Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.
Edited By: NillAngel
Chapter 73
Price
âââââ-!â (Naofumi)\n
I shouted at the heavens.
Hate!\n
This whole world is hateful, I hate everything!\n
Iâm going mad from everyone reproaching and accusing me.\n
I should just burn down everything with this power!\n
My vision is stained red and black, and everything I see becomes an object of my hatred.
ââ!â(Naofumi)
Someoneâs voice reaches my ears, but I cannot hear it. It feels as if Iâm submerged under water.
ââ!â(Naofumi)
I feel something take hold of my hand â does it want to be incinerated!?
âMaster, do you truly hate everything in the world?â (Firo)
I feel trapped â everything that torments me will die by my hatred!
âReally? Is that what you really think?!â(Firo)
Yeah, so what?
âThen, did Master hate the days he spent with Firo and Raphtalia onee-chan?(Firo)
That voiceâŠâŠ An old memory floats to the surface of my mind:\n
A young girl loyally following me wherever I go, nothing separating us.\n
Obeying me even while injuredâŠâŠ This recollection fills my view.\n
Later, too, my feelings of love are transmitted to a young bird that hatches from an egg and grows up under my care.
âThatâŠâŠThat isâŠâŠ.â(Naofumi)\n
âItâs different. Since Master works hard, Firo can do her best.â(Firo)
The darkness is gradually clearing up.
âThatâs why Firo will eat masterâs anger and hatred.â(Firo)
My vision clears and I glance around.
âNaofumi-sama!â(Raphtalia)\n
âAre you alright!?â(Melty)
A few seconds have passed since I screamed, and I am being looked at with suspicion.
âMaster, are you alright!?â(Firo)\n
âDid you help me control that?â(Naofumi)\n
âYup, Master was in trouble.â(Firo)
Firo hugs me from behind. If I look closely I can tell that she has been severely burnt by the black flame.\n
Not even Firoâs body could withstand the Improved Shield of Angerâs flames.\n
It must have been very painful, but Firo still worried about me without complaining.\n
(Tl note: I cried a little.) (Ed note: Bakahou, you softie.)
âFiro, Raphtalia onee-chan, and Mel-chan all believe in Master, so do your best!â\n
âYeah.â
All I wanted was to simply beat the wave, it was not necessary to be swallowed by my anger.\n
After all, I can crush one of the ring leaders who made me suffer.
That pope bastard conveniently used Melty, the other heroes, all of us.\n
I willâŠâŠ kick that bastardâs ass!
ââŠâŠIâm going.â(Naofumi)\n
âThereâs still a chance, even in this situation?â(Ren)\n
âYeah, Iâll be sure to kill him with my strongest shield.â(Naofumi)\n
âWhatâs with that confident attitude? You looked like shit just a little while ago.â(Ren)
Shield of Anger 2âs dragon-like figure has become even more ominous compared to before.\n
The dragonâs features have morphed to be more devil-like, the horns curl around.
âI have a skill that I need to use, please help make an opening for me to use it.â(Naofumi)\n
âYou⊠Canât be helped. Iâll rely on you for now.â(Motoyasu)\n
âRight. It is difficult to trust you, but we have no other choice.â(Ren)\n
âAll-or-nothing.â(Itsuki)\n
âWeâll use magic to help somehowâŠâ(Hero companions)
The heroes and their companions nod and turn to face the pope.
âOh dear, Oh dearâŠâŠ To think you would continue to put up this futile resistance. I hope you are prepared, because this is already over. Shall I perform the coup de grace?(Pope)
Magical power gradually fills the area.\n
High-density light is going to be unleashed any moment now.
âFiro!â(Naofumi)
On my signal the heroes charge at the pope, and Firo faithfully carries me as ordered.
âFly!â(Naofumi)\n
âOkay~!â(Firo)
Firo jumps while the enemies start to chant.
âââHigh Class Synthetic Magic [Judgement]âââ (Church Fanatics)
A beam of cleansing light falls from the sky.
âGoooooooooooooooooo!â
I raise my shield above my head.\n
Crackling sounds can be heard as the light pours down onto me, but it is impossible to penetrate Wrath Shield 3âs defense. The light barely does any damage to me even though I am right under it.
âTo not even suffer a wound from Judgment.â(Pope)
The pope has a surprised expression on his face, all traces of his old smile gone.\n
What a suitable price for using the shield.\n
Iâll teach him his place.
âNo way⊠You wonât be able to block this!â(Pope)
The pope points his sword at me and yells.
âPhoenix Blade!â(Pope)
A Phoenix takes flight from the Popeâs sword and rushes towards me.
âI can withstand that, no problem!â(Naofumi)
I lower my shield in front of me.\n
Firo, understanding what Iâm thinking, casts support magic.\n
A chant comes to my mind on its own. Are these the conditions for the Clothing of Anger (Intermediate)?
âI am the Hero of the Shield, commander of the origin of power. I have read and deciphered the law of nature. May the devouring flames become my power!â(Naofumi)\n
âWrath Fire!â(Naofumi)
Anger is now my power.\n
The flaming phoenix collides with me and doesnât even singe my eyebrows.
âWha! To nullify my skillâŠâ(Pope)\n
âThatâs quite ironic. Your bird became food for my holy bird.â(Naofumi)
The barrier protecting the pope was shattered by the other heroesâ attacks and Firoâs powerful kicks.
âPhoenix Strike-â(Pope)
Firoâs sure kill dash!\n
Firoâs finishing move is strong enough to combat the pope.
âMeteor Sword!â(Ren)\n
âMeteor Spear!â(Motoyasu)\n
âMeteor Bow!â(Itsuki)
The pope changes his sword into a spear and prepares for the onslaught.
âThe Stance of Heaven and Earth Reversal!?â(Motoyasu)
Motoyasu yells in surprise.\n
Is that another High Class spear skill?
âTch⊠How dare you go against Godâs will.â(Pope)
Firoâs skill is repelled as light overflows from the popeâs spear.
âGua!â(Ren)\n
âGufu!â(Motoyasu)\n
âGuâŠ..â(Itsuki)
Is that a counter skill?\n
Just how tenacious are you!
âBut, I will not be stopped!â(Pope)\n
âI wonder about that.â(Naofumi)
This time the popeâs weapon becomes a giant bow and he jumps away.
âYou think you can run!? Firo!â(Naofumi)\n
âYep. Letâs go~â(Firo)
We instantly catch up to the Pope, and Firo tries to kick him.\n
However, as just Firoâs attack connects, the pope vanishes.\n
If he escapes here he loses.\n
Where is he hiding�
âHide Arrow!?â(Itsuki)
Thatâs Itsukiâs voice.
âThat skill creates a large amount of illusionary copies of himself! Be careful!â(Itsuki)
Damn⊠If I canât target him I canât do anything.\n
There are currently 10 popes, but their numbers are increasing.
âFufufu, I was a little surprised by you, but shall we end this now?â(Pope)
The popes hold up their bows and begin to cast a big skill.
âThis is my strongest skill. Letâs see if you can withstand this, Devil of the Shield.â(Pope)
The bows shine.\n
Shit, I should be able to block it but I canât counter attack.\n
âI am the queen, she who commands the origin of power. I have read and deciphered the law of nature. Restrain him with ice!â(Queen)\n
âDoraifa ă» Icicle Prison!â(Queen)
The lower half of a bunch of the popeâs mirror images freeze.
âNow!â(Queen)
Who is that!?\n
No, there is no time to worry about that.\n
I have to defeat this bastard now.
Blutopfer!\n
As expected, its chant floats into view.
âThis is the name of the punishment for the foolish sinner, he who shall be sacrificed as a scapegoat to god. Become a sacrifice to the steel trap! Experience the intense pain of a being drained of all your blood!â(Naofumi)\n
âBlutopfer!â(Naofumi)
GufuâŠâŠ\n
Wh- What!? The moment I cast the skill, blood begins to overflow from my body, my muscles begin to tear, and my bones start to creak.\n
ThisâŠWas it a suicide skill?
The pope smiles as he sees me heavily injured, but the next instant a giant red and black steel trap appears under his feet.\n
Quite unlike a normal steel trap, this one has multiple layers. It looks like the ground grew a sharkâs mouth, with the Pope in the middle.
âWha-â(Pope)\nGatun! A sharp metal sound can be heard the instant the Pope is bitten by the steel trap.
âGugyaaaaaaaaââ(Pope)
The popeâs scream echoes out.\n
Red bloods splashes over the steel trap and causes it to shine.
âSomething of this degreeââ(Pope)
This is⊠harsh.
The pope tries to take countermeasures, but the steel trap repeatedly opens and shuts, seeming as if it were ridiculing him.
âGuhaâŠâŠIt was all⊠forâŠâŠGo-GodâŠâŠâ(Pope)
The pope fires off a few skills, but the steel trap isnât even scratched.\n
Two⊠Three cracks start to appear on the legendary weapon replica. As the fourth crack appears, a shattering sound can be heard.\n
The steel trap suddenly falls to the ground and disappears, leaving the popeâs corpse behind, which, at this point, is nothing more than a lump of flesh.
ââŠâŠâ(Everybody)
It was so gruesome that we couldnât breathe.\n
All skills from the Curse Series are bloody.\n
Is it because the Curse shields erode the mind?\n
This is a definite reminder not to overuse the shields of this series.
âTh- The Pope has been defeated by the Devil!â(Church Fanatics)
The Three Heroes Church followers mutter in utter despair.
âYes⊠This is the end of the line for you lot as well.â(Queen)
The punitive force surrounds the Heroes Church remnants and captures them.\n
Now that the pope is gone our victory is certain, butâŠ\n
As the punitive forces work I slip off Firo.\n
A new attack skill, Blutopfer, was added to the Wrath Shield.\n