◇[Seras Ashrain]◇
A high elf raced through the dark-colored forest.
(To think I would return to this forest again as a fugitive... how ironic.)
Seras Ashrain pressed her lips tightly together.
The presence of an illusion-breaking mage had been completely unforeseen.
He had apparently been a guest invited by the Mage Guild.
One of the few illusion-breakers said to exist on the continent.
An utterly terrible stroke of misfortune.
Or perhaps,
(A backlash from my recent good fortune?)
The face of Touka Mimori flashed through her mind.
A sharp pang struck her chest.
Had he thought she had run off with the Seiryu Stone?
Or perhaps, upon learning her identity had been exposed, he had simply left Mills?
He might have concluded she was too unreliable...
(In any case, it means I have betrayed their trust...)
*Zaaaah——!*
She skidded, pivoting sharply.
She readied her sword to meet the "enemy" closing in from behind.
(As expected, I can't shake them.)
She had anticipated pursuit from the marquis's private soldiers or the mercenary guild.
But never,
"Gyoge! GieeeEE——!"
The approaching dragon roar.
(To think the Black Dragon Knights would be here——!)
She had just crossed blades briefly with one dragon knight.
Their skill was enough to justify their claim as the continent's strongest knight order.
(If even an ordinary member has that level of ability, then those above them...)
The five dragon knights who led the world's strongest order.
Known as the Five Dragon Generals.
Among them, the one called "Hero-Blood Slayer" was famous across the continent.
But there was one whose name resounded even more widely.
"The Strongest Human."
Some said the Black Dragon Knights owed their status as the strongest solely to the existence of a single man—the Strongest Human.
He was no divine offspring from legend.
Not of the Hero-Blood lineage, nor an otherworld hero.
Merely human, yet he had ascended to the seat of the strongest.
(There are even rumors that the Strongest Human alone possesses the war potential of an entire nation...)
A dragon burst from the overlapping trees ahead.
It charged straight at her.
A wyvern—the symbol of the Black Dragon Knights' mounts.
Seras twisted her body and deliberately fell backward.
*Clang!*
The dragon's fangs sliced through empty air with a hard clash.
She had narrowly evaded the bite.
There had been unmistakable killing intent in the attack.
(Their goal is not capture...?)
*Drip*
Saliva from the missed bite dripped onto Seras's pale cheek.
The dragon's red eyes, filled with murderous intent, glared down at her.
In that instant——
*Whoosh!*
Using the wind spirit's power, she accelerated her rotation.
Centrifugal force added weight to her strike.
A vertical slash.
*Slash!*
As she fell, she sliced across the black dragon's throat.
The dragon let out a voiceless scream.
It slid across the ground, kicking up dirt in place of a cry.
The dragon knight riding it leaped away, separating from the mount.
The knight landed and tried to regain his stance with sword in hand.
Seras activated the wind spirit's speed boost.
In one step, she closed the distance.
*Swish*
The dragon knight hurriedly jumped back from her approach.
But his throat had already been slit by an ice blade.
"Gah, ha——"
Even with armor and helmet, blades could reach the gaps at the neck and joints.
The dragon knight collapsed, foaming blood.
*Crack, crack!*
*Crackle crackle crack!*
"GishaaaAAA——!"
Branches shattered as another black dragon appeared.
(There don't seem to be any fire-ball types...)
At least she didn't have to worry about the forest being burned down to flush her out.
Seras cut down the incoming black dragons one after another.
While fighting, she thought.
What should she do next?
How should she escape?
Where should she escape to?
Right now, the light spirit was in disarray from the illusion-breaking effect.
She couldn't use disguise until the confusion settled.
(First, I need to buy time...!)
"Die quietly! Seras Ashrain!"
*Clang!*
*Clink!*
Swords clashed.
At this moment, Seras's blade was tracing a guiding line.
The enemy had already been led.
Into a checkmate position.
After several exchanges, the dragon knight suddenly realized.
"Shi——"
*Slash!*
Too late.
The dragon knight perished.
Immediately after, a follow-up slash.
An ice-veined blade tore across the black dragon's throat.
It spewed massive amounts of blood and died.
"Haa, haa——!"
She wiped the sweat from her chin.
She couldn't let her guard down.
"!"
*Swish!*
*Clang!*
Seras deflected an incoming black spear.
"!?"
A black dragon's presence from behind.
She glanced back.
Then she gasped.
She recalled the deception technique Touka had used before.
She remembered being taken from behind in the forest.
(This is different——... the real threat is in front!)
The dragon behind was likely a feint.
Seras surged forward with a wind spirit gust.
Riding the wind, she plunged into the thicket.
"Well spotted!"
On the other side of the thicket stood a man with sword drawn.
His armor had a subtly different atmosphere from the other dragon knights.
"I am Gizun! Vice-captain of the unit led by one of the Five Dragon Generals, Lord Oban! I bear you no grudge, but you must die, Seras Ashrain!"
Seras understood instantly.
This opponent was on a higher level than the previous dragon knights.
The light spirit was currently unusable.
Therefore, she couldn't use the three-spirit-unified spirit armor.
(I have no choice but to fight with the spirits I can use...!)
To her right in her field of vision was a sheer rock face.
(After exchanging one blow, I'll use that rock at my back——)
*Clang!*
Blade met blade.
"Kuh!?"
(The sword speed exceeds imagination...!?)
Their blades locked in a contest of strength.
"Judging from Bakoss's recent movements, I thought they intended to capture me... so they've shifted to outright elimination...?"
"Hmph, the higher-ups' policy hasn't changed! Fine then! Before you die, I'll tell you! Our Oban unit received a secret mission from a certain individual!"
Gizun's gaze dropped to Seras's chest.
He licked his lips.
"That clear, honey-like beauty and that body that toys with a man's instincts...! Countless powerful men would want to keep you alive in a cage as a living prize! But there are also those who wish to kill you! Hmph!"
Gizun pushed Seras back with the flat of his sword.
"Kuh...!?"
Immense strength.
High elves inherently lacked the arm strength of humans.
Her focus was also divided.
She had to remain wary of the dragon at her back.
(Without the spirit armor, this opponent is...!)
"!"
(Oh no!)
Her foot slipped in the mud, and Seras nearly lost her balance.
*Flap!*
Behind her stumbling form, the black dragon spread its wings in a threatening display.
"GishaaaAAA——!"
Gizun struck Seras's wrist with the flat of his blade.
"——Ugh!?"
Seras dropped her sword.
"Looks like fatigue is showing, Seras Ashrain! You don't seem able to bring out your full power! Exhausted from long months on the run!?"
"..."
Seras reached for her fallen sword.
But it was kicked away.
In the next instant, she was pinned down by Gizun.
Seras averted her gaze.
"If you're going to kill me... do it quickly..."
"You say kill me right away without doing anything... but I've changed my mind. It would be unreasonable to expect me to hold back after this..."
(Kuh... if only I could use the spirit armor...!)
Once the light spirit's confusion settled, she should be able to use it.
To calm it faster, Seras herself needed to calm down.
"Rejoice, Seras Ashrain. If you don't already know... this Gizun will teach you a man's pleasure before killing you. Wouldn't it be regrettable to die without knowing a woman's joy?"
Gizun twisted her wrist upward.
"Don't you have any pride as a knight...? Aren't you ashamed of such utterly depraved behavior...?"
"Shut your chirping!"
*Slap!*
Gizun struck Seras's cheek.
"...Kuh."
"Listen well? Make one strange move, and that dragon over there will gouge your eyeballs out with its claws. If you want a quick death, stay quiet for a while."
"..."
"Ah, I can hardly believe it! To think the day would come when I could taste the famed Holy Knight with such beauty as a man! I must thank the heavenly gods who govern fate for this day!"
"[Paralyze]"
"Now, let's enjoy——wha...? Huh? What...?"
"Gi, ie...?"
(That voice——)
From the shadow of the underbrush, he appeared.
"Hey."
He extended a hand toward them.
"The appointed time passed a long time ago."
.