I flicked the sword in front of me and kept running... and before I knew it, I was running right through that horde.

　Oh no, I've gone too far.

　When I stopped and looked back I saw an old man in fancy gold armor riding a horse with the same gilded harness.

　I couldn't help but take notice of his bizarre outfit.
　What is that old man...?

"...... who is that?

　When our eyes met, the old man looked at me and asked me that question.
　But there was no time for idle chatter and rest.

　Immediately, the sword I had just flicked falls.
　If the soldiers pick up their weapons and attack me at once, I'll be in trouble.

　Hurry.
　This is not the time to rest.
　Pop as many as you can.

　I jumped into the crowd again, running around frantically flicking my weapon.

　All the opponents had not only swords but also strange shields.
　They seemed to be using them to repel the falling swords, but I flicked them off as well.

　On the way, I saw a huge black cylinder that was emitting a red light, and a white cross-like object that was also emitting a red light, so I just jumped them all up with all my might.

　I know that what I'm doing now is just buying time - but it's much better than nothing.

　With that in mind, I played through the objects in front of me and returned to the end of the line, where the shiny old man was.

"You're ...... you're ...... you're ...... you're .......

　The old man looked straight at me and seemed to be muttering something.
　To be honest, I can't really hear what he's saying because I'm barely breathing and I'm firing my weapon around, so I'm gasping for air.

　With a frightened look on his face, the old man drew his sword from his waist and held it up to me from his horse.

　However... the old man was clearly not built for battle. His arms were thin, and his hands were shaking as he held even that thin sword.
　Perhaps he is not a fighter.
　That sword is just for protection.
　He's probably scared of me, thinking I'm a dangerous guy who's out to kill him.
　Under the circumstances, it's understandable.

　There's no need to play with the old man's sword for now.
　No matter how you look at it, he's not even in a posture to wield a sword.
　He's just showing his resistance to me.

　So I ignored the gilded old man on the horse and ran to the soldier who had started to pick up the fallen weapons.

　After I finished playing with the weapons, I found myself back at the end of the line, where the old man had been.

　There I stopped for a moment and took a deep breath.
　While running around and playing with my weapon, I don't have time to take a breath.
　Sometimes I need to get some air like this or I'll collapse.

　As I was desperately sucking air into my chest, my eyes met the old man's again.

　But the old man from before had been knocked off his horse and was slumped on the ground with dirt on his face.

　What happened to him...?
　I wonder if the old man is okay.



　I'm a little worried about him, but some of us are starting to pick up swords again.
　No.
　We can't let them have weapons.
　So he dove back into the army, running around, flicking swords and shields from one side to the other...

　The next time I came back to the same place to catch my breath, the old man looked at me with a look of horror on his face.

　What's the matter?
　What's going on?

　Maybe I look like a very scary person in his eyes.
　After a while, the old man's face became distorted and he looked like he was about to cry.

　Wait, that's not it.

　I'm not in this place by choice.
　I want to get out of here right now.
　The old man looked like he was going to die of fright, and I felt sorry for him.
　Even though he was the aggressor, I was still a little worried about the trembling old man.

　I tried my best to smile, hoping that he would at least understand that I had no intention of attacking him and that I had no hostility towards him.

"Yes...

　It may have been a little awkward.

　Because of the strenuous exercise, she was out of breath and her face was tense.
　But I hope you can understand my feelings, even if just a little.
　So I lifted the edge of my mouth as hard as I could.

　Then the old man's face stiffened.
　Apparently, the old man's trembling had subsided.

　I don't know.
　Do you think he understands?

　I was a little worried that he really understood my feelings, but then again, in the distance, I could see the figure of a soldier with a sword in his hand.

　No, I can't let them have a weapon.
　So I ran as fast as I could to the soldier.
　I was going to keep going at this pace until I got there.

　But then my legs started to give up on me.

　Come to think of it, I hadn't eaten much food after a light meal earlier in the day.
　Besides, I had coughed up a lot of blood when I fought that poisonous toad.
　I thought I could handle that, but then I was hit by Lean's full force blow after blow, and then I kept getting hit by that big dragon.
　And on top of that, all this crazy exercise.
　It's no wonder I'm reaching my limit.

　I'd better hurry up and get out of here...
　Just as I was thinking that, my knees collapsed.

"Oh...!

　Oh no...!

　I misjudged the limits of my strength.

　But I can't stop here yet.
　If I stop, I'll be beaten to a pulp here.


　When your feet are ruined, there's no escape.

　Low heels have their limits.
　You can heal a wound, but you can't heal fatigue or hunger.

　Oh no... I can't move my legs anymore.
　I've been moving too hard, beyond my limits.
　I can't breathe.
　I'm running out of air.

"Gahhh...

　My lungs must've been overworked.
　He coughed up a little blood.
　His movements slowed down.
　Finally, he stopped.
　My head became fuzzy and the scenery around me became blurry.
　I got dizzy for a second and lost consciousness.

　By the time I realized, I was surrounded by several soldiers with swords.

　I can't run anymore.
　I can't raise my arm to hold the sword.
　I can't even move my legs...!

　The soldiers who picked up the sword attacked me at once.

　This is it.
　This is where I'll be killed.

　But I managed to buy as much time as I could.
　I wonder if Leanne, Inez, and Rollo escaped safely.
　At least, I hope they survived...

　That's what I thought, I looked up at the sky and prepared to die.

"────?

　But then I saw something like a star twinkling in the sky.

　The countless lights that filled the sky were like meteors, trailing towards me, getting closer and closer...

"Shooting Star".

　A rain of glittering arrows rained down all around.
　Strangely enough, they changed their trajectory as if they were undulating in the air, and one after another, they accurately shot the arms and legs of soldiers, rendering them incapable of fighting.

　That was...
　I've seen the same thing once before.

　I'm pretty sure that was the technique of a [hunter] instructor.

　It was a technique of a [hunter] instructor, who showed it to me as a last act of mercy for my reluctance to give up.
　It is a great skill of the bow that can accurately shoot all targets on the ground from the sky.

　The soldiers who were shot in the limbs groaned and crumbled to the ground one after another.
　However, there were still some who picked up their swords and came at me with terrifying expressions.

　I can't move my body at all... I'm going to be killed.

"Draggrave".

　But the soldiers around me were blown away by a sudden gust of wind.


　I looked over and saw a familiar man standing there with a golden spear at the ready.

　That's...
　The man with the spear...

"You're here, Al. ...... No, Halvah. .................. ...... Lambert.
It's Gilbert.

　The man with the spear, Gilbert, looked around quietly.

"What the hell is really going on here, this situation ......?
　...... No, I'm sure you did it anyway.
　When I heard that there was an idiot who went into that army all by himself, I wondered who it was, but now I understand.

　He laughed and slung his spear over his shoulder.
　He laughed and hefted his spear to his shoulder, but he could see several soldiers trying to cut him down from behind.
　Doesn't he see them?

　It's dangerous.
　He tries to scream, but the blood is stuck in his throat and he can't speak.

"Thousand Edges.

　But despite my concern, the soldiers instantly fell, blood spurting from their bodies as if they had been hit by countless slashes.
　I was familiar with this technique as well.
　I'm pretty sure that was...

"You're too late, Master. I got here first.
"Sorry ......, the others are on their way.

　There he was... I'll never forget it.
　He may be a little older, but I recognize that face. 　

　That man with the long sword at his waist was a swordsman instructor.
　He was the instructor at the swordsman training center, the job I had been longing for.
　He turned to me and said.

I don't know who you are but thank you very much for your help.
　I don't know who you are, but thank you very much.
　If we can't do anything here, it's not good for the [Royal Capital Six Corps].
　At the very least, let me clean up the mess.

　And then, with a quiet movement, the instructor put his hand on the sword at his waist and pulled it out in a single stroke.

"Thousand Blades.

　Then, almost invisibly, a thousand blades flew across the battlefield, creating a spray of blood everywhere.

　That's it.

　This is the very image of the swordsman I've been longing for.
　The technique I've been aiming for.
　This is the technique I've longed for.

　No matter how hard I try, I can't acquire any [skill].
　But I really want to get close to that.

　So I tried to play the Thousand Wooden Swords (・・・・), just to imitate it.
　If I can't get the real thing, then I don't care if it's just a fake.


　As a result of such warped efforts... I'm really able to do it.

　A technique that can only be used to forcefully flip a thousand wooden swords (・・・・・・・).
　But my technique is only an imitation.
　Of course, it can't cut like the real thing.

　How much I have wanted to see the real thing again for the past ten years or so.

　And now the real thing is right in front of me.

　When I was so impressed by the [skills] of the [swordsman] that I forgot myself, two other people appeared in my sight.

　One of them looked like a narrow-eyed priest in a white robe.
　The other was an old man with a white beard that covered his entire face, dressed in a pitch-black robe, with the appearance of a sorcerer.
　That's...

"...... Oh, Sig.
　I told you not to kill him without permission.
　I warned you that ...... corpses don't give up information easily.

"Ho ho!　You're so reckless!
　I'm sure that's a tough order to fill with an army this large.

　I know these two.
　Their features. The way they talk. There's no mistaking it.
　The man with the white robe and the quiet smile is the instructor of the [Cleric].
　The other cheerful old man was an instructor of magicians.
　The other man, a cheerful old man, was a magician.

But even so, Oaken.
　It's very tiring to listen to a dead man talk.
　The living are much more straightforward (・・・・・・・・).

"Ho ho!　That's right, after your "interrogation".
　That's because after your interrogation, there are many people who say they would rather be dead.

No, no, no, no.
　That's a misunderstanding.
　In the end, you will thank me with tears, right?
　Thank you for making me physically fit (・・・・) and very healthy (・・・・・).
　...... You can grow as many arms and legs as you want if you heal them.

　The old man distanced himself from the man next to him with a pale face.

"Thane, my lord .......

It's just a joke.

...... You always scare me when you talk like that.
　For God's sake, let's not do that.　......?

"No, sir, it's just a joke to ease the tension.


It's not funny at all.

　They continue their conversation, kicking aside the crowd of soldiers as if nothing is wrong.
　One of them is casting nine spells (・・・・・) with both hands at the same time.
　One catches the incoming swords with his bare hands, snatches them away and cleaves them off.

I think they're coming, don't you?
　We'd better get ready.

"I know.
　I know. It's the taste of the elders to be lined up... you can't miss the show.
　...... Are you ready, gentlemen?

"Yes..." "Yes...

　Suddenly, several black-robed figures appeared as if they had swept away a transparent shroud.
　Apparently, all of them had traveled to this place while wearing [concealment].

　The magician's instructor raises his hands in the air, and nine glowing magic circles appear in his hands.
　At the same time, the same magic circles appeared one by one in front of the men in robes.

"Sing in unison... 'Earth Bind'.

　Immediately, the ground around the area rose up and bound the legs of the confused soldiers up to their knees.
　The soldiers were unable to move because of the earth bindings that had suddenly appeared.

　At the same time, a group of armor-clad men could be seen rushing toward them, shaking the earth with dust.

"Ho ho!
　Long awaited, the King's Landing Defense Force [Warrior Corps] is here. ...... Oh, my God, their eyes are bleeding.
　Shouldn't you tell them not to kill us?

"Yes, I did tell him that.
　I'm most worried about them. ...... I'm sure they're most upset about the destruction of the city they're supposed to be protecting.

　Soldiers with huge shields and sturdy armor charge at you.
　The soldiers, their feet planted on the ground, were sent flying one after another, helpless.

　Among them, a large man, three times the height of a normal man, was leading the charge with neither shield nor sword, but only his body clad in the heaviest armor.

　I know that person too.
　That extraordinary physique... there's no mistaking it.
　That was the instructor of the Warrior Training Center who had taken care of my training for three months.

It's a hell of a mess. ...... I'm sure a few people died.
It's not like you're talking about anyone else. It was you and the prince who suggested the plan, wasn't it?

Well, it's a good way to keep the enemy in one place while keeping them out of action, for what it's worth. .......
　Ho ho!
　So, I'll build the cage and leave the inside to you, Thane.

"Yes, I'll leave it to you.
　I'll save all the survivors and make them change their minds.
　Dead people are neither information nor labor.
　Let's go, everyone.

　Then, as if the transparent membrane was peeled off again, a group of people wearing white robes appeared on the spot.

　At the same time, the black-robed group, led by the [Sorcerer] instructor, activated their magic skills at once.



"Stone Prison." "Stone Prison.

　And so, around the soldiers of the imperial army, who were bounced off by the shield men and piled up like a mountain, sturdy rock walls created by magic lined up one after another.
　A huge wall about ten times the height of a person's body rose up, and in no time a huge "stone prison" was formed.

　Then, the soldiers outside the prison were also caught by the [Warrior] instructors and thrown into the prison one after another... A group of people with swords in their hands, who arrived late, avalanched into the prison with a group of people in white robes.

　The next thing I knew, a group of black-robed men and a group of bowmen were standing on top of the rock wall, looking down at the wall.

　And so it was not long before all the Imperial soldiers were imprisoned in the Stone Prison and surrendered.