Chapter 192

(192) The abrupt end to the charade

Translator: Tseirp

Haru and I still could not hide our surprise at finally reuniting after missing each other after so long . Our swords were trembling . Thanks to that, it might have seemed to the surrounding audience that a compet.i.tion of strength was going on .

(Haru, why are you here?)

(We were planning to make the pirates there let us ride their ship after this match was over . )

I see, I did consider the possibility that Haru would have reached Port Ithaca but Haru was not the type to wait until the fishing season ends . I failed to consider the possibility that she would try to somehow get to Port Kobe .

(Master too, why are you aiding the pirates?)

(They aren’t pirates, just regular fishermen . Normally, the fishing ground would be split equally like every year but this year the Port Kobe pirates voluntarily retired and so I posed as a pirate for this negotiation . )

(So that was why ― it seems like I have been lied to … Although I had already stopped trusting those people who played such petty tricks during a sacred battle like this . )

It looked like Haru didn’t look upon their act of tampering with my sword kindly .

(By the way, where is Malina?)

(Malina is on the pirate ship . )

She’s on the pirate ship huh … that means we can’t tell what the pirates might do if Haru loses . If that’s the case ― I feel a little guilty but,

(Haru, let’s continue this charade for a little longer)

( ― Understood . Although Master calls it a charade, I shall fight to the best of my ability as I have the chance to practice with Master who is stronger than me . After this is over, I will apologize in whatever manner necessary for the disloyalty of pointing my sword at Master . )

No, she’s going to fight seriously?

I wasn’t looking for some battle junkie spirit . Neither was I looking for her apology for her disloyalty .

I don’t want her to do something like splitting her stomach okay? (TL: Harakiri)

I leaped backward and grandly drew my sword up,

“Slash!”

And swung my sword down, releasing a vacuum wave like in a swashbuckler film . Haru leaned slightly to her right . Naturally, with Haru’s dynamic visual acuity as well as her agility, regardless of the armor she had on, she effortlessly dodged the slash . Although the slash was aimed at a position that would not hit her anyway .

And that vacuum wave bore into the surface of the earth and plunged into the ranks of the opposing pirates . Three of the pirates were blown away .

“b.a.s.t.a.r.d, where are you aiming at!”

The pirates yelled .

“Your captain evaded it himself, it wasn’t my fault!”

I shouted back . Behind me, Hallock was laughing but jeez, at this rate, the opposing pirates will all be decimated .

Maybe we should just ignore this match and directly beat them up .

Just as I was thinking that, flames covered the blade of Haru’s dagger, the Flame Dragon’s Tooth . Immediately after that, those flames were shot from the dagger .

“Oop ―”

It was a little shocking even though it was shot at an avoidable position ― just as that thought pa.s.sed through my mind, Haru rapidly approached me and released a roundhouse kick .

(I see!)

I acted as if I was blown away and leaped to my side on my own . At that spot was naturally the belly of the enemy pirate’s former captain . In other words, I just did a body blow .

“Oo, thanks for the great cushioning!”

While I said that, I added in an elbow strike on the former pirate captain who had fallen on his back . The pirate captain collapsed with foam around his mouth .

“Help me look after him . ”

I said as I stood up and readied my sword .

“Now this is getting interesting . ”

It was seriously interesting . Despite having been apart for so long, I could grasp what Haru was about to do and what she wants to do .

Similarly, for Haru, she knew what I wanted to do and matched her movements to mine .

Our dance-like movements were as if we were in a swordfight period drama and before we knew it, Hallock and the others were watching us silently . And we made all the enemy pirates faint silently .

“It seems like they’ve all been annihilated without us noticing . ”

“Yeah ― then ―”

It happened when Haru was about to lose on purpose .

” ―― !!”

What’s this sensation?

It was chilly all of the sudden . The Presence Detection skill activated on its own and it told me that I was going to be attacked by that monster .

Haru was the same, she trembled as she looked at the southern sky .

I could tell even from a distance . I could tell even without confronting it .

That unmasked killing intent ― it was probably a strong foe at the same level of the Leviathan .

(It can’t be ― the Demon Lord!?)

Haru heard my involuntary muttering and looked at me .

(What about Demon Lord-sama?)

(I was planning to tell Haru later but it seems like the Demon Lord has revived and is near Port Kobe . )

(Demon Lord-sama … has revived?)

Although Haru could not hide her shock, I actually hoped that this presence belonged to the Demon Lord . As long as Haru was there, it would probably not turn into a fight .

But it was still uncertain .

I turned to Hallock and yelled .

“Hallock! You guys should evacuate with the ship! Something dangerous is coming!”

“Dangerous person … Don’t tell me it’s that person who destroyed the pirates ―”

“It might or might not be . I’m not sure but just evacuate for now!”

“O, okay!”

Hallock replied and ran in the direction of the ship .

Like this, they won’t find out that Haru and the Demon Lord are acquainted .

I thought so but ―

” — !”

The presence changed direction . That direction is —

I looked eastward where Hallock ran off to and cursed my own stupidity .

If the opponent moves to crush pirates, there’s a possibility that they will aim for the escaping Hallock and others and it was what actually happened .

A huge explosion of darkness happened to the east and that aura became a gust of darkness that threatened to blow us off our feet .

I covered my face with both my hands to resist it and thought to rush to Hallock’s aid but it looked like the fight was already over .

The presence slowly came towards our direction .

“Haru, I’ll let you know first, I have pretty much used up all my magical power and I can’t even switch from my magic-cla.s.s jobs to Swordsman job — I’m at about 50% of my capabilities . ”

” — That was your 50% huh — I have personally experienced Master’s amazing strength . ”

“Please leave the flattery to after everything is over — if the opponent is the Demon Lord that Haru is acquainted with, name yourself immediately — if not, we’ll look for an opening to escape to where Malina is . ”

If we escaped to My World, Malina who was still on the pirate ship would be in danger .

However, if we moved to the pirate ship where Malina was now, the Demon Lord would probably chase us and it would turn into a fight before we could talk .

Now, we could only wait .

Then, I slowly heard the footsteps of the owner of that presence and they appeared .

Strangely, the opponent was also wearing armor just like us .

I had a golden armor, Haru had a silver armor and the opponent had a bronze armor .

However, unlike an Olympic compet.i.tion, I could tell from their presence that their strength was not directly proportional to the material of the armor .

“Haru — is that?”

“No, Demon Lord-sama is not that small . ”

” … I guessed so . ”

That figure reminded me of the height of the mysterious girl that I heard of from Hallock and the others . A considerable scent of danger was coming from the opponent of about Carol and Miri’s height wearing bronze armor .

I was certain that was the pirate-crushing girl feared as a Demon Lord by Hallock and the others .

If I remember correctly, her name was —