Chapter 180

My entire body was faintly glowing .

I didn’t know how long Ueno-san’s skill would last .

If we didn’t defeat that before then, then everyone will die .

Perhaps it was because we hadn’t experienced being on the verge of life and death every day before, or perhaps my body had reached its limits, as my sword that I wielded and practiced with until it became a part of my body felt strangely heavy .

Every time I received the monster’s attacks, my arms screamed in pain, and every time I moved my body, my legs and muscles cramped .

I received an attack because I was thinking about various things and didn’t move, so my head started to hurt as well .

Needless to say, I was at my limit .

「Even though we were almost there… . 」

We had almost arrived at the meeting place where there was a safe house .

Even so, the enemy that was the strongest that we’ve come across so far was blocking the way .

The three people participating in the battle were already moving on willpower alone .

Nanase-kun was the rear guard, and because long-ranged magic was ineffective, he casted support magic on us, but his magic power would soon be exhausted .

How do we defeat an opponent when our attacks didn’t connect, I racked my brains, trying to figure it out .

The first strategy that I thought of was, to detach its arm or leg joints in close combat, and if possible, make it impossible for it to fight by getting rid of its limbs, but not only were we only able to get close enough to exchange swords, the area around its weak joints was made of material that was particularly sturdy .

My sword had been repelled .

The second strategy that I thought of was not as complicated as the first one, letting it play out for the time being .

At any rate, everyone all attacked its limbs at the same time, trying to seal its movements, but despite the fact that I aimed at its leg that became the axis when it raised a leg, it was unperturbed .

What was with this durability .

Just what was it supposed to be made for?

Or rather, who created this evil thing that was like the devil?

Not good .

My thoughts had gone off in a strange direction and had become incoherent .

「If I could use the power from that time . 」

At that time, Tsuda-kun, Ueno-san, and I fought a monster when we went to look for food for everyone, and in the life and death struggle, I became unable to fight, but with the potion that Tsuda-kun had, I revived and with my holy sword technique, I annihilated the monster in one blow .

If I could use that power now, then I should be able to defeat it .

However, before that time, and ever since then, I had not been able to use the holy sword technique, and in the first place, the sword that I’m using now was a normal one .

It was more durable than the others, but it wasn’t a holy sword .

First of all, what was a holy sword, it didn’t seem to be recorded in any book .

Long ago, there was one in Yamato, but it had gone missing or something .

With that in mind, I could only believe that that time when I could use the holy sword technique was special .

If that’s the case, I couldn’t expect a one-hit kill .

「Guu!?」

While I was thinking of such things, in the corner of my eye, I saw Asahina-kun collapse .

It seems that he had been attacked from a blind spot .

Asahina-kun had fallen, and because of his withdrawal from battle, the delicate balance that we had forcefully maintained up until now collapsed .

Asahina-kun had been transported by Nanase-kun’s magic to behind Tsuda-kun’s shield .

With this, the ones who could fight were only Zeal-san, Nanase-kun, and I .

It seems that Tsuda-kun had yet to regain consciousness, and the shield was still being held up by Waki-kun .

It wasn’t that Waki-kun didn’t have the strength, but his experience and skill was inferior to Tsuda-kun’s .

Even if he was able to defend against one attack, he definitely wouldn’t be able to do so for the next one .

It had also become impossible to release long-ranged attacks from the back .

「Tsukasa! The next one is coming!!」

Refocusing my attention on the battle when I heard Nanase-kun’s angry voice, the robot that was crossing swords with Zeal-san was coming this way .

This was bad .

Behind me was Waki-kun and the others .

If I received a frontal attack, the impact from that may affect those behind me .

Nonetheless, if I dodged it, it may switch its target to them .

That, needed to be avoided at all costs .

What should I… .

For the time being, no matter if I was going to receive its attack or evade it, I readied my sword .

However, there were no signs of it moving .

Even though the robot had come this close, my body that was reaching its limits was ignoring the commands from my brain .

I didn’t know anything about the human body structure, but in any case, it didn’t move .

Even the sword that was lowered onto the ground, did not move an inch .

What had I been doing up until now .

I could see everything as if it were in slow motion .

If I could at least protect everyone, even if I died… .

『Then, who would protect you?』

Unexpectedly, I could hear Akira’s voice .

Such words, I had no recollection of Akira saying that to me, but that was Akira’s voice .

Come to think of it, a part of my memory in the dungeon when the curse had triggered was gone .

Was that when he said that .

The sword that dangled from my arm moved .

『Doesn’t the hero exist to protect everyone? You should use your power to defeat the demon king . 』

My body had regained all sensations .

「That’s right . My power is to be used to defeat the demon king . 」

I can’t be defeated in a place like this .

Invoke— Skill『Limit Break』 .

There was a sudden gust of wind when the area around me should’ve been calm, and my hair fluttered upwards .

My body moved, as if my motionless body from before had been a lie .

With my sword in one hand, I stopped the attack from the robot that seemed extremely menacing .

There was no impact on those behind me .

「However, Akira . I can’t change to be like you, and I can’t be heartless . …I, will protect myself, protect everyone, and even then, will also defeat the demon king!」

I held my sword in both hands, and exerted my strength .

In just an instant, the power from our collision, blew the robot away .

As if venting emotions that were welling up, I drove my sword into the robot before it crashed into the ground .

My sword ran through the armor that had rendered us helpless, and its arms had turned into scrap metal in a blink of an eye .

I swung my sword once again, and its legs were dismantled as well .

Due to the impact of when the robot that had lost its limbs crashed into the ground, the lower half of its body was blown away .

Its various parts, such as the nuts and bolts, were scattered nearby .

「Haa, haa . 」

I too fell onto the ground .

My throat was screaming in pain .

It seems that during the course of『Limit Break』, I had not been breathing .

Hosoyama-san came rushing over, not even checking to see if the robot had been completely disengaged .

What were we going to do if it hadn’t been thoroughly defeated .

How dangerous .

As my consciousness turned hazy due to the lack of oxygen, I thought this .

「Satou-kun! Hold on!!」

Due to Hosoyama-san’s『Recovery』and Ueno-san’s『Detoxify』, my field of vision was enveloped in light .

It seems that Ueno-san’s skill had worn off at some unknown time .

I see, when I thought of how my body didn’t move, one of the reasons was, of course, fatigue, but it seems that the paralysis poison had been circulating throughout my body .

「You went overboard!!」

「Really! I thought my heart would stop!」

I unconsciously gave a wry smile when the two girls scolded me even though the monster had been defeated .

I did not dislike it .

Then, Zeal-san raised his voice, driving away the lax atmosphere .

「Be careful!! It’s still moving!!」

As I got up, the robot that fell down nearby and should’ve been defeated and its scattered parts quivered, and were moving .

「It can’t be, it’s still moving!?」

Although I was shocked, I picked up the sword that had fallen onto the ground and I stood protectively in front of the two people, slowly moving backwards .

The shaking robot rose up from the ground, its parts floating around it .

A groan rose from my throat .

「It couldn’t be, self-regeneration?」

As if affirming what I had muttered, the parts that had been scattered about and its pieces that had been cut by my sword came together and the robot returned to its original form .

I felt as if I was watching a reverse playback video .

The completely restored robot pointed its sword towards us once again .

「…this kind of thing, how do we defeat it?」

Behind me, Hosoyama-san’s voice was trembling .

At the same time, the sword fell from my hand and onto the ground .

I was truly at my limit .

I did not even have the strength to hold my sword, and if I moved carelessly, the two people behind me would probably be cut in two .

I glared at the robot .

At that time, a voice sounded from between the trees .

「Hou . ‘Usako No . 11’ hadn’t been this exhausted since the lord of the forest . How very interesting . 」

I looked around for the source of the childish voice that sounded out of place in this situation .

Although the girl’s voice sounded like she was about ten years old, she had a haughty tone of voice .

「What, you’re not fighting anymore? Trying to protect the women in this situation, you are much manlier than my son, aren’t you . …it’s no use even if you are kind . 」

The eyes that had appeared in front of me before I knew it were narrowed impishly .

Even though she was two heads shorter than me, I felt like I was looking up at her, perhaps because her tone that made it seem like she was somewhat looking down on people .

Behind her was a robot that was very similar to the one we had been fighting up until now .

Even the robot that was about to move to attack us had stopped in its tracks .

It seems that we were saved .

Thinking up until there, I fell down onto the ground in relief .

I was barely about to maintain consciousness, but my body wouldn’t move .

It’s finally over .