Volume 17 Chapter 11 What We Encounter As We Move Forward
Victor and Rosa were moving through a mysterious dungeon.
The pale red walls stretched on endlessly.
Those walls flickered slightly, and a sound like a heartbeat, thump, thump, could be heard.
It was like──'the heart' of something.
"'The Heart of the Stars'... huh?"
Victor murmured.
"It feels like we've come to an amazing place... a big adventure!"
Rosa's eyes sparkled.
"It sounds fun."
"Well, I've loved reading adventure stories since I was a kid. I dreamed of adventures and became an adventurer... that's the simple reason."
Rosa looked off into the distance.
"My mother often scolded me, saying, 'You're a noble daughter, so read books on manners'."
"Are you a noble lady?"
"I've already left home, though."
Rosa smiled wryly.
"I was born in the Dragon Kingdom (Gadreza). I was born as the daughter of Count Beltina, and when I came of age, I was engaged... and my fiancé was a proud and unpleasant guy. He tried to treat me like a sl*ve. I didn't want to marry someone like that, and more than anything──."
She sighed as she spoke.
"My life plan and my marriage partner were all decided by my parents... I hated the idea of a life where my own will didn't matter at all. I just wanted freedom, so I left home."
"Wanting freedom, huh?"
"I think I want to live like the wind. Not just a greenhouse flower that is loved, but like a wind that doesn't know where it will blow."
"The wind... I see."
Victor chuckled softly.
"Maybe we're more alike than we think."
"Hehe, but I'm not as free as you, Victor-san."
Rosa smiled back.
They stared at each other──then, it happened.
"What is this...!?"
Suddenly, Rosa stopped.
Her soft expression tightened.
"What's wrong...?"
"I just got a sudden reaction from the [Detection] magic I used earlier..."
Saying this, Rosa closed her eyes.
"My Detection magic usually shows me an image of the target in my mind, but... wait, something is coming to me──."
As she spoke, her brows furrowed in concentration.
"What is this...!? Arc... Legion... Huh?"
"What's wrong?"
"[Arch Legion]──."
Rosa said solemnly.
"Arc...? What is that?"
"I don't know. That string of words just appeared in my mind. I don't know what it means, but──."
At that point, she shivered.
She hugged herself with both arms, speaking anxiously.
"I feel an incredible power, something bad is──."
Just as she was about to say more.
──Thump.
Victor's heartbeat naturally quickened.
"What's wrong, Victor-san?"
"There's someone..."
Victor answered the confused Rosa.
"Huh, someone is there──."
Rosa suddenly realized.
"Could it be that the [Arch Legion] I detected is...?"
"No, probably not."
Victor shook his head at her question.
"There's someone else with the same 'power'."
He swallowed hard.
Tap, tap, tap...
Footsteps echoed on the floor, getting closer.
And there were multiple footsteps.
His heartbeat raced even faster, and the tension grew.
"Who is it──."
Victor drew his sword.
Three figures appeared from the other side of the hallway almost at the same time.
"Oh?"
One of the girls was staring at them.
She had purple hair and a huge eye patch in the middle of her face.
Along with her were a boy and a girl who looked to be in their early teens.
"I see. So the Holders are gathered here after all."
The boy glared at them.
"The competition has already started, huh?"
"Hehe, we'll go ahead of you~."
The girl with the eye patch laughed.
"I've met you two before. Lisa and Jig, right?"
"The Holders of [illusion]...!"
Lisa glared at thm.
"If you're here, that means the Holder of [Bestowal] is here too, right?"
"Unfortunately, we got separated."
"──Hmph, so you're not with that guy."
Jig muttered.
"Hehe, are you feeling lonely not being able to see him?"
"W-Who is?!"
Jig blushed and retorted at Lisa's teasing.
When they had met before, Rain had temporarily teamed up with Lisa, Jig, and another Holder named Flora, who wasn't here now.
Maybe they had connected a little back then.
When Rain was mentioned, Jig's reaction had a somewhat friendly vibe.
...Well, it might just be my imagination. Victor thought so.
"You all came seeking 'power,' but we'll be the ones to reach the final level first."
Lisa declared.
Her round eyes sparkled with a strong light.
A strong light that showed determination.
"I'm just here to help Rain. I have no intention of achieving anything for myself here."
Victor honestly expressed his feelings.
Rain listened to the Voice of the Stars and was asked for help.
It seems there's a crisis in the world, and he's trying to save it.
Victor intended to help with that.
So, he didn't have any grand wish to gain power for himself.
"However──if you plan to harm us, we will resist."
Even though he said he had no grand wish, he had to deal with the sparks flying at him.
To survive.
To keep living.
And right now──it's also to protect his friends by his side.
"Oh really? Even 3 against one?"
The light in Lisa's eyes took on a dangerous vibe.
"I'll tell you now, I won't hold back."
Next to him, Jig thrust out both hands.
He had heard from Rain that this was his preparation move for activating his 'Relic Holder'──[Stop].
"Are you going to 'stop' us again? I won't take your life, but we have to move forward. Faster than anyone else."
"...!"
The last time they met, Victor had been caught off guard and took the full hit from [Stop].
(What should I do──)
The opponents had 3 'Relic Holder' users.
He didn't think they had a chance to win in a fair fight.
So,
"We don't want to fight. We just want to join our friends."
Avoiding a battle.
That should be their main focus.
"Are you trying to trick us with that? We're not that easy. Besides──there's something at stake."
Jig said seriously.
"There are things we can't give up. To definitely be number one... we have to eliminate our rivals."
"That's right. The future is at stake for both me and Jig... I don't know much about Mary Anne."
"Ehehe, I have my own 'reason' too~."
Mary Anne smiled.
──So a fight is inevitable, huh?
"Then!"
Victor stepped forward.
Whoosh!
A strong wind wrapped around his body.
At the same time, he kicked the ground and charged with incredible speed.
The ability of the 'Roselia Sword'──it gives the user a wind boost for super acceleration.
"So fast!"
Jig, Lisa, and Mary Anne shouted at the same time.
"I can do this──."
There are 3 opponents, but none of them can keep up with Victor's speed.
If this continues, they'll be taken down one by one──.
"...Just kidding, okay?"
Mary Anne grinned.
"I can 'see' everything. My [Exploration] lets me see everything, even the 'future' of your movements──."
"Wha...!?"
Mary Anne had circled behind the accelerating Victor.
She pressed a knife firmly against his back.
"Ugh..."
It was as if she already knew where Victor was going.
No, that's not it.
She really does know.
"Could it be, she can even see the future...!?"
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