Chapter 152 - Despair Repeats Again (1)

“■■■■■■■-!”

They had a familiar shape, as seen in the original work, but the monsters, shimmering like black mud, blocked the path, but⋯⋯.

Slash!

Without hesitation, I drew 『Spellbinder』 and cut down the wolf-shaped monster that was rushing at me from the front.

Squish-

I couldn’t bisect it in one go due to the intermediate texture between solid and liquid, but I still felt something.

‘They’re not that strong. Just as I thought.’

These enemies were the ones Pleta would have had to face according to the original story’s progression.

One might wonder if they shouldn't be quite powerful, befitting the title of a Master Knight, but the battle at the Exchange Meeting in the original work was focused on protecting civilians, not annihilation.

‘The main objective was to eliminate the monsters chasing the civilians. Not a simple all-out battle.’

The key was to pursue the monsters, quickly take them down, and move to protect other people, which is why the monsters weren't designed to be very strong.

Bang-!

Recalling such stray thoughts, I pulled the trigger of the 『Outlaw』. The golem-shaped monster, its core accurately pierced, collapsed as if it were vaporizing.

‘No, they’re weaker than I thought.’

I revised my judgment. It was because their durability and movements were certainly lacking compared to what I had expected.

Perhaps the incomplete summoning resulted in such a form and a combat power that was below expectations.

“Good for me, though.”

Tat-!

Muttering so, with 『Outlaw』 in one hand and 『Spellbinder』 in the other, I once again traversed the dark, straight underground warehouse.

Although I was delayed somewhat by the monsters' interference, chasing the fleeing robed assailant was not a very difficult task.

If the settings from the original work were to be followed, the enemy wasn't someone with great physical specs, so it was only natural.

Tatatak-!

By the time I had closed the distance with the assailant by a small margin, it had been a long time since we had left the underground warehouse.

They had used a door in another direction to exit the hall building and were fleeing towards a deserted forest path.

Feeling the cool night breeze, I pursued them closely.

Click.

While holstering 『Outlaw』.

Since it was my only long-range firepower projection method, it would be good if I could stop them by shooting their leg, but the firepower was so strong that there was a high chance their leg would just be blown off.

‘In times like these, strong firepower can actually be a poison.’

Well, but it didn't really matter. A long-range suppression method is desperately needed in a close chase, but that didn't really fit the current situation.

Shing-

With the sharp-edged sword drawn, I slowly approached the robed assailant.

Tat-!

The distance was rapidly closing.

‘17 steps.’

‘12 steps.’

‘9 steps.’

‘5 steps.’

‘3 steps.’

And.

‘1 step……!’

The moment our distances completely overlapped, I was sure.

‘Got you.’

Acaite had always said to doubt success until the very end in every situation.

And now, I had no doubt whatsoever that I had reached the end of the situation.

But this wasn't the end. I had to capture them, interrogate them, and secure testimony about who was behind this.

After securing the testimony, keeping them alive would also be a task. The Crown Prince's faction would try to silence them by any means necessary.

Well. The subsequent management of that could be left to Regina, so there was no reason for me to be preoccupied with it.

Yes. Such thoughts flashed through my mind in that short time.

This was by no means laziness. Nor was it carelessness.

A victory that could only be described as perfect. It was just thinking about the next result that would be brought about by it.

However, there was one intuition that arose in that flow of thought.

It was a sense of unease.

“……!”

The moment I had my arm directed backward as part of the preparation for a thrust, an indescribable sense of unease grazed my mind with a tingling sensation.

I didn't know the exact reason, but it was a sensation that rang in my head like a warning.

I knew immediately. It was certainly a warning from my experiences of crossing the line between life and death hundreds of times, including 『Combat Sense』.

Chuck.

Therefore, I did not complete the motion. I merely delayed it.

After a short time, almost simultaneously, I was able to understand the identity of that sense of unease.

Flash.

From the body of the robed assailant, who should have been facing away, something glinted in the moonlight.

One might ask how light could leak from a robe made of cloth, but the reason was simple.

The light appeared as it tore through the robe that formed the assailant's shape.

To be precise, a blade had glinted in the moonlight.

And, at that moment.

Swoosh-!

A sword strike, at a speed that was difficult to even follow with the eyes, was dealt to me, tearing through the robe.

“Kuhk……!”

Clang-!

As a result of momentarily delaying my action, I was able to barely parry the sword strike by swinging my right arm, which still had room to respond.

Kagagak-!

The impact from the sword strike was quite heavy. It was a very sudden ambush, so I couldn't properly deflect the impact, but it was enough to push me back quite a bit, even though I had diligently built up my stats.

‘From a stance where the body is facing forward, they thrust the sword backward, but this power is just…….’

In such a situation, I couldn't help but be confused.

‘No, in the first place, what is this situation?’

In the original work, the identity of the person who attempted the terror attack at the Exchange Meeting is not revealed. Not only is it not a particularly important part, but there was never even an encounter with them in the first place.

The story was that they were just an extra and a MacGuffin with such little importance that they were later caught and received due punishment.

However, the skill of the enemy that could be judged from the previous exchange was by no means that of an extra.

‘This is, as if…….’

A formidable enemy with skills at least at the Master Knight level. No, perhaps even higher.

And it felt somewhat familiar as well…….

“Hoo.”

Just as my mind was becoming complicated with all sorts of speculations. The robed assailant slowly turned around. As if expressing that leisure with their whole body.

His appearance as he turned around, and his voice.

I definitely knew him. No, perhaps I had known from the sword strike.

That was because I had encountered him once in this world.

In a fight for life and death.

“Indeed, the flash you showed last time was no coincidence.”

A low voice that settled heavily.

Hair let loose like a madman.

And…… the executioner's sword with a squared-off tip that he held.

“Truly excellent. Though it ends here.”

I definitely knew him.

It was partly because I had encountered him once, but I knew him even before I encountered him.

One of the wings of the First Astro of Arche's main villain group, 『Ad Astra』.

Knight Executioner, Grændal.

“…….”

Gulp.

Without replying to his words, I swallowed a dry gulp.

To think that Grændal was the one directly leading this incident. My mind grew more and more complicated.

Then what about the story from the original work? What about the guy who was punished for masterminding the incident? Was he dealt with in a different way?

In an instant, questions followed one after another in my head, but it was not the time to be so leisurely.

Chuck.

I took a stance to counterattack if Grændal were to attack. But it was not to kill him.

‘Killing that guy here is next to impossible.’

Grændal didn't have a weakness due to a morbid personality like Gabriel did.

And this also meant that I couldn't beat him even if I regressed hundreds, perhaps over a thousand times. Well, I might be able to win after that many, but… it wasn't a worthwhile trade.

‘Counterattack as much as possible and retreat. If I die…… I'll reformulate the plan.’

Paaat-

Saying so, I slowly raised my magic and activated 『Space Perception』.

It was a magic I had trained with a many-vs-one situation in mind, but to deal with Grændal, who was skilled at aiming for blind spots, I was not in a position to be picky about my methods.

‘I don’t know when he’ll get behind me.’

And, the moment I activated 『Space Perception』.

‘……Huh?’

My pupils shook greatly.

That was because 『Space Perception』 was telling me.

‘One person each at E2 and F4…….’

That Grændal was not the only enemy.

Thud.

Thud.

Just as I was thinking that, I heard the sound of something heavy echoing from behind me.

As if a warrior in heavy armor was walking…….

“Hahahaha! Your movements are certainly not bad! Though I don't know why that cunning snake-like fellow, Gabriel, was defeated!”

What followed was a hearty laugh, and a slightly modulated male voice.

“……Don't be careless. Regardless of his humanity, his skills were beyond doubt. This is the enemy who took down such a man.”

Then, a coldly echoing… slightly younger-sounding male voice.

At that moment, a cool sensation ran through my entire body.

Dangerous. Far too dangerous.

My whole body was warning me.

That if this continued, everything would be over.

That I wouldn't even be able to escape.

“…….”

Clenching my teeth tightly, I slowly looked back.

And what was approaching from behind was…….

‘……Salvatio, Akmandar…….’

I could clearly identify them. No, I couldn't not know.

They were the cruel villains who had served as the spice for the work I loved so much.

A burly man wielding a giant greatsword, leading a heavy, yet blindingly beautiful suit of armor.

Apostle of Salvation, Salvatio.

A man dressed in foreign attire made of the hides of unknown animals, which couldn't be thought of as belonging to the Empire.

Wounded Savage, Akmandar.

And, Grændal, with whom I was already confronting.

Three of the core forces of 『Ad Astra』, the First Astro, had appeared and were surrounding me.

“Hmm! I know, I know.”

Salvatio, after ceasing his laughter, aimed his heavy greatsword at me.

“…….”

Akmandar also adjusted his posture and assumed a combat stance.

‘This is…… hopeless.’

That was the conclusion reached in my mind.

Why are three First Astros here? The question wouldn't leave my head, but that much was certain.

I couldn't beat them. I wouldn't even be able to escape.

I was going to die.

But, that wasn't the end.

I had another chance. That was the only thing I could think of right now.

Yes, in a way, that might have been hope.

A path to plan for the next time. Even in this desperate moment, that path clearly existed for me.

That path was shining brightly before my eyes, and it seemed like something I could grasp at any moment.

But at that moment.

As if it were a contrivance, fate descended cruelly upon my head.

[System: Checkpoint has been updated!]

[System: Upon death, you will return to the current point in time via 『Overcoming Ten Thousand Deaths』.]

“What……?”

The phrase I had seen in the fight at Railroad Mysterium.

A neutral notification containing only information, with no value whatsoever.

I still clearly remembered the background against which that notification had appeared.

[System: Due to the collapse of the balance of the Origin, the checkpoints will be subdivided.]

[System: Be aware that a single mistake can lead to irreversible consequences.]

“……Ah.”

After recognizing reality, what escaped my lips was a sigh. Perhaps it was a lament.

Certainly, everything had been proceeding smoothly.

I had no doubt that the life I was living, the world we were living in, was heading in a better direction.

And that I was the one making it so.

But while I was unaware, despair had approached.

As if this world itself desired my despair…….

Beyond the hope that had feebly sprouted, despair was repeating itself once again.

Just as it always had.