Chapter 398 Cutting the Breath
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Laura’s POV)
(Mr. Hiroya is overwhelming…!)
I can’t see his movements, but I can confirm that Goliath’s tough scales are being stripped away, and minor wounds are increasing.
Whether Goliath is being toyed with by Mr. Hiroya or not, he desperately swings his sharp-clawed arms, and the breath attacks are scorching the walls of the hall.
(Can’t he capture it?)
Mr. Hiroya is fighting at that speed.
It’s no wonder we can’t see it.
In the midst of this, I briefly lock eyes with Goliath.
(No way…!)
I have a bad feeling.
I shouted instructions to my teammates.
”Eugenia! The breath is coming! Deploy the shield! ──Nele, create a magic barrier!”
”Got it!”
”Leave it to me!”
The moment our eyes met, Goliath smiled.
He is likely going to attack us.
And Mr. Hiroya will surely move to protect us.
(That’s just the kind of person he is…)
And the ‘gap’ that will arise there is likely Goliath’s target.
Eugenia stood on the collapsed rock at the entrance of the hall and thrust her large shield into the ground.
”Deploy!”
──Crash!
The custom gimmick shield made by the blacksmiths of fortress city Mundo expanded sideways, and we gathered behind it.
”Haaah!”
The unique fighting spirit of a ‘Tank’ radiated from Eugenia’s entire body. By doing so, she gain the strength to brace herself while simultaneously drawing the enemy’s hate.
”Protection barrier! Anti-fire!”
Nele chanted magic right behind Eugenia.
”That movement of my lord… no way!?”
Whether she can see Mr. Hiroya’s movements or not, Ms. Lilith’s panicked voice is heard.
”Violet, I’ll leave it to you! I’ll handle Yamikirimaru!”
”L-Lady Lilith!?”
Ms. Lilith shook off Ms. Violet’s outstretched hand and dashed past Eugenia at incredible speed.
”You all, prepare yourselves!”
”M-Ms. Lilith!?”
Strangely, the moment she passed by Eugenia, Ms. Lilith vanished.
* * *
(Hiroya’s POV)
”My lord, are you planning something reckless?”
Lilith’s voice came from the Yamikirimaru at my waist.
”Hey, you’re back. You don’t have to go along with this madness.”
I’m stopping in the line of fire where Goliath is likely targeting Laura and the others with his breath.
I crouched low and placed my hand on the Yamikirimaru.
”Hmm. It seems your magical power is well refined. Impressive.”
”It’s good that it’s refined, but I have no idea what to do next. Should I just release it slowly again?”
Goliath opened his massive mouth and narrowed his eyes at me.
(Just as I thought. He’s smiling.)
Well, at least he isn’t making that annoying laugh.
”It’s about you, my lord. You’re planning to ‘cut’ the breath head-on, aren’t you? Then release all that refined magical power the moment it happens. That way, you might withstand the flames a bit.”
Lilith replied in a slightly tense tone.
”Do you think I can do it?”
”You believe you can, right? Then I will respond with all my strength. ──I expect a reward for this♡”
The breath unleashed from Goliath’s enormous mouth approached.
”The firing time is long, my lord. Just hold on!”
”Sorry for dragging you into this. Lilith, please hold on too.”
”The katana and its wielder. We are in this together♡”
I unleashed the fastest slash toward the approaching breath.
From a low stance, I sprang up like a spring and swung down the Yamikirimaru drawn from its sheath.
”────!”
Leaving a black trail, the Yamikirimaru cleaved the breath vertically.
At the same time, I released the refined magical power from my entire body.
(If I cut it here… Laura and the others will be a bit hot, but I hope they can manage…)
While enduring the force of the long-lasting breath, I somehow keep my ground──
* * *
(Laura’s POV)
”Mr. Hiroya!”
He faces the massive breath coming at us head-on──
”Hiroya──he’s cutting the breath…”
”What is that… Is he okay…”
”No! Hiroya, don’t do anything reckless!”
”Nele! Can you somehow move the barrier in front of Mr. Hiroya?”
Amid Nina’s screams drowning out Silke and Annabelle’s murmurs, I direct Nele, but…
”It’s impossible! Hiroya is cutting the breath, so we’re avoiding a direct hit!”
”Yeah! So, we… we will do our best to hold on too!”
Nele is likely supplying her magical power to maintain the ‘Protection Barrier.’
And Eugenia is probably struggling to support the shield as well.
I hear their strained responses.
”I’m frustrated by my own powerlessness. I can’t do anything… Hiroya──just hold on!”
I can also hear Ms. Violet’s frustrated voice.
The long-lasting breath feels like it will never stop.
On the contrary, the pressure is increasing.
”Guuuh…!”
──It’s getting closer…
Eugenia starts to be pushed back toward us.
”I’ve got your back!”
Mona begins to support Eugenia from behind.
”Me too!”
”Us too!”
Silke and Annabelle start to support the right and left sides of the shield with their bodies.
I exchange nods with Nina and join in supporting Eugenia.
”Ms. Violet, please take care of Vice-Captain Frieda.”
Ms. Violet silently nods at my request and cradles Vice-Captain Frieda’s head in her lap, who is still unconscious.
Eventually, the breath suddenly stops.
It didn’t gradually weaken; it just cut off abruptly.
Peering through Eugenia’s shield…
”Mr. Hiroya! Run!”
I shout desperately.
Mr. Hiroya, holding his beloved katana loosely, stands with his head down.
To me, he looks like he’s on the verge of collapsing.
Goliath, with his mouth wide open, seems ready to devour him.
”Gunilla! Now! Blast it right into that mouth!”
Suddenly, I hear the furious shout of Advisor Simona from behind.
Turning around, I see Ms. Simona, Ms. Asuka, Ms. Gieze, Ms. Karina, Ms. Romy, and…
”Leave it to me!”
──Thwack!
Ms. Gunilla, crouching in front of the ‘Famière’ members, fires her massive Black Bow.
”””────!”””
At the same time, Advisor Simona, Ms. Asuka, and Ms. Gieze leap at Goliath.
A superheated arrow from the Black Bow flies toward Goliath’s open mouth.
It pierces deep inside, and with a thunderous explosion, half of Goliath’s head is blown off.
”Gwoooooooaaaahhh!!!”
Goliath writhes on the ground, holding his head.
”You damn dragon! Drop dead already!”
”Kansenmaru (to pierce)!”
”Kaenmaru (blazing flame)!”
Advisor Simona’s massive greatsword comes crashing down on Goliath’s left shoulder, while Ms. Asuka’s thrust pierces his exposed belly.
Then, with a skill that rivals Mr. Hiroya’s, Ms. Gieze slices off a horn hanging from Goliath’s blown-off head.
”It hurts! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!”
Goliath’s screams echo throughout the hall.
”You… I won’t forgive you… I will… definitely get you…”
Staggering to his feet, Goliath spits this out before… vanishing.
It seems to have escaped using the glowing teleportation circle on the floor.
”Hiroya!”
”H-H-Hiroya!”
”Lord Hiroya!”
”Hiroya!”
Leading the way, Simona and the Famière members rushed towards Mr. Hiroya.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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