that kind of flashy parade while returning to her home was actually to hold in check the enemy by saying ‘I’m right here’.”

“I wonder if you can feel relieved with a diversion just from Regina alone? After all the King of China is abnormally eager in her desire of invasion. If there is any opening then she is gonna come to take your country even with a high-handed method.”

Shouko’s expression turned sharp as if she was a different person the moment the topic about China came out.

“It’s going to be fine as long as we don’t show any opening right?”

Akane-senpai said. “There should not be anyone that knows we are departing to America. This Solomon the 2nd… no, Queen Kaguya was constructed and transported under the veil of secrecy. Kazuki and others’ action are also completely concealed.”

If this side’s absence was detected―this talk was done with such premise, but in the first place they didn’t have the intention to let the enemy detect them.

“I think it is better for you guys to have the readiness that the instant your absence is exposed they’re gonna come invading. That country is… no, that King is… someone that ain’t possible to understand what she is gonna suddenly come up with.”

Shouko said with a heavy tone.

“…Ah.” With a twitch Kazuha-senpai’s spine was trembling and she let out a small voice escape.

“Is there something wrong, Kazuha-senpai?”

“Ee,rr… about the story just now… if Kazuki’s absence got exposed, it’s going to be bad isn’t it?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“E, errr… this morning, some people that looked like newspaper reporters came… they looked like they got wind of Kazuki’s stay at that hidden harbor, they were taking pictures from afar… at that time I was the lookout but…”

Kazuha-senpai’s countenance turned pale in the blink of an eye.

“I, didn’t understand the gravity of the situation so… also I didn’t know that China is going to come attacking… I thought that only confiscating their film and chasing them away might be fine…”

At that time, the ship might have been seen. Kazuha-senpai continued mentioning that.

An article could be made even without picture. If an article about this came out to the public, then China will come to invade and it would become war.

―Kazuki immediately pondered. ‘Is there any way to stop the reporters from here?’

They could make contact with the mainland, but they didn’t have any pictures of the reporters or even their names.

He couldn’t get any idea at all about a sensible way to do something about this immediately.

===Part 5===

There was a single picture in Turtle Oota’s hand.

His sworn friend Simo Heyhe Iijima rephotographed this picture of the ship that was mooring in the cove using his Thoughtography(Spirit Photography Magic). But with the memory of seeing the ship only once and Simo Heyhe’s magic skill, he could only create a hazy picture as if everything was covered with mist.

The picture couldn’t possibly become any strong evidence.

Even if he used the picture to prop up his article, it wouldn’t have any other meaning except of something in the degree of an image illustration.

―’Just this is enough. This can be made into an article.’ Turtle warped his thick lips and laughed alone.

His workplace in Tokyo that doubled as his residence―a six tatami room that was buried in trashes, laundry, and materials. Only his desktop PC that was his work tool and the equipment around it looked taken care of splendidly.

He couldn’t even collect the evidence about the information that the King was staying in the Knight Order’s lodging house at that hidden harbor. It couldn’t become anything except something like a gossip article.

But even so, he was a gossip journalist. He wouldn’t hesitate at all to write an unreliable article.

Besides, an article about the King departing overseas with a personal use ship was just too wild an idea, it would just result in the opposite and had no persuasive power at all. There shouldn’t be any human that was going to come up with such a made up story.

He would spread out ripple in the society without fail.

But now just when he was going to write the article, Turtle’s both hands stopped above the keyboard.

The world was in the middle of changing on a grand scale―such strange feeling that seemed real stuck in his head and wouldn’t go away.

‘He is doing this without looking for anything in return.’

That girl talked about the person that was the King with a serious gaze.

Not even looking for anything in return, the King went to an unknown world―departed toward the open sea that had been forgotten from the common knowledge of the people during these 15 years. It was supposed to be a journey where there was only danger awaiting.

To do such a thing without even informing the public, perhaps there was some kind of reason.

The people with old sense of values were just holding back the symbol of this current era that was the King. Such composition kept floating inside his head. Wasn’t what he was going to write an ugly composition? For him to write this article…

…No, so what if it was ugly? He was Turtle that welcomed any ugliness, wasn’t he the gossip journalist.

Information about the King would become money. That was enough as his reason.

How much credibility this article, that didn’t have even a single proof in it, could bring about, that was the only thing he needed to think about. ‘The soul of my work dwells exactly in this kind of thing. It’s fine for me, who is a worker in this field, to be a machine that just thinks about that.’

People would believe what they wanted to believe. The people were hungry for rage towards influential people. In order for someone like him to taste the real feeling that he was a virtuous human, he kept looking for an excuse to persecute evil.

That was why proof was unnecessary. As long as there was something people could just feel the sweet rage towards… they would believe anything.

Just imagine the best story. Aboard an unbelievably luxurious and extravagant cruiser ship, while being served by a lot of beautiful girls that were called Chouki(favored princess/favored mistress), the young man who was just chosen as the King was going somewhere.

What about, that there was actually a secret southern island resort that was secretly purchased by the government, that supposedly had already severed all diplomatic relations? There was no doubt that in that place where they didn’t need to worry about the public eye, a completely shameless debauchery was extravagantly, immorally, waiting for the King.

Not looking for anything in return…? No, that was wrong. That King was surely a debauched harem King.

The instant he ran his imagination wild, Turtle’s head was boiled with a sweet rage. Imaginations were surfacing in his head one after another, the hesitation vanished from his fingertips, inflammatory leading words were produced.

He was lively depicting the figure of the sworn enemy of the people that couldn’t be allowed to live under the same heaven.

Who could ever imagine that this kind of refined text could be written only from the imagination of a journalist that was full of lies.

No matter where he brought that article, it surely could be publicized in no time at all…

<noinclude>

==Translator's Notes and References==
<references/>

{{SimpleNav}}
</noinclude>

Sekai no Owari no Encore:Volume 1 Record.1

2015-06-08T15:49:26Z

Ragzzz: Undo revision 446338 by Ragzzz (talk)

==Record.1: The Fake Brave Hero Doesn’t Have Any Comrades==

===1===

There was a title called the “Brave Hero.”

The one who made a greater achievement than the Heroes and the Braves. Due to its exaggerated meaning, it was a title no one held for a long time.

The Sword Emperor Elline.

Until the day a man who had the calibre to receive that title within the whole of history showed up.

Unequally invincible. So powerful that he’s unparalleled. The strongest in all of history. Or he wasn't even human. Even though there were many words to describe the strength of humans, there sure weren't many words that could describe the Sword Emperor Elline’s strength.

If you had to describe him, then it would be that he was “impossible to understand.”

He was undefeated not only against the obvious human foes, but also in hundreds of intense battle against those three superior beings—the Dragons of the Earth, the Angels of the Heaven, and the Demons of the Underworld. Even after that, he easily stopped the Great War that nearly ended the world.

That happened three-hundred years ago.

It was said that there could be no one, in both the past and the future, who would make a greater achievement than his great achievements.

No, that was what was said in the past.

“Congrats. All of you were chosen and given the chance.”

Union ceremony of the Holy Fiora Journey Academy.

On the day of the entrance ceremony for the Academy for general education, that was what the principal said to the new students, including Ren that had just enrolled, the III-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} students.

“In all of history, the title of “Brave Hero” was attained only by the Sword Emperor Elline. Now the chance has come for all of you to attain it. I will anticipate your achievements where all of you will devote yourself to your studies in this Academy, to find comrades who you can trust, and to find the “Encore”.”

''—That was two years ago. Back then, I too thought that people expected even a bit from me.''

''—As a new student that had passed the strict examination.''

''But—.''

“Ren, you were ranked fifth in your class again, huh.”

''……Leaving aside my good or bad grades. ''

''……Why did he have to announce my result in such a loud voice? ''

Ren kept that to himself and received the sheet in silence.

“I won’t tell you to get ranked first in the whole year-level, but I would at least want you to get ranked third in your class.”

The instructor sighed purposely behind him.

“Or was your appearance the only similarity you have with the Brave Hero?”

“……!”

''—My appearance has nothing to do with this. I return back to my seat while keeping the words in my throat. There were approximately ten metres to my desk, but during my way—.''

“Ren-chan was almost close. He got ranked fifth again, right?”

“But there are thirty-six students per classroom, so being ranked fifth should be quite good, shouldn’t it?”

“What are you saying? He failed a year despite that. Normally, he would have moved up to the II-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} and became our senior. He’s a year older than us, you know?”

“Looks like he hasn't changed. For a guy who works so hard.”

“Shhh, Ren will hear you. Speak quietly.”

''—I can hear even if all of you were to speak quietly. ''

''—They are whispering on purpose. Except, their voices are high enough for me to hear. The whispers and laughter I could hear from all over the room. In the end, this is what they all say. ''

''—The fake Brave Hero that only looks like the legendary Brave Hero. ''

Ren E Maxwell.

His light-brown hair that was cut messily and his deep-blue eyes.

His moderately handsome face which has a simple innocent expression.

His height was average among his seventeen year-old peers, though he might have a small build among the {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} students gathered at the Holy Fiora Journey Academy.

He didn’t stand out appearance-wise. But, if you were to be asked to give a single description of his trait—

The Sword Emperor Elline.

'''His appearance''' was the only thing which resembled the famous Brave Hero.

After all, students who had seen the statute of Elline located at the main gate would compare its appearance with that of Ren who would be walking near them.

“That’s it for last semester’s results. Any question?”

None of the thirty-six students raised their hands at the instructor’s question.

“Good. As all of you middle-rank students know, this was merely a mock battle. You can say that the promotion test taking place this winter will be your main concern.”

The instructor made a loud noise with his shoes.

“It has been two years since all of you enrolled in our Academy. Though there is one person who has been here for three years—”

''—The gazes gathered at me from people around me.''

''……I’m already used to it. It happens all the time, after all.''

Ren acted as though he hadn’t notice their gaze and looked at the textbook in his hands.

“All of you will finally be able to move onto becoming a high-rank students by passing the promotion test this winter. All of you first started as a beginning-rank students last year and were middle-rank students this year. Now you will become high-rank students and then highest-rank students, which is the final grade to graduate. Within these four years, high-rank students are the ones who can actually join a “party” and start your actual training. That will indeed be a year you cannot afford to miss in order to go out to the world to seek for the Encore. —Ren!”

“Yes.”

“The last item left behind by the Brave Hero '''who happens to be your ancestor'''. You obviously do remember when the existence of the Encore was revealed to the world, right?”

“During the autumn of the World-Age 798.”

He expected that he would be asked a question.

There wasn’t a flaw in his answer since he predicted and prepared for it.

“Two-hundred years after the death of Elline at the young age of 26. The research team of the Royal History Laboratory announced the possibility of the existence of the Encore—the record of the war hand-written by Elline himself. Later that year, a massive search team was formed, but they failed to find the Encore. This search-team became the model for the current “parties,” and this led to the Era of Great War for the possession of Encore which also involved the three worlds of the Heaven, the Underworld, and the Earth.”

“……Hmm.”

The instructor didn’t know what to say to Ren’s answer for a moment.

Ren then used that short time of silence to speak out his mind.

“I would also like to make one correction. This is something I have been saying for quite a while—”

Ren stood up from his chair and looked at the instructor.

“Elline had no descendent. He traveled the world till he died from sickness at the age of 26. Not only did he not have children, he also didn’t have any siblings. I don’t belong to a family which is the direct descendant of Elline. Even if we looked back to our family tree, our ancestor from elven generations back in the past was merely a distant relative of his.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that he was your distant ancestor, right?”

“I’m asking you to please refrain from saying things which would cause a misunderstanding. If you say “your ancestor,” that would sound like I am Elline’s direct descendant.”

There were two misfortune the boy called Ren had.

The first is that he was born as the mirror image of the great Brave Hero.

And the second is that even though it would be considered as a distant relative of Elline, Ren’s mother’s household was actually the distant relative of Elline.

He was indeed a reincarnation of the Brave Hero. People around him expected a lot from him, but the reality was cruel.

''—His sword-skills aren't even comparable to the Sword Emperor, and was even inferior to his peers. ''

''—The only similarity he has is his appearance. ''

That was what his instructor and his classmates said to him. He had been told that even before he enrolled in the Holy Fiora Journey Academy.

The Fake Brave Hero.

That was the insulting title Ren had been given since childhood.

“The true history is that there wasn’t a single individual who could be considered Elline’s descendent. I wasn’t born from a legitimate household that could even be compared to that Brave Hero.”

“—”

The instructor became silent and he simply twitched his eyebrows.

“Are you done? Then sit.”

“……!”

He acted as if nothing happened, so Ren sat on his chair while crunching his fist.

“Time’s up. The class is dismissed for today.”

The instructor took a glance at his golden pocket watch.

“Those who didn’t get a satisfying result for the previous test shouldn’t forget about their training. The actual thing will be a pass or fail. You will repeat a year if you can’t show your results here. Though I’m sure that all of you are aware of that.”

<center>==========</center>

The End War—

Even after three-hundred years, the investigation to find out the entire story of the War hadn’t progressed at all.

The only known fact was that an unknown something entered the world. It wasn’t just the humans. The Dragons, the Angels, and the Demons were also threatened by the ominous invaders. The horror of war spread everywhere including the Earth, the Heaven, and the Underworld.

The ones who stopped the invasion were the Sword Emperor Elline and the legendary Three Great Princesses serving under him.

From the Heaven came Fear, the Angel from the highest class who received the command of the Goddess.

From the Underworld came Elise, the Demon Lord herself who was the master of the world deep under the ground.

From the Earth came Kyelse, the strongest Dragon Princess who was feared by both the Heaven and the Underworld.

''—The Angel, the Demon, and the Dragon. ''

The three superior beings who represented the three world respectively. It was said that such strongest force gathered under the Sword Emperor.

From the history book Ren read, it was written that each of them had an appearance of a human and that all three of them was described as beautiful girls.

“……I’m sure this was written by a man. On top of that, it’s completely his taste.”

Ren even remembered till this day when he muttered that while he read the history book.

''—Though I don’t know how much of the history was simply imagination—''

Except, the fact about the Three Great Princesses who represented the three world gathered under Elline, and that the four of them including Elline challenged and won after an intensive battle against “something” that was invading the world was a true incident.

That victory itself was the greatest achievement of the Sword Emperor Elline and the reason he was hailed as the Brave Hero.

……However, Elline was no immortal.

It was said that he passed away in one of the rooms in an inn at the young age of 26 without having any children, family, or close friends. His anecdote would have ended while he had his name remained in the history as an historical person if his life ended in such a way.

The problem arose approximately two-hundred years after his death. In other words, the event that unfolded one-hundred years before the present time.

“The Encore……huh.”

Ren repeated that word vaguely as he walked through the Academy’s corridor.

''—They couldn’t find it. ''

Among Elline’s belongings, his belongings such as his sword, his clothing he wore for his journey, and his other belongings were found. Except, there was one thing which was supposed to be there but could never be found.

Elline’s memoir, the “Encore.”

The memoir of the man who traveled the whole Earth, including the unexplored regions and sacred precincts, as well as Heaven and the Underworld.

Its value couldn’t simply be categorised as the relic left behind by the Brave Hero.

The only original texts that recorded the entire history of the End War. The sword-technique manual that was written by the Sword Emperor himself. It was also a world map that recorded many of the ancient ruins and the habitat of the spirits.

For example, you could salvage the rare {{Furigana|“the lost spells”|ANCIENTS}} from the ancient ruins, and you could also get a blessing from the powerful spirits within the sanctuary of the spirits. Most of the areas that were considered unexplored regions and sacred precincts since ancient times were also mining areas where you could find rare metals which would become the materials to create powerful weapons.

On top of that, it contained detailed battle records against other beings, such as Angels, Demons, Dragons, and gigantic monsters.

''—If the proper individual attains the Encore.''

''—The value of the information recorded within would lead that individual to seize sovereignty. ''

“That’s why you would become the Brave Hero if you were to find it, huh……”

He went down the stairs to come out the first floor’s corridor of the building.

“The one who finds the Encore would be given the title of “Brave Hero” and become the second person in history to receive that title.”

It was officially proposed by the World Alliance Conference.

The content of the memoir recorded by Elline would become a great treasure for humanity, and the achievement of the one who finds it would be befitting to be called the Brave Hero of the future generations.

The era when everyone in the world would seek to become the new Brave Hero.

Elline’s memoir itself became acknowledged as an existence that was awaiting the coming of the new Brave Hero, and before anyone knew it, the memoir became the {{Furigana|“the record of the world”|ENCORE}}.

“……Though I would need to think about advancing to the next grade first.”

Ren took out the grading report he was given back at the classroom from his pocket and then sighed.

He was ranked “fifth” overall within the class. Amongst them, he received “first” for the written criteria and “eighth” for the practical criteria.

“I haven’t had any troubles with the written criteria since last year, but the practical criteria would be a problem.”

The promotion test would be judged based on the mock battles between the students that were majoring in the {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} degree. You would become a high-rank student if you were to pass it. Your rank as a {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} will also be promoted from III-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} to II-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}.

And the graduation test would also be a promotion test to become an I-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}.

You would successfully graduate by passing that test. You could create a new party from scratch or you could take the test to join a well-known party.

Then—

“Ren, are you done with your lectures?”

A gentle voice.

Someone who approached quietly from behind him suddenly hugs him from his back.

“H-Hey!? What are you doing, Senpai!?”

“Fufu. Guess who?”

“……Well, even if you ask me that.”

Her teasing voice.

The two soft things squashed onto his back, and its incredible sensation—.

“Rather, the only one who would do this to me is you, Fear-senpai……”

“Oh my, so you knew it was me?”

She loosens the arms wrapped around him. The blonde highest-grade student comes around in front of him.

“I was worried since you were walking with a gloomy face.”

“……I was?”

“Is there anyone else here besides you?”

The girl chuckled after she said that. Seeing her cute smile—

“I see. I’m sorry for making you worry about me. Was I putting on such an expression?”

Ren couldn’t help but also smile to it.

''……She’s probably the only one. ''

''……Who interacts with me without making a fool out of me. ''

Fear Nesferia.

A girl whose distinctive features were her deep blue irises and her blonde-hair with silver lines.

She was eighteen years old and one year his senior. Her calm personality and soft smile showed that she was more mature atmosphere than he was.

“But, you know……having you press it……against me like before is……”

“Press it against you? Oh, did I press something against you?”

She bent her body forward while putting on a teasing smile.

In a posture where she forces forward her bosom, which is so dense that it would fall out from her blouse.

The one and only concern Ren had towards her was her overwhelming bosom, which was lifted up with her blouse made from thin cloth. That’s because the cloth of her blouse had a shape of two mountains, and it was so large that her buttons might pop in any second.

''—The truth is, I’m troubled to keep my eyes away.''

Unlike her graceful smile, her body was too stimulating.

''……The problem was that she does realise it.''

''……And she does it to me on purpose as a tease.''

The record she made last summer where dozens of pure boys fainted after seeing her in her swimsuit wouldn’t be broken in eternity.

“No, let’s stop talking about it. By the way, it’s rare to see you here, Senpai.”

“What do you mean?”

“For you to come down to the first floor of this building during this time. You are always inside the conference room. You are also the vice-president of the council and you always look busy with your council work.”

“I came to check my results.”

[[Image:Sekai_no_Owari_no_Encore_V1_Non-colour_002.jpg|thumb]]

The direction she pointed towards after she said that was the front exit of the building’s first floor.

“If you become a highest-grade student, your result would be put out for everyone to see, whether you like it or not.”

“Ah, the public execution—”

He stopped his words there.

His senior front of him still had a smile on her face. So did means that—

“Is it okay for me to ask? Senpai, what was your result?”

“Like usual.”

“Ranked first again!? It can’t be! It’s unbelievable to think that you ranked first for all three of “{{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}}”, “{{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}”, and “{{Furigana|Caster|ARIA}}”!

“I was simply lucky. My body was in good condition during the day of the test.”

The senior-girl narrowed her eyes as if she was blushing.

''—I really can’t beat this person. ''

Educational written test, ranked first among her grades.

Practical battle test, ranked first among her grades.

''—I can understand if she is good at the written test. That’s because your daily load of hard work gets reflected onto your result.''

''—What needs to be mentioned is the practical which is the battle test. ''

Within the practical test where the boys and girls would be tested together, her sword-play overwhelmed boys who were majoring in the {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}’s degree, and her spell-work overwhelmed students majoring in the {{Furigana|Caster|ARIA}}’s degree.

Even though she was a {{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}} that specialises in healing and regeneration.

The almighty genius. It must be the reason why she was called the first genius since the establishment of Holy Fiora Journey Academy.

“Senpai, you sure are amazing……”

Ren honestly spoke out his thought and praised her while scratching the back of his head.

“Senpai, you will finally graduate this winter, so you are also thinking about who you will form a party with after you become a highest-graduate student, right? Senpai, I’m sure you have received offers from famous parties, right?”

“Yes, I have received several invitation. From the principal’s connections.”

“I thought so! That’s amazing!”

Party—that’s the “expeditionary force made up of courageous warriors.”

Their main missions were to travel through different locations of the world to investigate the sacred precincts and ancient ruins as well as searching for the spirits habitats. There were wide-range of tasks, since there were also missions like hunting down dangerous monsters. Discovering the spirits and hunting down monsters would lead to strengthening a specific city’s forces. Investigating ancient ruins would lead to discovering {{Furigana|“the lost spells”|ANCIENTS}} and {{Furigana|“the lost technologies”|O-PARTS}}. Therefore the cities throughout the world supported and nurtured these parties.

This Holy Fiora Journey Academy was also one of them. It was built as a special institute to train boys and girls who were aiming to create parties. It was a prestigious school that produced many potential individuals.

“Then are you also after the Encore, Senpai?”

“I certainly am. That is the one thing I cannot give up on.”

She nodded while she had the same smile on her face.

“Though I haven’t been thinking about making a party yet.”

“……Eh?”

“This is a good opportunity. Ren, there was something I wanted to talk to you about for a while. The truth is, I will be leaving this Academy soon.”

“You’re leaving the Academy!? Eh, isn’t the graduation in winter!?”

“The results from the previous semester could be used as a quick graduation certificate. I have already submitted my withdrawal application form.”

“……You’re going to withdraw? You must be joking, Senpai.”

Even though Ren didn’t have such intention, his true feelings came out from his mouth.

Withdrawing when the graduation was just ahead wasn’t normal.

You would become an I-Grade {{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}} after taking the graduation test and then you would either make your own party or take an entrance test to join the party you desired.

“Why? The graduation test is just right ahead.”

“It’s exactly due to the reason I explained before. Leaving the Academy even a day earlier to find the Encore would definitely be better.”

“……Do you have any comrades? Did you receive an unofficial offer from a famous party?”

“I don’t have any.”

She waved her blonde hair and shook her head.

“It would be just me and a girl who is an old friend of mine. She was finally able to break out of her seal.”

“Seal?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. You can……simply ignore what I just said.”

Fear showed her rare side where she had a bitter smile and waved her hand.

She looked up the ceiling as if she were yearning—

“The truth is, I have a friend in mind for a while who would look for the Encore together with me. She was finally able to come. It would be better to strike while the iron is hot.”

“Your friend…… So it really wasn’t a scout from a famous party then?”

“Yes. There wasn’t a party I wished to join. I certainly had the principal talk to me so long about it, but every one of them didn't satisfy me—”

“H-Hey, Senpai!? Stop!”

Ren used his hand to interrupt his senior’s words.

''……That was close. ''

''……Wouldn’t her words just now become a serious issue if someone had heard it? ''

The two instructors and a group of students that walked behind them. Ren waited till he couldn’t see them and breathed out.

“Hey, that was dangerous Senpai. What you just said.”

“Is it?”

“It’s because……”

The world famous parties that had made great achievements. While the highest-grade student around her were desperately working hard to take the entrance test to join them, she said that those famous parties didn't satisfy her.

“I know your results, Senpai……so I do admire you. I’m not in a position where I could say anything about it and I don’t know much about your friend either. But I do think gaining experience by joining a proper party first is also important. You know, the world outside is dangerous after all.”

The End War was halted by Elline.

However, this world doesn’t just belong to the humans.

The danger level of encountering huge monsters when you enter the ancient ruins and sacred precincts.

The Angels of the Heavens, the Demons of the Underworld, and the Dragons that were the supreme ruler of the Earth, would try to eliminate the humans without mercy. The humans of this world were a weak species.

“Even that Brave Hero formed a party.”

“The Brave Hero?”

“I’m talking about the Sword Emperor Elline.”

“……Oh yes, him.”

Fear made a gesture with her hand as if she just remembered.

“Oh yes, he’s called the Brave Hero now. The humans sure do act conveniently. Back then, the whole world treated him like an pariah swordsman.”

“Eh?”

“Oh no, please ignore that.”

The blonde girl shook her hand in panic which was a rare sight. But her gesture ended there since she looked towards Ren with yearning eyes.

“Let me make one correction. About my case regarding the party. Yes, if I find a party which could even rival the famous Elline’s party, then I may want to join them.”

“? Well, that’s asking for a lot……I mean, you are talking about the legendary party right?”

Elline Sword Emperor Brigade.

The bright and pure-white Angel—the Archangel Fear from the Heaven who was said to have a power that surpassed even the Goddess.

The dark and cloaked Empress—the Demon Lord Elise who was the master of the Underworld.

The girl with a shining silver hair—the strongest Dragon Princess, Kyelse, who was even feared by the Heaven and the Underworld.

The Three Great Princesses who represented the three worlds and Elline who led such party. They stopped the End War with just the four of them. They were indeed the strongest party and was considered the best in history.

“Besides. They do say stories from the past comes with false details. We don’t know just how much of the actual story had been exaggerated.”

There were also a theory that the human {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} and {{Furigana|Caster|ARIA}} gradually were replaced with an Angel, an Demon, and an Dragon Princess as the story was retold to people.

That was because it would make the story even more interesting.

“By the way, what do you personally think about it? Do you think the legend of Elline was a fictional story?”

Her eyes that looked right into Ren’s eyes.

The girl called Fear.

From the girl who had the same name as the legendary Angel by coincidence.

“My honest impression is that I hope it would be true.”

Ren nodded while feeling reserved.

“When I heard that story when I was a kid, I honestly thought it was amazing.”

He innocently admired the story.

Even though he was continued to be called the fake Brave Hero, the reason Ren was receiving guidance at Holy Fiora Journey Academy as a {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} was due to being charmed by the tales of his adventurers.

“It had an interesting story. There was the strongest swordsman where the Archangel, the Demon Lord, and the strongest Dragon Princess traveled with him. Anyone would want to see a party like that if they did really exist. What kind of journey they had while traveling the world, just thinking about it gets me excited.”

“……I see.”

“Fear-senpai?”

“Ren, you are wonderful. You are very honest, very pure, and……”

She had a smile exactly like that of an Angel.

The girl called Fear said that with a tone of a calm adult.

“If it was a human like you—”

The alarming bell.

The one that interrupted her words was the bell that echoed throughout the Academy.

“Ah, it’s already this time? Senpai, don’t you have your usual council work?”

“It’s cancelled for today. I asked everyone since I wanted to use the conference room for my business.”

“For your personal use? So the instructor gave you permission?”

“I was ranked first in my grade for this reason.”

The vice-president of the council who made a naughty smile.

She replied as if this was all in her plan, but what was frightening was that it sounded real when it was coming from her.

“By the way, Ren. This may have been fate that we met here, so would you please do an errand for me?”

“Huh? To where?”

“When you exit the Academy from the main gate, there’s a cake shop if you walk straight through the town. I placed ordered in advance, so what’s left is for you to pick it up. I will be cleaning up the conference room during that time. I wanted to have a bit of a snack-party with my friend.”

“Sure, but I thought you couldn’t eat inside the conference room? I’m sure the instructors would snap if they caught you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Oh yes, and—”

Fear shook her hand.

But her eyes looked like she was teasing him and for some reason it also looked seductive.

“How about having a study session together next time as my thanks for having you do my errand? Before I leave the Academy, instead of using the classroom, let's use my room at the girl’s dormitory, okay? Your big sister would teach you many things from the basics—”

“N-No……let’s do that for another occasion!”

''—It’s simply studying, so what’s with her teaching me from the basic? ''

Ren kept his scream inside his mouth and left the scene as if he ran away.

===2===

Student’s town, Mstier.

The town was structured in a way such that the party raising institute, Holy Fiora Journey Academy, was located at its centre.

There were food and beverage stores as well as clothing stores that were used by students, including Ren. Not only was there a blacksmith factory that manufactures swords and spears, there were also a large bookstore which has all the line-ups such as the world map and monster encyclopaedia.

Near the southern-gate of the town—

“……She ordered too much.”

Ren walked through the main road while carrying the loads of bags filled with snacks with both hands.

“Eighteen puddings, three whole cakes, twenty-five profiteroles, and thirty-seven baked sweets. That Fear-senpai, what kind of big party is she planning to do……?”

When Ren saw these bags back at the shop, he felt uneasy since he didn’t know if he could carry all of them.

“Oh yeah, I heard it was going to rain from the afternoon. If it started raining right now—”

His words were interrupted.

Many screams echoed from far behind him.

“……What!?”

Ren discarded his shopping bag and turned around.

“Make your life and comrade's lives your first priority. Anything else can easily be replaced.”

This was the first time Ren thanked those three years worth of guidance of his instructor. If he was even a second too slow at throwing away the shopping bags, he would have been on the ground covered in blood.

A giant green Dragon was flapping its wings.

“A Wyvern!? Why is it in the middle of town!?”

The Dragon-species that was known as the absolute ruler of the Earth.

The one that just grazed Ren’s head and landed clearly belonged to that species.

''……That was close.''

''……If I was too slow in turning around, I may have had my head sliced by those claws.''

The training he received as a {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}. No, rather than the training, it was more like his luck. That was how unexpected this assault was.

“Is that thing about five metres in length?”

It depends on each Wyvern, but a mature Wyvern is usually seven metres long.

Even though it would be considered small among the Dragon-species, what needed to be specially noted about it was its flight speed. A Wyvern that was using its maximum velocity would be so fast that even the best sniper would have a hard time shooting it.

“But why is it here? Did it stray away from its herd and wandered in here!?”

If that was the case, its wariness would increase due to having strayed from its herd. There were many cases where its aggressive behaviour became even worse. And it broke through the town walls and entered the town.

A situation like this was rare, and the level of danger was also high.

“Who can even stop this thing……?”

Ren looked up towards the monster in front of him while muttering in astonishment.

''—Just how many highest-grade students and instructors would you need to take it down?''

''—No, the opponent isn’t that simple.''

Even if the highest-grade students came to the scene, they were merely students. They merely had experience in fighting small monsters, so the number of students that had experience in fighting a Dragon is close to none. The instructors have already retired from the parties. So you couldn’t think of a plan to defeat it.

The only thing they could do was to buy time and pray for it to leave after it gets bored.

“Even so, buying time would be……”

Even though Ren looked around him, there weren’t any parties that looked reliable.

Even though it was called a student town, a town was still a town. Most of them were civilians. The only people he could see were merchants, families of the civilians, and tourists running away.

“Dammit! Of all times, I’m the only one who had to be here!”

He drew out a dagger that was for self-defense from the attached to his belt.

The length of the blade was that of a knife. It was a weapon you didn’t need to go all the way to the weapon factory to buy it since it was purchasable in the business district, even for a civilian.

''……This would only seem like a toothpick to that Dragon.''

He shouldn’t think about winning or losing.

He only had to think about buying time. Until the people around him had evacuated—

“Oh, I have found a delicious looking snack at a place like this.”

It was at this time when Ren heard a dignified voice from right beside him.

“I sure am lucky to find a snack which is basically new at a place like this. Maybe this would be a good gift for Fear?”

''—The bags of snacks I threw away.''

''—There is a silver hair girl who is standing right beside me and is staring down at the snacks. ''

“Hey, those are my snacks……no, that isn’t it, hey idiot, hurry and run!”

“Your snack?”

The girl turned around—

“What are you saying? The one who found these first was me. Isn’t it first come first serve?”

Emerald green eyes that had a darker colour than the sea, and her long silver hair that sparkled like a pearl.

On top of her fantasy-like colours, her face was also adorable like that of a fairy that would appear in a fairy-tale. Even though she was dressed as an adventurer, her slender body could only be described as being lovely.

But Ren was only fascinated by the girl’s appearance for just that slight moment.

“A-Anyway, you need to run! This isn’t the time for talking such thing!”

“Run? Why is there a need for me to run?”

The silver hair girl looked up at Ren while feeling unpleasant.

“To begin with, human, you called me an idiot. Who do you think I am……eh…………”

That moment, the girl stopped breathing and opened her eyes wide.

Then her small hand started shaking.

“Eh, ……eh, ……El……Elli…………”

“Pardon me?”

“Elline, you were alive!”

The girl raised her voice and jumped towards him.

“I wanted to see you! I was looking for you this whole time! Yeah, even if you are a human, you are special. There was no way you would die simply after three-hundred years—”

“I’m saying that I don’t understand what you’re saying!”

Ren jumped while carrying the girl.

He used his whole body to prevent the girl from touching the ground and then rolled on the ground backwards.

'''—ROAR!'''

That instant, the Dragon swung down its tail and obliterated bricks of walls.

“Hurry up and run! You saw it for yourself just now. That Wyvern is too dangerous!”

“Defeat it.”

“……Huh?”

“I’m saying that you have the permission to defeat it. As long as you don’t kill it, you don’t need to hold back against my kind. That guy is an arrogant prick who had been following me this whole time even before I got here. He’s an eyesore so take it down with a single punch to his head.”

“It followed you? What does that mean—”

The meaning behind the words of the girl with the silver hair.

Before Ren could even comprehend the meaning of her words, the sound of the Wyvern stepping on the ground made Ren’s eardrum shiver.

''—He’s going to step on me!''

The black shadow which was above Ren’s head. The Wyvern came down at them without losing sights of its target. The moment Ren realised that, he pushed away the girl who was clinging onto him.

“You idiot, don’t just stand there, run!”

The shadow of the huge Dragon’s shadow that was coming down at him.

''……I need to make it in time!''

He brought out his dagger with a faint hope and also jumped to the back—

[[Image:Sekai_no_Owari_no_Encore_V1_Non-colour_003.jpg|thumb]]

Then the impact.

Ren was overwhelmed by the merciless impact which was so strong that he couldn’t breathe. Ren was sent flying far to the rear.

“……! ……Gah! ……”

He couldn’t breathe due to the impact to his back. The reason why his vision turned red must be due to the blood pouring from his forehead. It was the cut he received when the tip of the Dragon’s claw grazed him.

''……I guess……it’s alright since I’m alive, right?''

''……No……it doesn’t make any difference……I guess.''

The dagger that was shattered from the core of the blade. His weapon that was violently shattered with ease.

He gripped his weapon where only the handle remained.

“………………Bring it, '''you worthless Dragon'''.”

Ren stood up with his body that was covered in sand.

“An……attack……like that……doesn’t work on me……even in the slightest.”

The words that was just able to come out of his throat.

He used his hand as if he was provoking the Wyvern that had its wing spread wide.

''—Fake Brave Hero.''

''—I’m not a Brave Hero nor am I the strongest knight that can take down a Dragon by myself.''

''—But I can’t give in.''

''—I need to buy time. Until there are reinforcements from the Academy. More importantly, I need to buy enough time so the silver hair girl in front of me could escape.''

“……I been telling you to……run”

His sight was covered in blood, but he could still see the silver hair girl who hadn’t ran or hid yet.

“Hurry up……I’m seriously……at my limit……”

“I got it.”

That was the time when the girl nodded as if she finally understood something.

“Don’t tell me you have a stomach ache because you ate something bad?”

“……Huh?”

“Fine then. I don’t feel good in laying hand on my kind, but I’ll take care of this.”

Right after she said that.

The silver girl approached the Wyvern from the front carelessly for all things.

“……!? H-Hey, stop—”

“There’s no way that I, the Dragon Princess Kyelse, will be beaten by this weakling.”

Ren could see the girl’s face from the side where she was putting on a fearless smile.

Ren listened to the girl’s word as if he was dreaming.

''……Dragon Princess Kyelse?''

''……No, wait……it can’t be. That name belongs to '''the one from that legendary party'''……''

“A Dragon’s child that doesn’t even know who I am. I wonder from which valley it came from.”

The Wyvern which was spreading his wings wide.

The small girl faced the giant monster by herself where she had to tilt her head up to look at it.

“And did he just make a threat right in front of me? I see, so you followed me all the way to this town because I entered your territory. Looks like your pride is the only thing that is remarkable.”

“S-Stop—”

He couldn’t say any more than that. He was losing consciousness. He had his hand full just standing there, and his hand couldn’t reach the girl’s back—

The next moment, Ren would witness a scene he wouldn’t be able to forget for the rest for his life.

“Imbecile.”

The girl leaped.

She didn’t jump. It would be more accurate to say that what she did was flight. An altitude of ten metres high. The girl who reached even higher than the Wyvern with the wings simply said—

“Bow unsightly before me.”

The powerful gravitational field.

The intense gravity which could even compress the paved surface road made a cavity in it instantly.

—Not only didn’t she allow the Wyvern to resist, she didn’t allow it respond either.

If humans were to activate a spell of the same calibre as hers, they would require longer and more complex spell ceremony as well as mental concentration. But she did it with a few words.

Power of language.

The words that were said come to this world and take a physical form. A human like Ren couldn’t even imagine just how powerful and high level the spell was.

“Hmph, cool your head for a bit down there.”

The girl who soared up the sky landed splendidly on the ground after doing a spin in mid-air.

The giant crater which was drilled on the ground. After she took a glance at the Wyvern that was unconscious at the deepest part of the crater, she jumped into Ren’s arm once again.

“Elline!”

“Again!? ……More importantly, what was that power……?”

The silver hair girl was hugging tightly onto Ren. Even if Ren tried to push her away, she doesn’t even budge an inch. Her physical strength was so strong that you couldn’t imagine it was coming from such slender body.

“Haha, you. You were alive after all! I thought it was some kind of joke when I heard that you died due to illness five years after I was sealed. Yeah, there was no way you would simply die from sickness—”

“I-I can’t breathe…… ……I’ll die……you are suffocating me……”

“……H-Hey? What’s wrong Elline? You haven’t been acting like yourself for a while.”

The girl who had a blank face weakens the strength in her arm.

“Cough, cough……s-seriously……”

Ren answered to the girl who was looking up at him while he coughed violently.

“I’m not Elline. Though I do get mistaken as him quite a lot. To begin with, Elline was the Brave Hero from three-hundred years ago. A human can’t live that long.”

“? Elline, did you……forget about me?”

“I didn’t know you to begin with.”

“……It can’t be.”

After the silver hair girl made a gesture where she was in thoughts, she approached Ren. This time, she put her face on his chest. She started sniffing him like a dog.

“!? What are you doing!?”

“See? It’s Elline’s smell. There’s no way I would mistake you.”

“……E-Either way, get away from me!”

He couldn’t help but be embarrassed since a girl that could be considered an absolute beauty hugged him and then started sniffing his smell.

“I’m sorry to say this even though you seem to be confident about it, but I really am a different person.”

“……What!?”

“My name is Ren. Well, if you go up my family tree, Elline would be my ancestor’s distant relative, but he never had any children so I’m not his direct descendant or anything. I’m merely a distant relative of his. A distant descendant.”

“His descendant……you? ……Then Elline is…………”

The girl muttered vaguely. Her expression started to get gloomy.

''……Why are you looking up at me with such sad eyes?''

''……I haven’t done anything wrong, but it pains me.''

“I’m telling you that Elline……isn’t here anymore.”

The Brave Hero died.

He couldn’t say those words. The best he could say was “he isn’t here.”

“…………”

The light disappeared from the emerald-green eyes.

The girl turned around slowly while biting her lips.

“H-Hey!”

Kyelse took a glance at Ren and simply said this.

“……Just his appearance, huh…………”

A total stranger who had the appearance of the Brave Hero but not his strength.

''……Except.''

Even though he received those words, Ren realised that he was so calm that it shocked him.

A total stranger. Fake Brave Hero. He received different kind of taunts when he was compared to the legendary Brave Hero, and there was always mockery within those taunts where people were making a fool out of him.

But he couldn’t sense a slight sign of those emotions in her words.

Elline was no longer here. The sad persuasion where she was telling herself that.

''……It’s like she said it in such way.''

The silver hair girl who defeated the Wyvern with ease. The back of the girl who had such overwhelming power now looked small, weak, and sad.

“H-Hey……umm…………”

He wanted to call out to her. But he couldn’t find the right words to say to her.

What Ren, who was thinking as such, witnessed was—

The girl who was dragging a giant bag full of snacks.

“Hey!? That’s mine! Are you trying to take it away while acting sad!?”

“I defeated the Wyvern on your behalf, right?”

“……Gu.”

He didn’t know how to reply back to her words.

It was certain that the safety of the residents as well as Ren still being alive was her achievement.

“……Fine. Alright, take that with you.”

He was half convinced, but he gave up for the other half. His sighed carried those two emotions. Ren shrugged his shoulder.

''......I can just buy what Fear-senpai asked me to bring with my own money.''

''……Also, I can’t stand to look at her sad eyes.''

“I’m sure it would be delicious since those snacks are from the most famous shop around here.”

“You sure are reasonable for a human.”

The smile the girl made for a slight moment.

There was a faint smile in her sad face.

The girl called Kyelse disappeared in front of Ren.

—That was the beginning.

—The beginning of the story of the boy that was called the fake Brave Hero and the legendary Dragon Princess.

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Sekai no Owari no Encore:Volume 1 Record.1

2015-06-08T15:47:17Z

Ragzzz: /* 1 */

==Record.1: The Fake Brave Hero Doesn’t Have Any Comrades==

===1===

There was a title called the “Brave Hero.”

The one who made a greater achievement than the Heroes and the Braves. Due to its exaggerated meaning, it was a title no one held for a long time.

The Sword Emperor Elline.

Until the day a man who had the calibre to receive that title within the whole of history showed up.

Unequally invincible. So powerful that he’s unparalleled. The strongest in all of history. Or he wasn't even human. Even though there were many words to describe the strength of humans, there sure weren't many words that could describe the Sword Emperor Elline’s strength.

If you had to describe him, then it would be that he was “impossible to understand.”

He was undefeated not only against the obvious human foes, but also in hundreds of intense battle against those three superior beings—the Dragons of the Earth, the Angels of the Heaven, and the Demons of the Underworld. Even after that, he easily stopped the Great War that nearly ended the world.

That happened three-hundred years ago.

It was said that there could be no one, in both the past and the future, who would make a greater achievement than his great achievements.

No, that was what was said in the past.

“Congrats. All of you were chosen and given the chance.”

Union ceremony of the Holy Fiora Journey Academy.

On the day of the entrance ceremony for the Academy for general education, that was what the principal said to the new students, including Ren that had just enrolled, the III-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} students.

“In all of history, the title of “Brave Hero” was attained only by the Sword Emperor Elline. Now the chance has come for all of you to attain it. I will anticipate your achievements where all of you will devote yourself to your studies in this Academy, to find comrades who you can trust, and to find the “Encore”.”

''—That was two years ago. Back then, I too thought that people expected even a bit from me.''

''—As a new student that had passed the strict examination.''

''But—.''

“Ren, you were ranked fifth in your class again, huh.”

''……Leaving aside my good or bad grades. ''

''……Why did he have to announce my result in such a loud voice? ''

Ren kept that to himself and received the sheet in silence.

“I won’t tell you to get ranked first in the whole year-level, but I would at least want you to get ranked third in your class.”

The instructor sighed purposely behind him.

“Or was your appearance the only similarity you have with the Brave Hero?”

“……!”

''—My appearance has nothing to do with this. I return back to my seat while keeping the words in my throat. There were approximately ten metres to my desk, but during my way—.''

“Ren-chan was almost close. He got ranked fifth again, right?”

“But there are thirty-six students per classroom, so being ranked fifth should be quite good, shouldn’t it?”

“What are you saying? He failed a year despite that. Normally, he would have moved up to the II-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} and became our senior. He’s a year older than us, you know?”

“Looks like he hasn't changed. For a guy who works so hard.”

“Shhh, Ren will hear you. Speak quietly.”

''—I can hear even if all of you were to speak quietly. ''

''—They are whispering on purpose. Except, their voices are high enough for me to hear. The whispers and laughter I could hear from all over the room. In the end, this is what they all say. ''

''—The fake Brave Hero that only looks like the legendary Brave Hero. ''

Ren E Maxwell.

His light-brown hair that was cut messily and his deep-blue eyes.

His moderately handsome face which has a simple innocent expression.

His height was average among his seventeen year-old peers, though he might have a small build among the {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} students gathered at the Holy Fiora Journey Academy.

He didn’t stand out appearance-wise. But, if you were to be asked to give a single description of his trait—

The Sword Emperor Elline.

'''His appearance''' was the only thing which resembled the famous Brave Hero.

After all, students who had seen the statute of Elline located at the main gate would compare its appearance with that of Ren who would be walking near them.

“That’s it for last semester’s results. Any question?”

None of the thirty-six students raised their hands at the instructor’s question.

“Good. As all of you middle-rank students know, this was merely a mock battle. You can say that the promotion test taking place this winter will be your main concern.”

The instructor made a loud noise with his shoes.

“It has been two years since all of you enrolled in our Academy. Though there is one person who has been here for three years—”

''—The gazes gathered at me from people around me.''

''……I’m already used to it. It happens all the time, after all.''

Ren acted as though he hadn’t notice their gaze and looked at the textbook in his hands.

“All of you will finally be able to move onto becoming a high-rank students by passing the promotion test this winter. All of you first started as a beginning-rank students last year and were middle-rank students this year. Now you will become high-rank students and then highest-rank students, which is the final grade to graduate. Within these four years, high-rank students are the ones who can actually join a “party” and start your actual training. That will indeed be a year you cannot afford to miss in order to go out to the world to seek for the Encore. —Ren!”

“Yes.”

“The last item left behind by the Brave Hero '''who happens to be your ancestor'''. You obviously do remember when the existence of the Encore was revealed to the world, right?”

“During the autumn of the World-Age 798.”

He expected that he would be asked a question.

There wasn’t a flaw in his answer since he predicted and prepared for it.

“Two-hundred years after the death of Elline at the young age of 26. The research team of the Royal History Laboratory announced the possibility of the existence of the Encore—the record of the war hand-written by Elline himself. Later that year, a massive search team was formed, but they failed to find the Encore. This search-team became the model for the current “parties,” and this led to the Era of Great War for the possession of Encore which also involved the three worlds of the Heaven, the Underworld, and the Earth.”

“……Hmm.”

The instructor didn’t know what to say to Ren’s answer for a moment.

Ren then used that short time of silence to speak out his mind.

“I would also like to make one correction. This is something I have been saying for quite a while—”

Ren stood up from his chair and looked at the instructor.

“Elline had no descendent. He traveled the world till he died from sickness at the age of 26. Not only did he not have children, he also didn’t have any siblings. I don’t belong to a family which is the direct descendant of Elline. Even if we looked back to our family tree, our ancestor from elven generations back in the past was merely a distant relative of his.”

“It doesn’t change the fact that he was your distant ancestor, right?”

“I’m asking you to please refrain from saying things which would cause a misunderstanding. If you say “your ancestor,” that would sound like I am Elline’s direct descendant.”

There were two misfortune the boy called Ren had.

The first is that he was born as the mirror image of the great Brave Hero.

And the second is that even though it would be considered as a distant relative of Elline, Ren’s mother’s household was actually the distant relative of Elline.

He was indeed a reincarnation of the Brave Hero. People around him expected a lot from him, but the reality was cruel.

''—His sword-skills aren't even comparable to the Sword Emperor, and was even inferior to his peers. ''

''—The only similarity he has is his appearance. ''

That was what his instructor and his classmates said to him. He had been told that even before he enrolled in the Holy Fiora Journey Academy.

The Fake Brave Hero.

That was the insulting title Ren had been given since childhood.

“The true history is that there wasn’t a single individual who could be considered Elline’s descendent. I wasn’t born from a legitimate household that could even be compared to that Brave Hero.”

“—”

The instructor became silent and he simply twitched his eyebrows.

“Are you done? Then sit.”

“……!”

He acted as if nothing happened, so Ren sat on his chair while crunching his fist.

“Time’s up. The class is dismissed for today.”

The instructor took a glance at his golden pocket watch.

“Those who didn’t get a satisfying result for the previous test shouldn’t forget about their training. The actual thing will be a pass or fail. You will repeat a year if you can’t show your results here. Though I’m sure that all of you are aware of that.”

<center>==========</center>

The End War—

Even after three-hundred years, the investigation to find out the entire story of the War hadn’t progressed at all.

The only known fact was that an unknown something entered the world. It wasn’t just the humans. The Dragons, the Angels, and the Demons were also threatened by the ominous invaders. The horror of war spread everywhere including the Earth, the Heaven, and the Underworld.

The ones who stopped the invasion were the Sword Emperor Elline and the legendary Three Great Princesses serving under him.

From the Heaven came Fear, the Angel from the highest class who received the command of the Goddess.

From the Underworld came Elise, the Demon Lord herself who was the master of the world deep under the ground.

From the Earth came Kyelse, the strongest Dragon Princess who was feared by both the Heaven and the Underworld.

''—The Angel, the Demon, and the Dragon. ''

The three superior beings who represented the three world respectively. It was said that such strongest force gathered under the Sword Emperor.

From the history book Ren read, it was written that each of them had an appearance of a human and that all three of them was described as beautiful girls.

“……I’m sure this was written by a man. On top of that, it’s completely his taste.”

Ren even remembered till this day when he muttered that while he read the history book.

''—Though I don’t know how much of the history was simply imagination—''

Except, the fact about the Three Great Princesses who represented the three world gathered under Elline, and that the four of them including Elline challenged and won after an intensive battle against “something” that was invading the world was a true incident.

That victory itself was the greatest achievement of the Sword Emperor Elline and the reason he was hailed as the Brave Hero.

……However, Elline was no immortal.

It was said that he passed away in one of the rooms in an inn at the young age of 26 without having any children, family, or close friends. His anecdote would have ended while he had his name remained in the history as an historical person if his life ended in such a way.

The problem arose approximately two-hundred years after his death. In other words, the event that unfolded one-hundred years before the present time.

“The Encore……huh.”

Ren repeated that word vaguely as he walked through the Academy’s corridor.

''—They couldn’t find it. ''

Among Elline’s belongings, his belongings such as his sword, his clothing he wore for his journey, and his other belongings were found. Except, there was one thing which was supposed to be there but could never be found.

Elline’s memoir, the “Encore.”

The memoir of the man who traveled the whole Earth, including the unexplored regions and sacred precincts, as well as Heaven and the Underworld.

Its value couldn’t simply be categorised as the relic left behind by the Brave Hero.

The only original texts that recorded the entire history of the End War. The sword-technique manual that was written by the Sword Emperor himself. It was also a world map that recorded many of the ancient ruins and the habitat of the spirits.

For example, you could salvage the rare {{Furigana|“the lost spells”|ANCIENTS}} from the ancient ruins, and you could also get a blessing from the powerful spirits within the sanctuary of the spirits. Most of the areas that were considered unexplored regions and sacred precincts since ancient times were also mining areas where you could find rare metals which would become the materials to create powerful weapons.

On top of that, it contained detailed battle records against other beings, such as Angels, Demons, Dragons, and gigantic monsters.

''—If the proper individual attains the Encore.''

''—The value of the information recorded within would lead that individual to seize sovereignty. ''

“That’s why you would become the Brave Hero if you were to find it, huh……”

He went down the stairs to come out the first floor’s corridor of the building.

“The one who finds the Encore would be given the title of “Brave Hero” and become the second person in history to receive that title.”

It was officially proposed by the World Alliance Conference.

The content of the memoir recorded by Elline would become a great treasure for humanity, and the achievement of the one who finds it would be befitting to be called the Brave Hero of the future generations.

The era when everyone in the world would seek to become the new Brave Hero.

Elline’s memoir itself became acknowledged as an existence that was awaiting the coming of the new Brave Hero, and before anyone knew it, the memoir became the {{Furigana|“the record of the world”|ENCORE}}.

“……Though I would need to think about advancing to the next grade first.”

Ren took out the grading report he was given back at the classroom from his pocket and then sighed.

He was ranked “fifth” overall within the class. Amongst them, he received “first” for the written criteria and “eighth” for the practical criteria.

“I haven’t had any troubles with the written criteria since last year, but the practical criteria would be a problem.”

The promotion test would be judged based on the mock battles between the students that were majoring in the {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} degree. You would become a high-rank student if you were to pass it. Your rank as a {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} will also be promoted from III-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} to II-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}.

And the graduation test would also be a promotion test to become an I-Grade {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}.

You would successfully graduate by passing that test. You could create a new party from scratch or you could take the test to join a well-known party.

Then—

“Ren, are you done with your lectures?”

A gentle voice.

Someone who approached quietly from behind him suddenly hugs him from his back.

“H-Hey!? What are you doing, Senpai!?”

“Fufu. Guess who?”

“……Well, even if you ask me that.”

Her teasing voice.

The two soft things squashed onto his back, and its incredible sensation—.

“Rather, the only one who would do this to me is you, Fear-senpai……”

“Oh my, so you knew it was me?”

She loosens the arms wrapped around him. The blonde highest-grade student comes around in front of him.

“I was worried since you were walking with a gloomy face.”

“……I was?”

“Is there anyone else here besides you?”

The girl chuckled after she said that. Seeing her cute smile—

“I see. I’m sorry for making you worry about me. Was I putting on such an expression?”

Ren couldn’t help but also smile to it.

''……She’s probably the only one. ''

''……Who interacts with me without making a fool out of me. ''

Fear Nesferia.

A girl whose distinctive features were her deep blue irises and her blonde-hair with silver lines.

She was eighteen years old and one year his senior. Her calm personality and soft smile showed that she was more mature atmosphere than he was.

“But, you know……having you press it……against me like before is……”

“Press it against you? Oh, did I press something against you?”

She bent her body forward while putting on a teasing smile.

In a posture where she forces forward her bosom, which is so dense that it would fall out from her blouse.

The one and only concern Ren had towards her was her overwhelming bosom, which was lifted up with her blouse made from thin cloth. That’s because the cloth of her blouse had a shape of two mountains, and it was so large that her buttons might pop in any second.

''—The truth is, I’m troubled to keep my eyes away.''

Unlike her graceful smile, her body was too stimulating.

''……The problem was that she does realise it.''

''……And she does it to me on purpose as a tease.''

The record she made last summer where dozens of pure boys fainted after seeing her in her swimsuit wouldn’t be broken in eternity.

“No, let’s stop talking about it. By the way, it’s rare to see you here, Senpai.”

“What do you mean?”

“For you to come down to the first floor of this building during this time. You are always inside the conference room. You are also the vice-president of the council and you always look busy with your council work.”

“I came to check my results.”

[[Image:Sekai_no_Owari_no_Encore_V1_Non-colour_002.jpg|thumb]]

The direction she pointed towards after she said that was the front exit of the building’s first floor.

“If you become a highest-grade student, your result would be put out for everyone to see, whether you like it or not.”

“Ah, the public execution—”

He stopped his words there.

His senior front of him still had a smile on her face. So did means that—

“Is it okay for me to ask? Senpai, what was your result?”

“Like usual.”

“Ranked first again!? It can’t be! It’s unbelievable to think that you ranked first for all three of “{{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}}”, “{{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}”, and “{{Furigana|Caster|ARIA}}”!

“I was simply lucky. My body was in good condition during the day of the test.”

The senior-girl narrowed her eyes as if she was blushing.

''—I really can’t beat this person. ''

Educational written test, ranked first among her grades.

Practical battle test, ranked first among her grades.

''—I can understand if she is good at the written test. That’s because your daily load of hard work gets reflected onto your result.''

''—What needs to be mentioned is the practical which is the battle test. ''

Within the practical test where the boys and girls would be tested together, her sword-play overwhelmed boys who were majoring in the {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}’s degree, and her spell-work overwhelmed students majoring in the {{Furigana|Caster|ARIA}}’s degree.

Even though she was a {{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}} that specialises in healing and regeneration.

The almighty genius. It must be the reason why she was called the first genius since the establishment of Holy Fiora Journey Academy.

“Senpai, you sure are amazing……”

Ren honestly spoke out his thought and praised her while scratching the back of his head.

“Senpai, you will finally graduate this winter, so you are also thinking about who you will form a party with after you become a highest-graduate student, right? Senpai, I’m sure you have received offers from famous parties, right?”

“Yes, I have received several invitation. From the principal’s connections.”

“I thought so! That’s amazing!”

Party—that’s the “expeditionary force made up of courageous warriors.”

Their main missions were to travel through different locations of the world to investigate the sacred precincts and ancient ruins as well as searching for the spirits habitats. There were wide-range of tasks, since there were also missions like hunting down dangerous monsters. Discovering the spirits and hunting down monsters would lead to strengthening a specific city’s forces. Investigating ancient ruins would lead to discovering {{Furigana|“the lost spells”|ANCIENTS}} and {{Furigana|“the lost technologies”|O-PARTS}}. Therefore the cities throughout the world supported and nurtured these parties.

This Holy Fiora Journey Academy was also one of them. It was built as a special institute to train boys and girls who were aiming to create parties. It was a prestigious school that produced many potential individuals.

“Then are you also after the Encore, Senpai?”

“I certainly am. That is the one thing I cannot give up on.”

She nodded while she had the same smile on her face.

“Though I haven’t been thinking about making a party yet.”

“……Eh?”

“This is a good opportunity. Ren, there was something I wanted to talk to you about for a while. The truth is, I will be leaving this Academy soon.”

“You’re leaving the Academy!? Eh, isn’t the graduation in winter!?”

“The results from the previous semester could be used as a quick graduation certificate. I have already submitted my withdrawal application form.”

“……You’re going to withdraw? You must be joking, Senpai.”

Even though Ren didn’t have such intention, his true feelings came out from his mouth.

Withdrawing when the graduation was just ahead wasn’t normal.

You would become an I-Grade {{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}} after taking the graduation test and then you would either make your own party or take an entrance test to join the party you desired.

“Why? The graduation test is just right ahead.”

“It’s exactly due to the reason I explained before. Leaving the Academy even a day earlier to find the Encore would definitely be better.”

“……Do you have any comrades? Did you receive an unofficial offer from a famous party?”

“I don’t have any.”

She waved her blonde hair and shook her head.

“It would be just me and a girl who is an old friend of mine. She was finally able to break out of her seal.”

“Seal?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. You can……simply ignore what I just said.”

Fear showed her rare side where she had a bitter smile and waved her hand.

She looked up the ceiling as if she were yearning—

“The truth is, I have a friend in mind for a while who would look for the Encore together with me. She was finally able to come. It would be better to strike while the iron is hot.”

“Your friend…… So it really wasn’t a scout from a famous party then?”

“Yes. There wasn’t a party I wished to join. I certainly had the principal talk to me so long about it, but every one of them didn't satisfy me—”

“H-Hey, Senpai!? Stop!”

Ren used his hand to interrupt his senior’s words.

''……That was close. ''

''……Wouldn’t her words just now became a serious issue if someone had heard it? ''

The two instructors and a group of students that walked behind them. Ren waited till he couldn’t see them and breathed out.

“Hey, that was dangerous Senpai. What you just said.”

“Is it?”

“It’s because……”

The world famous parties that had made great achievements. While the highest-grade student around her were desperately working hard to take the entrance test to join them, she said that those famous parties didn't satisfy her.

“I know your results, Senpai……so I do admire you. I’m not in a position where I could say anything about it and I don’t know much about your friend either. But I do think gaining experience by joining a proper party first is also important. You know, the world outside is dangerous after all.”

The End War was halted by Elline.

However, this world doesn’t just belong to the humans.

The danger level of encountering huge monsters when you enter the ancient ruins and sacred precincts.

The Angels of the Heavens, the Demons of the Underworld, and the Dragons that were the supreme ruler of the Earth, would try to eliminate the humans without mercy. The humans of this world were a weak species.

“Even that Brave Hero formed a party.”

“The Brave Hero?”

“I’m talking about the Sword Emperor Elline.”

“……Oh yes, him.”

Fear made a gesture with her hand as if she just remembered.

“Oh yes, he’s called the Brave Hero now. The humans sure do act conveniently. Back then, the whole world treated him like an pariah swordsman.”

“Eh?”

“Oh no, please ignore that.”

The blonde girl shook her hand in panic which was a rare sight. But her gesture ended there since she looked towards Ren with yearning eyes.

“Let me make one correction. About my case regarding the party. Yes, if I find a party which could even rival the famous Elline’s party, then I may want to join them.”

“? Well, that’s asking for a lot……I mean, you are talking about the legendary party right?”

Elline Sword Emperor Brigade.

The bright and pure-white Angel—the Archangel Fear from the Heaven who was said to have a power that surpassed even the Goddess.

The dark and cloaked Empress—the Demon Lord Elise who was the master of the Underworld.

The girl with a shining silver hair—the strongest Dragon Princess, Kyelse, who was even feared by the Heaven and the Underworld.

The Three Great Princesses who represented the three worlds and Elline who led such party. They stopped the End War with just the four of them. They were indeed the strongest party and was considered the best in history.

“Besides. They do say stories from the past comes with false details. We don’t know just how much of the actual story had been exaggerated.”

There were also a theory that the human {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} and {{Furigana|Caster|ARIA}} gradually were replaced with an Angel, an Demon, and an Dragon Princess as the story was retold to people.

That was because it would make the story even more interesting.

“By the way, what do you personally think about it? Do you think the legend of Elline was a fictional story?”

Her eyes that looked right into Ren’s eyes.

The girl called Fear.

From the girl who had the same name as the legendary Angel by coincidence.

“My honest impression is that I hope it would be true.”

Ren nodded while feeling reserved.

“When I heard that story when I was a kid, I honestly thought it was amazing.”

He innocently admired the story.

Even though he was continued to be called the fake Brave Hero, the reason Ren was receiving guidance at Holy Fiora Journey Academy as a {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} was due to being charmed by the tales of his adventurers.

“It had an interesting story. There was the strongest swordsman where the Archangel, the Demon Lord, and the strongest Dragon Princess traveled with him. Anyone would want to see a party like that if they did really exist. What kind of journey they had while traveling the world, just thinking about it gets me excited.”

“……I see.”

“Fear-senpai?”

“Ren, you are wonderful. You are very honest, very pure, and……”

She had a smile exactly like that of an Angel.

The girl called Fear said that with a tone of a calm adult.

“If it was a human like you—”

The alarming bell.

The one that interrupted her words was the bell that echoed throughout the Academy.

“Ah, it’s already this time? Senpai, don’t you have your usual council work?”

“It’s cancelled for today. I asked everyone since I wanted to use the conference room for my business.”

“For your personal use? So the instructor gave you permission?”

“I was ranked first in my grade for this reason.”

The vice-president of the council who made a naughty smile.

She replied as if this was all in her plan, but what was frightening was that it sounded real when it was coming from her.

“By the way, Ren. This may have been fate that we met here, so would you please do an errand for me?”

“Huh? To where?”

“When you exit the Academy from the main gate, there’s a cake shop if you walk straight through the town. I placed ordered in advance, so what’s left is for you to pick it up. I will be cleaning up the conference room during that time. I wanted to have a bit of a snack-party with my friend.”

“Sure, but I thought you couldn’t eat inside the conference room? I’m sure the instructors would snap if they caught you.”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Oh yes, and—”

Fear shook her hand.

But her eyes looked like she was teasing him and for some reason it also looked seductive.

“How about having a study session together next time as my thanks for having you do my errand? Before I leave the Academy, instead of using the classroom, let's use my room at the girl’s dormitory, okay? Your big sister would teach you many things from the basics—”

“N-No……let’s do that for another occasion!”

''—It’s simply studying, so what’s with her teaching me from the basic? ''

Ren kept his scream inside his mouth and left the scene as if he ran away.

===2===

Student’s town, Mstier.

The town was structured in a way such that the party raising institute, Holy Fiora Journey Academy, was located at its centre.

There were food and beverage stores as well as clothing stores that were used by students, including Ren. Not only was there a blacksmith factory that manufactures swords and spears, there were also a large bookstore which has all the line-ups such as the world map and monster encyclopaedia.

Near the southern-gate of the town—

“……She ordered too much.”

Ren walked through the main road while carrying the loads of bags filled with snacks with both hands.

“Eighteen puddings, three whole cakes, twenty-five profiteroles, and thirty-seven baked sweets. That Fear-senpai, what kind of big party is she planning to do……?”

When Ren saw these bags back at the shop, he felt uneasy since he didn’t know if he could carry all of them.

“Oh yeah, I heard it was going to rain from the afternoon. If it started raining right now—”

His words were interrupted.

Many screams echoed from far behind him.

“……What!?”

Ren discarded his shopping bag and turned around.

“Make your life and comrade's lives your first priority. Anything else can easily be replaced.”

This was the first time Ren thanked those three years worth of guidance of his instructor. If he was even a second too slow at throwing away the shopping bags, he would have been on the ground covered in blood.

A giant green Dragon was flapping its wings.

“A Wyvern!? Why is it in the middle of town!?”

The Dragon-species that was known as the absolute ruler of the Earth.

The one that just grazed Ren’s head and landed clearly belonged to that species.

''……That was close.''

''……If I was too slow in turning around, I may have had my head sliced by those claws.''

The training he received as a {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}}. No, rather than the training, it was more like his luck. That was how unexpected this assault was.

“Is that thing about five metres in length?”

It depends on each Wyvern, but a mature Wyvern is usually seven metres long.

Even though it would be considered small among the Dragon-species, what needed to be specially noted about it was its flight speed. A Wyvern that was using its maximum velocity would be so fast that even the best sniper would have a hard time shooting it.

“But why is it here? Did it stray away from its herd and wandered in here!?”

If that was the case, its wariness would increase due to having strayed from its herd. There were many cases where its aggressive behaviour became even worse. And it broke through the town walls and entered the town.

A situation like this was rare, and the level of danger was also high.

“Who can even stop this thing……?”

Ren looked up towards the monster in front of him while muttering in astonishment.

''—Just how many highest-grade students and instructors would you need to take it down?''

''—No, the opponent isn’t that simple.''

Even if the highest-grade students came to the scene, they were merely students. They merely had experience in fighting small monsters, so the number of students that had experience in fighting a Dragon is close to none. The instructors have already retired from the parties. So you couldn’t think of a plan to defeat it.

The only thing they could do was to buy time and pray for it to leave after it gets bored.

“Even so, buying time would be……”

Even though Ren looked around him, there weren’t any parties that looked reliable.

Even though it was called a student town, a town was still a town. Most of them were civilians. The only people he could see were merchants, families of the civilians, and tourists running away.

“Dammit! Of all times, I’m the only one who had to be here!”

He drew out a dagger that was for self-defense from the attached to his belt.

The length of the blade was that of a knife. It was a weapon you didn’t need to go all the way to the weapon factory to buy it since it was purchasable in the business district, even for a civilian.

''……This would only seem like a toothpick to that Dragon.''

He shouldn’t think about winning or losing.

He only had to think about buying time. Until the people around him had evacuated—

“Oh, I have found a delicious looking snack at a place like this.”

It was at this time when Ren heard a dignified voice from right beside him.

“I sure am lucky to find a snack which is basically new at a place like this. Maybe this would be a good gift for Fear?”

''—The bags of snacks I threw away.''

''—There is a silver hair girl who is standing right beside me and is staring down at the snacks. ''

“Hey, those are my snacks……no, that isn’t it, hey idiot, hurry and run!”

“Your snack?”

The girl turned around—

“What are you saying? The one who found these first was me. Isn’t it first come first serve?”

Emerald green eyes that had a darker colour than the sea, and her long silver hair that sparkled like a pearl.

On top of her fantasy-like colours, her face was also adorable like that of a fairy that would appear in a fairy-tale. Even though she was dressed as an adventurer, her slender body could only be described as being lovely.

But Ren was only fascinated by the girl’s appearance for just that slight moment.

“A-Anyway, you need to run! This isn’t the time for talking such thing!”

“Run? Why is there a need for me to run?”

The silver hair girl looked up at Ren while feeling unpleasant.

“To begin with, human, you called me an idiot. Who do you think I am……eh…………”

That moment, the girl stopped breathing and opened her eyes wide.

Then her small hand started shaking.

“Eh, ……eh, ……El……Elli…………”

“Pardon me?”

“Elline, you were alive!”

The girl raised her voice and jumped towards him.

“I wanted to see you! I was looking for you this whole time! Yeah, even if you are a human, you are special. There was no way you would die simply after three-hundred years—”

“I’m saying that I don’t understand what you’re saying!”

Ren jumped while carrying the girl.

He used his whole body to prevent the girl from touching the ground and then rolled on the ground backwards.

'''—ROAR!'''

That instant, the Dragon swung down its tail and obliterated bricks of walls.

“Hurry up and run! You saw it for yourself just now. That Wyvern is too dangerous!”

“Defeat it.”

“……Huh?”

“I’m saying that you have the permission to defeat it. As long as you don’t kill it, you don’t need to hold back against my kind. That guy is an arrogant prick who had been following me this whole time even before I got here. He’s an eyesore so take it down with a single punch to his head.”

“It followed you? What does that mean—”

The meaning behind the words of the girl with the silver hair.

Before Ren could even comprehend the meaning of her words, the sound of the Wyvern stepping on the ground made Ren’s eardrum shiver.

''—He’s going to step on me!''

The black shadow which was above Ren’s head. The Wyvern came down at them without losing sights of its target. The moment Ren realised that, he pushed away the girl who was clinging onto him.

“You idiot, don’t just stand there, run!”

The shadow of the huge Dragon’s shadow that was coming down at him.

''……I need to make it in time!''

He brought out his dagger with a faint hope and also jumped to the back—

[[Image:Sekai_no_Owari_no_Encore_V1_Non-colour_003.jpg|thumb]]

Then the impact.

Ren was overwhelmed by the merciless impact which was so strong that he couldn’t breathe. Ren was sent flying far to the rear.

“……! ……Gah! ……”

He couldn’t breathe due to the impact to his back. The reason why his vision turned red must be due to the blood pouring from his forehead. It was the cut he received when the tip of the Dragon’s claw grazed him.

''……I guess……it’s alright since I’m alive, right?''

''……No……it doesn’t make any difference……I guess.''

The dagger that was shattered from the core of the blade. His weapon that was violently shattered with ease.

He gripped his weapon where only the handle remained.

“………………Bring it, '''you worthless Dragon'''.”

Ren stood up with his body that was covered in sand.

“An……attack……like that……doesn’t work on me……even in the slightest.”

The words that was just able to come out of his throat.

He used his hand as if he was provoking the Wyvern that had its wing spread wide.

''—Fake Brave Hero.''

''—I’m not a Brave Hero nor am I the strongest knight that can take down a Dragon by myself.''

''—But I can’t give in.''

''—I need to buy time. Until there are reinforcements from the Academy. More importantly, I need to buy enough time so the silver hair girl in front of me could escape.''

“……I been telling you to……run”

His sight was covered in blood, but he could still see the silver hair girl who hadn’t ran or hid yet.

“Hurry up……I’m seriously……at my limit……”

“I got it.”

That was the time when the girl nodded as if she finally understood something.

“Don’t tell me you have a stomach ache because you ate something bad?”

“……Huh?”

“Fine then. I don’t feel good in laying hand on my kind, but I’ll take care of this.”

Right after she said that.

The silver girl approached the Wyvern from the front carelessly for all things.

“……!? H-Hey, stop—”

“There’s no way that I, the Dragon Princess Kyelse, will be beaten by this weakling.”

Ren could see the girl’s face from the side where she was putting on a fearless smile.

Ren listened to the girl’s word as if he was dreaming.

''……Dragon Princess Kyelse?''

''……No, wait……it can’t be. That name belongs to '''the one from that legendary party'''……''

“A Dragon’s child that doesn’t even know who I am. I wonder from which valley it came from.”

The Wyvern which was spreading his wings wide.

The small girl faced the giant monster by herself where she had to tilt her head up to look at it.

“And did he just make a threat right in front of me? I see, so you followed me all the way to this town because I entered your territory. Looks like your pride is the only thing that is remarkable.”

“S-Stop—”

He couldn’t say any more than that. He was losing consciousness. He had his hand full just standing there, and his hand couldn’t reach the girl’s back—

The next moment, Ren would witness a scene he wouldn’t be able to forget for the rest for his life.

“Imbecile.”

The girl leaped.

She didn’t jump. It would be more accurate to say that what she did was flight. An altitude of ten metres high. The girl who reached even higher than the Wyvern with the wings simply said—

“Bow unsightly before me.”

The powerful gravitational field.

The intense gravity which could even compress the paved surface road made a cavity in it instantly.

—Not only didn’t she allow the Wyvern to resist, she didn’t allow it respond either.

If humans were to activate a spell of the same calibre as hers, they would require longer and more complex spell ceremony as well as mental concentration. But she did it with a few words.

Power of language.

The words that were said come to this world and take a physical form. A human like Ren couldn’t even imagine just how powerful and high level the spell was.

“Hmph, cool your head for a bit down there.”

The girl who soared up the sky landed splendidly on the ground after doing a spin in mid-air.

The giant crater which was drilled on the ground. After she took a glance at the Wyvern that was unconscious at the deepest part of the crater, she jumped into Ren’s arm once again.

“Elline!”

“Again!? ……More importantly, what was that power……?”

The silver hair girl was hugging tightly onto Ren. Even if Ren tried to push her away, she doesn’t even budge an inch. Her physical strength was so strong that you couldn’t imagine it was coming from such slender body.

“Haha, you. You were alive after all! I thought it was some kind of joke when I heard that you died due to illness five years after I was sealed. Yeah, there was no way you would simply die from sickness—”

“I-I can’t breathe…… ……I’ll die……you are suffocating me……”

“……H-Hey? What’s wrong Elline? You haven’t been acting like yourself for a while.”

The girl who had a blank face weakens the strength in her arm.

“Cough, cough……s-seriously……”

Ren answered to the girl who was looking up at him while he coughed violently.

“I’m not Elline. Though I do get mistaken as him quite a lot. To begin with, Elline was the Brave Hero from three-hundred years ago. A human can’t live that long.”

“? Elline, did you……forget about me?”

“I didn’t know you to begin with.”

“……It can’t be.”

After the silver hair girl made a gesture where she was in thoughts, she approached Ren. This time, she put her face on his chest. She started sniffing him like a dog.

“!? What are you doing!?”

“See? It’s Elline’s smell. There’s no way I would mistake you.”

“……E-Either way, get away from me!”

He couldn’t help but be embarrassed since a girl that could be considered an absolute beauty hugged him and then started sniffing his smell.

“I’m sorry to say this even though you seem to be confident about it, but I really am a different person.”

“……What!?”

“My name is Ren. Well, if you go up my family tree, Elline would be my ancestor’s distant relative, but he never had any children so I’m not his direct descendant or anything. I’m merely a distant relative of his. A distant descendant.”

“His descendant……you? ……Then Elline is…………”

The girl muttered vaguely. Her expression started to get gloomy.

''……Why are you looking up at me with such sad eyes?''

''……I haven’t done anything wrong, but it pains me.''

“I’m telling you that Elline……isn’t here anymore.”

The Brave Hero died.

He couldn’t say those words. The best he could say was “he isn’t here.”

“…………”

The light disappeared from the emerald-green eyes.

The girl turned around slowly while biting her lips.

“H-Hey!”

Kyelse took a glance at Ren and simply said this.

“……Just his appearance, huh…………”

A total stranger who had the appearance of the Brave Hero but not his strength.

''……Except.''

Even though he received those words, Ren realised that he was so calm that it shocked him.

A total stranger. Fake Brave Hero. He received different kind of taunts when he was compared to the legendary Brave Hero, and there was always mockery within those taunts where people were making a fool out of him.

But he couldn’t sense a slight sign of those emotions in her words.

Elline was no longer here. The sad persuasion where she was telling herself that.

''……It’s like she said it in such way.''

The silver hair girl who defeated the Wyvern with ease. The back of the girl who had such overwhelming power now looked small, weak, and sad.

“H-Hey……umm…………”

He wanted to call out to her. But he couldn’t find the right words to say to her.

What Ren, who was thinking as such, witnessed was—

The girl who was dragging a giant bag full of snacks.

“Hey!? That’s mine! Are you trying to take it away while acting sad!?”

“I defeated the Wyvern on your behalf, right?”

“……Gu.”

He didn’t know how to reply back to her words.

It was certain that the safety of the residents as well as Ren still being alive was her achievement.

“……Fine. Alright, take that with you.”

He was half convinced, but he gave up for the other half. His sighed carried those two emotions. Ren shrugged his shoulder.

''......I can just buy what Fear-senpai asked me to bring with my own money.''

''……Also, I can’t stand to look at her sad eyes.''

“I’m sure it would be delicious since those snacks are from the most famous shop around here.”

“You sure are reasonable for a human.”

The smile the girl made for a slight moment.

There was a faint smile in her sad face.

The girl called Kyelse disappeared in front of Ren.

—That was the beginning.

—The beginning of the story of the boy that was called the fake Brave Hero and the legendary Dragon Princess.

{{SimpleNav
|b=Prologue|bn=Prologue
|f=Record.2|fn=Record.2
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Sekai no Owari no Encore:Volume 1 Record.1

2015-06-08T15:45:43Z

Ragzzz: /* Record.1: The Fake Brave Hero Doesn’t Have Any Comrades */

Sekai no Owari no Encore:Volume 1 Record.5

2015-06-08T10:03:44Z

Ragzzz: /* 1 */

==Record.5: It, the Conqueror of Fire——==

===1===

The Great Volcano of Galia.

An active volcano which erupted approximately one-thousand years ago where you could still see gas billowing out from its crater. Even now the ground was covered by pumice stone, volcaniclastic materials from back when the magma cooled down and solidified.

At the junction of its three paths.

“Elise should have taken the right path and Fear, the middle path, aiming towards the summit.”

“Then we will be taking the left path huh.”

To reach the summit, the junction of the three paths should each connect to the three different routes.

The middle path which Fear took should be the shortest, but there would most likely be many Demons guarding it. Predicting that, Elise took the route which would have the longest distance to reach the summit.

As such, the route Ren would take would be the remaining route which was the left path from the junction of the three paths.

“——We should move fast.”

They climbed up the volcano’s path. Even though they should already have reached halfway up, not meeting the other parties impliep they had a late start.

"It's natural that at this time, the parties that advanced up the mountain should have started battling Achendias' minions." Don’t lower your guard since we don’t know where a high-level Demon would be lurking.”

“......Roger that. By the way, do you know the situation of the battle?”

“The parties have mostly been annihilated. The Demons have left their miasma everywhere.”

“It can’t be!?”

“They were weak parties lured here by hearing the name of the Five Great Disaster. This would be a natural outcome if this was their first battle with high-level Demons. There won’t be a problem though since Fear and Elise would be rescuing them.”

Kyelse climbed up the mountain in a lightly manner as if she was skipping.

“If the parties worked together, they may have been able to put on an even fight.”

“……That’s only if they headed to the mountain together.”

Not only did they not work cooperatively, it instead turned into a time attack battle where each party would first aim for the Five Great Disaster.

And the one who triggered such situation was none other than the five member party formed by Ren’s seniors. As a result, each party would get taken down by the Five Great Disaster’s henchmen on their own game.

And then——

Without any warning, a circular symbol, glowing in crimson-colour appeared on the ground.

“A spell!?”

Ren kicked the ground to evade it.

That moment, flames shaped like a giant dragon almost grazed Ren’s back and soared up the sky.

“Huh? He dodged it, Ranaku.”

“That’s a rare sight, isn’t it? Looks like he has good reflexes for a human, Kanaku.”

Two winged Demons appeared from the sky.

Pale skinned children with solid yet transparent wings. Despite their adorable appearance making them appear like fairies, the expressions on their faces were like carnivores who had found their prey.

“It will be a competition since we can report this to Achendia-sama.”

“Which one of us can——”

“Eyesore.”

The two Demons, with their miasma around them were blasted away by explosions around them.

“……H-Huh? It ended already?”

“I don’t have time to waste for novice Demons that doesn’t even know who I am. Let’s get going.”

The Dragon Princess started running ahead without waiting for Ren’s response.

“H-Hey? Was it okay to blast them away like that?”

“Dang it. I should have blasted them away after making them tell us where Achendia’s location is.”

“That’s not what I meant! Wouldn’t they also be considered as Elise’s former henchmen?”

The Dragons, the Angels, and the Demons were the three beings representing the earth, the Heaven, and the Underground, respectively. If Kyelse who was a Dragon carelessly attacked them, then there would be a possibility that it willhinder the balance of the three worlds.

“The Demons strength lies in their toughness. Just like Elise’s ability to reincarnate.”

“What do you mean?”

“Even if I did “destroy” them here, they won’t be “annihilated”. Either way, the Demons here are a bunch that betrayed the Demon Lord of the Underworld. It won’t be a problem if I lay hand on them. More importantly, don’t assume it would end with those two. There’s more coming.”

The area where the battle took place between the parties and the Demons. If those two were the scouts——

“What……is this powerful presence? A Dragon!?”

“No, wait. What is up with this abnormal pressure? It can’t be?”

“That legendary——”

“Just get lost.”

There are three Demons that appeared from the ground. But even they were defeated by Kyelse's round kick, without putting a fight.

“Ah, geez. I can’t stand this! Because of that seal!”

“……Even though you are saying that, that was too easy for you.”

Kyelse was taking down the Demons as they appeared.

Not even one of the Demons, who would be a threat to the human’s party, could be a hindrance to her.

And then——

“! Are all of you okay!?”

Ren in a rush, headed to the party of six that were on the ground.

Maybe they received a surprise attack from the Demons which Kyelse had just defeated. The party formed by the two {{Furigana|Knights|MASTERS}}, the two {{Furigana|Casters|ARIAS}}, a {{Furigana|Predator|HUNTER}}, and a {{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}} were all burned up and lying on the ground.

“……Did you two h……help……us……?”

The {{Furigana|Curer|HEALER}} girl opened her eyes a bit.

“Your injuries?”

“……It’s not a fatal injury. Even I can heal……injuries of this degree……”

She stood up weakly.

“Go ahead. There were parties ahead of us. Elmekia Dusk and a party formed by young people.”

“Elmekia Dusk!? So they passed through here!”

“Yes. That party……their strength were on a different level……they headed for the summit while overcoming high-level Demons.”

“Thanks, I was wondering about them.”

Ren faced towards Kyelse and nodded. Then they ran up through the path heading towards the summit.

“Ren——”

“I know. The young party that girl mentioned must be my seniors from the academy. I assume they progressed through this route by using anti-Demon barrier since one of them was a {{Furigana|Barrierer|ENCHANTER}}.”

“But that spell won’t work on high-level Demons, you know?”

You could separate the sources of spells used by humans into two major categories.

The destruction-type spells copied from the spells used by the Demons——magic and attack spells would be included here.

The protection-type spells copied from the spells used by the Angels——de-spell and defence spells would be included here.

Among these two categories, the anti-Demon barrier would be taken from the Angels’ spells.

The effect it has against the regular Demons would be high, but it was merely an inferior spell used by humans. It wouldn’t work against high-level Demons with overwhelming power.

“……I thought I already knew this.”

Ren realised once again after witnessing the fallen party.

The ones that were able to compete with the high-level Demons, the rulers of the Underworld, were a portion of the parties such as the Elmekia Dusk. They were not an opponent that a novice party should challenge in a rush.

——Screams.

It was then when Ren heard familiar screams coming from above.

“We were late……! Senpai!?”

The {{Furigana|Caster|ARIA}} who barely was conscious had his knee on the ground.

The {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} student who was using his sword to support his body didn’t move an inch. Standing next to him was a {{Furigana|Barrierer|ENCHANTER}} girl who was looking at the Demon in front of her with expression filled with terror.

“Ren!?”

The {{Furigana|Knight|MASTER}} opened his eyes wide while breathing heavily.

Without even answering him,

“The aura of your power isn’t bad. You are such a waste to be Achendia’s henchman.”

“This smell, the Heavenly Silver Dragon!”

Kyelse’s punch and the large Demon’s punch. Both fist clashed creating a flash which burned the eyes. A powerful shock which could even distort space passed through the scene.

“What the……!?”

The silver haired girl who took the attack of a Demon head on.

Seeing such situation, the five academy graduates screamed in shock.

''——Unbelievable.''

''——Such small girl countered the attack of a high-level Demon.''

Everyone had their eyes pop out while such thought passed through their mind.

“Senpai, behind you!”

Only Ren was staring at a completely different direction.

A dangerous presence which appeared behind them.

A Demon which had an appearance of a brown lion, whose colour was its main trait. Ren certainly saw the four legged beast stood firmly on the ground while it lit a crimson glow in its mouth.

“Senpai, watch out!”

“Ren!? Stop, you will——”

Kyelse’s scream could be heard. The instant the boy who was called the fake Brave Hero pushed away the {{Furigana|Barrierer|ENCHANTER}} girl, his body was enveloped by the crimson flames.

“Re————”

“Thanks. You saved me again.”

But the crimson flames were compressed in the empty air.

There was one boy who calmly stood right after the burning flames turned into small sparks.

He had a spirit which was glowing brilliantly and sitting on his right shoulder.

“The {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}}!? Ren, when on earth did you master it!?”

“Ancient summoning! You are telling me there is a human who can command the spirits which exists in this era!?”

The Demon which had the appearance of a lion shivered.

Ren used that slight opening to mow down the lion’s body as he passed by it.

“……Splendid……”

That Demon disappeared like a shimmer of hot air.

Besides it, another Demon defeated by Kyelse perished.

“Ren, what’s going on!? Since when did you become capable of using spirit summoning!?”

“Ouch, it hurts! Rather, my eyes are spinning! Calm down!”

Ren, with Kyelse grabbing his collar, was being shaken around.

“That proves how amazing Fear-senpai’s divine tool is.”

“But……even so……no, let’s leave it for now. Though it was beyond what I expected——”

The spirit had an appearance of a winged lizard.

The {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} which looked like a small red Dragon disappeared. Kyelse who saw that turned around to Ren while looking happy.

“That was a great job coming from you. There isn’t much distance left till we reach the summit so we will keep on going while immediately taking down the enemies.”

“Yeah.”

Kyelse advanced ten metres ahead with a single step.

Ren ran while following after her.

At the mountain path where it had become silent——

The party of five members were watching such scenery in a daze.

<center>==========</center>

Near the crater of the Great Volcano of Galia.

“Looks like this is it for you.”

“Achendia the Demon General of Blaze. The great Demon who was even called a Five Great Disaster. We would never have thought you would flee while leaving your henchmen behind. Looks like the name of the legendary Demon had fallen.”

The five humans that were wearing black battle wear.

The Elmekia Dusk——. They were the only ones who managed to arrive at the summit, while the other parties were defeated one after another by the Demons who blocked their way, as they also aimed for the volcano’s summit.

“Pretty skilled there. I never have thought all of you would catch up to me by using {{Furigana|pursuit spells|trace}}.

The great Demon calmly stood there, smiling as she had the crater boil out magma behind her.

——Demon General of Blaze, Achendia.

Her crimson hair which looked like scorched heat was possessed by it. And her golden-coloured eyes made her look like a female leopard.

Simply, her appearance was that of a fascinating woman.

Her appearance was that of a woman in her mid-twenties. Though the dress she was wearing had a brilliant red colour, she was equipped with an unknown precious metal on her wrists and neck.

“Now then. What shall I do?”

Behind her was a precipitous cliff. If she stepped in a wrong place, she would fall into the boiling magma. Even though she was in a situation where she was cornered, the Demon General of Blaze kept her confident smile.

“We warn you. If you don’t want to suffer then leave this mountain immediately.”

“Oh? Is that supposed to be some human’s joke?”

The great Demon who had a fearless glow in her golden eyes.

“So are you saying you would fight us?”

“Such dummies. I wasn’t talking about that. What I was wondering was——should Mii reveal myself.”

The spouted flames enveloped around the Demon General.

“……What!? Who are you?”

“Hello there. I think your party was called the Elmekia Dusk, wasn’t it? Anyways, good job.”

The white haired little girl sat on the giant orb which was floating in the air.

“One of the Three Followers of the Demon General of Blaze Achendia-sama, Mii of the “Imitation”. Let’s get along.”

“A fake! Then where is the real Five Great Disaster——”

The Demon answered with an innocent chuckle.

“Achendia-sama was also bored so she could have played with all of you. But an interesting bunch, who would entertain us even more, showed up exactly then. So we needed the pests to be removed.”

“An interesting bunch?”

“Yup. Mii was also shocked. I would never have thought there would be a reincarnation of the legend from three-hundred years ago.”

“……Your words don’t make any sense. But we simply need to break through you and reach the Demon General of Blaze.”

The party of five humans in black attire.

Each and every one of them were professional {{Furigana|Knights|MASTERS}}, as well as being {{Furigana|Casters|ARIAS}} and {{Furigana|Barrierers|ENCHANTERS}}.

“Terrific. It’s been a while since I met humans that are worth the fight.”

She sat on a pearl-coloured orb.

Mii of the “Imitation”, who was opposing the Elmekia Dusk, said it with a chilling smile.

“I will play with all of you on behalf of Achendia-sama. Shall we start then?”

===2===

The Great Volcano of Galia, the summit of the third route——

“This was unexpected.”

That was the first thing Kyelse said to the Demon standing in front of her.

“I thought more of your so-called trusted retainers would be waiting for us, but you came all the way here to meet us?”

“It’s called special treatment. After all, it had been a while since we last met.”

The one who answered, was a crimson Demon, who was the highest-class Demon.

The Demon General of Blaze, Achendia. She had her crimson hair blowing behind her and didn’t lose her smile despite Kyelse glaring at her.

“Has it been three-hundred and five years ago since we last met? But I’m surprised. It seems like the former Demon Lord-sama and the strongest Archangel in Heaven is with you as well. I can’t believe it. If Elline was also alive, then it would have been the reincarnation of the legendary party.”

“……Elline isn’t here anymore. He was a human. So he had a lifespan.”

“Then is that boy over there the reincarnation of Elline? He resembles him so much.”

The Five Great Disaster’s gaze moved to Ren.

The golden-eyes like that of a female leopard. She was looking at him. Ren couldn’t help but feel cold sweat pour down his back like waterfall simply from that.

''——She’s different.''

''The presence of the Demon in front of me is in a different league than the Demons I have encountered till now.''

Even Ren who simply stood in front of her could realise that. She looked like a human from a quick look. But the miasma and pressure which poured from her body was completely different to the other Demons.

“So? Are you?”

“You should know the answer already. Don’t even think I’m Elline’s reincarnation.”

Ren held the chills he was feeling and answered by keeping his tone down.

“Heh? I like it. You are the kind of human who knows his place.”

“……There’s one thing I want to ask.”

Ren looked straight at the Demon with such overwhelming presence.

“You were a Demon General who was previously the subordinate of Elise, right? I heard that you rebelled because Elise resigned from her post as a Demon Lord and didn’t like the current Demon-Lord.”

“Hmm? Well, I guess you aren’t far off.”

“Then couldn’t you just remain as Elise's, the former Demon Lord’s, subordinate instead of the current Demon Lord's? Elise is having trouble since her body turned into that state. Didn’t you think of helping her?”

“That’s out of the question.”

That became the final verdict of a Demon who was once the candidate to become a Demon Lord.

“To be honest, the current Elise doesn’t appeal to me at all. Especially as someone who once knew of her beauty, strength, and brutality. More importantly, don’t you think there isn’t any reason for me to obey someone who is weaker than me?”

The highest-class Demon whose strength even surpassed that of a current Demon Lord.

That was the declaration of war from the legendary Demon who was called the personification of blaze.

“Though meeting Elise would be the last entertainment for me. Until then, don’t you think it will be troublesome if I don’t crush you two and Fear till then? All of you also want to defeat me in order to protect the human’s town, right? So why don’t we get started now.”

“Ren, step aside!”

Kyelse jumped the same time as she shouted.

On the other hand the Demon General of Blaze jumped to the rear towards the slope of the mountain while she made phantoms of herself.

The phantoms of the Demon General. All of the phantoms moved at the same time and spoke.

“This is so saddening.”

“For that invincible and unequalled Dragon.”

“Maybe it was due to that seal.”

“You don’t even have a trace left from back then.”

The crimson detonation——the scattered current of thermal expansion created by the spells of the four phantoms turned into shockwaves that burned and demolished the huge rocks.

“Just be quiet.”

Kyelse’s power of language.

The scattered blast swiftly turned into a pleasant spring breeze.

It must had been a spell to intervene with the energies and fluids within a wide-range. But it was in a level where a human like Ren couldn’t possibly understand the constitution of the spell even though he saw it up-close.

“Split.”

Kyelse’s raised feet stepped on the ground. That instant, a shock ran through the Great Volcano of Galia like a rumble caused by a huge Dragon landing on the mountain.

The lifted pebbles along with hundreds and thousands of small rocks headed towards the Five Great Disaster.

Every one of the rocks had the power and velocity of an arrow or even bullets. Even getting hit by one of them would cause fatal damage. But——

“This isn’t like you. A cunning fighting-style like that isn’t something a Dragon would do.”

They perished before touching the Five Great Disasters.

Miasma——a garment of curses that high-level Demons has around them. Metal objects would turn into rust. And mere objects such as pebbles would be disintegrated in an instant.

“You realise it, don’t you? In your current state you can’t——”

“That’s enough talk.”

The Princess of Dragons approached right in front of the Demon General. The many pebbles from before was for deceptive means. A trap used to deceive the eyes of the real Achendia and her four phantoms at the same time.

“It’s so obvious. And sadly, in your current state you won’t overcome my miasma——”

“Fall to the depth of the realm of the dead.”

……Shook.

The air shook. The punch created by Kyelse pierced through Achendia’s activated miasma and nailed her in the stomach.

“Who do you think I am?”

“!? ……k-ka……!?”

The Five Great Disaster held her enormous breast and couldn’t hide her pain.

Barrier breaker. Body destroyer. And the spell intervener. The punch which has those three different high-level spells reached the Demon General of Blaze.

“……Splendid. To be expected from the legendary Dragon Princess Kyelse. I guess that was roughly between thirty to forty percent of the strength of your prime. And that was while being in a human’s appearance. '''Won’t you return to that beautiful Dragon?'''”

“That isn’t your concern.”

Kyelse simply approached her.

Seeing the silver haired girl doing that, the crimson haired Demon simply put on a cold smile and——

“I see. So you can’t transform back, can you?”

“…………”

“That’s too bad. If you could, then you would have been able to fight me even with only half of your strength.”

“What?”

“The cause of your loss would be that there hasn’t been much time since you woke up.”

The real Achendia. And the four phantoms.

Purple-coloured spell-circles appeared below the feet of the five bodies of the legendary Demon. Strange barriers made up of many complex spell-circles, symbols, and pentagram.

“Anti-Dragon element barrier!?”

“You should have realised by the time I summoned the four phantoms. I pity you since your senses were still dull due to three-hundred years of being sealed.”

The light made from the barrier wrapped around Kyelse as if it was restraining her——

“Kyelse!?”

“Don’t come, R————gu……aaah……!?”

Before Ren could even reach her.

The silver haired girl’s scream echoed, where she then fell at the centre of the barrier.

“I already knew you were coming. It’s natural for me to have prepared barriers against you beforehand. I obviously have many anti-Angel barriers set around there against Fear.”

The four phantoms vanished.

The remaining Demon General of Blaze looked down at Kyelse with a bewitching smile.

“What will you do now? Good timing, I was hoping to have a henchman like you.”

“……Like hell……you low rank……”

She said while she had lights from the barrier restraining her to the ground.

She still tried to move despite it. The Dragon Princess bit her teeth hard, got on her four limbs and moved her head up.

“I’m astonished. You can still speak? Hmm, you are dangerous. If I don’t make you completely powerless before Elise and Fear shows up, you might break free from the barrier with some kind of trigger.”

The condensed flames.

She had a spell of intense heat, within her palm, which was burning so much that it was so bright——

“Anyway, I’ll have myself weaken her moderately.”

“Before that happens, I will have you go down.”

Achendia didn’t realise it.

No. To be precise, she knew Kyelse’s strength that she was very cautious of her. Thus she didn’t pay attention to the human who came behind her.

——The Angel’s feather in Ren’s left hand.

——At the same time the divine item glowed, a crimson spirit appeared behind Ren.

“Don’t worry about me {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}}, take me down along with her!”

“!? That spirit! Don’t tell me you are trying to intervene with my spell!?”

The fire spell compressed inside Achendia’s palm suddenly swells up in rage. It spiraled around in the empty space where the intense heat of flames surrounded Achendia and Ren.

An instant flash.

“Ren!?”

Kyelse’s scream echoed——

The huge explosion thrusts up the sky. Ren and the Demon General of Blaze gets dragged into the blast and both fell deep into the abyss of the Great Volcano’s slope.

<center>==========</center>

The Great Volcano of Galia, near the crater of the second route.

The earthquake shook the slope of the mountain.

The scattered shockwave passed consecutively through to the starting point of the mountain. Many small stones turned into fallen rocks due to the shock and started to roll down the mountain.

At the centre of that——

There was an Archangel and a high-level Demon, who were exchanging punches in close-range, within breathing distance.

“Destroy!”

Chorus of loud spirits between the two.

Fear bent her body to dodge the punch of a huge high-level Demon which came down at her. She went within his reach and thrusts her fist up from below.

The punch which could drill through the ground.

The punch which could cut through the sky.

Sounds of great destruction continued to echo. The punch from the Demon created a large crater on the ground and the punch from Fear which hit the air creaked the atmosphere. The two punches created a tornado-like blast.

“You are pretty good. It’s been a while since I had a fight which made my heart race so much.”

The Archangel who had a red face from excitement with her skirt gently blown by the air.

“I shall hear your name.”

“That would be an honour. Archangel Fear, the biggest battle maniac of Heaven who directly served under the Goddess Resflaze.”

The Demon who was wrapped in black and gold armour.

His actual skin turned into a powerful armour like that of an insect's exoskeleton.

“One of the Three Followers of the Demon General of Blaze Achendia-sama. The Veldred of the “Armament”.”

“That was a well-trained martial art. The name of your title don’t come from armed equipment but your “martial art” which acts as an “equipment” itself. I shall remember that name. ……However.”

The Archangel jumped as if she was dancing.

“It’s regretful but I don’t have the time to be dancing with you.”

“——That was my intention.”

The high-level Demon didn’t even try to dodge Fear’s punch. He crossed his arms. He used the back of his palm which was also the part of his body to take her attack directly.

“The Archangel who is the number two of Heaven. Even though you have weakened, I am still no match for you.”

“Oh my? You know when to give up.”

“Wrong. For that reason I need to buy time and wait for Achendia-sama to arrive.”

“……Oh, that’s what you meant.”

She glared at the Demon who jumped to the rear.

This henchman of Achendia was a martial artist but more than that, he was her royal retainer. The plan where they would concentrate in wasting their strength at their spot so Achendia could later defeat their enemy one after another afterwards.

''…..What shall I do now?''

''……We wanted to avoid fighting Achendia directly in our current state.''

Elise, Kyelse, and herself. If two of them among the three joined forces, then they wouldn’t lose against a Demon General. Instead, if they were alone, then Achendia would be an opponent who would be extremely difficult to handle.

“Looks like we miscalculated.”

If the four of them, including Ren had headed towards the Five Great Disaster together, then such situation wouldn’t have occurred.

But in order to rescue the humans that were defeated by the Demons on their way, they needed to go through the different routes. That was the biggest loss.

“It would be a timed attack indeed. Would I join my comrades after defeating you who is concentrated on defending, or would Achendia defeat my comrades first.”

“That’s exactly it. Come. The strongest Archangel in Heaven.”

“No need for you to tell me.”

She crunched her fist very hard.

The blonde Angel jumped ahead while she raised her fist which had the strongest hardness in the world and was only equaled by the fangs of the Heavenly Silver Dragon.

<center>==========</center>

The Great Volcano of Galia, near the crater of the first route.

Elise who was standing very close to the crater which was the origin of the flowing magma.

The one who was opposing her was——

“Let me think, I think you were Nesica of the “Reflection”. The follower of Achendia.”

“It’s a great honour to have the former Demon Lord-sama remember my name.”

The blonde Demon who held the side of her long skirt bowed to Elise.

She also had an appearance of a human girl. But what was clearly different was her long ears like a rabbit's and a tail covered by fur like a fox's.

“I think you specialised in reflecting spells? Geez, Achendia sure did pit me with the troublesome one.”

It would have been different if she was pitted against an all-rounder type like Kyelse. But Elise mainly specialised in spells. Just how troublesome would be an opponent who could reflect spells.

“I’m looking forward to it. Just how much would my ability work against the former Demon Lord-sama.”

“……Sure. But bye-bye.”

Elise clicked her fingers. As if it responded to her click, powerful spell-circles appeared and surrounded the blonde Demon.

“You won’t be able to “reflect” binding barrier, right?”

“——Wrong.”

The smile of a high-level Demon. At the same time, the loop of light which was about to restrain Nesica perished.

The barrier itself gets teleported to Elise.

“Wah, I didn’t hear that you could even reflect barrier-type spells!?”

Elise slipped through the loop.

“It would have been different if it was Elise-sama when you were an active Demon Lord. But if it’s a spell activated by you in your current body, then there isn’t any spell from you I can’t reflect.”

“……Hmm, this really is getting troublesome. I don’t even have the time to spare.”

Elise made a bitter smile while she scratched her head. She lifted her eyes which was burning with curiosity and glared at her opponent fearlessly.

“What should I do now?”

“Oh my. You still have that much confidence despite having that earlier spell reflected? Do you have a final trick up your sleeve?”

“Rather than a final trick, it’s more of a……but this is, no, it can’t be helped. I don’t have any more time to waste anyway.”

The dark-skinned girl shrugged her shoulder in an exaggerated manner.

The eyes of the girl, who was known as the former Demon Lord, becomes filled with ominous and cold light making Nesica who was standing against her feel the chills.

“I really wanted to save this for Achendia.”

“Eh?”

“————————I shall teach you fear which would even make Demons shiver in fear.”

The wind of spell powers suddenly stopped.

The area which had spells activated, started to compress and what breezed instead was black wind.

The jet-black miasma which was even colder and chaotic than the black of night. Such wind swirled around Elise’s body as if it was enveloping her. Even the atmosphere around Nesica was tainted in black and continued to spread.

At the centre of that miasma——

One dark-skinned Demon appeared.

“Eh? ……Eh…………ah, n-no…………it can’t be…………”

Nesica’s expression froze in fear. There is no Demon who wouldn’t know her. In the past she used her powerful and unrivalled black miasma to shroud the Underworld with. The strongest Demon who even had the Five Great Disasters serve under her——

“It’s been a while since I returned to this appearance.”

The one who said that was a tall dark-skinned Demon.

Her clothing changed to ominous colour and shape due to receiving her miasma. Her tied-up hair was now untied and was continuing to blow due to the powerful and black miasma.

She changed from her small girl’s appearance to an appearance of a woman with a fascinating body——

“D……Demon Imperial Princess……Eliselis Di Mariablaze-sama……”

“Indeed.”

The former Demon Lord looked down to Nesica who was standing in front of her with eyes which didn’t show the slightest mercy in them.

“You should be honoured. After all, you would be the first Demon to see me with this appearance ever since I reincarnated ten years ago. I haven’t even told Kyelse and Fear about it.”

The forbidden spell of the rebirth of the Demon Lord.

She spent ten years to create it after she reincarnated as a small girl. A secret spell which was solely created by Elise. Since it required consumption of a great amount of spell powers, there was a restriction of being able to use it for only a very short time——

“I-It can’t be……!? I-I didn’t hear that you could......r-return to your previous form……”

“Fool. Did you really think I would head towards Achendia without any tricks?”

“Ugh……gu, fine……bring it!”

Even though she had to fight the motion of fear which had bound her whole body, Nesica looked up towards the former Demon Lord.

“What’s this?”

“Since your original body is that of that small girl, you would require great amount of spell powers to maintain that body! Several mintues at most. Then if I could endure it here for several minutes, your spell power would reach the limit first. There’s no change in Achendia-sama’s victory!”

“Haha, to be expected from Achendia’s retainer. You are smarter than I thought.”

The Demon Imperial Princess answered with a smile on her face.

“But, let me give you a correction. The reason why I didn’t want to waste time wasn’t because I needed to consume enormous amount of spell power to maintain this form.”

“Eh?”

“I am no longer a Demon Lord. I am merely a single Demon who left that position and lost all of my henchmen. But even for someone like me, I still have irreplaceable comrades. They aren’t my henchmen like all of you once were. But comrades who is equal to me. I just want to make it in time for that danger. That’s simply it.”

Those words.

The high-level blonde Demon made an expression as if she couldn’t believe her ears.

“……You have changed. Former Demon Lord-sama.”

“You’re right. I may have. But it doesn’t feel bad. A journey with equal comrades that is.”

She had an overwhelming dignity, and miasma enveloped her body. The charming Demon Imperial Princess walked slowly towards the Demon in front of her.

“And that’s how much I also want to watch over him. The possibility of Ren who is known as the fake Brave Hero.”

===3===

The Great Volcano of Galia, the midpoint.

At the midpoint of the mountain, where there wasn’t even the slightest sign of parties, and the Demons that would counter them——

“……! ……Ku……looks like…...I overdid it.”

Ren used his sword to support himself and stood up on his own, while his body was full of cuts and bruises.

“Hmm. Ancient summoning. I wonder how many hundreds of years since it has been since I last met a human who can command a spirit. You sure came up with an interesting tactic when you commanded the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} to intervene with my flames and made it explode.”

The crimson Demon whose tone became lively in joy.

Even though she had been blasted in the same explosion as Ren, she didn’t receive any wounds.

“You, a human who resemble Elline. I think Kyelse called you Ren earlier.”

“——Yeah.”

“So, what was your intention? It seemed like you protected Kyelse but what are you planning to do?”

“I was desperate. To be honest, I didn’t have the leisure to think anything through.”

Ren shook his head.

Seeing Kyelse put in danger right in front of him, he suddenly took action without even thinking and finding the reason to do so, just to get the Demon General of Blaze away from there at all cost.

“But by having the discussion with the two of us, I now have two things I wanted to say to you.”

“What would those be?”

“First. Why did you betray Elise? I don’t care about the current Demon Lord. But Elise……is a good girl. The relationship between you and Elise may have been that of a master and her retainer, but still, you two were comrades right? I don’t want to see the two of you fight each other and hurt each other.”

“That sure is an interesting impression you have there, don’t you think?”

“It isn’t interesting since it’s something I experienced myself. It was the most painful experience I ever had.”

He continued to be called the fake Brave Hero during those three years at Holy Fiora Journey Academy.

No one took him seriously. Since he didn’t have any friends who would practice swords with him, he continued to swing his swords alone outside while using the empty air as his sparring partner.

''——It’s because I wanted someone to acknowledge me one day.''

''——So I intend to understand very well what it means to have comrades, more than anyone.''

“If I were you……I would never betray such precious comrades no matter what the reason would be. Why can’t you get along with her? It doesn’t matter if Elise is or isn’t a Demon Lord right now. Didn’t she fight till her body was battered three-hundred years ago!?”

Elise had lost her body in the battle from three-hundred years ago.

She lost her position as a Demon Lord and reincarnating into a younger but weaker body surely wasn’t something she wanted either. However——

“Wasn’t Elise, the Demon Lord, the one who fought alongside all of you who were her trusted retainers!? So don’t just betray her easily like that!”

“…………”

The crimson Demon didn’t answer.

“……So, what was the second thing you wanted to say?”

“I certainly am no Elline. Yeah, I’m none other than the fake Brave Hero. I don’t mind to be called that in the academy, the town of the blazing cliff, and even from a Demon as yourself. ——But!”

Ren gripped his sword harder.

There was one promise he made which passed his mind.

''“Don’t forget the strong spirit you showed when you protected me and challenged the Wyvern. That is the only requirement I ask from you to form a party with me.”''

“There is something I also can’t give up on. I won’t break the promise I made with Kyelse no matter what!”

“Are you going to buy time so you can call the other three here?”

“No way. I don’t have time to do that. Your henchmen is doing whatever they like and are rampaging in the town located below this mountain.”

The story of the boy who was called the fake Brave Hero.

This was truly the beginning of it.

“I will! Now, right here! I will end this by defeating you!”

“Dummy. If it was Elline from the past it would have been different, but you are merely a human. Know the power difference between us.”

The Demon General of Blaze raised her right hand.

Roar!

Cracks were created on the ground where a giant wall of flames blew up so high that you had to look up. Not only did the flames hava high temperature which was enough to melt the rocks it touched, it was also a wide-range spell which covered your whole sight in flames.

“This should be the end for it.”

Torrent of flames which was heading at Ren.

Those flames————was cut in half by the swing of the boy’s sword.

“You stopped my flames for the second time!? ……I see that the spirit is quite fond of you.”

The {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} which was resting on Ren’s right shoulder.

It responded to the sword Ren used, as he swung it to intervene with the flames coming towards him.

“!”

The Five Great Disaster got stirred. Ren used that instant to jump.

The mass of flames which was created by Achendia fell down towards Ren after it spun in mid-air. Ren continued to dodge every one of them. No, there should have been flames which had hit him. But even those flames disappeared, leaving just white smokes as if it had been washed away by water.

——The Archangel’s feather and the former Demon Lord’s jewel.

As well it was a jewel to activate ancient summoning, it could also be used as a defence-barrier which had resistance to varieties of spells. It was the effect of those supports.

“Over there!”

Ren closed the distance with the Demon General who had jumped away, and swung his sword slanted from a lower angle.

The tip of the sword grazed her.

But the whole body of the crimson Demon disappeared that instant like a mist.

“Mirage!?”

“Correct~. I distorted the layers present in the air with the heat of my flames in order to manipulate the refractive index of light. Since it was a genuine physical phenomenon, I can even confuse those who senses the spell-power of their opponent……well, you didn’t seem like such a skillful person so I was surprised by you. I had to take that measure.”

The charming Demon was smiling from far away.

“Ancient summoning and spirit summoning. Did you train at the Holy-land of Canaan?”

“Of course not.”

The heat of the flames lurked in the surrounding area.

Ren wiped away his sweats which was falling down like waterfall and then shook his head.

''……This is bad.''

''……I wanted to settle this with that attack just now.''

She was a Demon whom even the current Demon Lord would be frightened with. Ren himself was fully aware just how much power gap there were between the two of them. For that reason, he wanted to settle this right away. He wanted to settle it before he revealed the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} as well as the divine tools given to her by Fear and Elise.

“That was unfortunate. Your expression tells me that you wanted to use it while I had my guard down, you know?”

She spoke as if it was an obvious act.

But she didn’t have the slightest expression of looking down on him as she had before.

“You are the same as Kyelse. It was a bit too early for you to fight me.”

The earth which the crimson Demon was standing on started to slowly give out a red glow.

The stones around her started to melt and fuse. As if it started following after it, the earth around her, the giant rock which was present, and all kinds of objects started to turn red and melt——

“The lava flow!?”

“The temperature is more than 1000 degrees. I guess it would be too hot for a human to bathe in.”

That instant, the lava flow which was glowing brilliantly spouted from the ground.

From Achendia who was standing normally in the centre of it, the lava flow came down to Ren who was standing below her eyes. The lava flow came rushing at him powerfully, like an avalanche, while devouring everything in its way.

“By the way, flames are the only factor the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} can intervene with. Lava which is made from rocks that were melted by heat cannot be guarded or intervened with. What will you do now?”

“So it’s a counter measure against the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}}……!”

Ren bit his teeth hard and looked around.

The bumps of the mountains created from natural cause was made from the earth and the sand. If the lava was coming from the higher altitude, then evacuating to a higher place would allow Ren to escape this situation……or could he?

“Dammit, come {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}}!”

Ren jumped while he had the spirit obey him.

The lava flow was coming at him as it blew out flames. It approached so close that he could feel the heat from it burn his skin——

“How unfortunate. Maybe you won’t make it?”

Achendia’s words of pity.

At the same time, Ren tightly gripped the amber he had received from Elise.

“I hope this will work……!”

Ancient summoning to teleport physical objects. The more complicated the spell was, the more powerful the activation substance would be and hence, the easier it would be to break the limitation of the distance and quality of the object you would have teleported.

——A huge rock.

A huge rock which Ren had seen far ahead gets summoned between him and the lava flow.

“Are you planning to stop the lava? Dummy, a simple rock like that would get melted as a whole.”

“That’s not what I’m planning to do.”

Ren simply said that and jumped towards the huge rock right in front of him.

''……It’s obvious that I would only be able to summon that for an instant with my current skill.''

''……Please make it!''

The huge rock was to mold a space for his footing.

Several seconds remained till the summoned rock would disappear. He stepped on the rock within those seconds and jumped once again from the top of the rock. He jumped over the lava flow that was coming at him.

“Good decision. But my lava doesn’t just flow————now explode.”

Rumbling.

Fragments of lava got shot out to the front. It came flying towards Ren in the same velocity as that of a bullet.

“————”

Countless flying pebbles which was burning in intense heat lands on Ren. The boy fell without crying out and had lots of blood spurt from his body............did not happen since he instantly disappeared from sight.

“Is that my mirage!?”

“That was your trick. You distorted the air with the heat of your flames in order to create a camouflage by bending the light!”

The boy who rushed right in front of Achendia swung down his sword at her.

——Emission of heatwaves by the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}}.

Those flames distorted the air around Ren and created an artificial phantom on the spot.

The flash of the sword.

It was certainly the moment when Ren’s sword strike had caught the Demon General of Blaze.

“……'''Ren-chan.'''”

“!?”

Something cold passed through Ren’s back with that one word, said by the Demon. Ren took distance without thinking twice.

——The tip of the sword had rusted.

Right before the tip of the sword touched Achendia’s body, the blade made from steel rusted in an instant, by the high intense heat of the miasma which was enveloping and protecting her.

''……I was prepared ever since Kyelse told me about it.''

''……So this is the threat of the miasma which is worn by highest-level Demons.''

The protection given to him by the divine tools he had received from Fear and Elise. He had a faint hope of having his sword protected from her miasma. But the miasma of the Five Great Demon was overwhelmingly ominous.

“Now I get it.”

On the other hand, Achendia spoke as if she was talking to herself.

“I’m shocked. It was thanks to the power of the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} that you were able to copy my move by seeing it with your own eyes and it was thanks to Fear’s divine tool you were able to summon it. But the judgement you made to actually put that in practice in the very last minute was no doubt your power. …..If that sword was even a bit of a famed sword, I may have received some wound by you.”

Her dress which had a small cut.

The Demon stroked the small cut made by the sword on her breast. By that time not only wasn’t there a scratch on her crimson dress, but even the slightest crease was repaired.

“If there was one thing I fear about humans, then that wouldn’t be the population of the human species but their growth speed. Rather than being described as learning, it won’t be an exaggeration to call it an evolution. You know, with that in mind, Ren-chan? There’s one thing I’m sure of.”

“……What is it?”

“'''In a near future you will become a threat to me. So I will kill you here.'''”

The atmosphere suddenly changed.

The glare of the Demon General of Blaze Achendia. Even inside the intense heat of the place due to the heat from the lava, she gave an intense cold feeling which was so cold as if you were thrown into the current of an ocean. ——No, this was a simple pressure.

“The forbidden chapter of blaze, the “Crimson World”.”

The sky of the night gets tainted in crimson color which was close to that of blood.

''……A barrier? No, it’s Achendia’s miasma.''

''……Did this whole mountain get covered by miasma of Achendia’s flames!?''

“I, the Demon General of Blaze.”

The crimson Demon raised her hand.

“The light, the heat, and the flames are within my control as close as it can eternally be.”

The red light which started pouring down.

Those came pouring from the crimson sky of night. There were countless number of lights which poured like intense rain.

The single drop of light—— the moment it touched the tip of his elbow, the fibre was burned away without even flames actually appearing and burning it.

“Agh!?”

“The hell fire which would burn away this world. I shall show you what real spells are.”

The Demon General of Blaze just calmly stood there, while she had red lights pouring on her.

The rains of light, there were thousands of them.

When the raindrop touched the ground it melted away the stones and when it touched the grove of the trees it turned the whole trees into charcoals. Even though it was pouring like rain, it changed its course while dropping. There were rains where it dropped vertically even though it was pouring in spirals.

——The spell where the energy of flames all turned into light and heat.

——They returned into flames only when it touched the target and burned it away.

“Ku……a……!”

''……It isn’t a spell a human can control.''

''……This is the highest-level Demon. She is indeed a true monster.''

The {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} intervened with Achendia’s flames and weakened the flames that were attacking Ren.

On top of that, the Archangel’s feather and the Demon Lord’s jewel, which created a powerful and unrivalled protection-barrier to weaken the power of flames even more, played a role. But even still, a single drop of light had high intense heat.

Ren didn’t even have the will to imagine what would have happened to him if he wasn’t protected by both the spirit and the divine tools.

“Even still, it’s not over yet!”

Ren swung down his sword even though he was feeling intense pain on his shoulder.

The pouring rains of light with high intense heat. The single drop which could be called a raindrop or even a flash was accurately cut by the sword swung by the boy.

“————”

The boy didn’t stop.

While he was inside the pouring flashes, he concentrated only on the raindrops pouring on him so he could mow them down with the tip of his rusted sword. The blade itself would melt if Ren blocked them with the tip of his sword so the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} intervened with the course of those flames and distorted them.

“Magnificent.”

The praise from the crimson Demon which came from the bottom of her heart.

“To only cut the lights pouring on you. Or was that a coincidence?”

“No, I simply had done this training before.”

''“There’s nothing wrong with your training and your hard work.”''

''“Seize the drop of water and a fraction of fire, and strike it down with a single slash instantly.”''

''……I really need to thank Kyelse.''

He who was an outsider at the academy. He couldn’t find classmates who would train with him so his training partner had always been the empty air.

''——I have been swinging my sword against the pouring raindrops by following its course, when it was raining.''

Kyelse was the only one who acknowledged his hard work. She even pushed him to strive even further. That experience is now bearing fruit.

“But it was still too early for you to fight me.”

“!?”

“Burst.”

Lights covered his sight.

The next moment the detonations which shook the air attacked Ren.

“——Gah!?”

The rain of lights which poured on him. Those thousands of raindrops, which acted like very small bombs, exploded at once and the blast spread everywhere.

The sword fell from Ren’s hand and made a sound as it hit the ground.

''......This is bad. For an instant, I really lost my consciousness with that impact.''

Ren had his knee on the ground by the time he realised it.

“I guess this was your limit after all. Even though you have the appearance of Elline, you are very far from being him.”

The broken sword.

The blade broke due to the impact of the blast. The Demon General of Blaze looked down at the bladeless sword.

“Well, you sure did put up a fight for a human. You did so well that I don’t mind making you my henchmen together with Kyelse. A human who can use ancient summoning is rare after all.”

“……Don’t……mess……with me.”

Ren wiped his cheek which was covered in his blood and sweat.

He tightly gripped the bladeless sword and glared at Achendia.

“I……can still……stand as you can see.”

“I can’t understand it.”

She had Ren in front of her, who had replied to her as such, while breathing heavily.

It was none other than the Demon General of Blaze who tilted her head, eyes filled with wonder.

“Your sword broke and your body is battered. You can’t even completely control the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} which is your trump card. What can you possibly do in this situation? Are you planning to call out your comrades?”

“Nope.”

“Eh?”

“There’s only one thing I’m thinking of and that is the way to defeat you.”

Ren took a step, despite the fact that he couldn’t keep his body balanced, and showed a fearless smile.

“I……want to become a member of this party. I want to become the actual comrade of those three.”

''“When we are fighting, just put your life as the priority.”''

''The Dragon Princess Kyelse, the Archangel Fear, and the former Demon Lord Elise.''

''And myself who was merely allowed to “join” them. But that isn’t it. There won’t be any meaning if it stayed like this. The party I am aiming for is——''

“I just……want those three to really acknowledge me as their comrade. I want to continue journeying the world with them. That’s why I can’t lose at a place like this!”

His body was covered in cuts and burns due to the impact of the blasts.

Even so, the boy who was known as the fake Brave Hero declared it, while he had the legendary Demon standing in his way.

“Bring it, Demon General of Blaze. This will be the last battle!”

<center>==========</center>

The Great Volcano of Galia, the summit of the third route——

The faint purple light which came from the top of the mountain was a strange barrier made from a variety of different spell-circles, symbols, and the pentagrams.

The anti-Dragon element barrier. The pillar of lights would intervene the more powerful the Dragon was and would cancel their power.

“Gu……to use……such trick……”

Kyelse bit her teeth hard while the pillar of lights restrained her to the ground.

A mere barrier such as this would have been easily destroyed by her in an instant, without needing to transform back into a Dragon, if this was three-hundred years ago.

“……Ren……”

She said that name while she was in pain.

Ren commanded the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} to intervene with Achendia’s spell in order to protect Kyelse——. He fell down to the mountain’s slope along with Achendia from the blast. She possibly couldn’t know how far they had fallen but the biggest problem was that too much time had passed since then.

''——She isn’t someone who you could beat alone.''

''——Even Ren should know that.''

“Don’t play with me humans! Why must all of you leave me and hasten to your death!”

The three-hundred years of imprisonment, being sealed.

She had the Sword Emperor Elline, who had reached out to her die before her——

And if she lost Ren here who she had reached out her hand to——

“I won’t allow it……I certainly don’t want that to happen! I won’t allow it!”

The silver haired girl.

No, the Dragon who was in the form of a human howled.

“Return and reincarnate! I am the Princess of the Dragons. I shall abandon my body of a human once again!”

The magnificent howl. The silver haired girl’s body vibrated for an instant. Then a bright silver-white glow was emitted from her body. It shined at the summit of the Great Volcano widely. And then——

“Disappear. Beautifully, and violently.”

The absolute power of words.

It shredded the purple pillar of lights which then disappeared into the empty sky.

The barrier perished without a trace.

In the centre of it was the silver haired girl who crouched once again and was breathing heavily.

“……Sigh……a……ah…………I was able to……return for an……instant……?”

Large number of sweats passed down her cheek and dropped from her chin.

But that only happened for a short time as Kyelse stood up and climbed down the mountain right away.

“Wait for me, Ren……!”

She wouldn’t get lost.

The girl climbed down the mountain path as if she was being guided.

===4===

The Great Volcano of Galia, the middle point.

At the steady slope of the mountain, there wasn’t any sight of either the parties or the henchmen of Achendia that were also Demons like her.

“The last battle? You should know your place.”

Crimson miasma appeared from the whole body of the Demon General of Blaze.

The magnificent and absolute power dyed the night sky of the Great Volcano with its color. What fell from the sky which was dyed in crimson were numerous flashes just like a meteor shower.

The small light which had the size of a raindrop.

Each drop of light fused with the stones by simply being in contact with it, and turned the ground into lava. Simply using the term being burnt by it won’t be enough to describe the seriousness of the situation if a person was hit by it. Even so——

“I’m telling you that I won’t give up!”

Ren gripped his broken sword in which the blade was broken from the middle, and sprinted through the battlefield which had red lights pouring from above. Right behind him was the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} which was obeying him as it floated above in the air.

“Hah!”

He swung his sword against the flash of light which came from high above his head. Even though the tip of his sword was missing, the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} intervened with Achendia’s spell while responding to Ren’s movement. It moved away the flashes which was pouring above Ren.

''…...Elise and Fear-senpai.''

''……And Kyelse. I need to thank all of them.''

The former Demon Lord’s jewel and the Archangel’s feather. Ren wouldn’t have been able to summon the {{Furigana|ancestral spirit of fire|SALAMANDER}} without these two divine tools and he also wouldn’t have been able to endure Achendia’s attack either.

And Kyelse.

In reality, the attack which Kyelse gave to Achendia in the beginning, had left a critical damage to Achendia even till now.

Ren noticed that since Achendia had been putting her hand over her stomach, she had been using resurrection spells on herself.

''……This would be the only time for me to damage her.''

''……But what should I do? How would I be able to win against this enemy who is too powerful?''

The only weapon he had with him was his broken sword.

The decisive method to attack Achendia which would be the most crucial point still hadn’t been found——

That moment.

What passed through Ren’s mind was a “certain thing” Kyelse had said to him.

''............There is a way.''

'''''……There’s still one way left.'''''

There was still one possibility left to defeat Achendia even under this hopeless situation.

“————”

Ren gripped his bladeless sword and sprinted as he gazed at the Demon General of Blaze.

However.

“I’m sorry. It doesn’t necessary mean that the attacks would only come from the sky.”

“……G-Guh!?”

The flash of intense high heat burnt Ren’s back from right behind him. The lights which came from the sky moved in a complex angle; therefore: Ren couldn’t notice the attack coming from behind him as that was his blind spot.

“The spirits are indeed powerful, but they won’t take any action if the summoner doesn’t give them orders. So it means the spirit can only block the lights you are personally aware of.”

“No……since that’s good enough for me!”

Ren still didn’t stop running even though his body was covered in cuts and burns.

“What’s this? That face. You still haven’t given up? But it all ends here. I had more fun than I expected but I still have three individual I need to be more cautious about.”

The Five Great Disaster raised her hand high.

“The red star, fall.”

Meteor. The whole crimson miasma which had dyed the sky red turned into a burning star and came falling in a direction to crush Ren.

“You were entertaining for a human.”

Was the smile the Demon General of Blaze gave for pity or for praise?

Rumble!

The red, scorching, burning star was falling towards the boy. A huge crater was formed on the earth and there were powerful, red molten lava bursting up high from the crater.

——But Ren wasn’t located below the falling burning star.

“Falling for the same trap. That isn’t like you.”

The atmosphere distorted and the boy suddenly appeared.

Ren who held his sword had already gotten close to Achendia.

“……It’s the mirage from before!?”

“There’s only one reason why you lost. I wasn’t even a threat in your eyes. You reserved your strength while fighting me and had only been thinking about the fight against Kyelse, Fear-senpai, and Elise.”

The boy swung his sword.

But the Five Great Disaster didn’t lose her smile even though she saw that.

“And? What will you do with that broken sword? Do you think you can break through my miasma with that sword——”

“No.”

The sword fell to the ground while it made a sound.

“!? You discarded your own sword!?”

“You are hundreds of times stronger than me. Then it’s obvious how I must win against you.”

The golden jewel which he held in his left hand.

The former Demon Lord’s jewel. It was the divine tool to activate the ancient summoning and the effect was to summon physical objects. To summon what you were imagining into the designated location.

“'''I need to borrow the strength of the one stronger than you. That’s simply it.'''”

The activation substance was glowing. Immediately after that——

What Ren held in his hand was a single sword glowing in transparent blue color.

''“That’s the sword used to take down the Archangel who was acting tough at the Heaven, and the Demon Lord who was acting like a boss at the Underworld.”''

——'''Spirit Sword Vierge.'''
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Achendia opened her eyes wide. There was no way that a Five Great Disaster such as her didn’t know. This sword which was used by the Brave Hero was the one used three-hundred years ago to——

“They say that Elline fought Elise using this sword. If it was a sword which worked against the Demon Lord of back then, then it’s natural for it to work against you who was her henchman.”

''……Please Elline.''

''……This one instant will be enough so please lend me your strength!''

He wished and made a prayer.

The boy who was called the fake Brave Hero swung the sword of the Brave Hero that he held in his hand.

And then——

===5===

The Great Volcano of Galia, the middle point.

There wasn’t any sight of Demons, Achendia’s henchmen, nor the parties. Simply the remains of the heatwaves, created from the red scorching flames, filled the place and the atmosphere was awkwardly quiet.

“Ren! Ren, where are you!? Dammit……Achendia, come out!”

She yelled so loud that she started breathing heavily. Kyelse forgot to wipe her sweat caused by the fatigue of breaking through the barrier and simply kept on running.

''……I can feel the remains of Achendia’s spells. She must be nearby.''

The scars left by the battle between Ren and the Demon General of Blaze.

Kyelse became frustrated as there were scars of great destruction spread in front of her.

She continued to run through the surface of the ground which continued to glow red even now.

“Kyelse!”

“Fear!? And Elise!?”

The ones who caught up to her from behind was the two other girls that went through the separate routes.

The Archangel and the former Demon Lord.

All of them had close to no wounds. But the expression on each of their faces was filled with tension.

“My apologies. My body was duller than I expected…… You would need to think carefully about staying in a human’s academy for a long period. I had a hard time remembering my battle instincts. And Elise, was it me or did I feel a nostalgic miasma coming from you before?”

“I ended up using an incomplete forbidden technique.”

The dark skinned girl continued to run with a bit of fatigue on her face.

“I only had half of the power of my prime even though I used that much spell-power. So my battle lasted longer since I tried to reserve my power. By the way Kyelse, where is Ren!?”

“Ren is…………”

He’s fighting because he defended me. Kyelse stopped herself from saying that and continued to run through the roadless volcano mountain. Fear and Elise followed right behind her.

Just how long had she been running while having the wind blow her hair?

What awaited her when she continued to run without a word was——

“Ren!?”

Right after that.

Kyelse, the Archangel, and the Demon Lord witnessed the moment which they would never forget for the rest of their lives.

That was——

“It’s my win, Achendia.”

The boy who had swung the shining Spirit Sword.

The moment when the boy cut through the ominous miasma and defeated the Demon General of Blaze.

“T-That sword!”

“The Spirit Sword Vierge!? Did he summon Elline’s sword!?”

Elise and Fear who screamed in shock.

“…………”

Kyelse had forgotten about the two girls and simply walked silently towards the boy as it became dawn right behind him.

Far behind him was the great crimson Demon, who was on her knees in silence, without even moving an inch.

“……Ren?”

The faint morning sunlight appeared from the other side of the horizon.

And the boy who had his back towards the sunlight.

The Demon Lord of Blaze who would be a powerful enemy with absolute strength. She had witnessed the moment when the boy who was called the fake Brave Hero defeated her.

''……Words won’t come out from my mouth.''

''……I……Are you telling me I was……fascinated by Ren right now?''

“Huh? Ah, that’s good. Kyelse, Fear-senpai, Elise, you are all fine.”

The boy turned around slowly.

“……Ren. Achendia, you actually……”

Won against her?

Kyelse was about to say that but she couldn’t speak out as her lips were shivering. She couldn’t even come up with what to say to him, so staring at the boy was the best she could do.

“Well, it worked more than I imagined. Make sure you give me a bit of a praise, okay?”

The Brave Hero’s sword was returning to the triumphal town.

The boy who was known as the fake Brave Hero gave a big smile to Kyelse, while he gazed at the disappearing sword.

——His body was all covered with wounds and burns.

Kyelse also didn’t know what was in her mind, when she saw the boy smile firmly, even though he was in such a state.

“…………”

Kyelse however, had put her hand slowly onto her chest.

Her heartbeat started beating fast without realising it.

——It was the first time she felt like this.

The strongest force was led by the Sword Emperor Elline. It was impossible to lose in battle three-hundred years ago.

But it was different now.

It was different to the sense of security she had, when she watched over Elline’s promised victory with composure.

The weak retaliated desperately against the overwhelmingly strong foe while being covered in wounds. To have your chest fill with heat by seeing such individual attain victory at dawn.

It was a feeling Kyelse had experienced for the first time.
[[Image:Sekai_no_Owari_no_Encore_V1_Non-colour_009.jpg|thumb]]

“Kyelse?”

“………………'''Idiot.'''”

She approached the front of the boy while walking dizzily.

And then, Kyelse gently embraced the wounded boy, and placed his head on her chest.

“I was worried. Don’t you ever act on your own again.”

“…………”

“This is a promise. Got it?”

The boy nodded silently.

Seeing his response, Kyelse embraced the boy again without saying a word.

===6===

The Great Volcano of Galia, the middle point——

“Oh well, it can’t be helped. I can’t be motivated to obey the current Demon Lord-sama but I just have to return to Underworld for now, right? I was beaten by Ren-chan after all.”

The Demon General of Blaze scratched the back of her head with an awkward look.

There wasn’t a single wound on her body which was covered with a crimson dress. The wound she received from the sword wielded by Ren was a small bruise which had already been healed.

——Even so, the Five Great Disaster declared her defeat on her own.

“So we are going back to the Underworld? So troublesome. Right, Nesica?”

“I sure wanted to enjoy a bit more of earth which I haven’t visited in a while. Right, Mii?”

“Know your place, Nesica, Mii.”

The Three Followers stood behind Achendia.

All three of them were high-level Demons that stood in the ways of Fear, Elise, and Elmekia Dusk. The wound they received on those battle still remained strongly. And further behind them were dozens of Demons on standby, who are also Achendia’s henchmen, and were waiting for her orders.

“I guess I’ll be returning then.”

“Achendia.”

The crimson Demon who turned her back.

The one who called out to her was the dark-skinned girl who was known as the former Demon Lord.

“Are you still bothered about three-hundred years ago?”

“……Yes. It’s hard to understand it. The End War from back then. '''Why did you, who was the Demon Lord, sacrificed yourself for me, who was merely your henchman?''' You lost your position as a Demon Lord because of it and ended up reincarnating into such a young body. I didn’t want to see it. That weakened state of yours.”

Achendia answered her while she sighed.

“Remember this, okay? I won’t acknowledge anyone but you as the Demon Lord who would rule the Underworld. So go and find the spell to return into your original body. I would rather be dead than to serve that weak Demon Lord.”

“……Yeah yeah. I never thought I would have my former henchman worry about me.”

Elise made a bitter smile while she put on an awkward expression.

The response the crimson Demon gave to the former Demon Lord, who acted in such a way, was a silent smile. That smile wasn’t her fearless smile she had till now but a smile　which was pure and beautiful——

''……Was the real reason why Achendia came to earth was perhaps——''

''……Not to rebel against the current Demon Lord but to send that message to her?''

“Goodbye Ren-chan. Take care of Elise-sama, okay?”

The moment Ren thought such. The Demons including the Five Great Disaster disappeared as if they blended with the morning sunlight.

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