Suterareta Yuusha no Eiyuutan

I closed in after that one strike. I came in past the border where she couldn't hit me--

"Wha-!?"

Unexpectedly, confusion ran inside. For now, we need to dodge. And yet, Hamakaze didn't move, just like a statue.

Did she get done in by the Oni's bloodthirst!?

"Jump to the side!!"

I shouted as loud as I can, unable to move my body as well.

Through "Absolute Order", Hamakaze jumped to the right unconsciously as I did.

The shockwave from the sword hit the walls of the dungeon and burst. The wall remained undamaged, but there was the sound of an explosion.

"Kuh!"

It was a sound so loud it could've burst my eardrums, but I took notice of the girl fallen down on my side.

"Get yourself together, Hamakaze!"

"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry"

Hamakaze couldn't hold her conscience. She's just like a frightened child.

Dammit, she lost it.

"As expected of a hero. My "Oni Pressure" didn't drive you mad."

From the room, a sarcastic compliment.

The Oni looked at us from inside.

"Come on. Leave her and fight me. I'm getting fired up!"

"...You can't get out of there, can you? I won't just cross over to the dangerous side-"

"You get it, right? This is an important place for you guys."

"..."

...This Oni. She knows our objective? She also called us "Heroes" before.

"Even so, I don't even need to fight alone."

"She can't fight anymore. As long as my "Oni Pressure" still exists, she won't return to her senses until you beat me.

"...Do you think you can trick me?"

"Check it out. Ah- I won't attack while you do."

She's telling me I can attack when I want. f𝘳𝚎𝑒𝚠𝑒𝚋𝘯o𝘃eƖ.co𝓂

Her coming out from the room would be unexpected...

What should I do?

...Either way, I need to know Hamakaze's status right now...

While being alert of the Oni, I opened up the Status.

"...Open"

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Katsuragi Daichi Class: Hero Level 58

Stamina:3190

Magic:3310→510

Physical:4100

Endurance:3510

Wit:2200

Special Abilities: "Steel Heart" During battle, Endurance increases. Poison, Paralysis, Sleep, Berserk has a 1/3 chance of not working.

"Persistent Soul" Magic cannot be less than 100.

"Wight King": Able to make contracts with living beings near death, to revive them and make them obey to your will. Everytime the user dies twice, increases the limit to the number of contracts. Currently two contracts are available.

"Absolute Order" Appears when those bound by a contract are lower leveled than the Wight King. Any order will be accepted by the slave until cancelled.

"Murderous Magician": Killed targets within a radius of 10m will deal the same damage to all units of the same type.

Unique Ability: "Revenge of the Resented" No matter how many times you die, power stored in the abyss of death is taken for revival.

At the moment, number of deaths: 6 times

Special Status: "Oni Pressure": Magic is reduced by 100 times the difference between levels of the caster and target. Until caster is defeated, cannot be healed.

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Hamakaze Juri Class: Higher Slave Level 57

Stamina:2000

Magic:1750→28

Physical:1900

Endurance:1000

Wit:980

Special Ability: "Autoheal" Heals 300 Stamina every 10 minutes.

"Loyal Heart": When the master's life is at danger, all Statuses increase by 1.5x.

Special Status: "Higher Slave" Owner: Katsuragi Daichi

Seals all abilities against him until release.

"Oni Pressure": Magic is reduced by 100 times the difference between levels of the caster and target. Until caster is defeated, cannot be healed.

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Magic reduction... It's a mental attack, huh. It's also unhealable. What kind of skill is that...

"You get it? You didn't lose your mine, so you have the around the same strength as I do, right? I want a simple one-on-one fight."

It's a bit off, but for me it's a good thing. My Magic is reduced by to a thousand. I can't use Imperial-magic.

Is it saying that I have to fight a Level 74 with Spirit and Soul-rank magic?

Me alone.

"Don't be absurd. If I'm fighting, then it'll be together."

"Together? I've been saying that she's useless. Does she have any tricks up her sleeve?"

With small talk I'm buying time. I got to think of a new strategy.

...An ace in the hole. For me, it's "Revenge of the Resented".

...Do I die here?

No, that's not a good idea. There's no one to retrieve my body.

If I can move Hamakaze with "Absolute Order", can I get away?

I can't just leave her.

If Hamakaze dies, it's the end. Even if my body dies and revives, it takes time. The Oni might just keep killing me over and over.

In the end, I have no choice but to fight.

The Oni glared at me.

"Oh, did you figure it out? I waited for you, so make sure I have some fun, alright?

"It's not something to say when you can die at anytime."

"Aha, just as you said. Well, enough chatting. Shall we?"

"...Ah, let's."

I smacked my cheeks together, and got myself ready.

I left Hamakaze in a safe place, and walked into the Oni's room.

At that instant, the Oni approached.

"Kuh!"

I blocked a punch with my crossed arms. I lowered my knees so that I wouldn't get blown away.

"Huh? You didn't get blown away."

"Thanks to you, I'm also pretty strong!"

I grabbed her fist, and threw it up. The Oni rolled over and landed. She struck with the sword in her right hand.

"Tch!"

She swept at my legs. I lost my posture, and she started casting magic.

"Ogre Flame!"

"Hwaa!?"

Casting quicker than usual, the flame orb attacked me. I couldn't dodge, and flew back from the direct hit.

"Gah!!"

My body hurts. I slammed the wall.

I took damage, but now I'm just burning up. That fireball was pretty hot. It's as if my throat is burning up.　I'll get covered in flames.

"Spirits of Water, give me your blessing! Water Ball!"

Casting Water magic, I shot it at myself to douse the flames.

"Gah, Gugh!"

When I lost focus she came up and kicked me in the stomach. It was a blow comparable to Samejima, and it wasn't just that which surprised me.

My body was floating. I slammed the ceiling.

"I'm not waiting no longer!"

The same slice as before.

I can't dodge it!

"Spirits of the Wind, cut through the sky! Wind Slice!"

I was at least able to resist with the wind's blade.

"Ugh!!"

It was a pincer attack between shock and pain. The feeling on my flesh. It was as if I was being burned alive. I'm about to burst into tears. I bit my lips and endured it as hard as I can.

Looking down I see the sword striking upwards.

That's bad, that's bad, that's bad!

"Dieeee!"

"Not this time!!"

I pushed my muscles to the limit, and somehow was able to dodge it. My cheek sliced across the blade, and blood splattered out.

It missed!

I took the oppoturnity and used my momentum to dropkick her.

"Uraaaa!"

"Well done! But, that's too weak!"

The Oni stopped it easily with its slim hand.

"No way!?"

"Uuuraaa!"

The Oni grabbed my leg and smashed me into the ground.

"Kha-!?"

My chest hurts. I can't breath very well. My right leg broke. It's bent into a weird shape. The fractured bone came out of my skin.

The electrical pain surged through my body.

"Ahhhhhh!"

"You're a tough one, huh!"

The Oni stabbed me with its blade. I rolled and dodged around, but I'm about to drop. I ended up leaning on the Oni.

This... This pain is unbearable. That's it... Quickly, quickly!

"Kill me!"

The sudden death wish made wrinkles in the Oni's brows.

"Shut up!"

The Oni tried to pull me away, but my highest Physical stat didn't let me down.

"[1]Kill me! Quickly! Kill!"

"Aahh, I'll kill you already, so get off me!"

"With your sword! With magic! Just kill me!"

"Shut up, you brat!"

As I looked at the Oni's hand, she casted "Ogre Flame." f𝒓𝑒e𝙬𝒆𝚋𝘯૦𝘷𝐞𝑙.c𝑜𝐦

I couldn't care less about the heat anymore. Now all I want is to get killed. Before my conscious fades away... Quickly...

In my eyes I see the death goddess. It's not the Oni.

Before I kick the dirt, I pulled her robe one more time.

"Kill me...!"

I coughed up blood.

"Aah, with pleasure!"

Reacting to the voice, the death goddess swung her scythe.

Looking at it, I laughed.

"...I won."

The Oni stopped moving her sword.

She was attacked. It should be.

From her chest, a knife.

"W...What...!?"

"Wind!"

A hole ripped through her chest.

Blood rained down. She can't hold her blade any longer.

Right behind the Oni was the key to this battle.

"I'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry"

The black-haired slave holding a blood red dagger. My loyal servant, Hamakaze Juri.

"I said it... didn't I? We'd fight... together."

I did say it. I never meant to fight alone.

I always meant for Hamakaze to fight with me.

"...I thought... it was... one-on-one...", said the Oni, writhing in pain.　That attack must've hurt.

"I don't care. As long as... I win."

"Dammit..."

The Oni fell to the ground. I also fell.

"You... Now, I shall give you... new life. I shall give you a second life. Here, sign a contract with me, and fulfill your duty... as my servant. "Wight Back"..."

I used the last of my strength to cast the incantation on the Oni.

...Ah- Dammit. I can't move, and it hurts all over. I lost a lot of blood, and my eyelids are getting heavy. My body is cold.

I guess I'm dying again... I'm dying again...

...Well, at least, it was alright...

I won over a stronger being. I fought with my full strength, learned a lot of new things, used many different tricks, and grasped victory.

Even at this thime... I feel uplifting.

...When I return to life I'll praise Hamakaze.

Feeling such success for the first time, I died.

[1] Note: the word used here for "kill (object)", 殺せ, has an implied object. It could mean Daichi or the Oni, as in Japanese the target of a verb can be usually left out. I used "me" because that's what the Oni would've thought.