Chapter 571 Hiroya vs Gargantua
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Hiroya’s POV)
After silencing Simona, who was in heat from the lustful scent of me and Lilith, in a face-to-face sitting position, I finally started keeping watch.
”My bed got taken… I guess I’ll just sleep in the empty one.”
I covered Simona, who was sleeping comfortably in my bed, with a futon, and since keeping watch while wearing only underwear was a bit… I decided to at least put on some underwear.
”My Lord… you might want to put on your armor too.”
Lilith, who was keeping watch with me, was staring at the door of the Safety Zone with a stern look.
”What’s wrong?”
”Just a faint one, but… I felt a hint of teleportation magic being used.”
As Lilith told me, I quickly put on all my armor, and when I put Yamikirimaru and Kamikirimaru (God-Slayer) on my waist, a small voice came from the other side of the door.
”Hiroya… are you awake?”
”Gargantua!?”
It was definitely her voice.
I ran to the door and replied in a small voice.
”Gargantua, are you… already here?”
”No, I have something to discuss with Hiroya… could you come out for a bit?”
Her serious tone made me worry if something urgent had happened.
I glanced at Lilith.
Lilith nodded silently, and I nodded back, then opened the door.
”Sorry for the late hour.”
Gargantua said, her gaze falling on my waist… and she muttered sadly.
”You have… obtained Kamikirimaru?”
”Ah, yes… Frejya isn’t fully awakened yet, though.”
”Gargantua… you…”
Lilith’s stern voice came from behind me.
”Lady Lilith, I don’t want to cause trouble for the others…”
In response to Gargantua, Lilith pushed me outside and closed the door behind her.
”Gargantua… is that *your will*?”
”Yes. I was searching for my path… and this is *my conclusion*”
The exchange between the two seems to be lacking clarity.
”You and my lord… follow me…”
”No, Lilith, the lookout…”
”It’s fine. There are no other adventurers’ presence in this place.”
Well then, you should have said that earlier, Lilith.
I set up a lookout just in case.
…Then there was no need for a lookout.
I wanted to point that out, but following Lilith as she boldly advanced deeper into the corridor after leaving the Safety Zone, I hurried to keep up with the pursuing Gargantua.
* * *
”This should be a bit more spacious.”
It’s originally a wide corridor, but Lilith came to a stop in a spot that was just slightly wider than the one we’d walked through so far.
”…I will ask again, Gargantua. This is *your will*, isn’t it?”
Lilith turned back, sending a stern gaze towards Gargantua.
In response, Gargantua merely nodded without saying anything.
”I see… so you side with Azradelius…”
”What!?”
No way!
I looked at Gargantua.
For just a moment, I thought I saw a look of anguish on her face, but she glared at me with a piercing gaze.
”Hiroya… I’m here to take that Kamikirimaru.”
”W-What are you talking about, Gargantua…”
Hearing my response, Gargantua readied her great naginata.
”It’s not just the Kamikirimaru… I’m here to take your life as well, Hiroya O’Brien.”
”My lord… this one means it. ──Be on guard.”
”No, Lilith… I…”
There’s no way I can fight Gargantua.
We’re already friends now.
”Hurry! Unleash Hiroya’s power, My Lord!”
”Ugh…!”
In my current state, I can’t fight Gargantua.
It’s not about ability… it’s about feelings.
So… I unleashed Hiroya’s power as Lilith suggested.
* * *
(Gargantua’s POV)
(As expected… He has unleashed Hiroya’s power…)
I repositions the great naginata in my grip.
I expected he would fight in Hiroya’s form.
…Hiroya is too kind.
Hr wouldn’t be able to fight me unless it was Hiroya, his fierce personality on full display.
But…to achieve my goals, I wanted to fight him as Hiroya.
”So you’ll rely on your power again, Hiroya?”
”Rely? You’re the one I’m fighting, aren’t you? Then it’s gotta be this side of me!”
Hiroya nonchalantly brushes off my provocation, but there’s still a hint of uncertainty in his expression.
”In our previous encounter…I won. If you don’t go all out…you’ll die, right?”
”I know…if I don’t hold back against you now, I’ll die…”
Hiroya spat that out, then dropped into a low stance, his right leg planted, hand gripping the Yamikirimaru at his waist.
”Then…let’s go…!”
I raised the great naginata and charged at Hiroya.
──CLANG!
The great naginata, swung down from above Hiroya’s head, was parried by the swift, unsheathed strike of the Yamikirimaru.
”Ugh!”
I pushed the great naginata forward, all my strength channeled into both arms.
Hiroya desperately pushes back against it with the Yamikirimaru, his sad eyes piercing through me.
”Hiroya…indeed, your strength is great. But──”
I leaped back to create space for the next move, channeling magical power into my legs.
I raise the great naginata high, ready for the next attack.
”──That’s not your true power! Don’t rely on brute force! Answer me with your true power!”
I funnel the gathered magical power into the tip of the great naginata.
Hiroya, anticipating my next move, has sheathed the Yamikirimaru and taken a low stance again.
”Raijin Kizan (Thunder God Slash)!”
I swing the great naginata, crackling with lightning, down towards Hiroya.
Unlike the Raijin Kizan (Thunder God Slash) I unleashed on him when we faced off with Bokken swords before.
What is unleashed from the great naginata, honed by Master Toldo and familiar to me, radiates a strong light… and strikes Hiroya over a wide area.
”I don’t know what you’re misunderstanding, but──”
Without fearing such lightning, Hiroya leaps forward, kicking off the ground.
”──You’re going to become my nourishment!”
Hiroya draws the Kamikirimaru swiftly, not the Yamikirimaru.
The slash of the tachi, longer than the Ōwakizashi, cuts through the lightning I unleashed.
(Well, that was expected.)
From here, I won’t let him sheathe his katana.
I unleashed a series of thrusts with the great naginata at Hiroya, who charged straight at me with the lightning.
”You’re so annoying!”
Hiroya deflects all my full-speed thrusts with the Kamikirimaru in hand.
He can even take the final thrust I delivered with just my left hand.
And the tip of Hiroya’s Kamikirimaru, which had entered my space, was lowered.
He would likely slash upward in a reverse diagonal.
But──
”Hah!”
The strike of my tachi, drawn with my free right hand, is swift.
”Wha!?”
He was already in a position to slash upward, leaving him with no way to defend.
──CLANG!
With a fierce metallic sound, Hiroya is sent flying.
(That was shallow… perhaps.)
Because I drew it with one hand, that strike was shallow… only managing to destroy the left shoulder of his arm armor.
”A dual-wielding style of great naginata and tachi… not bad…”
Hiroya, already sheathing the Kamikirimaru, stands up while holding his left shoulder.
A defiant smile is on his lips.
”If you’re still going to rely on that power…”
I will unleash my greatest technique to deny Hiroya’s power.
I place the great naginata on the floor and point the drawn tachi at Hiroya.
Then, I channel the maximum magical power I’ve cultivated… into the tachi.
”I’ll burn everything to ashes with this──’Blaze’!”
In an instant, flames rise from the sword.
The flames gradually intensify, bursting forth from the entire blade.
I come to a complete stop in a side stance.
”This will decide it… Hiroya!”
”Got it!”
Hiroya grips the Kamikirimaru, taking a stance to draw the katana and responds with vigor.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply