An Unexpected Encounter – Sofia
The Hyumans' strategy was to recapture the Fort Stella with the help of the Heroes.
The situation can only be seen as bad. The two heroes are coming into war for the first time ever and the Hyumans' troops are quite numerous.
But the success of the Hyumans will never happen.
While the Hyumans are not able to predict the demons for some reason, the demons have completely grasped the movements of the Hyumans: they know where they will be attacking and how they will be using the heroes themselves.
The person who did this is pretending to be weak and hold up in the fort, but I can clearly feel the bloodlust she is giving off.
I am cooperating with the demons and also stepping out to battle.
I was looking forward to how Rona will put in her strategy, but she is using me as a spare force, a counter in case the power of the Limia Kingdom is able to reach the fort.
This now is my—the dragon slayer Sofia's—job.
I am a Hyuman who is working with the demons. While there are various other circumstances, it quite nicely sums up as this.
I have not fought for a long time, so I was bored and am now participating in this war. Thus, my body is tense and excited for battle.
I want to fight soon. I want to kill.
"Hey, hold it in a bit more, idiot. The soldiers are getting scared." (Lancer)
My buddy noticed my bloodlust and told me to stop. He looks like a child, but he's actually way older than me. That's why he talks rudely to me.
I looked at the soldiers faces and saw many of them were either scared or excessively sweating.
"…The Kingdom is close right now, right?" (Lancer)
"Why are we—well, I mean the demons—aiming for the Kingdom and not the Empire?" (Sofia)
"Again?" (Lancer)
"I think that the Empire is more of a threat than the Kingdom, given the present situation." (Sofia)
"I heard it was the demon king that decided on this course of action after hearing all the information. What made his decision I do not know." (Lancer)
The decision to crush the Kingdom was not made by the people on site; it was made by the demon king who is in the far north.
The demon king is a supreme existence to the demon army.
If he says to attack the Kingdom first, all other demons will obey; no objections or complaints.
"If that is all, I do not mind. And, from what I see, this plan will not fail either way. However…" (Sofia)
"Hmm?"(Lancer)
"I am also concerned with the lady at the Kingdom. I would have also decided on the Kingdom as well if I had to choose one." (Sofia)
"…For what reason?" (Lancer)
I got a bit of cold gaze from my buddy.
How rude, I know some stuff as well.
"Women's intuition" (Sofia)
"Fuu, Haha. You…a woman? Now that's a good joke." (Lancer)
"What?!!!"(Sofia)
A gold light descended from the sky. It hit the ground in a straight line.
It must be!!!!
"Sofia!" (Lancer)
"I know! Tell the general that he is to stop the advance and that I will go see the situation." (Sofia)
…It is golden, the colour of the goddess. (Bug)
And I heard that that thing is golden as well.
Either way—whatever it is—I know it's an enemy.
It was one moment later that an abnormally strong presence engulfed the battlefield.
It was a god. I felt somewhat frightened by that.
There were gold particles everywhere because of the wind.
Unpleasant. I know that only a few Hyumans would have this thought.
"Lancer, try to calm the soldiers down for me." (Sofia)
"I know, leave it to me. Panicking is a hassle no one likes." (Lancer)
My buddy calls a sword and leads me to the pillar.
"What is it this time?!" (Sofia)
There was a huge explosion of magical powers. It was like a devil had come to the battlefield.
It was from the direction of the fort.
Dammit! Is it the Hero or the goddess?
This is annoying. But, it will not keep me down. I will first go to the pillar first!
*****
I got something that felt like an awakening call.
I wonder if I'm feeling excited or scared. This feeling is amazing and it is because of something that happened just a little while ago.
As I was heading towards the Kingdom troops, we saw a golden pillar that appeared nearby.
We also felt an amazing power from the back as well. Unlike the previous pillar, that power was more destructive and felt like a burst. It happened near the fort too.
Two unexpected bursts of power happened and when we got to the pillar, there was a person wearing a blue coat.
From the golden light, there is only him there. So, it must mean that he is our enemy.
We decided to kill that man before he can strike.
The man just looks up at the sky, looking neither tense nor anxious. He tries to guard his head from my blow with his bare hands.
My sword strike is much stronger than something that can be blocked by the likes of bare hands.
This sword was created by the blade dragon himself and, along with my power, it cannot not be blocked.
I expected his upper body to be completely gone right now.
"Well, I guess things don't always go as you expect. I got one scratch on his hand and, now that my mind is clear, I feel like this is a bad joke." (Sofia)
My expectations were betrayed. I thought this person looked weak, but I guess the difference is worlds apart. As expected of the goddess's servant.
I watch him for a while before he turns to me.
How slow. This reaction is not even on the level of a beginner.
"Wow, it is not dead yet….As expected of something that the goddess brought. I wonder what kind of defense it has…and that face…is it a mixed chimera?"(Sofia)
I mocked at that man while analyzing the situation.
"Sofia, I do not think you will be able to take off that thing alone. My mind was directed here by the sword telling me that."(Lancer)
My buddy finally arrived while I got the first hit in.
I have skills that he can't use, in the same way he has some that I can't. One of them is a super speed. So, even if we travel together, I will always arrive first.
"Hey, even though I used all of my force in that attack, it did nothing. Is this sword rusted?"(Sofia)
I try to mock at my buddy as well, since he mocked me.
I know that the guy in front of me is not used to fighting and, for some reason, I cannot sense any power from him.
He got off with just his hand being slightly injured, yet the feeling on my hand hitting his still remained.
I can tell that the guy in front of me has the strongest defense power I have ever faced.
I have to be vigilant against this guy. He only got a scratch against my blow which could kill a normal dragon instantly.
By the plan, we were supposed to raid the Kingdom and paralyze it, killing the royal family while at it.
From it, I can tell that the demon race fears the Kingdom way more than the Empire.
So my job was supposed to be to take off the Kingdom's hero. I have to quickly get back to that job.
The demon race and I are just using each other; until I have what I need, I still have to keep this connection with them.
There is a special existence in the demon territory that I have to kill. If this guy escapes and informs the guild and the Kingdom of my involvement, moving from now on will be difficult.
I have to quickly kill this guy.
Hmm.
I feel something coming from him. His clothes turned red.
I warn Lancer about this. But from what I see, there was no need for it as he was already preparing for an art.
I saw the sword lights and then all his swords were scattered around.
This feeling…
This feeling from when we were still trying to kill each other in our fight.
Before I was called by the title of a dragon slayer, I already had the ability to kill lots of dragons.
Well, ability as in skills.
Stop, I can't get distracted now.
This guy may be a beginner in fighting, but I have to get ready for anything. I don't feel much power though.
But that is exactly why I have too be careful: it is strange that he is so weak, but I was not able to kill him yet.
He is coming.
I quickly go airborne and start to rush until his spells start to come at me.
There were weird spheres chasing me, multiple of them as well.
They followed me everywhere I went; I tried to change directions quickly, but I could not get away from them.
Man, that guy is amazing.
I started to laugh. This kind of attack is for when you have no plans and want to delay the opponent.
I had to use a technique to stop them, but it was weird that I did not see any type of casting.
I followed my intuition to dodge them, which was lucky for me.
This guy is quite the magician. His presence is weird: I feel the power of a third class mage, but his attacks and power are all super high level first class.
"This feeling…how should I describe it…?"(Sofia)
I do not understand this guy. I am clearly attacking him, but it is all being blocked by some kind of barrier.
I tried to get in some blows before he tried to cast again, but could not get through.
When I did get through, he used his hands again to block it.
I did not let it show up, but I was stunned.
My sword clearly damaged his hands, but he still uses them to block me. This is a very unnatural battle and a very uncomfortable one.
I somehow stop him from escaping and start to attack him again.
This feeling of danger and uneasiness…
He somehow avoided danger from my attacks, but I can clearly tell that he has no experience on the battlefield and no knowledge of how to fight a battle.
But his power, magic power and especially defense power are all insane.
I felt an alarm ring within me; if I left him alive, he would learn how to fight a battle and how to use his abilities.
That is what I felt when fighting this guy.
I decided to use the secret weapon that the demons lent me here. I think that this is my only chance to kill this guy.
If I let him go, then he will become someone of unbelievable strength. It might also be because I was afraid of him.
From my deductions of the situation, this guy is definitely someone who received power from the goddess. But he himself is lousy.
I also think that this guy has no idea why he is here, or where he is right now. I also think that he has no idea who we are, even though we are quite famous among the Hyumans.
I have little to no proof for this other than the summoning of the goddess and this guy's behavior, but I believe that this is right.
I don't know whether I should thank the goddess or screw her over for this.
If I do kill him, then it is thank; if I don't kill him, then screw her.
I prevented him from leaving the battlefield and also got his hand somehow; I see blood from it. This means that I can kill him.
"ajsfianionoain"(Sofia)
I start the chant for the ring on my finger.
I form the fields that will abrasct the goddess and cancel out forces that are beyond a certain level.
Ok.
For some reason he said ok?
But I can tell from his speech that it is not the common language. As I thought, he was just summoned to this world.
I am really thanking the goddess now…
No, now is not the time to think about this.
"Hahaha. What? Do you think she is a part of the Hyuman army? Hahaaha!"(Lancer)
His name seemed to be Raidou, and Lancer—who was talking with him—started laughing for some reason.
I tried to talk to him as well and see what was so interesting…
As I thought, he really does not know who we are or where he is.
So this person is someone who was just recently summoned by the goddess.
I know that the other two heroes are not from this world. I do not know what kind of things are common sense in the other world though.
But, as expected, this person is an otherworlder.
Thankfully, I used the ring to block the powers of the goddess.
But my intuition is telling me to remain vigilant, this guy is still dangerous. I have to quickly kill him or I will regret it.
He tried to tell us that he's just a bystander and just a merchant…I do not know why he was doing this.
For some reason, he kept telling us that he did not want to fight. But him doing this just made me more cautious.
My knowledge is telling me that Raidou is just a small fry…. But my experience in battle and intuition were screaming that he is the worst thing in this world.
I knew what to trust.
I see him pull out the rings on his finger after he sees that I keep attacking him. I cut off those finger as well. I thought I was close to victory, but…
An unimaginable amount of magical power just spewed out of Raidou after that.
""What…!!!!?""(Lancer/Sofia)
My voice and Lancer's overlapped.
It was a contradictory situation: when I cut off his fingers expecting him to get weaker, he got tremendously stronger.
I have to kill him right now, every fiber in my body screamed this.
I dashed at him quickly…
It was now that a nightmare began.