CH 18

「Inferior species are DISGUSTING!」(Beltoga)

As the clusters of adventurers are blown away by a hit of Beltoga.

The magic that they’ve released from a distance is prevented by the flames while the magic that was about to hit him is being dispelled and cut with the metal rod.

Because of being already in an exhausted state, they can not keep up with the movement of Beltoga even though they are able to cooperate perfectly.

「Sheesh……Is he a monster?」

Misha who doesn’t join the fight clicks her tongue while giving aid to us.

Her companions were clenching their teeth too as they saw the situation.

「Elfi……Is it possible for you to use the Demon Eyes?」(Iori)

「Its impossible, because right now I’m desperately trying to maintain my alter ego……」(Elfi)

The situation is at its worst.

As for me, my bones are broken after receiving those attacks back then.

My dislocated shoulder is restored, but its far from perfect.

「Iori……Well, did you have another potion in the pouch?」(Elfi)

「……That one is useless. Its not usable and I have already used up all that I had」(Iori)

While I can see that the adventurers are being overrun before my very eyes.

「Shit……」

Because Beltoga was the best among the Onizoku.

He is on the different level from Merwin’s minions.

It’ll be a different thing if we were in a perfect state, but it is impossible to fight and win in our current state.

「UwaAhhhhh~!」

「Damn it……!」

「Do not get near……!」

Zolkin who took off armour is fighting furiously, but Beltoga simply resists all those attacks.

Even the attack that had killed the Flames Dragon with just a single shot, it doesn’t even faze Beltoga.

Some adventurers who got struck by his metal rod are scattered around him.

Death casualty might appear, too.

「It’s useless, it’s no use at all」

「What……!」

Beltoga laughs while swinging the metal rod around leisurely.

「Phenomenal existence! Unique phenomenon! Status! StatusStatusStatusStatusStatusStatusStatusStatusStatus! It’s different from you lot status, ya heEaaaAar!!!!」(Beltoga)

As the metal rod of Beltoga is swung around like a storm.

Zolkin who’s standing in front of him was blown away, while nearby adventurers were crushed and the magician was burned by the hot air blown by the metal rod.

After all, they have no chance of winning.

It is only death thats waiting for them.

「Aa~mashu~, Don’t you try to run away~zo? 」(Beltoga)

As he blows off the adventurers, Beltoga is gradually headed for us.

「Such! Inferior bunch! No more than just buying some time! Just die already!」(Beltoga)

All of them were able to hold him less than one minute?

「……Iori-san, please run away」(Misha)

*KACHARI* sound was made as Misha pulls out her sword from the sheath.

While exchanging looks with her comrades.

「I’ll earn time even if a little. Meanwhile, please escape from the labyrinth」(Misha)

「……Are you guys willing to die?」(Iori)

As Misha suddenly had a cramped smile on her face.

「It was no other than Iori-san and Elfi-san that has cured gramps, its even to the extent of having  given us gold to repair the shop. Moreover, by the time we came here, both of you have helped me and my comrades many times. So let me return those favours here」(Misha)

So, what do you mean by it?

Because they helped me, that I’ll wanted to return that gratitude?

All those words are the same words that have been said by those who have betrayed me once.

「Why……By doing that, you’re just throwing out your own life. Why don’t you just get rid of us and escape……Are you not afraid of dying……?」(Iori)

「I’m afraid to die, however」(Misha)

「Even if there’s something such as gratitude or how indebted you are, don’t you escape if one’s life is in danger!?」(Iori)

Elfi is listening to the conversation silently.

While Misha’s companions are also staying silent.

「Though, there is “that”, too」(Misha)

Misha laughed and said.

「――I want to help, so I will help. That’s all」(Misha)

「That……」(Iori)

That’s.

Those were the lines that I’ve said when I was a Hero and it was during those time when I was still intoxicated with ideals.

「……Let’s go!」(Misha)

Misha heads toward Beltoga together with her companions.

She’s moving straight without looking back.

「Heh, it’s a cat beastman? This esteemed one doesn’t understand cats because cats and oni are different from each other, ya know!」(Beltoga)

With agile movements, Misha is messing around with Beltoga.

She’s continuously slashing Beltoga, but her attack power can’t even inflict any damage to him.

The magic from her companions also does not even reach Beltoga.

What should I do?

It was the time when I hesitated like that.

「――――――」(Iori)

A noise runs into my view.

I saw the back figure of somebody only for an instant.

It’s a man with grey hair.

He stood as to confront something while his overcoat was fluttering.

Before long my sight returned to normal.

「…」(Iori)

“I want to return the favour” and “I want to help you”.

Before they had betrayed me those bunch have said those words in order to approach me.

I was betrayed while I was intoxicated by the sweet ideals that have made me not able see their true nature.

” I want to make a peaceful world” or “I want to protect my important person”.

Even now, I think it’s worthless. It is just my hypocrisy that I don’t want to face the reality, such as “I’d want to help”.

However.

It would be different now to abandon those who fight for us and run away.

「……Alright」(Iori)

I pull out the Jade Longsword that was recovered by Misha.

I take out the magic stone from the pouch by using the arm which is finally able to move.

「What are you going to do, Iori」(Elfi)

「It has been decided. The subject of revenge is in front of me and I have decided to kill it」(Iori)

If I lose that scum right now, I do not know when I can meet him next time.

If that the case, I should definitely kill him here.

「Then, I will do what I can do」(Elfi)

「……Won’t you escape?」(Iori)

「Fool, I was hit hard with a metal rod, you know. As if I can forgive him」(Elfi)

Elfi said that while narrowing her eyes.

「Well, that man was there when I was sealed. When Ortegia told me that “Your subordinate is already dead” those guys used my subordinate corpse as a plaything. There’s no way I can forgive him, right?」(Elfi)

「……I got it」(Iori)

I decided to fight without running away.

◆

「OoOoooOooooooooooOoooOoooh~!!」(Beltoga)

Beltoga puts magical power in his voice as he shoots out a roar.

With that, Misha was hit directly by that roar’s volume which echoes through the labyrinth.

While her companions lose their consciousness and fall.

「――Ah」(Misha)

By the time Misha realised that, her body was inclined, too.

As her whole body has lost its strength, she’s gradually approaching the ground.

To the point where she saw her own shadow draw closer to her very eyes.

「Just die already, you trash!」(Beltoga)

Just before the metal rod is reaching her.

「――――」

A black robe fluttered.

There was someone who got in between them while catching the metal rod that was swung by Beltoga.

「Ah……」(Misha)

Iori that was supposed to have escaped was there.

「 You have just wasted the efforts of that small fry, Amatsu」(Beltoga)

「……I wonder about that?」(Iori)

As Iori and Beltoga exchange blows with each other.

After all, the current Iori isn’t a match for Beltoga.

Even though it is.

「Hero――――」(Misha)

Misha gradually lost her consciousness.

The appearance of the fighting Iori seemed to overlap with the figure of the legendary hero itself.

◆

「Right now you bastard are on a different level with this esteemed one, ya hear!」(Beltoga)

I’ve desperately parried the metal rod while taking distance from the adventurers.

In the eyes of Beltoga the adventurers are rubbish.

Beltoga seemed to feel nothing as we keep drawing more distance from them.

「There’s no figure of that woman-na, has she run away? In comparison with her, it seems that the cool Amatsu-san doesn’t run away-ne! Are you still pretending to be a hero, HUH!?」(Beltoga)

「Kuh……」(Iori)

「In comparison with this esteemed one, THAT hero right now is! Totally at whole different StatusStatusStatusStatusStatus, GET IT!!」(Beltoga)

「”StatusStatus” just shut up already……!」(Iori)

I’ve used “Acceleration”, “Body Strengthening” and  “Magic Usurption” to drop his power while attacking him using the “Water Cannon” and “Magic Break”.

As for Beltoga that seems irritated by it, he swung down his metal rod toward the attack that was aiming for his field of vision.

「”Burning Wind”」(Beltoga)

「!?」(Iori)

That shock wave, became a hot wind capable of burning down one’s whole skin.

It was surprisingly breaking through “Magic Usurpation” that was invoked by me as it makes my whole body burn from the wind.

I even felt nausea from too much heat and pain.

So far I almost used up my remaining strength.

However, I smiled and provoked Beltoga.

「To spout that “StatusStatus” thing, has being discriminated by humans affected you that much~na? It’s surely a terrible inferiority complex you got there」(Iori)

「Haaah……?」(Beltoga)

「Because of that, with those disparagement “He that knows little often repeat it”*, you sure have turned into a “StatusStatus” Oji-san**, huh」(Iori) TN *Only a fool repeats himself, **Old man

「HaaAAAAAH~!?」(Beltoga)

Beltoga mows me down with all his might after feeling annoyed from being referred as “StatusStatus” Oji-san.

It’s just a blow using force without aim.

I receive it using my last bit of strength.

While cancelling the shock as much as possible, I use that momentum to blow myself off to the rear.

Thus, I’ve clumsily rolled on the ground.

Somehow it even has inflicted some damage to me.

「HaH……! After all that, the bragger sure can’t do anything at all~ne!」(Beltoga)

But it’s as planned.

「Huh……?」(Beltoga)

At the next moment, the temperature of the labyrinth fell down one level.

The drifting miasma had disappeared.

「It sure helps that you’re just an idiot~ze」(Iori)

「Could……it be」(Beltoga)

While Beltoga *BA*  turns his gaze suddenly to the deepest part of the room.

Beyond that gaze, Elfi was standing with the labyrinth core in her hand.

「How did……!? You should have disappeared from this room」(Beltoga)

「You sure are shortsighted, you know」(Elfi)

By covering herself among the adventurers, she was heading towards the labyrinth core in the state of the freshly-severed head while I was buying some time.

The reason why I took distance from the adventurers is also for the sake of concealing it.

「”Without magical power, you can not do anything”, huh? It doesn’t mean that it will refrain me from committing thievery~zo?」(Elfi)

「You BITCH!」(Beltoga)

「Iori, catch it!」(Elfi)

As Elfi throws the labyrinth core.

Beltoga starts to make his move.

I’ve intentionally been blown off by that bastard for the sake of catching the labyrinth core.

However.

「Baaaka*~! This esteemed me is way faster, ya’see!」(Beltoga) TN * Idiot

「……!」(Iori)

Beltoga readied his metal rod as he’s about to release a magic.

Shit, is he going to burn me down along with the labyrinth core……!

「Go to hell, Amaaatsu~!」(Beltoga)

Just before he shoot the flame at me.

「――Ah?」

Beltoga’s head exploded lightly.

Somebody has attacked Beltoga with magic.

「You scum……」(Zolkin)

I find that it was Zolkin who fell down on the ground pointing his arm toward Beltoga.

He lost consciousness while such an expression remained on his face.

「Shit――――」(Beltoga)

「!」(Iori)

At the moment when Beltoga was distracted by Zolkin.

In that gap, I have caught the labyrinth core.

It shines with rainbow colour after I crush it while receiving magical power from it.

Even though I absorbed Magical Power, as expected, all my power didn’t completely return to how it was back then.

It only increases the amount of my usable magical power from before.

This is a bet.

Even if I have acquired the labyrinth core, the power that I obtained from it isn’t enough to defeat Beltoga.

As my physical strength is also scarce, it’s a disadvantageous wager.

――Nevertheless, for me, I’ve won that bet.

「Damn YOUuuUUU!」(Beltoga)

Beltoga fired the flame at me.

The amount of magical power that he put in it is incomparable from before.

The Extreme Flame.

It is certainly instant death if I’m being wrapped by it.

For that reason, it’s convenient for me.

「――――」

With all the magical power that I regained from the labyrinth core along with large quantity of magic stones, in an instant, I’ve activated only one magic.

As light envelops the Jade Longsword.

I swung the sword as it was towards the incoming extreme flames.

「――”Magic Hit Reflection”」(Iori) TN if there’s anyone could translate this “魔撃反射” with better naming sense, please use the comment.

The reflection magic that makes the received attack return back to the other party with doubled power.

It was one of the trump cards that I used during the heroic era.

Because it consumes enormous magical power, it is a magic that could not be used even if I degrade it――. TN probably iori trying to say that the magic is cannot be used even if he try to recreate the imperfect version of the magic.

If its this moment with the boost of the labyrinth core, it’s possible to use it――!!

The extreme flame is doubled by the “Magic Hit Reflection”.

Thus, the flame is being reflected back toward Beltoga himself.

「You should have lost your magical power!? W-why……」(Beltoga)

Looking at the reflected flame, Beltoga grumbled.

His voice turns upside down while he repeatedly calls it as something impossible.

「It’s impossible, It’s impossible! Your status is, Status is different……!」(Beltoga)

「Uh huh」(Iori)

When he saw the flames that bounced back, Beltoga murmurs in dumb surprise.

I agreed with that.

「―― the status was different~na」(Iori)

The next moment.

A tremendous amount of heat enveloped Beltoga.

「 HIIIAAAAAH~ 」(Beltoga)

Even the flame ogre who is good at flames will not be alright if they receiving that much flame.

「Hot……it’s HOOOO~T!!」(Beltoga)

The scream of Beltoga echoes in the labyrinth.

If its the toughness of this bastard, it probably wouldn’t give him an instant death after receiving that blow.

Until the flame disappeared, Beltoga tossed around on the ground.

「A……ahh」(Beltoga)

Nonetheless, this fellow didn’t die.

He lies on the ground in a dying state.

He is in the state I want him to be, its just perfect.

――Finally, I can exact my revenge.