Ultimate Antihero:Volume 1 Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Part 1

The prefectural border between Saitama and Tokyo life sphere.

Because the place had been turned into city of abandoned rubbles, the trainee soldiers of the trainee platoon that was patrolling with the national defense army spread out their defensive line here.

From the gap of the rubbles, from the cloudy sky, ―they intercepted the approaching atypical swarm.

The appearance of 27th platoon that accompanied the duty of patrolling Japan could also be found in that foremost line.

Anna who was taking position atop the steel tower that had rusted, rotted, crept up by ivy from being abandoned for five years, with her <Arms> for <Sniper> use that was her style, a white bolt action-type rifle in her hand, she sniped the demons that flew in the sky of far beyond.

Her skill was exactly of one-shot one-hit.

In addition her contracted heroic spirit was the <White God of Death> Simo Hayha.

He was the hero of Finland with the highest recorded war results in history.

Against the harpy and gargoyle, Anna’s bullet accurately pierced the enemy’s vital spot and shot them down.

“Yosh, with this it’s the seventeenth one! Oh man, aren’t I in perfect forms this me!”

The finger that pressed the trigger was light.

Anna took a little guts pose for her own great condition.

“The number of the enemy is also cannot be counted here, like this maybe I can reach the high score~?”

Thereupon―a display frame made from magic power element appeared in the end of the girl’s field of vision suddenly.

It was a mind communication. Inside the display frame was the face of Rozalind.

“Oy, what’s the matter Roze?”

“Anna. Sorry to disturb you when you are on fire, but I request your assist. The carapace of the earth spider is hard, the blade isn’t effective.”

“Okay okay~. Just leave it to big sister.”

Answering so, Anna called out the map for the whole battlefield in her field of vision.

And then at the marker that was indicated on the map, she confirmed the position of her teammate.

Moving her eyes to that direction, using her contracted heroic spirit’s Heroic Skill <Eagle’s Eye>, she confirmed by sight the situation two kilometer ahead.

At the end of her sight was Rozalind and Koga Ayumi battling an armored spider with length around five meter.

That was the target she was asked to assist with, an earth spider.

Anna didn’t even use the scope, she accurately determined the aim in an instant, ―and fired a bullet that was filled with a certain sorcery.

The fired bullet rushed ahead tearing through the air.

It impacted the flank of the earth spider that currently was going to swing down its sharp blade attached front leg to Rozalind.

However, the carapace of the earth spider that was even harder than titanium alloy lightly bounced the bullet.

The armor of earth spider that boasted outstanding defensive power even among the <Knight class> demon would repel even direct hit of tank cannon.

Something like rifle wouldn’t even scratch it.

But, that was already calculated.

The objective of this shot was not at the bullet, but to hit the sorcery that was attached into the bullet into the earth spider.

The sorcery that Anna entered into the bullet was―earth element second grade sorcery・Oxidation CharmAcid Seal.

Its effect immediately could be seen by eyes.

The earth spider’s solid carapace was beginning to smolderingly dissolving accompanied with smell that made nose wrinkled.

If it became like this then even its prided armor would become meaningless.

“Clad in the wind, my sword―”

Without wasting time Rozalind increased the sharpness of her <Swordsman>-style <Arms> that was a katana with sorcery enchantment, she also breathed magic power into the four fairy wings equipped on her back, the <Air Raid> and accelerated―

“Fujin Reppa―!”

Borrowing the power of wind, she slashed and bisected the earth spider into two.

Originally <Knight class> was an opponent that even adult national defense magician would have a hard fight against, but the level of this 27th trainee platoon was high to easily defeat it.

However, ―as expected they also had childishness because of their age.

“―Yosh.”

Rozalind that finished the earth spider relaxed her attention completely for an instant.

In that instant, a small strange shape leaped at the girl out from the gap of the rubbles.

“Rozalind-chan! Behind you-!”

“What-!?”

The small strange shape that leaped at her was―<Soldier class> goblin.

The number was four goblin.

The goblins first had one of them struck at Rozalind’s <Air Raid> with a club and destroyed it.

When she became unable to escape to the sky, one goblin clung at her right leg, and the remaining two at her dominant hand that was holding katana, restraining Rosalind in place.

“Damn!”

It was already too late when she said that.

Even among the <Soldier class> demon, goblin was especially powerless small fry that couldn’t even use sorcery, but it had shrewdness like performing this kind of team play.

And then, if this was a team play―naturally there existed the finishing player.

The next instant, as if waiting for that restraint, a gargoyle flying in low altitude slipping through the eye of the <Sniper> was approaching near, flying out from the shadow of a building.

And then, it stabbed a trident spear at Rozalind.

The aim was Rozalind’s heart. ―But, that spear tip was repelled away as if hitting an unseen wall on the air.

“Ayumi!”

“Le, leave it to me!”

Ayumi who cut in between Rozalind and the gargoyle, with the <Sorcerer>-style <Arms> that was a staff in hand, laid out a sorcery barrier.

{Gya gya!}

Mechanical staff that was a weapon of <Sorcerer> didn’t have the function as weapon like the weapon of <Swordsman> or <Gunner>.

But in place of that, elaborate magic mechanism was built-in at the internal, heightening sorcery chanting speed and the power of spell rapidly.

With only the power of <Soldier class>, it was impossible to pierce through this solid protection.

Therefore the gargoyle’s attack was repelled and its posture was broken at the air.

Ayumi didn’t miss that opening.

She immediately formed a chantless Photon Bullet and created three shot―

“GOOO!”

She shot toward the gargoyle that was hovering on the air.

But gargoyle was a demon whose selling point was its mobility in the air.

{GIGIGI―!}

Just try it if you think you can chase me.

As if saying that, the gargoyle fiercely moved in the air in order to shake off the approaching Photon Bullets.

That movement was irregular yet quick, it was extremely difficult to follow with eye.

However―Ayumi had already learned how to deal with that kind of problem.

(Homura, san……!)

She recalled. His words, his teaching.

There was no need to be led around by the enemy’s movement.

Her field of vision should not chase, but fixing the enemy in it.

She should not match the movement of the enemy, her side that should control the enemy’s movement―!

“YAAAA!”

Yelling with a voice filled by spirit, Ayumi let flew three shot of Photon Bullet with her trajectory instruction.

First was one shot, she raised its speed and directed it straightforwardly to the gargoyle.

Of course the gargoyle evaded that, but that was―a movement that Ayumi made it did by the first shot.

Ayumi had already directed the other two shot at the trajectory where the gargoyle was evading.

The gargoyle became moving by itself into that firing line―

{GI―――IIII!}

Its body burst and scattered apart from the direct hit of the Photon Bullet.

(I, I did it!)

At the same time, behind her―

“Hand off me immediately-!”

{Gya gyaa―――!}

Rozalind shook off the goblins that clung at her with all her might, cut them down, setting herself free from the restraingt.

Rozalind immediately said her thanks toward Ayumi who had protected her.

“You saved me. I’ll return the favor for sure, Ayumi.”

{Koga-chi, nice assist-!}

Anna who was witnessing the sequence of Ayumi’s actions also sent her praise toward the girl using mind communication.

“E, ehehe…”

Hearing those words, Ayumi’s expression burst open in smile.

Until now the 27th trainee platoon was Anna and Rozalind’s two-top.

These two possessed motivation and ability that surpassed the student standard by far, honestly there was a lot of time where Ayumi was just a burden to them.

They were together only because they were friends.

Ayumi was always feeling guilty for such situation.

For that reason, this battle result and her friends’ words made her unbearably happy.

(Thanks to, Homura-san…)

When she went back, she was going to talk about this to him.

And then she was going to thank him.

Ayumi decided that in her heart.

She decided, …and she noticed how her heart leaped that she could converse with Homura.

{27th trainee platoon! You guys really did it huh! It’s rare for a trainee platoon to show this much result you know!}

Suddenly, a new communication came to Ayumi and co who just repulsed a group of demon.

The face that was displayed in the display frame was a middle-aged Arabian that grew his beard.

He was the division commander of Japan National Defense Army’s seventh division that was currently performing the battle, Hassad.

{Hehehee―! Aren’t we aren’t we? It’s fine for you to rely more on us you know?}

{Haha-! Then after this help out at the defense here! They are being pushed back a little.}

The commander talked with fluent Japanese while making a part of the mission map displayed in Ayumi and co’s view shining red.

That place was the area that needed reinforcement.

Anna who was the captain of 27th trainee platoon confirmed it and,

{Okey-dokey~, then we will quickly―}

When she was going to return an acceptance reply, it was at that time.

Suddenly, an emergency transmission with sound that was like a scream cut in.

{Mission map point C-4, a huge magic power reaction right in front of the defense line-! Something is coming-!}

Part 2

Hearing that interrupting emergency transmission, both Ayumi and Rozaling, then everyone who heard that transmission directed their eyes at the designated direction.

Mission map point C-4.

Above the sky of that point―there was a distortion.

The space was twisted in clockwise rotation.

That twisting rapidly swallowed the surrounding space in its distortion without stopping.

Before long, the space broke accompanied by a sound like breaking glass.

And then, from the broken space―a strange shape with body size around 3 meter appeared.

“…Tha, that’s……!”

That strange shaped figure made Ayumi felt fear and chill as if her spine was frozen and being licked by a tongue.

In one glance, the figure had an appearance that was near human.

However its lower body was had fur and hooves like a water buffalo, and its back the wings of bat.

And then in its head part was―a goat head possessing twisted horn was placed there.

That looks―no magician existed that didn’t know of that terrifying appearance.

“Ba, Baphomet……-!”

Someone in the battlefield whispered that name. That was the name of this demon―

One hundred years ago, it appeared before the human race that still didn’t possess sorcery, its overwhelming power endlessly massacred everything, a superior demon of <General class> that possessed preeminent magic ability in demon world.

{That’s, the demon of beginning…-}

{What a phenomenal magic power……!}

Suddenly looking at that appearance, the one who was trembling was not only Ayumi.

Not to mention the other students of the trainee platoons that accompanied the patrol together here, even the magicians of the seventh division’s country defense were trembling all over their body toward this new threat that appeared.

As if……the terror of massacre that humanity received one hundred years ago was already imprinted in their genetic.

However, such thing was nothing more than a deceptive terror.

{Don’t falter-! The human race having a bitter fight against Baphomet is a story of one hundred years ago already! The sorcery of human race has evolved to a father stage compared to that time! Fight without hesitation-!}

Hassad who immediately recovered faster than anyone issued his rally through the communication.

That’s right. They had a bitter fight against Baphomet merely because at that time the human didn’t know sorcery at all.

But with <Liber Legis> that the <Man of Darkness> left behind as the beginning, with all the grimoires that human race had deciphered, human race had obtained sorcery.

And then, humanity repelled Baphomet.

It was an opponent they had won against once.

They who had obtained even more power than the time of that victory, just what was it that they needed to fear after all this time.

{All member that have long range cannon are to attack at Baphomet altogether! Here we gooo–!!!!}

{ { {YEAH-!!!!} } }

The magicians that had recovered their confidence from Division Commander Hassad’s rally flew to the sky using <Air Raid> all at once.

“Ayumi! Leave the lookout of the surrounding to us, Ayumi too join them!”

“Ri, right-!”

Being told that by Rozaling, Ayumi too also filled the <Air Raid> with magic power and raised to the sky.

And then she chanted the sorcery among her repertoire that possessed the greatest range and firepower.

A huge magic circle was formed in front of her with size even bigger than her own body, there she gathered the magic power in the surrounding.

Before long the gathered magic power emitted pink light and formed into a giant light bullet―

{Now! Fireeeeee――!!!!}

“Magic Light Cannon FirePhoton Buster ――――!!!!”

Together with Hassad’s signal, she fired the sorcery into Baphomet as a large beam of light.

Various color of magic power, flashes, a great number of everything―

Beams of light that easily surpassed a hundred were fired at a single demon that was hovering in the air from all direction.

It hit at the same time.

Explosion sound that burst the ear and flash that pierced the eye exploded.

Most likely it was an attack with the greatest firepower possessed by the whole battle strength here.

{We did it!?}

Even while believing in their victory, Hassad focused his eye at the dense smoke that appeared.

―There, he suddenly saw the figure of the hovering Baphomet.

The smoke cleared, before long that figure became obvious in everyone’s eyes.

The most ineffective result from the most firepower they had.

Regardless―

(Lies……! Even a single wound……!?)

The body of the <General class> demon was completely spotless.

Correct. They were making a big misunderstanding.

―Hundred years.

The one who passed those years and months, was not only human race.

The demon too, if they also passed the same time, piling up diligent study same like human, then there was no reason for that difference to be closed.

{█ █ █ █ █ █―}

The baphomet who uninjuredly endured all the firing of human race showed an active movement for the first time.

It pronounced something with sound scale that human couldn’t understand even when they tried to catch the word.

And then the baphomet slowly thrust its right hand to the front―

{█ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █}

It reversed its wrist in circle, with just that action, all the magicians that flew at the sky were struck down to the ground.

It was as if they were struck by unseen hammer from the sky.

“KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

Ayumu was also the same.

She screamed from the intense pain of hitting the ocher colored ground.

But, even so she couldn’t roll over her body.

She thought that she had to immediately stand up, but―her body couldn’t move.

She was being pushed by something from above? No―

If it had to be said which one it was, it was the sensation of her gravity being magnified several hundred times heavier. This was―

(Gra, gravity magic……!)

It was similar with no element fourth grade sorcery・Gravity BarrierGravity Bind, a sorcery that restraint the opponent by laying out barrier of super gravity.

But, whether its scale or power were phenomenal.

However・that was only natural.

The humanity only obtained the sorcery for around one hundred years.

On the other hand the demon, they had lived from the far long time ago together with sorcery.

Of course there was a difference in level between the sorcery of the two sides.

It was like a primitive man equipped with stone spear was challenging an army that built fortress line up with machine gun.

From the start it wasn’t even a battle. It was undisputedly a massacre.

(No, way……-)

With a creaking sound, the bone raised a scream.

The pressure gradually became stronger, before long it would surpass the limit of human’s strength.

(No! I don’t want to die yet!)

Ayumi’s whole face paled from the approaching gruesome death, she wanted to scream.

But, the super gravity pressured her lung, not even a scream was permitted.

She also couldn’t ask for help.

The baphomet was only pointing its thumb below, that was it.

How could something this unreasonable be allowed.

Tears came out.

Even so inside her heart Ayumi desperately,

(Help me, ―Homura-san-!)

Suddenly, she yelled the name that appeared in her mind.

That moment―

• bariin!* With a sound as if a glass was broken, suddenly the punishing pressure on the body was released.

What was broken was baphomet’s Gravity Bind.

The one who broke it was―

{Ooo―ii, you guys. Is everyone still alive?}

The black magician flying from the other side of the sky leading the reinforcement.

<Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura.

Part 3

He detected the allies’ danger from afar and went ahead solo.

Homura let flew a magic power slash and broke baphomet’s Gravity Bind.

From behind him, the panicked Sumika let out the maximum output of <Air Raid> in pursuit.

“Ho, Homura-san―! Please don’t fly ahead by yourself so suddenly!”

“My bad my bad. It looked like it would be bad if I don’t interfere a little faster there.”

“If that’s so please say a word first. Certainly Homura-san is strong, but while <Aureole> is working you cannot use your full power right!? What are you going to do if something happen while you rush ahead by yourself! The right to command for this reinforcement is entrusted to me, so I won’t tolerate anymore rash action!”

“Got it got it. So don’t yell at me with your face that close. I’ll kiss you y’know.”

“Hahii-!? Wh, whwhwhwh what are you saying in this time of crisis!”

Sumika’s face blushed bright red and she *pyun!* cut through the air and took a distance from Homura.

In the view of that Sumika and Homura, Hassad’s face was displayed.

It was general communication in an open channel.

{Oo, you are <Evil God User> if I remember right! Seems like the rumor of your return here is true! Sheesh, you really saved us there! Like this it’s the second time I got my life saved by you.}

“Old man Hassad huh. It’s been five years since I saw you. How much damage at your side?”

{Thanks to you there is no one dead, but there are a lot heavily injured. I want to pull back the defensive line temporarily and rally back our formation. Lend us your hand!}

“That’s how it is leader.”

“Do, don’t call me leader just when it’s convenient for you.”

Suddenly having the attention directed at her, Sumika cut in between Homura and Hassad a little sullenly.

“You are lieutenant general Hassad of the seventh division isn’t it? This is 101st trainee platoon leader・Hoshikawa Sumika that is entrusted with the right of command of the reinforcement troop.”

{Hoh, then you are the rumored S-rank magician. It’s my honor to meet you.}

“Thank you very much. ―I have understood the situation of your side. From here on we are going to move to reinforce so please prepare to retreat.”

{Got it. I’ll leave it to you!}

Having said that, Hassad cut the communication.

Surely he was preparing the retreat operation.

Sumika who confirmed that the transmission with Hassad had been cut then sent transmission toward all platoons that were flying behind her.

“It’s exactly as we heard. From here on we will reinforce the preceding troop. All the trainee platoon, don’t face the <Knight class> independently by all means. Please fight them with units of platoon!”

{ { {Roger—} } }

High-spirited reply came back from the transmission.

In this aspect, it was just as expected from platoons with evaluation point more than 70. The height of their morale was different.

“Oi. Are we gonna move in platoons too?”

Suddenly Homura asked Sumika directly from the side.

The ability of 101st’s member was fairly high.

Rather than gathering together the members should be used by scattering them for search-and-kill mission, that was his opinion.

Of course Sumika was also of the same opinion with that.

“Indeed. The 101st will spread out with their own individual duty. Shiori-san, I’ll leave you to control the situation of the battle from separate location. Please perfectly fulfill your role that is demanded of you from all the units just as usual.”

Sumika first gave instruction to Shiori.

Shiori smiled wryly a little inside her heart from the content of that instruction.

(My my. You unexpectedly said that cleverly, leader.)

Shiori usually did only the minimum work as <Operator> in her duty at 101st platoon.

In other words she cut corners.

But, she fulfilled the minimum required work perfectly.

Using that habit back against Shiori herself, Sumika reminded Shiori that [I’m thinking that you are someone that perfectly fulfilled your duty as <Operator> in proportion with the situation you know].

“In other words you are telling me to not cut any corners right? I understand already.”

Sumika nodded in satisfaction from Shiori’s reply.

“I’m counting on you. Chikori-san please move independently following Shiori-san’s instruction and rescued the allied platoon. Can you do that?”

“Absolutely noo― problemm―”

Chikori hit the front of her breast *gatsun!* that was too big for her small stature with her gauntlet.

Magic power that couldn’t be suppressed anymore surged out from her whole body, she was completely prepared for battle.

If it was the current her, she surely wouldn’t fall behind even against <Knight class>.

Then the thing that could become a problem was only the <General class> baphomet floating in the air, but―

“As for me naturally that goat face is my opponent then.”

At their side there was Homura, so this was also not a problem.

Although <Aureole> was applied on him, Homura’s power was above S-rank.

It was a power that was more than enough to contest baphomet.

For that reason Homura thought it was only natural for himself to face baphomet.

However, Sumika who was the commander in this place shook her head side to side against this proposal.

“No. Homura-san will rescue the allied platoons like Chikori-san. I will be the baphomet’s opponent.”

“―Hoshikawa, you?”

Hearing that Homura was going to warn off Sumika with a grim expression, but

“Please don’t look down on me too much. Even like this, I am an S-rank magician. I will make it somehow against just a single baphomet. Besides, there are heavily injured people in the preceding troop. Then Homura-san that can skillfully use healing sorcery is more suitable for rescuing duty. I’m not too skilled at healing sorcery. Dead human cannot go home. [To live] [to keep alive] ―those are the policy of how I operate my unit. You are going to obey aren’t you? After all Homura-san is my subordinate.”

Homura was countered back in return.

Sumika wasn’t trying to take up the baphomet as her opponent because of her vanity as S-rank.

[To live] [to keep alive]

She didn’t change from when she was little. It was the right person in the right place under the girl’s policy.

Against that Homura couldn’t talk back at all.

[To live] [to keep alive]. After all Homura also had the same ideal.

“…Okay. But I’m gonna cut in if the situation goes bad.”

Sumika nodded back toward Homura’s reminder―

“Then―, all members, mission start–!!!!”

She gave the signal for the operation commencement.

Translator's Notes and References

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