"Well then, time to end the little test here, I shall start taking this seriously."
The pope readies his sword.
Then, the form changes to a spear. The shape changed but it still retained its luxurious design.
Looking at the weapons you can tell it was made by the same person.
"It can transform!?"
"Of course, it is a legendary weapon. Sword, spear, and bow... What shall I purify you with?"
Holy weapon of the Three Heroes...?
The power of Three Legendary Heroes collected into one weapon, turns its fangs against the Hero of the Shield.
Quite the composition.
Even if I try to escape...Can it even be done against an opponent who wields such a weapon?
That shock-wave was too fast to dodge.
If he takes this seriously and uses a bow skill, it might be impossible for even Firo to escape...
"You see, our power from the believers are limited. So allow me to end this with a single blow."
Knights are wholeheartedly supporting the Pope in the background.
The weapon was pointed towards us.
The replica spear shines and the light forms into a three-pronged spear.
"... High Class Skill, Brionac!?"
Hero of the Spear Motoyasu cries out.
It is probably a skill name from a game which Motoyasu played.
That means, this is a considerably high-class skill.
It would normally do an enormous amount of damage. Will that skill kill us...?
Escaping is impossible, have to block it... Motoyasu and the others won't be able to, only the shield can.
Is this thing going to attack from all sides?
No matter what I have no intention on giving up.
"Firo!"
"Okay!"
Firo grasps my intention and throws me at the pope.
The moment the pope entered the range of my skill. I shouted its name.
"Shield Prison!"
A cage of shields imprisons the pope.
After I will use Change Shield (Attack) and then Iron Maiden to surely kill him-
"...What kind of imitation is this?"
He didn't even need to take a posture, the prison was destroyed merely by the skill's after effect.
No way!?
No, I need to calmly think about this.
The requirements to activate Iron Maiden weren't met. It is my only other means of attacking.
I'll just burn him with Self-Burning Curse.
However, he grips the spear and starts to attack.
I think not.
"Firo, Throw Motoyasu at me!"
"Eh!?"
"Okay!"
Firo hurls Motoyasu at me, who has yet to land.
"Dowaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Motoyasu shouts in panic while flying towards me at high-speed.
"Motoyasu attack me!"
"Ahhh!? Oh I see, Okay!"
Motoyasu turns out to be quite sharp.
While I turn around Motoyasu readies his spear.
With a thud the spear hits the shield.
That's right.
This is good.
"Meteor Spear!"
Next, Motoyasu releases his skill towards the Pope.
"Foolish."
However, Motoyasu's meteor spear was stopped by an unknown barrier around the pope.
"What!?"
"Now try this!"
With me at the centre Self-Burning Curse flies out and covers the pope, even Motoyasu is hit.
The barrier surrounding the Pope vanishes, and the flames–
"It's useless!"
The believers accompanying the Pope start singing in unison.
"""Our god commands the origin of power. I have read and deciphered a law of nature. Purify this curse with a miracle!"""
"High Class Purification Magic [Sanctuary]!"
The area was dyed pure-white and my Self-Burning Curse was removed in an instant.
No way!?
Certainly the curse power conflicts with holy power.
Was I deceived into buying holy water? Oh well, it did enough.
High Class Holy Water should still be required to completely cure the curse.
Instantly....
"Air Strike Shield! Second Shield!"
Before reaching the Pope I call the shields as a foothold, Motoyasu and I both use it to back off.
It seems the flames that also burnt Motoyasu were purified.
There is nothing I haven't used.
"Okay. Motoyasu's companion heal us with recovery magic."
"R-right! Tzuvait ・Heal!"
Motoyasu's wounds heal considerably.
This is be quite useful.
What's sad is that I have to work together with Motoyasu.
"Now then, are you done with your farce? I would like to attack now."
As the Pope activates a skill, the tip of his spear glows.
"This is as far as you go.I bid the devil and imposter good-bye."
The spear shines even brighter and the pope smiles at us. His attitude is just like he completed an exorcism.
"Mel-chan!"
Firo instantly covers Melty. Raphtalia grasps my hand.
"So this is it..."
Motoyasu mutters as if he has given up.
"I-I am going to become the queen of this country. How dare you be so rude-"
The bitch is screaming before death.
Motoyasu's companions lose their composure and break down crying.
Is there any possibility that I can withstand this?...
It's sink or swim, with nothing to lose I step forwards.
Of course I would rather not defend those guys.
I just want to protect Raphtalia, Firo, and Melty, they are the ones who believed in me.
I ready my shield and step forward.
"I'll accompany you."
Raphtalia follows me as I step forward. Her hand on mine.
We've gotten this far together.
I was brought to this world against my will and become the devil of the shield, I was forced to buy a slave to become my fighting force.
Of course even to now there is no sense of guilt.
Still, even in those days she believed in me.
"I'm sorry...To bring you to such a place..."
"No, Naofumi-sama I believe you can protect us all."
"...That's right. I don't know how the previous Hero of the spear was, but this is definitely one of his skills."
Not yet. I will not be finished in such a place.
The chance to finally counter-attack the mastermind is right in front of me.
Brionac...I don't know which Celtic Myth it is from, but I will stop it.
The Pope raises the spear towards the sky–
"Hundred Sword!"
"Meteor Bow!"
Suddenly, a wave of swords and arrows rain down on the Pope.
"What's going on!?"
Since I broke the Pope's barrier,he had to stop casting his skill and twirl the spear around to deflect all the swords and arrows.
I turn my gaze to where the voice came from. There I see-
"Oh my. You two should have been purified by the judgement of god, why are you here?"
Ren and Itsuki are standing in a line with their parties.
"Don't just kill me off without my permission. Did you even confirm our corpses?"
"That was a close call. I barely made it in time."
Ren and Itsuki call out to us while preparing for battle.
"Oh dear, if there was a need to confirm your bodies, there would have been no reason to use that magic."
I look at where the attack landed.
Certainly, there is barely a chance of finding a corpse within that crater.
Not even a trace would remain.
I endured it though.
When looking at Ren my body feels heavy.
The shield makes a commotion about who I should be directing my hatred at.
The rage of the dragon is producing anger meant for Ren.
Endure it... I cannot act violently now.
"You guys, how did you..."
Motoyasu is looking at Ren and Ituski like he's looking at dead people.
Well Motoyasu isn't wrong, it is definitely strange that all the heroes have gathered in such a remote place.
The last time I saw them was in the opposite direction towards Silt Welt.
"A group called shadow helped us."
"Yeah, it was a close call."
"Eh? Did a guy called shadow tell you Naofumi's whereabouts? He said he was on the church's side."
If I think about it, it is strange that they were able to predict our escape route and lay an ambush.
In other words, Motoyasu was able to pinpoint my location thanks to the shadows on the Three Heroes Church.
We also met a shadow while escaping.
That reminds me...
"... I was told the shadows are splintered."
"Yeah, the shadows who saved our lives said they worked for the queen."
I see, the queen's shadows are collaborating.
I assume the shadows that helped Itsuki and Ren are from the queen's faction.
Is it because the queen is in a hostile relationship with the pope?
At least now the queen, and us four heroes are hostile against the Pope and his Three Heroes Church.
However...These guys look like they came from an old weekly manga.
It's like they were waiting for this timing to appear.
The leader of the heroes side is Motoyasu.
The Arch-enemy position is me...? I'm not kidding.
Would it be possible to clear up that misunderstanding if I had a companion character there? Like in the manga.
Unfortunately, I have no intentions of becoming a companion of Motoyasu or any of them...
"A punitive force will arrive soon! Quietly surrender!"
Ren declares as if he already won.
However, the pope does not seemed worried at all.
"Our victory is certain no matter how many you bring. No matter what armed forced come, numbers are meaningless!"
The pope gets in position for the his skill again.
"I wonder about that"
"Of course."
The two heroes both shoot a skill at the pope.
"Meteor Sword!"
"Metero Bow!"
Arrows and Swords made of light head towards the Pope—