Chapter 296: One with the Party, Even at the Last Moment

<Author’s Notes>

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<Drunken Sword Party————- Izerna POV>

[Wasn’t that Foss’ voice!?]

[I can’t hear it clearly because of the rain, but most probably.]

Me and Bigg searched for Foss.

Our Drunken Sword Party should have gathered once to deal with the Golden-eyed monster.

However, Foss never arrived.

Everyone wondered what had happened to him.

As he was the Deputy Captain of our group, we didn’t want to lose him.

Perhaps, he was having a hard fight against some Golden-eyed monsters who suddenly appeared in his vicinity.

However, the Golden-eyed monsters that appeared near Lili and the others were also numerous.

In the end, Lili and the others decided to deal with them by throwing some of the Sacraments into the fray.

In the meantime, Bigg and I were sent to search for them, bringing along a small amount of Sacraments with us.

[Ah! I heard it coming from that building!]

[……So it would seem. It seemed like what we heard were voices calling for help. It doesn’t seem like we’re hearing auditory hallucinations or just mishearing things.]

[Seems like he broke a leg and can’t move.]

[I can’t lose Foss. I’m going.]

[I- I will——– also go!]

[Fufu…… Izerna is such a person after all. When it comes to Foss, that is!]

[That’s not…… t- the problem right now!]

Even if he teases me, I can’t curse at Bigg, who I respect.

Putting his teasings aside, we entered the building.

[Foss-san! Where are you!? Foss-san!]

[Foss! Where are you!?]

We searched around the building.

However, Foss is nowhere to be found.

I also can’t hear his voice.

A flash of lightning struck outside.

A little later, thunder rang out.

[Kyaaaaa!]

……ZaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAA……

I could hear the sound of rain dripping from the eaves of the house outside.

As I peaked out of my arms, which had been protecting me from the sudden sound of thunder, I stood up.

[Fuuuu, I really hate thunder…… I wish they just didn’t exist in the world. Even so, doesn’t it feel like Foss-san isn’t here?]

I asked Bigg-san, who was watching over our backs.

Moving around my lantern, I restlessly looked around.

[He’s probably at the building next door…… With this heavy rain, he probably can’t hear us. However, the fact that there’s no answer when we entered this building means he couldn’t hear us…… I really think he isn’t here.]

………………………

[Arehh?]

Something feels out of place……

[Bigg-san?]

Confused by his lack of answer, I turned around.

[Eh?]

And didn’t find him there.

Bigg had suddenly disappeared……

[B- Bigg-san!? Where did you go!? Please answer me! Bigg-san! Bi———]

[————-yuu.]

Behind me.

There’s something behind me.

Immediately taking a fighting stance, I quickly turned around.

[Was I just hearing things? I feel like I heard the cry of some animal———-]

Tot tot tot tot tot tot……

Chyuu chyuu……

There’s some kind of sound coming from the ceiling.

Footsteps that sounded like small animals and a familiar squeak.

[W- What, it’s just rats huh…… Guess I’ll get rid of it. Ahh…… Errr, Bigg-san, you’re probably searching in other rooms huh…… Geez, I’m scaring myself too much.]

Feeling a presence nearby, I breathed a sigh of relief and turned again towards where Bigg-san was.

[————————–Huh?]

However, what I found there…… wasn’t Bigg-san.

With its hand held out towards my direction——— What is that thing?

Are those red eyes…… of a fly———–

I felt as if blood was being drained of my body.

[Gyaaaaa———–]

I think I heard something.

Perhaps, that was my short——— not something I can’t exactly describe as cute——- scream.

[………………………….]

Thereupon, I lost consciousness.

<Drunken Sword Party————- Lili Adamantine>

The eastern part of the city.

Houses were lined up in a row, and the surrounding area was deserted.

The numbers and power of the monsters were tremendous.

Our Drunken Sword Party also gathered one after another to intercept these monsters.

As much as possible, I don’t want to use up the Sacraments in this battle.

We would like to get rid of these monsters by ourselves.

In fact, at first, we were able to calmly intercept the monsters.

Slash!

My blade slices through the flesh of the monsters.

With my sword tearing its body apart, the Golden-eyed monster screamed.

The Sacraments that had been serving as a shield around me had been annihilated.

After all, the individual combat ability of the Sacraments isn’t that high.

The strategic position is being taken care of by our Drunken Sword Party.

Bringing the hilt of my sword into my mouth……

Klank!

I clamped it between my teeth and held it in place.

I then lowered my upper body and leaned forward like a four-legged beast.

Thereupon, unsheathing two swords from my waist, I gripped one of them in each hand.

Behind the leather belt around my waist, I also have a short sword at the ready.

These four swords are like my fang, my claws, and my tail————

[Girurugugeaaaaa——— gyeeehhh!?]

I slashed and cast aside the monsters that appeared from the darkness without pause.

We’ve also scattered lighting magic tools around in order to secure our vision.

Ghaa!

The monster’s posture was broken by evasion and footwork.

Without a moment’s pause, I plunged my blades vertically down from above the monster’s head.

With my strike, the monster let out a short scream of agony.

While that resounded in my ear, I threw the sword in my left hand, piercing between the eyebrows of the monster running from the left side.

Zuzaaaaaaaaa—————!

With the loss of its life, strength left its entire body.

The monster then pathetically slid on the mud scattered on the cobblestones, leaving its momentum behind.

Every time I moved, my hair would swing wildly.

The sword that was in my mouth, with drops of water flicking away with each strike——–

———-is now held on my left hand.

Once again———– I took the stance with my upper body bent forward.

Battling like a tiger, I raged on the battlefield like a beast.

I will become a beast.

I feel my nerves sharper than ever.

If there’s a movement within a radius of 30 meters, I will immediately be aware of it.

If something approaches from the outside, I can react.

Sending mud flying, monsters approached from every direction.

Even with the rain, I’m well aware of their presence.

While they attacked from 30 raeters away, I could already build up a winning strategy before they could get close.

Building a winning strategy in my mind was one of my specialties.

Letting out a growl that sounded like a beast, I fought again.

A moment later……

It was not mud that splattered around.

They were gushes of blood from the monsters caused by a series of swift strikes.

Thereupon, a second line of more monsters arrived.

I sent out an Offensive magic from my ring-shaped magic tool upon them.

The remaining monsters that couldn’t be defeated by the Offensive magic were disposed of by throwing my sword.

With my sub-weapon lost, I quickly pulled out the short sword behind my waist and held it in my free hand.

The area was already filled with dead monsters.

If Emperor Zera had been here, he would have been able to produce a lot of Sacraments.

[Foss! Bigg-san! Juon! Anyone there!?]

No response.

We’re fighting in an urban area.

Running through narrow areas, our Drunken Sword Party fought in tandems.

Cooperate.

Back-up.

Disperse.

Merge.

Act in concert with one another.

This is the fighting style of the Drunken Sword Party.

Always breaching through the front for everyone is Foss.

Standing firmly behind him, protecting his back is Bigg.

Protecting their blind spot, supporting them is Juon, having ability that’s tantamount to a skilled artisan.

Here, the other members of the group naturally incorporated their specialties into the situation.

As for enemies that were beyond their capabilities, they were held down by me, who was the strongest in our group.

I may be strong, but there are countless others who are stronger than me.

But with the support of my friends, I can……

No, we can exert more power than we originally had.

But now, that premise in itself is crumbling before my eyes.

(What’s the matter…… Where did everyone go?)

The number and strength of the monsters were more than I had expected.

That is why, along the battle, I brought the Sacraments into the fray.

Compared to the Sacraments, there’s no way I could afford to lose my friends more here.

The situation of the battle improved with the entrance of the Sacraments.

However, something strange began to happen after the Sacraments were thrown into the battle.

One after another, the other members of my group disappeared from sight.

Indeed, it wasn’t possible for them to stay in the defensive position all the time.

Depending on the strength of the monster they’re facing, they would have to evade or otherwise deal with them while on the move.

Disperse, merge, act in concert with one another.

While we were doing this, some members of the group did not answer our calls.

However, not a single corpse of a fellow member had ever been found.

It was strange and eerie.

We should have only been apart for a short time.

Ptui, I spit out some mud that got into my mouth.

Before I had time to wipe the dirt from my mouth, I snatched the sword from a nearby corpse———-

——and put it in my mouth again.

(Strange…… What’s happening? It’s like I’m seeing a bad dream……——–!)

The sound of monsters stepping through mud———- three…… no, four.

Letting out a shrill roar, the monsters leapt from the roof of a building.

As the rain fell sideways, the monsters attacked from above.

Seeing these, I first unleashed my Offensive magic at them.

This attack managed to kill two of the monsters, and as for the remaining two monsters, I threw the swords in my hand————

[————————-]

But at that moment……

Almost reflexively, I turned towards “that” direction.

My body had almost unconsciously moved along with my intuition.

In the place where the corpses of monsters scattered……

Diagonally behind me, I found “that”.

Hiding underneath the corpses of monsters……

——was a human-shaped, black hand.

Peeking out from the crevice under the slightly lifted corpse———— were dimly lit, eerie red eyes.

What in the world is that?

So that has been there all this time……

Seeing the opportunity, it appeared……!

[————- < Paralyze > ————-]

——————–Crickle, crackle——————–

I was confident that I could deal with most enemies if I could detect any “movement” within 30 raeters.

If they had normally approached from some side, I would have had plenty of time to detect them.

But if he had remained motionless, just watching from underneath those corpses from the beginning———-

At this distance, I didn’t have the time to build up a winning strategy.

I didn’t have the time to deal with the situation.

I was completely caught by surprise.

At that moment, the corpse of the monster that had been covering the being with red eyes was pushed away.

For some reason, “it” rushed towards me, who was completely immobilized by whatever this being had done.

Meanwhile, the four monsters that had leaped from above seemed to have been struck by my earlier attacks.

They fell around my area, screaming in pain.

It seemed like my earlier attack had hit them on their vital spot.

The four monsters were already incapable of combat.

However……

[Kuh…… ———Nghh! You are……!?]

(Fly King!?)

So he was in Mira’s camp huh.

Then——— my friends who disappeared……

They’ve been done in by him.

Even though I understood what happened…… My body won’t move.

Meanwhile, the Fly King draws close.

And then…… He’ll finish me off.

[———————]

At this moment, something came to my mind……

It was about the people we had left behind in Alion…….

Those who had been held hostage by the Goddess……

If we end up getting annihilated…… their value as hostages would disappear.

There’s no point in getting rid of them.

Isn’t that right, Vysis?

That’s why……

That’s why, everyone——— please be safe.

Also…… My friends who have followed me throughout my journey.

I’m sorry for being such an incompetent leader.

Eventually, Vysis ended up using us to her advantage until the end.

However———– I was happy.

I’ve been able to live this long because I’m smiling together with everyone.

[D*mn——– it……. Ser…… iously……]

For someone like me…… I was quite blessed with a lot of friends, wasn’t I?

……Let’s see……

If we were to meet behind Hell’s Gate of Imprisonment again……

I guess I’ll thank everyone again.

And please…… everyone.

Over there, even if it’s just a little bit———– Criticize this disappointing Captain of yours.

[Fuuu……]

………………………The time has finally come huh.

At the very least, I must use all the strength I have inside me…… to somehow force this immobile body to move, even if it’s by force…… Fight back…… Retaliate———–

[ < Sleep > ]

Just before some kind of power takes away my consciousness……

[……Made it just in time huh. Tsk…… These exemplar goody two-shoes.It would have been much easier to just kill them and be done with it…… Good grief, every single one of them———-]

Along with the sound of rain, these words somehow reached my ears before I completely lost consciousness.

[They’ve resolved themselves too much.]

<Afterword>

The next chapter is scheduled to be updated on May 25th (Wednesday), around 9:00 pm.

T/N: Yes, reading how Lili was described here, I’ve realized that the group’s real name really should have been Saber-toothed Tiger Group/Party. The title here should’ve been “Tiger, even at the last moment”. It’s just, thinking of how I’ll edit all that…… I feel lazy. Nope, not gonna edit ’em. Thinking about it again though…… I wonder why I named this group Drunken Sword Party?

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