/
Act 1-19.1 : Raid
In front of a desolate part of the rampart, Kuroki stood alone under the guise of the night.
The moonlight shone over Kuroki’s head, casting his intimidating shadow on the ground.
Kuroki had changed his attire to his Dark Knight armor.
（Hmm, including this time, how many times have I worn this Dark Knight armor now?）
The defense around the temple was strict, many Temple Knights patrolled the area and its vicinity. Moreover, Reiji and co. were also there and could serve as backup at any time. The battle could turn fierce at any given time. That’s why Kuroki had perfectly armed himself before starting his temple raid.
（Well, it’s about time to start.）
Kuroki decided to start the operation.
His goal was to get the answers he wanted straight out of Rena’s mouth. But, he knew that he had to make haste of this operation—his time was limited. He was literally entering the enemy’s stronghold, so he might need to escape at any given moment.
（That’s why I’ll distract them with this.）
Currently, Kuroki was holding a bag containing thirty white stones. These stones were magic items forged with the fangs of a Dragon.
Modes had given this bag of white stones to Kuroki right before leaving Nargol. It was in case he needed backup for a grand operation or against a strong foe, fitting for Kuroki’s current situation.
Modes had told Kuroki that these stones could not be used by just anyone. However, with his strength, Modes was positive that he wouldn’t have any problem with using them; they would be very useful to him.
Taking them out of the bag, Kuroki planted the thirty stones on the ground beneath him, making sure to separate them at fixed intervals. He then straightened up and began chanting a spell.
「O Soldiers, With The Power Of Dragons, Come Forth!」
As his chant subsided, the thirty rocks started shifting, then, thirty eerie looking soldiers started crawling out of them. These soldiers, heading towards Kuroki, were well armed for battle, donning yellow armor, a helmet, a shield in the left hand, and a sword in the right.
These Dragon Fang soldiers, born through magic, were called Spartois. If anyone shortly glanced at them, they would think that they were normal soldiers. However, their red eyes, illuminating through the helmet’s visor, gave them away as they looked terrifyingly inorganic.
Once they arrived in front of Kuroki, the Spartois performed a warrior’s salute.
Kuroki’s gaze wandered over the Spartois.
（Magic sure is amazing, to think that soldiers of this size came out from such small stones.）
At first, Kuroki was rather skeptical when he heard the explanation about this magic item from Modes. However, after he performed the ritual himself, he felt that his magic powers had somehow formed a link with the Spartois when they appeared.
（It seems I can freely order them.）
He then looked at Nut.
「Nut, make sure to stay away of the temple since you might accidentally be trampled and injured by the battle.」
「Eh, can you reconsider, Kuroki-sama? It’s alright, I can join, I’ll make sure to stay out of your way during the battle. 」
Naturally, Kuroki would have considered that option if they were going in normally. But, that wasn’t the case this time.
「Sorry, Nut. Things might be getting really dangerous this time. Rena alone is already dangerous, not to mention that there’s also the possibility that she brought along her guardian angels. That’s why I’ll infiltrate this temple by myself.」
Kuroki had been told before that Rena was protected by female angels called Valkyrie. There was a high possibility that they had descended with Rena. Those battle maidens were very powerful and had extraordinary presence detection; not even Nut could escape their detection.
「Uh… Sure enough…」
Nut showed a dejected face upon hearing Kuroki’s explanation.
Humans aside, their opponent this time was a member of the divine race.
After confirming that Nut wouldn’t object anymore, Kuroki took out a gem from his pocket. It was a teleportation gem, a magic item that could only be used once. It would allow the user to use teleportation magic despite not having the ability to originally do so.
「Eh? Isn’t that?」
「A teleportation gem. You’ll be going back to Nargol first.」
Kuroki handed over the gem to Nut as he spoke.
「No way, Kuroki-sama!」
「Don’t worry, I have no intention to die in this place, Nut. I’ll retreat before the situation becomes too dangerous for me.」
Kuroki reassured Nut with a serious tone.
「U~h, I understand. Please be careful, Kuroki-sama.」
Nut agreed reluctantly.
「Take care, Nut. Wait for my return in Nargol.」
「Certainly, Kuroki-sama…」
After confirming that Nut had left his side, Kuroki’s gaze moved towards the Spartois.
「SPARTOIS!」
Kuroki called out their name as he moved forward, the Spartois followed along, obeying his implicit command.
Their movements were agile, as if they weren’t wearing a full plate armor at all. As if weightless, they easily jumped over the roof, and following Kuroki’s example, jumped from one roof to the next.
Their destination was the Alrena Temple.
On the way, Kuroki ordered the Spartois to spread out and come from eight different directions to confuse the guards. Kuroki would then arrive later and raid the temple unnoticed and without any big interruptions.
According to Nut, Rena was staying in the central room of the temple to prepare for the reverse summoning ritual, thus he concluded that the summoning altar was also placed in that very room.
（Since they’ll most likely start the ritual tomorrow, I have no choice but to destroy the altar right now.）
Kuroki’s raid had now officially started.
◆
Inside the temple, late at night, the hero and his companions were gathered in a certain room.
「Wait a second Reiji-kun, this is liquor!」
Chiyuki refused the beverage offered to her.
「Take it easy, Chiyuki. Tonight might be the last night for you and Shirone in this world.」
Reiji teased Chiyuki.
「That’s right Chiyuki-san, let’s forget that stiff rule just for tonight and enjoy your last night in this world.」
「Yeah Chiyuki-senpai, let’s forget this rule just for tonight.」
Rino and Nao spoke happily in unison.
Chiyuki and Shirone would be returning to their original world tomorrow. It was for this reason that the hero’s party decided to host a simple farewell party to send them off in good spirits..
Several types of snacks and beverages were prepared for them by the temple’s staff. Naturally, liquor was included amongst those beverages.
The beverage in Chiyuki’s hands was a drink made by mixing honey, ocean water, and wine-like liquor made from a grape-like fruit. This liquor had low alcohol content, which was just the right amount for a beverage intended for the hero’s party—it would not severely incapacitate them.
However, Kyouka was an exception to this fact. She was a super lightweight drinker who could even be knocked out just by drinking cola.
Unsurprisingly, Kyouka was currently lying on the sofa, being nursed by Kaya.
But still, no matter how low the alcohol content was, the hero and his companions were still considered underage in their original world, thus they were not supposed to drink liquor. This was why Chiyuki was against drinking that beverage. She might have failed to notice the fact that this alcoholic beverage was mixed amongst their drinks if it weren’t for Kyouka collapsing due to her low alcohol tolerance.
「But still, this night might be the last you spend in this world and we might not be able to see each other for a while. Let’s just take it easy and enjoy the “beverage” in this place.」
Everyone, except for Chiyuki, were of the same opinion as Reiji.
「I won’t be able to see everyone for a while, huh.」
Shirone spoke with a lonely voice.
Everyone couldn’t help but feel dejected upon hearing Shirone’s words.
「You see, Chiyuki, Shirone. Everyone is feeling sad to be separated from you two, that’s why let’s just have a blast for tonight.」
「Geez, can’t be helped I guess…」
Chiyuki, loosening up, agreed to allow everyone to drink the liquor. Despite her previous insistence, Chiyuki wasn’t someone who couldn’t read the mood.
「It seems I always end up getting myself swept up by Reiji-kun’s pace.」
As they all drank, they started reminiscing about the time when they had all just arrived in this world.
Fighting against dragons, traveling to peculiar caves, seas, and mountains, meeting with the elves; every single one of those experiences was fantastic. It was as if their childhood dream of entering a fantasy world on their own had become a reality.
Naturally, some of those experiences were dangerous and painful, but they still enjoyed those experiences together. It might have been extremely difficult if they had been summoned to this world alone.
「Now that I’m about to return, I’m really starting to miss those days. 」
Chiyuki spoke as she took another gulp of liquor, enjoying its slightly sweet aftertaste.
「Then you just need to stay in this world with the rest of us, right Chiyuki?」
「Not a chance. This is a serious matter, someone has to go back.」
Chiyuki shook her head.
Tomorrow was the end of this adventure for both Chiyuki and Shirone. In fact, the two of them were really reluctant to return to their mundane daily life earlier than everyone.
「Sorry, Reiji-kun. Your training will have to stop midway too.」
「Can’t be helped. We didn’t see this coming after all.」
Shirone apologized to Reiji. His training for his rematch against the Dark Knight had to come to an end since Shirone decided to go back.
「Please take care of Reiji-kun everyone, especially when it comes to that Dark Knight. Don’t let him fight that monster until you’re sure that he can win against him!」
Everyone in the room agreed with Chiyuki.
The Dark Knight’s strength was unfathomable. They didn’t need to put their life on the line just to beat him.
Chiyuki had also left the matter of searching for the strange pervert to Kaya. Depending on the situation, they might have to look for the other summoner who summoned that strong pervert to this world.
（We have no choice but to look for that summoner. He’ll be our only way out if we can’t defeat the Dark Knight and subjugate the Demon King.）
After they concluded their serious matters, they started enjoying the liquor and snacks once again.
However, when it was about time for them to go to bed.
BONG BONG BONG.
They heard the toll of a bell ringing a few times.
「Eh, what’s happening?!」
Chiyuki and co. exchanged glances with each other.
「INTRUDERS!!」
「THEY’RE COMING FROM THE WEST GATE!」
「THEY’RE COMING FROM THE EAST GATE!」
The knights’ voices were flustered.
「Intruders?!」
It seems that the bell that rang just now was an alarm setup in case intruders appeared.
「Intruders? Shall we take a look at those so called intruders?」
Reiji sarcastically spoke. He was itching to go and fight, but if those intruders were weaklings, then there was a big chance that he wouldn’t get the opportunity to do so.
「Who is it I wonder? Can you try to sense their presence, Nao-san?」
「Understood, Chiyuki-san.」
Nao closed her eyes, sharpening her five senses.
Upon coming to this world, Nao had learned a few skills, sensing presences was one of those skills.
It was the kind of skill that allowed the user to see objects and people without the need to see them directly with their own eyes. It was similar to clairvoyance. Reiji, Shirone, and Kaya could use this skill too. However, the range of the latter two was only around 8-9 metres, while Nao’s range could reach up to 2 kilometres.
In addition, using it normally would only let her know that “something” was there. Yet, if she closed her eyes and sharpened her five senses, she could go as far as know the identity of that “something”.
Naturally, such a skill had its own limitations. Those limitations included the lack of information about that something’s power and mana capacity, the lack of color inside the vision, and its inability to see anything inside an isolated space or one protected by a barrier.
Though this temple was protected by a barrier, it wasn’t a problem as long as the intruders had entered the barrier.
「The number of intruders is thirty, but they’re scattered all over the place as if surrounding this temple.」
Chiyuki was really confused upon hearing Nao’s report. The guards in the temple had become stricter than normal since Goddess Rena’s descent. There should be more than three hundred people stationed as guards tonight. Subduing those thirty intruders should be a piece of cake.
「… I’ve seen these guys before. If I’m not wrong, they’re called Spartois.」
Chiyuki’s confusion transformed into that of surprise in hearing Nao’s explanation. They had encountered Spartois during their battle in Nargol.
They were the kind of monsters whose strength varied depending on the magical power of their summoner.
「Is it the Demon King?」
Rino asked with a worried look on her face.