Chapter 266 – Blame it all on the Real Hero

Attacks came under the cover of darkness.

Soldiers stationed on all sides, gradually tightening the siege.

In addition……

“Eh, another archer! Damn…”

『From the left… tis rocks! Get down.』

“Whoa, d, damn… really annoying…”

I moved my body to protect Espie, but my reaction was slightly delayed.

The skin on my thighs and cheeks were scratched, and I could feel the slight heat from the wounds to the point where a thin ooze of blood came out.

“Even though I can’t really see much, these guys… know where I am, don’t they?”

The enemy clearly knew my position and attacked. That was the most troublesome thing.

『The opponents are veteran soldiers. Well accustomed to these night battles and have good night vision. As an amateur, you are an easy target for them.』

“Nuh…”

『Besides, there are quite a few of them, but they are quiet now and you cannot hear the enemy’s instructions, right? The sharpshooters move as soon as they fire their bows, so that their position remains unnoticed. They are hunting in earnest.』

I see. It’s exactly the same as Shinobu.

『The opposition has also concluded that you are no simpleton based on your footwork earlier. They are gradually narrowing the encirclement to prevent you from breaching it in the confusion of a reckless attack.』

Yes, these are real soldiers … it’s not a battle, it’s a war.

「Tre’ainar, does that mean they know where I am and what I’m doing, like the Magical Radar?」

『Tis not to the extent of Magical Radar. Tis simply a matter of having decent night vision and also intuition based on accumulated experience. As a result, the opponent has acquired a certain amount of perception.』

「Experience…that’s…」

『Indeed. You lack that experience. Compared to soldiers who have fought in a hundred battles, the amount of actual combat experience you have is overwhelmingly insufficient.』

I have no experience in war, so from their point of view, I am an easy target.

I’m enough of an amateur to be their strawman.

And there is nothing we can do about my lack of actual combat experience.

But……

『However, though you may be outnumbered, in terms of intensity, you are top class, both in the past and in the future. The Sword Saint’s son, Shinobu, Aka, Toulowe, Bro, Machio, Jamdi’el, Vasalar, Paripi, and above all… your daily sparring with me. Remember how focused you were then, when you were pushed into a corner.』

Right. Even if I’m surrounded, don’t panic, calm down, and on top of that “enter” your consciousness.

Extreme concentration. Into the state of the zone…

『Yes. On top of that, the sensation of inhaling the magic power in the atmosphere with Magical Breathing… then in reverse, gradually exhaling your own magic power and infusing it into the atmosphere… the land… covering the air… like a semicircular dome … or as if dispersing flower pollen or butterfly scales … whatever image you are comfortable with. Imagine the magic as it spreads around you.』

Instead of inhaling your magic from the atmosphere, let it seep out into the atmosphere and share the sensation with you.

『The range of the radar is limited by the amount of magic power, but everything within that range will inform you through your magic as it seeps into the atmosphere… information about anything that touches or interferes with your magic…』

This is a different technique from the Breakthrough, which strengthens one’s own body with magic power, or the Great Magic Spiral, which releases and maintains all magic power in one spot.

It’s about spreading the magic power that I’ve been concentrating on myself and my right arm over a wide area.

Furthermore, I have to maintain it. It’s pretty nerve-wracking.

I am told to master the sensation now.

But……

“Eh, whoa!? Hey… damn…”

They’re not just going to wait for me to concentrate.

If I try to stop moving, projectiles will come at me mercilessly from all sides.

And the trouble is that when I try to use this Magical Radar, it takes a lot of nerves, so I can’t concentrate on anything else.

If the radar doesn’t activate, I’m just sitting there snarling, so if there’s an attack from the darkness that I can’t already see, it’s even harder to avoid.

Always moving around, concentrating and then activating… this…… this is quite difficult!

“Huh!? Flying in, again… guh… I’ll take it forever!”

Another arrow flew.

This time, I thought “Maybe it will come flying” and focused my attention a little bit in that direction, so I managed to avoid it.

But Tre’ainar beside me…

『That will not do. You are merely dodging the arrows you can barely see with your eyes at the last minute.』

I did that out of fear, not radar, but simply by looking and then evading.

Tre’ainar didn’t miss it.

『Fear not. You have evaded stronger attacks. Do not fear a few injuries.』

「I know… but my body is… reacting on its own…」

『I always say this, do I not? The last thing you need is…』

「…… heart, right?」

Even I know that. But my body does such things regardless of my will.

To be honest, Mr. Aka’s punches were stronger, and I jumped in and countered them without fear of injury.

But, while I was “prepared” to withstand a visible attack, I could not prepare myself for an invisible attack, and my body stiffened.

What if an enemy hits me while I’m focusing on learning Magical Radar? What if I get hit in the head, in the eye, in the heart?

Even more so now that I’m holding a small kid in my arms…

“Hey… who are you?”

“Ah?”

“…… you’re not from the country… not even from the Allied Forces… right?”

At that moment, Espie, who was being held by me, tugged at my collar with her small hand and asked.

“Yeah, that’s right, but… I’m sorry, but leave the questions for later. I need to concentrate right now, so don’t talk to me.”

“… I think you can escape…… if you’re by yourself…”

“…… Huh?”

“Just now, your movement was amazing… if you leave me… they’ll come for me, so use the chance…”

Uh…… what is this kid talking about?

What did this kid, who is about to die, say to me in a voice that has no power or inflection?

What did she mean?

To translate it directly, was she trying to tell me to run away by abandoning her as a decoy?

“No more, I’m done… I’ve come this far… I’ve failed my mission… my reason for existing is——”

“That’s why I told you to leave the life stories, the sulky whining, and your situation for later!”

“Hiu…”

I screamed in spite of myself.

I scared her, didn’t I?

For a kid like this… no……

“But… why? There is no reason for you to help me. So it’s fine… I’m not…”

“Shut up, don’t decide for yourself! I have no reason to abandon you, so it’s okay!!”

Just because she was such a kid!

I couldn’t help but raise my voice.

“Look, why do you think you’re like this?”

“…… huh? I failed…… Gouda beat me…”

“No! It’s the heroes Hiro and Mamu’s fault! Because those two didn’t care about the mental health of their comrades! Yes, blame it all on the Heroes! Why did you fail in your mission? It’s Hero Hiro’s fault because he doesn’t have the power to blow the enemy to smithereens! So it’s all the Heroes’ fault! Let’s leave it at that! No matter how many lives you take, it’s all the fault of Hero Hiro, who was so weak that he let you do such a thing in the first place! Think of it that way!”

Father~…… Mother~…… after running away from those two, I got involved in this way… in a way that makes me clean up their mess…

『Korakora, child… you are much too outspoken, are you not? The circumstances, situations, and backgrounds of the world at that time were complicated in various ways…』

「Don’t get children involved in complicated things! It’s still my stupid father’s fault for getting them involved! That’s what I think! Even if this is a war, even in a world and time where this is the norm, I don’t ever want to think that this is the right thing to do!」

『…… Fuhaha…… not at all…』

The circumstances? Who knows. A Hero who should be able to do anything can’t do anything, and now there’s such a kid in such a situation.

But that’s why…

“But don’t worry. I’m a man who will eventually surpass that Hero. In other words, I dare to do what the Heroes can’t do! That’s why I’ll definitely save you! Espie!”

“… surpass…… Hiro?”

And the moment I declared that, something disappeared from me.

While I was concentrating on mastering the Magical Radar, there was a fear of the attacks of the Demon King Army coming at me.

This fear prevented me from focusing my attention until the very end, and as a result I couldn’t activate the radar.

But it’s strange.

The moment I said to myself, “I will definitely save this kid,” my fear disappeared.

『…… tis so…… even if I brought up the circumstances before you were born, it would have been a nuisance to you…』

As soon as I heard Tre’ainar’s chuckle, I realized…

“Huh!? …… it’s flying in.”

Without even hearing Tre’ainar’s instructions, on the contrary, even though I couldn’t see anything, I took a half step back from where I was.

Immediately after that, an arrow passed in front of me.

Also……

“Stones, many, from the left…”

Without a pause, the soldiers from the Demon King’s Army, three of them, I guess…… threw stones at me, but I easily dodged them.

Yes, I see everything.

I came to understand.

I can sense it now.

『Fuhahaha, for better or for worse… it was caught on the radar. At this moment, this place is your world, child!』

Along with those words, a smile naturally appeared on my lips.

Ah, the Demon King Army seems to be a little surprised that I am suddenly dodging their attacks.

They stopped their gradual approach.

What are you going to do?

Hmm? This time, about twenty people picked up stones at their feet… what is it? Are they saying, ‘After the signal, throw them all at once’?

In addition, there were another twenty people waiting behind the twenty with stones and arrows.

In other words, they will use time-delayed attacks.

『Even if they try to stop, they are already within range of the child’s radar. Within that range, even whispered conversations can be detected. In other words…』

“Now! Throw all projectiles at once!”

“””Roger!!!!”””

Assuming that I will avoid the stones in front, back, left, and right, they threw them with a little bit of control.

Fist-sized stones all at once…

『In the past, the child was able to avoid the opponent’s attack after seeing it. By knowing where the attack originates in advance… no one will be able to capture you anymore!』

“Magical Step!”

“Hya, wa, ah… huh?”

“””Eeehh!!??”””

I don’t feel like I will be hit anymore.

I can see all the sudden changes in my movements, Espie, and even though I can’t see their faces or figures, all the members of the Demon King Army are surprised with their mouths open.

『Superb. But do not get too conceited! This is not the depth of this technique. What you have learned is the basic of the basics! Besides, Magical Radar is more nerve-wracking to maintain than it is to activate. You still cannot hold it for a long time yet. In these seconds, outmaneuver them all!』

And then, Tre’ainar pushed my back, telling me not to get carried away, and suggesting that this power “still has a long way to go”.