Chapter 28: Chapter 28
Under a cloudless sky, outside Axel City, a vast death domain had spread, where a formation of death knights lined up, emitting an overwhelming aura of death that twisted the space around them. At the front, Beldia's head, held at his waist, looked gravely at the newly arrived group.
Withdrawing his aura and perception, Hiroshi turned his gaze toward the battlefield, now marked by a huge crater. Across the space, a dark flame-wreathed death domain enveloped a large area, where the borders of a death realm seemed ready to spill into the world of the living. Nearby stood a man in a jester mask, watching Hiroshi's group with a sinister smile.
"No wonder so much damage occurred in such a short time." Sensing the immense power emanating from the two foes ahead, Hiroshi understood why the losses had been so severe. He patted Kazuma Satou on the shoulder and, noticing his worried expression, said, "Don't think too much about it right now. The immediate priority is to repel the enemy."
Staring at the vast, twisted aura of death, Hiroshi couldn't help but mutter, "So this guy died from stupidity in the destiny scenarios? With this kind of power, and you still got taken down like it was a joke. Now I get why you hold such a grudge that you crawled back from the depths of death looking for revenge in Crimson Demon Village."
Hiroshi looked at Kazuma, who forced a smile despite the sweat running down his face. "You don't think it's just a testament to my abilities?" Kazuma quipped.
"But why would the invitation draw monsters here?" Kazuma asked, glancing back at the adventurers on the city walls, all staring at them with mixed emotions. "Isn't it just one of our ways to invite new members to the group?"
Hiroshi sighed and addressed Kazuma, whose fists were clenched tightly. "Remember, we have two ways of sending invitations—direct invites from our panel, and the invitation card."
"I always thought it was redundant to have both, but now I get it. The invitation card is a physical object that reaches anyone worthy of the offer. That golden letter, containing the essence of all creation, would certainly draw the attention of any powerful being capable of sensing it." Hiroshi looked up at the two demon generals, who stood in contemplation. "Isn't that right, you two?"
Clap. Clap. Clap.
"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!" Vanir exclaimed excitedly, clapping his hands. He spoke loudly in response to Hiroshi's question.
"You're absolutely correct—I cannot let go of such a treasure. Today, I am overwhelmed with happiness—so many unknowns, so many wonderful surprises!" Vanir hugged himself as if trying to twist into an S-shape, his enthusiasm bubbling over.
"I shall obtain your mysterious treasure—oh, how joyful, how utterly delightful! I never imagined there could be something even more satisfying than making money! It looks like I must go all out as well!" Vanir straightened, his hands coming together in a ritualistic gesture. Intense waves of magical power radiated from his body.
Black magic enveloped him, and his mask began to shatter. A massive magic array spread quickly across the sky. A wicked grin crossed Vanir's lips as his body, clad in a tailcoat, melted into a heap of soil, his cracked mask disintegrating into dust.
"Eh?!" Hiyori, hiding behind Kuroneko, pointed at the spot where Vanir disappeared, shouting in surprise. From her perspective, the strange masked man had just said a lot of incomprehensible things, then suddenly cast a magic array and melted away.
Tugging on Kuroneko's sleeve, Hiyori asked curiously, "Kuroneko, did he sacrifice himself using some forbidden spell like in the anime?"
"Hiyori, don't leave my side!" Kuroneko said as she gripped Hiyori's hand tightly, her heterochromatic eyes filled with tension.
"Kuroneko, I need you to watch over Klee for a while." Hiroshi approached Kuroneko, holding Klee's hand, and smiled at the curious Hiyori, entrusting Klee to her.
"Brother Hiroshi?" Klee reluctantly held onto Hiroshi's hand, looking up at him.
Kneeling down, Hiroshi gently patted Klee's head. "Klee, be a good girl and stay with Sister Kuroneko to protect the city behind us, okay? There are many people there, including lots of children. I have to deal with the big enemies here, so I'm counting on you to protect them, alright?"
Klee turned to look at the tall city walls behind her, where many adventurers were watching. The wind carried whispers of life from within the city—countless lives. Nodding to Hiroshi, Klee adjusted her backpack straps, stood tall, and said, "Brother Hiroshi, leave it to Klee! Klee will protect everyone."
"Alright." Smiling at the determined Klee, Hiroshi said, "But remember, if it gets dangerous, you must retreat. I will handle everything here quickly, so make sure you stay safe."
"Oh, you're going to deal with us quickly, are you?" A pair of hands appeared in the magic array above, and, as if tearing apart tissue paper, a massive rift opened in the space. Emerging from it was Vanir, spreading his enormous demonic wings. He looked down at Hiroshi, who was already standing, staring back with determination. "I'm looking forward to it, mighty warrior from another world."
"Could I ask you to wait a little longer? I still have things to settle first." Hiroshi said calmly as he stared at Vanir hovering in the air.
Vanir closed his demonic wings and landed on the ground, responding politely, "By all means, please do so. Just for the fact that you didn't interrupt my cross-dimensional summoning, I will let you settle your affairs without worry. After all, giving my opponents the chance for an unburdened duel is my principle."
"Thanks, though don't act like I could have interrupted you in the first place. That final magic array was just a decoy. The moment your mask shattered, you had already locked this space." Hiroshi waved dismissively at Vanir before turning to Kuroneko. "Kuroneko, can I rely on you? I'll be too occupied soon, and the city needs protection—you and Xiao Hei are up for that, right?"
Biting her lip, Kuroneko looked at Hiroshi, a slight blush appearing on her cheeks. After glancing at Vanir in the distance, she took Klee's hand, turned, and began walking toward Axel City. Her long black hair fluttered behind her, and her voice came back in the wind. "Hmph! Don't you dare die, idiot. And stop calling me by my name so casually."
"Hehehe!" Kazuma's mischievous laugh echoed in Hiroshi's ear. With his arm slung over Hiroshi's shoulder, Kazuma moved in close, a sly grin on his face. "Whoa, didn't expect that! You two seem close—is there something going on there, huh?"
Hiroshi pushed Kazuma's annoying face away and replied, "We're just friends. I only got close to her because I often buy goods from her, and recently, I helped her with some training. That's all."
"Heh, I don't buy it." Kazuma elbowed Hiroshi playfully and grinned. "You're already on a first-name basis, aren't you?"
"I'm Japanese. We call everyone by their first names, okay? Besides, looks like you and Megumin are doing pretty well too, huh, lolicon Kazuma?" Hiroshi teased, pointing toward Megumin, who was obediently heading back to protect the city as Kazuma had instructed.
"Who's a lolicon?!" Kazuma retorted instinctively, then glanced at Megumin walking alongside Kuroneko, his voice lowering.
It was then that Wuxian approached, standing beside the two of them and giving a slight nod in greeting.
"Nice to meet you, Wuxian," Hiroshi said quickly.
"Mm," Wuxian nodded curtly, his eyes turning to the two demon generals ahead. His brows furrowed slightly as he looked at Vanir. Turning back to Hiroshi, he asked, "Do you go first, or should I?"
"I'll go first." Hiroshi stretched his limbs and glanced back at the adventurers standing on the city walls, watching the three of them. Turning back to Wuxian, he grinned, "I haven't had an evenly matched battle since my breakthrough. I'd appreciate it if you stay back and keep an eye on the situation here."
Wuxian looked behind them, nodded, and stepped back. Several flying swords soared from his waist, hovering above Axel City, ready to protect it.
Hiroshi and Kazuma stepped forward together, exchanging a glance before smiling.
Hiroshi looked up at Vanir, who had once again spread his demonic wings. "Thank you for waiting."
With excitement evident in his masked eyes, Vanir spread his arms wide and declared, "Happiness is worth the wait!" He flapped his wings, his body turning into a dark streak that shot towards Hiroshi.
"Is that so? Then I shouldn't keep you waiting—it's time to send you to meet god and enjoy eternal bliss!" Hiroshi's body became enveloped in sword light. He shot up from the earth like a comet, charging straight at the approaching dark streak, ready for the head-on collision.
Elsewhere, a golden-blue domain materialized, blocking the encroaching death domain and the charging knights. Kazuma floated in the middle of the domain, conjuring a platinum longbow, aiming at Beldia, whose body burned with dark flames. "Today is your end, Beldia! I, Kazuma Satou, will shatter your soul to dust, so this time you won't be climbing out from the abyss of death again!"
Beldia raised his black greatsword, cleaving the arrows Kazuma had fired into the death domain. Riding his black undead horse, Beldia charged swiftly, his flaming greatsword clashing against the newly conjured blade in Kazuma's hands. In the midst of the interlocked domains, the death knight and adventurer faced off with unmatched intensity.