Everyone is doing great.
　Tearing and tearing and tossing the knights....
　He also overkilled Aggus, Lean and Mina.

　No, they probably weren't dead but...
　It was overwhelming.

　The next thing you know, the battle was turned upside down...
　No one can stop us.

'd*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn, d*mn!　What's this?　How could this happen!!!!

　Arios was screaming like he was going crazy.

'This time I'm going to take that Rain guy...!　And yet, why...!
Arios!
Rain, you....

　From where to what point did Arios plan to do this?
　I'm not sure about that yet, but...
　There's no doubt in my mind that he was manipulating you.

　This thing it hurt all of us.
　I could have held out for him.
　But he was messing with our people.

　I'll never forgive him...!

　I don't know what you're up to, but...
　I will crush you to pieces!

"d*mn...!

　Arios ran away.
　Even though his head was bleeding, he was still able to assess the situation.

　I'm not going to let him get away!

"Tina, take care of Nina!　There's something outrageous going on here but that body is probably still getting used to it.

　Nina is doing a lion's share of the work, opening up about ten subspaces at the same time.......
　His forehead is covered in sweat.
　It's probably getting tired from the sudden and rapid growth and the fact that it's exercising its power beyond its original limits.
　I need someone's support.

''Roger that!　I'll take care of it. What about Rain's husband?
I'm going after Arios. We can't just let this thing run wild.
Take care of yourself!
Yeah, I'm fine!

　Axe and Cell call out to me.

'Rain, we'll take care of things here!　I'm not going to let you hurt me anymore, your precious friend, on my pride!
Rayne killed that hero.
Okay!　Axe, Cell, please!

　Nodding firmly, I followed Arios.



----------



　Arios left the ruins and fled into the wilderness.
　He locked on to its back with a pitter-patter and continued to chase and chase.

　I've trained a lot of things to chase wild animals.
　Even though my opponent is a brave man, I can't lose if it's physical strength.

''Tch........persistent!

　Soon after, Arios seemed to realize that he couldn't escape, so he stopped and confronted me.
　As it was, he drew his sword and held it ready.

　I also pulled out my Kamui and held it ready.

'I'll judge you directly with my own hands!　Oh yes, I should have done this in the first place. I should have done this instead of going through the motions!
Don't think it's going to be easy.
f*ck you!　Don't think that a mere Beast Tamer is an enemy to me, a brave man!
That Beast Tamer beat you once, you know. You.

　We barked at each other ... and once again, me and Arios collided.

'Pssst!'

　Blades clash and antagonize each other.
　Arios's strength is strong.
　He has grown far more than before...............He is pushed in just in time.
　So this is the power of the blood of the brave!

"Hahhhh, GigaVolt!
What?

　At point-blank range, Arios' magic exploded.

　There's no evading it!
　Then.....

Matter Creation!

　I built a wall of dirt to block the space between me and Arios.
　However, that doesn't prevent it from happening.
　Arios' magic shattered the earthen wall and pressed even closer to me.

''Guuuuut...!

　A lightning strike hits me and causes me intense pain.
　However, it's not unbearable.
　It seems that by using the earthen wall as a shield, I was able to reduce its power to some extent.

''Haha, haha........you piece of shit.......!

　It seemed to be an attack that was prepared to self-destruct, and Arios had also received some damage.

''I am a brave man........you're imitating me like this......!　d*mn it, d*mn it, d*mn it, d*mn it!

　Arios glared at me as he spat out a curse.
　Sharply.
　Muddled.
　He glares at me with dark eyes.

　When I was a member of the party, he wasn't a guy who looked at me like this.
　His arrogance was there for a long time, but........
　But I've never seen eyes like these before.

　What is it that drives Arios to such an extent?

Arios what are you thinking about?
What...?
'You think Arios is backing out of this case, don't you?　I don't know what kind of trick you pulled, but you framed me for the murder. Isn't that right?
....

　Arios doesn't answer this time.
　He remained silent.

　No ... it wasn't complete silence.
　He's twitching........and smiling a small smile.
　That's something that makes my hair stand on end just listening to it........
　It was a horrible laugh, like a collection of all kinds of malice.

'Yes, yes, yes!　If you know that much, you don't have to hide it anymore!　Rain, as you say, I set it all up!
Why would you do that...?
You know why. Because you're not part of the solution!　I'm so annoying!　It's because he's annoying!

　Honestly, I feel like those emotions are something I should have as an outcast from the party, but...
　While swallowing these thoughts, I listened to Arios' story.

''Since then... since then everything about me has gone crazy...''
That time?
"I am the hero, I am the hero!　You can't lose to a Beast Tamer, you mustn't, you mustn't, you mustn't!
Arios, you...

　No way....
　Is that what you're holding a grudge against me for?
　Did you try to get me to fall for such a trivial thing?

　I'm stunned.
　I was wondering if there was a deeper reason...
　There's not a shred of decent reason.
　It's just a personal grudge.
　And it's selfish, selfish, with no need for sympathy....

　But.....

　Perhaps it is because of such reasons that we can hate them so deeply.
　Rather than having this and that roundabout reason at its core........
　One simple reason is all it takes for a person to move forward, surprisingly enough.

　In Arios' case, he's moving in the wrong direction, but...
　In a way, it might be my fault that he has become so out of control.

　I'm in a position of bravery, and my pride is extremely high....
　Such was the taste of defeat for Arios.
　Not to a demon race, not to a demon king, but to the same person.
　And to the same person he had exiled.
　It must have been quite a shock.
　I felt like I finally understood what drove Arios to go to such lengths.

　Jealousy.
　Irritation.
　Hatred.

　Those emotions were what drove Arios.
　After all, people are driven by their emotions.

　... well.
　But that doesn't mean I'm going to feel sorry for you.
　I'll make sure to repay the part that was done to me.

So you do admit it?　You know what you did to me?
Yeah, yeah. It was all me!　But what would you know about that?　A brave man or just an adventurer - which one do you think people will believe?　What are you gonna say, "I'm actually the guy who did it"?　Haha, try it. No one will believe you!
'Surely no one would believe me if I told them. But ... what if Arios himself had confessed?
What... what?

　I sneered and laughed.
　He showed her the necklace-shaped magic tool that Sarya-sama had entrusted to him.