"En-... bos?"

"In the bone. Sorry for being late. I crossed paths with a few scouts from Lennon and took responsibility for investigating the smoke."

"And Hachirou?"

"He'll be arriving in a bit."

"Enbos the Black? What are you doing here and why can you speak their tongue!?"

"These kobolds are my benefactors. I will not let you kill them."

"Do not joke with me! My friends are all dead because of her! Release your spell and let me end this!"

"No."

The swordsman lets out a roar of rage and resumes his attack on my barrier. I intercept his swing with my broad sword and push him back with .

"!"

"Let me go, you dastard!"

"Guys! Take Chiyoko and retreat to the rest of the branch. Please let me handle this."

"Enbos... There's something... you have to know... These humans-"

"No, no! I will not let you escape! !"

I sense a sudden spike in his magical energies and turn to see him coat his sword with magic. He's doing nothing but channelling mana through his weapon, but it will allow his attacks to disrupt the careful constructions of my spells. Fortunately, he can't break through my with one clean hit, but every swing is weakening its integrity.

"Damn it! Go, now! You can tell me later!"

"These humans... they mur-"

"We'll see you again up river, Enbos."

Daichi cuts Chiyoko short and proceeds to carry her away. She looks at her former hunting companions in protest while they look away in foreboding silence. Going by Chiyoko's words, something horrible has already happened. Mur? Could it be someone has... No, now is not the time to consider such things!

My barrier shatters under his frenzied attacks, and like a raging bull, he charges straight for Daichi's receding form.

"!"

"Gah!"

I increase the gravitational pull on his body and make him lose his footing mid-step. Given his equipment and his injuries, I hoped to keep him pinned in the dirt, but to my surprise, he forces himself back up through sheer will. He glares at me with hateful eyes as I move between him and Chiyoko's distant form.

"Despise me all you want. I'm not letting you, Chiyoko, or anybody else die on this day. There's been enough bloodshed and tears."

"No... they must answer for the blood of my companion with theirs... even if I have to add yours!"

"Why Daichi, Sousuke, Rei...? He has... the right to..."

"I'm sorry, Lady Nomura. I thought it was best if he didn't know."

"After seeing you embody the wrath of our clan against those adventurers, we started having doubts we'd want Enbos to share our pain."

"I-I see... you three saw... my unsightly fight."

I've disgraced the Nomura name. I thought I finally understood what it means to lead, and yet I could not resist the temptation in the end. The life I've spared has been taken by my own hand, and the spiral of hatred continues to grow. It truly is a power that destroys... No, the destroyer has always been a part of me.

"Father forbade me from using it, but I was blinded... by vengeance. I'm sorry for being... such a poor leader."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"You had more reason to hate them than anybody else, and yet you still showed mercy to Yuki's murderer."

"None of us would ever be capable of the same. We would gladly follow you as always, and maybe next time, fate will be more forgiving."

"Y-you guys... Thank you. Please, don't tell... the rest about my battle."

"Of course. By your will."

As they carry me to my waiting kin, I close my eyes to rest. However, a single doubt still clouds my mind, for news of Yuki's death has only been delayed to Enbos. When the time comes, I sincerely hope he chooses to a different path than me, and end this cycle of conflict.

"!"

With sudden speed, he propels himself outside the range of my and clashes swords with me. The force of his charge pushes me back several feet, and I ponder how to go about restraining this man. It's the middle of day and many of the tents around have burnt down, so I can't use or .

"."

Name:Gavel OswaldSpecies:HumanHP: 37%MP: 90%

Chiyoko sure did a number on him, and it seems he can only break my spells about nine more times. I don't want to risk killing him while he's in this state, so I best delay our fight and wear him out with my high MP.

"

"I won't let you!"

To prevent me from trapping him in another magical cage, he keeps close to my body and performs a relentless barrage of attacks. I evade and parry every attack within a hair's breadth as I realise this may be a terrible matchup on top of the fact he's earnestly trying to kill me.

"Give up already! Even if you kill me, there are over a hundred kobolds. You'll just be throwing you're life away. Do you want to die with your friends?"

"If it means taking that kobold's life, I'll sacrifice everything! !"

I raise my sword to intercept his attack, but to my surprise he launches a kick into my ribs; he just cancelled his skill into a feint! However, due to my light weight, I'm sent flying outside his range of attack.

"Damn it!

"! !"

I enclose my opponent in another barrier and increase the gravity within the same space. This time, he can't dash out and the weight of his sword is now too heavy to swing recklessly.

"Please, just listen! You don't have to die, nobody does! Do you think your comrades will want this? Do you think you've lost everything?"

"Shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!"

"Even if you find yourself alone with nothing in a foreign land, you can still rebuild all that you've lost! I'm not asking you to like the kobolds, I'm asking you end this as equals! Just... drop your sword. Let me help you."

"..."

"Please, for the sake of-"

"... Mark was born... to a farmer's family. He lost his father at a young age... so he became an adventurer... to support his mother and two sisters.

Dario was raised in an orphanage... He was forced to work... day and night, and treasured every moment to rest or play. He dreamed... of running an orphanage of his own, a better one. That's why... he collects as much money as possible.

Bruno was the son of a disgraced soldier, but... he always believed in his old man. He wore his father's old equipment... and strived to become an A rank adventurer... to redeem him.

Amelia was... an unofficial mage. Her master was an official mage with no heir... who treasured her like a daughter. Like Bruno... Amelia wanted to prove herself as an A rank adventurer... and make her master proud..."

I listen to his words in tragic silence as tears continue to flow endlessly from this man's heart. He hasn't dropped his weapon, far from it. In fact, his grip is only getting tighter.

"They all entrusted their lives, goals and dreams... to my care. I was supposed to lead us all to a happier future! Tell me... do you have any idea what's like to be so trusted, to worry that any and every choice... could condemn them to death!?"

"... Yes, I do."

"Then you already know... I can't walk away. Within a single day, I failed my closest friends... H-how will I live with my head held high? How... am I suppose to tell all their friends and family?"

"Gavel..."

"The only way... I can walk away from this... IS WITH THAT MONSTER'S HEAD!

, !"

Damn it, he was buying time to break my spell!

I immediately begin making distance to imprison him again, but he doesn't give me the chance. Now that he knows my movements and approximate physique, he's not making the same mistake and his attacks are starting to nick my clothing.

All of a sudden, he grabs one of antlers with his hand and pulls me in for an attack. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, my mask is bound to my cloak thanks to Takumi's enchantments, which means my skull is still obscured. Of course, that also means his incoming knee is harder to avoid...

I immediately use my left hand and activate to cushion the blow, and use my right hand to grab his leg and push him over. While he recovers from having the back of his head hit the ground, I press my sword to his neck.

"Enough! Surrender now or else..."

"Or else what!? I know for a fact you lack the heart to kill me!"

He knocks aside my blade with his own and unexpectedly throws a random knife! I dodge the projectile but... where the hell did that come from!? Actually, why are there so many knives littering the ground for him to use!?

He springs back up with half a dozen more daggers and starts throwing them at my lurching form. A few hit me in the "vital organs", but worse, I stumble over some wreckage while I step back. Now I'm the one on the floor and he's not going to use an empty threat like me!

"!"

I shield myself in time from his latest attack, but it's only going to buy me a few seconds!

"! !"

"!"

I deactivate my barrier and slow his descent with low gravity, which messes up the timing and posture of his attack. With a clenched fist, I activate and punch him away mid-fall. He falls on his back and drops his sword, a chance which I do not miss. I activate and land on his body, then plant my foot into his solar plexus.

"!"

"*Gasp* W-why... can't I-"

"Now, just stay down and fall unconscious!"

He gasps for air and tries to lift my boot, but I can tell he's slowly weakening with every struggle. I've been trying to tire him out for this moment, and I can only hope he doesn't have anything else up his-

Damn it! He still has one of those daggers!

I quickly jump away as tries to stab my leg with the knife. My concentration breaks and Gavel starts breathing oxygen once again...

Unbelievable, he's already back on his feet! He has to be close to being done, right?

Name:Gavel OswaldRace:HumanClass:SwordsmanHP: 30%MP: 71%

Max HP:165Max MP:53Attack:45Defence:37Magic:14Resilience:26Agility:43Integrity:44

You've got to be kidding me! All that fighting and he's only lost 7% of his HP! No wait, there's magic covering his body. Is it some kind of regeneration buff?

While I'm left gobsmacked by this realisation, he starts shoving some kind of medical powder down his throat. It doesn't raise his HP, but he looks a bit livelier than before.

"*Cough*... Amelia's magic and Dario's medicine and knives continue to protect me. My comrades are watching over me from beyond, while none of your kobold friends are by your side! I will not fall!"

"You idiot, your friends are looking out for your safety, and you're trying to throw it all away! You think I have no resolve? Fine, I'll bring you within an inch of your life if I must!"