Chapter 372 - The End

“Ku…”

I heard the Bitch Goddess raise an annoyed voice.

Well, she’s pretty much done for, but I don’t know what sort of thing she plans on doing.

I don’t have a reason to hold back, so let’s fight for real now.

“Well? Unfair power, was it? Why couldn’t you take it away, I wonder.”

The dumbfound reincarnators and their followers glare at me.

It seems there isn’t anyone with a special power effective enough to turn around this situation.

If they could their abilities would have to be ranked god class.

“This is…”

The various reincarnators exchange glances with their comrades, and each other, before nodding.

And they idiotically show their backs, and begin to run away.

“Ah…”

Seeing the pitiful backs of those retreating, many of the others give up.

But to protect them, the enemy soldiers block the path.

They take up formation, and even though they know they can’t win, they resolve themselves to fight. They’re much more capable than those guys, are they not?

Is what I thought, but they’re acting strange.

In my eyes… should I call it their life force or something?

I saw them burning that up as they prepared to risk their lives to attack.

Thinking about it, there are People of Soul in the enemy forces, like Glass.

Could they have been preparing for this day, and using a last resort?

“Until the Heroes return, we shall stake our lives, and stop you!”

“Yeah!”

It seems that they’re made up of people with blind obedience, of those the Goddess personally made into her own playing pieces.

What’s more, the Queen is in the rear.

Like this, we’ll have to give chase.

At this rate, me and Raphtalia would be fine chasing alone, but… that would be boorish.

“We’re chasing them!”

On my words, everyone nods.

High Level Group Covenant Magic starts to rain down on us.

Through the Defense Link and Meteor Wall, we didn’t have any casualties, but if I wasn’t there, it would be dangerous.

It appears the Queen still wishes to fight us.

… No, she’s trying to buy time by stalling us.

Naofumi: “Trash.”

Trash: “… Yes.”

Naofumi: “She’s your woman. Go out and get her. We’ll breach the enemy forces, so the rest is up to you.”

“…”

He clenched his fist strongly, and nodded.

Next to him stood Melty.

Melty: “Leave it to me, Naofumi.”

Naofumi: “Sure.”

Melty: “Firo-chan, go with Naofumi.”

Firo: “Okay.”

Me and Firo nod.

We go off to talk to Sadina, Kiel, and Glass.

Sadina: “Onee-san will protect everyone here. Naofumi-chan, it’s up to you.”

Kiel: “Raphtalia-chan, do your best with Niichan!”

Glass: “The people of my world have caused you trouble. Let me give it my best effort.”

The enemy’s People of Soul suddenly got stronger.

As their representative, Glass offers an apology.

Naofumi: “Glass, do you know what the enemy’s doing?”

Glass: “Probably… they activated the last resort of the People of Soul. Without thinking of the consequences, they use all their stored up energy in a single moment, and obtain a sudden frenzy of power. A forbidden move… it is. This ability also has a synergistic effect. When a number of People of Soul use it on the battlefield, the surrounding humans and Demi-Humans, even the Jewel People will experience a similar rise in power.”

So it’s an attack in desperation.

It’s not like such skills don’t exist inside Net Games.

Those ones that make you invincible for a certain amount of time, but kill you once the time limit runs out.

Those guys… without any thought, they just want to eliminate the Heroes.

Naofumi: “I see… Trash. You’ll be fine, right?”

Trash: “Yes. I swear it on my name as the King of Wisdom. I’ll show you an ending to this war.”

Naofumi: “… Got it. It’s all yours.”

I leave the battlefield to Trash, Melty, Sadina, Kiel and Glass, and carried out my breach of their forces.

Well, I just took on the magic and weapons that came at me like rain, and proceeded forward.

“Rafu~!”

“Kue~!”

『Well, well, well. For me to be placed on the support role in the end… I’ll leave it to you.』

Raph-chan, Fitoria and Gaelion push back the enemy forces to support us.

Similarly, Taniko, Rat and Mii-kun, and the other villagers fight as well.

The enemies held back through the Meteor Wall take their attacks.

But…

“Acho!”

A single person directed a powerful blow to my Wall.

“I won’t let you proceed any further!”

… The Granny.

The Hengen Musou Granny stood in our way.

Hostile intent dwells in her eyes, and her body has been forcefully strengthened with magic. It’s like she’s forcibly sucking in the power of the land to raise her own abilities. Her muscles have swelled to a disgusting level.

What’s mre, there are even signs showing her body’s been modified…

I feel her soul calling out to me.

She’s telling me that, in the depths of her heart, she truly does not want to fight.

She’s praying for me to stop her.

Rishia: “Naofumi-san!”

Female Knight: “Iwatani-dono.”

Rishia and Female Knight stand in front of her, and declare:

“Leave this to us.”

Naofumi: “Are you sure?”

“Yes. We have learned much from master. It’s time for us… to show her that strength!”

Itsuki: “Rishia-san…”

Rishia: “Itsuki-sama, this is the one thing I will not step down on. Please, for the world’s sake, move forward.”

Itsuki: “Understood. Rishia-san, you definitely have to return alive.”

Female Knight: “Ren, I too will stay here. I leave the rest to you.”

Ren: “Got it. Eclaire, take care of your master.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

It would be easy for Raphtalia to stop the granny here.

But I recognize that that way is no good.

It’s because it’s Rishia and Female Knight, that she has a chance of opening up… the Spirits are telling me that.

“Then… let’s go!”

“DERYAAAAAAH!”

As I step forward, Rishia and Female Knight begin their assault on the Granny.

They take on the modified, and controlled old woman.

I use my power to confirm their battle as I head towards the enemy.

“Acho!”

Her muscles swell, and she uses the essence of Hengen Musou to attack.

By the Bitch Goddess’s twisted support magic, she displays enough strength to even overwhelm a vassal Hero.

It’s because I’m using my Defense Link on them that they can continue to fight, but if it were a normal battle, I’m sure they would have lost by now.

Thinking back, Hengen Musou was a style created for the weak to triumph over the strong, and for the strong to take down those even stronger than them.

It may look contradictory at a glance, but as long as you keep looking up, there is no end.

It’s a style for the weak to rise to the top.

“GUAAAAA”

Female Knight is send dancing in the air like a worn down rag. She falls to the ground.

“Not yet!”

But she immediately rose, and continued to fight.

Because of my protection, she doesn’t receive any major damage.

But when she’s sent flying, the Granny sends Chi through her body, breaching defense, and increasing their fatigue.

Granny… as an ally, she pounded various styles into various people, but when she appears as an enemy, she’s this fearsome.

“DEEEEEEEEI!”

Rishia changes her projectile to a knife capable of close quarter combat, and starts slashing at her.

「Dritte Slash Throwing」!

Right after she slashes, the projectile leaves her hand, and flies towards the Granny’s face.

“So this is your level!? Hengen Musou Style Mangetsu!”

She grabs the weapon Rishia threw, amasses Chi in her other hand, and concentrates it into a large ball before throwing it at Rishia.

… This is turning into a fight that transcends demensions, dude.

The swelling of the Granny’s muscles, and the way she fights reminds me of a fighter from an anime I watched a long time ago.

A monster known as the legendary warrior.

She even uses the concept of Chi.

“Kaha…”

Rishia took the brunt of the ball of Chi the Granny threw, and after flying in the air, she collapsed.

Rishia: “Not… yet.”

Female Knight: “That’s right, Rishia! If we don’t stop Master, who will!?”

Rishia: “Yes… we have yet to give anything back to her. The power eating into her and controlling her may be great, but… the Hengen Musou Style is…”

Female Knight: There for the weak to defeat the strong… a style that realizes the impossible!”

Female Knight holds her sword out front, and uses a skill.

「Brave Blade Mist Cross Ten」!

On the Granny’s body, a gash in the shape of a cross forms. At the same time, Rishia…

「Mjolnir X」!

A skill that governs thunder. A Skill unbelievable close to Raphtalia’s own Thor Hammer… Both girls infused as much Chi as they could, and released their attacks.

“Gyaaaaa!”

The skills infused with the two’s feelings flew at the Granny.

The granny is burned black, and falls to her knees, but she immediately rises once more.

“You two aren’t bad… but there’s still much for you to learn!”

Female Knight: “Ku…”

Rishia: “Eclaire-san, did you notice?”

Female Knight: “Yeah, when I put in all of my Chi.”

Rishia and Female Knight looked at each other, and nodded.

Rishia: “I will not fall. Naofumi-san told me never to give up, and I resolved myself. In love, and in dreams, in all of them, I will never give up.”

Female Knight: “I will find the path to the Justice I believe in. If, for that, I must face things as irrational as this, as long as there’s a chance for me to break down the irrationality of this world, I will put everything on the line without regrets!”

Defense link doesn’t come with the function to restore their lost energy, or recover fatigue.

If they look to me for help, I’ll go there immediately.

But… looking at the two of them, which just sounds rude.

Their weapons shine in response to their wills.

“Hengen Musou Style Special Skill—“

The three’s Hengen Musou battle began to reach its climax.

–

I think about twenty minutes have passed since then.

We mow down the enemy troops gathering around us, and run towards the very back, the place where the Bitch of a Goddess is waiting.

The reincarnators are desperately running away.

Even if they may be unarmed, the fact that we’re taking down everything in our way made them want to create some distance.

Just how large is the enemy army?

No, it’s not as if I didn’t see them before.

I could probably just fly over them, but then it will take a while for Ren, Motoyasu and Itsuki to catch up.

I confirm Rishia with my power again.

The explosions from behind me haven’t been stopping for a while.

It’s good that those annoying reincarnators aren’t there, but perhaps as a compensation for their loss, the enemy soldier’s attacks have become fiercer.

On the front-most lines of both armies, Trash and the Queen, as well as those around them gathered, for a clash of leaders.

The Queen’s side has lost most of their aces. So at the very least, to take down the enemy leader, the very last ace, the Queen, stepped forward. That’s how it was.

“Mirellia…”

Trash calls out to the Queen, who’s using a fan to cover her mouth. Her eyes look dead.

Melty: “Father…”

Next to him, Melty strums at her instrument, and activates a skill.

Trash: “Melty, everyone else. I apologize, but… this is my battle. For a little while, I would like you to grant me the permission to speak with Mirellia.”

Everyone around him looked worried, but they believe in their Great King of Wisdom, and nod.

Queen: “… This is the final battle. Whether my army triumphs, or yours comes our victorious… no, perhaps our loss has already been decided.”

The controlled Queen offers some words to Trash.

Trash grips the Cane strongly.

The Queen begins forming a magic spell.

The fan in her hand gave off a dubious light. I’ll bet that just in case something like this happened, the damn goddess hid something inside of it.

A ray of light flies out of the center of the fan, and pierces Trash’s shoulder.

Trash: “Ugu…”

「All Dreifach Freezeflare」!

From both of her hands, the Queen produces fire and ice. A large sphere of magic was formed in the air.

If that were to fall, it would fill the area with frozen air, a realm of absolute zero, and with heat rivalling the sun, so great even bones wouldn’t be left behind.

Queen: “Now what are you doing? Is that all your strength is, King of Wisdom!?”

Trash Holds his shoulder as he quickly hides Melty behind him, and chants magic while crying out.

Trash: “U-uwwwwwoooooooooooaaaah!”

Trash’s Cane started to glow.

Before I could confirm the result of that battle…

“Goddess! I beg of you, please grant new powers unto us! Power to kill them all; Power to bring about a miracle! The strongest power!”

The Reincarnators reached the damn goddess at their base at the very back. She had her legs crossed in something like a shrine.

He came all the way here to ask for more power? Man the hell up, man.

Without thinking, his party members also start offering up their prayers.

This is the end… of someone who does nothing but receive powers from others.

I must be careful so I don’t drown in my own power.

“…”

She put her hand on her fist, and moves her eyebrows as if to say, ‘this looks fun’. The cross-legged Goddess took a single Glance at the Reincarnator before her.

Medea: “Okay.”

“Praise the Goddess!”

The reincarnated individuals’ expressions turn bright, as they turn around, and glare at s.

“Now, Goddess! Bestow new powers unto us.”

Medea: “Yeah… you’ve done enough. Rest peacefully already.”

As the Bitch Goddess declared that, Lightning rained down on the Reincarnator, and his comrades. It rained down all over the battlefield.

“GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! W-why!?”

Medea: “You guys were way too pitiful, so I thought it was time to end the games. Well, I guess I’ll have a little bit more fun first.”

“T-this can’t –”

Medea: “That. That face: That’s the face I wanted to see. Ahahahahaha!”

In despair, while being burnt to cinders by the heavenly lightning, the reincarnators and their comrades direct a look of absolute hopelessness towards the Goddess.

Right… the Bitch Goddess killed them herself. That was the scene she showed us.

There was no instant death.

The pain of their bodies crumbling to pieces. Fear. Despair. Regret. She made a show of all of them.

The expression of those betrayed by those they trusted. Their thoughts… Seeing all of them, the Goddess of all Bitches held a pleasant expression, and let out a ridiculing laugh.