Chapter 5:
No Alternative
TAKAO ITSUKI was covered in cold sweat.
“Seriously?!”
After she’d been teleported into the labyrinth, Itsuki’s first goal was to find Hijiri. No—not just Hijiri, but anyone at all. Her priority was finding someone like Munin, or anyone else who had an important job to do. She’d been told that sound didn’t travel far inside the labyrinth, but decided not to call out to test if that was true.
There’s a good chance that one of those disciples might be nearby, or even that Vicius herself could be close.
Itsuki had been told that she and Hijiri could make their own decisions, but she had no confidence that she could face down this disciple without her sister’s help.
“…Encounter, develop information, fly mask… …No intel, develop information, encounter…” it intoned.
That’s why I wanted to avoid encountering one. Tch… This ain’t the kind of enemy I can face without using my skills, first off…
“Lightning Shifter—”
—Crackle—
Itsuki already had Unlock One activated, raising her speed so that she could find the others faster. By leveling up her skills, she was now able to use Unlock to maintain a minimal level of electrification on her person—meaning that she could leave it in a power-saving sort of standby mode, ready to activate at any time.
The armored warrior spread his hands wide, and two katanas materialized in each of his palms. The katanas were long—like odachi swords—and he gripped them tight.
“…See, enemy, kill… Kill, enemy, see…”
From the looks of him, and the way he’s talking… This is the disciple they call Yomibito, huh. I only just got here, and I’m already facing a disciple? But like… I guess there’s nothing I can do about that now.
Crackle!
Itsuki used her Unlock One acceleration to dash at the same time she sent an electric attack at Yomibito.
“Unlock Two.”
She’d landed a direct hit. Itsuki saw that a part of the front of his helmet had cracked—although, as damage went, it barely counted.
That’s all that Unlock Two can do against him?
Yomibito had shown no intent to dodge the blow.
Is he testing my strength…?
Keeping up her speed, she dashed into a nearby passage.
I sure wish I could meet one of my allies who can fight this thing… But if I came across someone who isn’t great at fighting, I’ll end up having to defend them as well as protecting myself.
She dashed through the passage, coming out into a larger room.
But alone, I can’t do anything…
There was nobody else in the room.
I entered close to someone, but we might be further apart from each other than I thought. And running around might just take me further away from whoever’s near. With almost no sound in this place, I need to decide whether to stay in the area or keep moving. That’s a tough choice. Am I in the eastern district right now? Then like…the castle’s over in that direction.
The room she had entered contained three passages leading from it.
“…!”
Yomibito appeared out of one of them.
“…Information confirmed, incantation, electric attack… Itsuki Takao, incantation, electric attack, information confirmed…”
He didn’t follow me through the passage at my back…?! Then he circled around to get here?! How is he so fast?! The guy’s huge!
Three meters to Itsuki’s left and right, two pillars suddenly rose into the air, as if trying to pincer her. They were rounded and thick, shaped a bit like AA batteries. Then, as if they were drawn together by some electromagnetic attraction, the two pillars shot toward Itsuki—trying to crush her to death. The ends of the pillars collided with a hard thud.
Whack!
Itsuki had already escaped death using the speed of Unlock One. Electricity crackled at the soles of her feet as they brushed the ground when she ran.
…I’d heard about that ability of his. There’s no sign that it’s coming, but if I’m paying attention, I can escape it with my speed before he crushes me. This could be seriously tricky to deal with, though. If he keeps it up…
The two floating pillars appeared in the air once more, and Itsuki made to dash out from between them—but…
Argh… I thought this might happen!
Itsuki escaped the pillars, only to find Yomibito waiting for her on the other side—prepared to strike.
Dodging those pillars means taking a certain path to get away from them…
Itsuki felt worry and doubt, heavy in the pit of her stomach.
I’m supposed to face his katana with my rapier? No, I should use my skills…
“…Shifter…Unlock Two…”
No, wait! Should I be using Lock End here?! If I want to finish him in one blow… But I don’t have any way to beat him. I haven’t even made an opening to strike.
Hijiri’s words flashed back into her head.
“You have a bad habit of overthinking things, Itsuki.”
Don’t think. Just observe your enemy… Watch. Look at him. Yes, watch closely, and the best move will come to you…
Takao Itsuki threw her rapier at the disciple. She used Unlock Two on the weapon to speed it up, aiming it squarely at Yomibito’s eyes. He swatted the rapier away with one of his katana—but the moment his weapon made contact with the rapier, a current of electricity ran through his body. Itsuki had compressed her electricity into the rapier with Unlock Two, then energized it. Yomibito’s movements slowed just a little, giving her an opening to attack. The rapier she had thrown was now bent and broken…
But I can do this.
She created a small explosion with the electricity at her feet and forced herself to move, changing paths as if shifting train tracks.
I’ve managed to dodge him n—
“…Ridiculous…Ridiculous…”
He’s so fast!
Yomibito had changed paths as well. And despite his huge frame, he closed in on her in an instant.
It’s not just his reflexes that are incredible. His reaction time… His ability to make decisions on the fly… It all is so fast!
“Lightning Sh—”
Ah, no…! At this distance, Lock End won’t make it in ti—
Itsuki was blown away but managed to stabilize herself before crashing into one of the labyrinth walls. She landed feet first upon it before jumping down to the ground.
“Haah… Haah…”
She had been blown across the labyrinth by a sudden gust of strong wind.
“I’m sorry. I was unsure if my Wind would be able to lift his weight, and so I elected to move you out of the way instead.”
Only one person has Wind as their unique skill…
Itsuki felt like she was about to burst into tears.
“Aneki!”
A breeze coursed through Takao Itsuki now too, blowing away all of the negative emotions inside of her.
Yomibito
—Analysis—
Itsuki Takao—skill activated, identity match confirmed.
Vicius estimate—survival possible—rejoin impossible.
Vicius estimate—incorrect.
Hijiri Takao—high chance of match.
Vicius estimate—dead.
Vicius estimate—high chance of grave error.
Unforeseen, unforeseen, unforeseen.
…
✦ ✦ ✦
Once he was summoned by Vicius, Yomibito and the other heroes set out to defeat the Demon King. First, they had to level up and hone their skills, using the blessings the Goddess had given them. It was a fine day, the sun shining brilliantly in the sky above them. It had been just after breakfast that Yomibito killed one of his fellow heroes, cutting them down. Just one. Not all.
Of course, he wished to continue with them on their journey—but they chose to return to Eno instead. The other heroes were unsure what problems Yomibito might go on to cause them on the road, and so they brought him before Vicius, as if to stand trial for what he had done. Yomibito didn’t understand why he was being treated as he was.
“Ahem, why did you kill them then? From what I have heard, you had no particular reason to do so?”
“The sun,” Yomibito answered.
“Excuse me?”
“The sun was too bright.”
“Huh? …Eh? Don’t tell me that is the reason why you murdered one of your fellow heroes!”
For reasons he did not comprehend, Yomibito couldn’t travel with the other heroes any longer. He had no alternative but to set out on his own. He stayed at an inn while he was on the road. But the light shining in through the windows the next morning was too bright, so he cut down the owner.
“Sorry for your loss,” he said, trying to be kind as he spoke to the man’s trembling wife and child. “Do not worry. I have no intention of laying hands upon you.”
The owner’s wife asked through tears why he had killed her husband.
What a strange question, Yomibito thought. Vicius asked the same. What a courageous wife.
Out of respect, he answered her plainly.
“The sun.”
With no other options, he traveled alone. He heard rumors while on the road that the other heroes were about to face the forces of the Demon King.
They are good heroes. I want them to try their best.
On his travels, he cut down many of the people of his new world. It seemed as if they didn’t understand why he did what he did—and that made Yomibito pity them. He did his best to mourn them and invoked the Buddha with what words he could remember of the incantation.
Ah, how such deaths must vex them.
Namu.
One day, he heard that all the other heroes had been wiped out. That made him feel sad for them. They had not been bad people. Yomibito felt very sorry that it had happened. A few days later, he was summoned by Vicius, who wished for his help in defeating the Demon King.
Well, then, I suppose I have no choice. I am a hero, after all.
And so it was that Yomibito single-handedly defeated a Demon King. Vicius was ecstatic.
“You’ll make quite the interesting subject, I’m sure.”