Chapter 96

(=ↀωↀ=) <30,000 points突破 and the end of Chapter 3!

(￣(エ)￣) <Thank you so much, everyone!

□ Duel City Gideon, First Street Knights' Barracks 【Holy Knight】Liliana Grandria

The bell is ringing.

In Gideon, which has seen three mornings since the night of the nightmare when Gideon was on the verge of destruction, a clear yet sad bell rings.

This is the requiem bell rung by all the churches in Gideon.

The sound for the joint funeral being held over three days, from yesterday to tomorrow.

Yes, here... at the First Street Knights' Barracks, a joint funeral is being held for the knights and guards who died in that incident.

The dead include eighteen from the Royal Guard, fifteen from the Gideon Knights, and twenty-eight guards.

In total, sixty-one people have died.

"...... Sixty-one, huh."

The relief is that those who died that night are all accounted for.

Compared to when we suffered a great defeat in war, the number of casualties is much smaller.

And most importantly... there were no civilian casualties, no deaths among the people... miraculously, not a single one.

That is not to say that the sacrifice of these sixty-one people was in vain.

"......"

A young boy is crying, calling for his father in front of the coffin.

A woman is squatting and sobbing.

An old man stands silently in front of the flower stand.

They are likely the families of the knights and guards who died that night.

I can tell.

Because I was the same as Milia and I during the joint funeral when my father's name was listed that day.

"...... sigh"

As those who have the duty to protect the country, every knight and soldier is prepared for death.

But no one would have thought they would die that night.

People die too suddenly...

The Gideon Knights and guards were killed by the monsters attacking the city and... by the lawless <Masters> whom other <Masters> call "Player Killers."

And my subordinates died in the battle against Franklin.

Some were killed by the tentacle monster as if it were a warm-up.

Some were eaten helplessly by the red dragon with overwhelming power.

We were all powerless against them.

But... the avengers were Mr. Ray and his brother, the 【Destroyer King】Shu Sterling, and many other <Masters>.

They also saved the Second Princess from Franklin with their companions.

Many of the "Player Killers" who killed the guards in Tian were defeated by the <Masters> and sent to "Prison."

Thanks to them... I believe many of the dead have been avenged.

The sacrifices of those who died that night have not been in vain, thanks to them.

"......"

Franklin, who caused the incident, is a <Master>, and those who stopped the incident are also <Masters>.

Because they are <Masters>... they were able to stop Franklin, who is also a <Master>.

"Even so, <Masters>... those chosen by <Embryo> are not 'special.'"

They are just human beings like us.

They are just human beings who have the means to avoid death and the great power of <Embryo>.

They are not the power itself, just people who can easily obtain power.

That's why there are those who trample on others like the 【Demon General】 and Franklin.

And there are those who crush them like Mr. Ray and the 【Destroyer King】.

We, the people of Tian, do the same among ourselves.

Tian and <Masters> are the same "human beings," differing only in the amount of power.

However, because of the difference in power, the power of <Masters> is needed to stop the crimes of <Masters>.

That was what happened that night.

What did not happen... was the war six months ago.

"To protect the kingdom from the empire... we need to borrow their power, Your Highness Althea."

I... I think of the person I serve, the First Princess and acting queen, Althea A. Alter.

But I believe... Princess Althea does not want to borrow the power of the <Masters>.

Because she does not consider the <Masters> as the same "human beings."

"However..."

Looking at the flower stand, I realized something.

The backs of the left hands of the people offering flowers at the flower stand vary.

People with and without crests mourn the dead equally and offer flowers.

Someone is stroking a child's head and comforting them.

Someone is supporting a woman who is about to collapse from despair.

Someone is holding the hand of an old man who has stood still in front of the flower stand and cannot move, and offering flowers together.

"Still, they are the same... Your Highness Althea."

By the way, how is he doing?

Yesterday, he visited the joint funeral immediately after it opened... and today, where is he?

He just lost his left arm, so I hope he is not overdoing it.

Considering the incident with Milia and the Gozmais bandits, he is the kind of person who immediately overdoes things for others.

"But, that's what makes him a good person..."

As I was lost in thought like this.

"Lord Grandria! It's terrible!"

"Oh, what happened?"

"Actually, Princess Elizabeth... "

"Oh, I believe she had no official duties today and was supposed to be resting."

Yesterday, she attended the joint funeral all day, and before that, she was busy preparing for the <Super-Class Clash>. She was also recently kidnapped by Franklin.

Because of that, she was supposed to take a full day off today to rest.

"If she wants to go out, I can send a few Royal Guards to escort her..."

"She has left the earl's residence again, leaving a note behind!"

"...... huh"

Upon hearing Lord Lindos' report... I felt dizzy.

◇◇◇

□ Duel City Gideon, Sixth Street Arena 【Holy Knight】Ray Sterling

When Nemezis transforms into a black greatsword or a black flag halberd, I don't feel the weight.

I can wield what would normally be considered super-heavy weapons without any difficulty.

I have always been grateful for this.

But the feeling is strongest now that I have lost my left arm.

I wield the black greatsword and the black flag halberd with one arm.

When I "swing" the black flag halberd, I might drop it without my left hand, but the three actions of thrusting, cutting, and sweeping can be done with one hand.

"Even without my left arm, it's doable."

"Yes. With Nemezis and Ray, the lack of one arm is not a problem."

Losing one arm is a problem, but as Nemezis says, there is no problem fighting with Nemezis.

The problem would be... the 【Galdoranda】.

Since I don't have a left arm, I can't equip the left gauntlet.

I can't use my main skill, 《Inferno Flame》.

When I punched Franklin, I saw a new way to use the new 【Galdoranda】... but that will have to wait.

I thought the loss of my left arm might mean losing the crest and being unable to store Nemezis, but that was not the case.

The crest had moved to my left arm, the part that remained.

It seems that losing one arm does not make this crest disappear.

"However, holding Nemezis with one hand makes riding Silver a bit difficult."

I can't keep running while biting the reins all the time.

"Hmm. But I think it's fine for now."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a rematch with that guy. I want to challenge him the same way as before, just the two of us, Nemezis and Ray."

When Nemezis said this,

"Oh, you're full of energy!"

Marie, whom Nemezis was talking about, answered playfully.

She is wearing the same black mist as when we met in the forest, and she is holding the pistol-type <Embryo> Alcanshel in her right hand.

Yes, Marie and I are about to have a rematch here, as we promised that night during the battle against Franklin's modified monster army.

Now, in a block separated by an invisible barrier, Marie and I are facing each other.

In the barrier, besides us, Luke, Babi, my brother, Figaro, and one other person are watching as spectators.

By the way, Luke already knew that Marie was the <Super-Class Killer>.

My brother knew it too.

Well, my brother, the 【Destroyer King】, tried to burn down the <Noz Forest> to defeat the <Super-Class Killer>, so he must have realized the true identity somewhere.

Incidentally, the reason for that great disaster was "revenge for me."

... I had a lot to say about that, like "too much" and "what about the forest," but I put it aside for now.

The real problem is that there is a much more problematic person here.

"Marie, do your best!"

For some reason, the princess, who was supposed to have been rescued that night, is here.

"... Can I ask why you're here, Your Highness?"

"Hmm? Sure?"

According to the princess, she had woken up just before the battle in Pandemonium.

She remembered that I was facing the Franklin who had kidnapped her and that Marie had rescued her.

So, to thank her, she... left the earl's residence today to look for me and Marie.

And today, she saw my brother (and Figaro in a lion costume walking next to him) and thought, "If I follow the brother of Ray, the 【Destroyer King】, I might be able to find him," and followed them secretly...

By the way, she had no official duties today and was supposed to have a full day off, but the problem is not that...

"... Liliana!! I don't want to say it, but the security is really bad!!"

I couldn't help but shout it out.

"... I think 'again?' too. But I'm starting to think that Elizabeth is really good at escaping. It's the second time, after all."

"I think she has talent. She would make a good thief."

Luke says that... but, a princess as a thief, what?

"Well, that aside. Since Elizabeth is watching, I will win, without holding back! Seriously!"

"Well, I'm glad you're serious... but it's different from what I expected."

When I first received the first penalty from Marie, I expected a rematch with a more desperate atmosphere.

But now, between us... there is a peaceful air among comrades.

"... But it's fine, right?"

"Yes."

Marie and I were defeated by Marie in the past, but we are still comrades now.

There is nothing wrong with that.

"Well, that said, we will have a rematch."

"Hehe, good spirit. But do you think you can win?"

Do you think you can win?

"... Yeah, Marie is still way above me in level and stats."

The level is in a different league, and the difference in AGI stats is probably several times.

"Skill-wise, there's no comparison either."

She has been fighting in <Infinite Dendrogram> for much longer than I have.

The experience is completely different.

"To make matters worse, I'm fighting with one arm, so my combat power is halved. The chances of winning are almost zero."

It's almost impossible to win, even if I were at full strength.

"---But, I won't say I can't win."

No matter how difficult the situation, I won't give up from the start.

"If there is a possibility I desire, I won't give up on grasping it."

That's what I learned from my brother.

"That's how you grasp possibilities."

When I said this, my brother laughed and gave me a thumbs up.

"So, I'm going for a win today too."

"That's the spirit, 'Indomitable Ray'."

"Huh, what?"

What's that?

"Oh, you didn't know. It's Ray's nickname."

"Nickname?"

"Yes. 'The brother of the 【Destroyer King】', 'The man who was not crushed by <Super-Class>'."

"That's... "

What an embarrassing name.

"By the way, there are others like 'Dark Holy Knight', 'Prince of the Silver Horse', and 'Hero of Light and Darkness, clad in black, purple, and red lotus'. Which one do you like?"

"Indomitable."

There's no choice in those four...

"Prince' isn't bad, is it?"

"... No."

... But, "Indomitable," huh.

I kind of like it.

"OK. Then... let's go, 'Indomitable'!"

"Yes, it's a match! <Super-Class Killer>!"

And with that, we and Marie take our battle stances.

Marie pulls the trigger of Alcanshel.

Then, the same countless bullet curtain as that day.

The recreation of that day's attack.

Let's start the quest.

The target is the strongest PK, <Super-Class Killer>.

The destination is the same bullet curtain as that day.

The goal is... victory!

"Quest"

"Start!"

To be continued in the next episode

The next update is tomorrow at 21:00.

(=ↀωↀ=) <End of Chapter 3

(￣(エ)￣) <And the end of Part 1 (Note: Not a cancellation)

(=ↀωↀ=) <I will do a side story until the end of the year, and then start Chapter 4 after a writing period

(=ↀωↀ=) <The start of Chapter 4 will be announced in activity reports

(￣(エ)￣) <Also, I'm sorry, but from now on, I will only respond to a few comments in activity reports due to the author's capacity not keeping up with the passionate support from everyone

(=ↀωↀ=) <So, things will change from now on, but

(=ↀωↀ=)(￣(エ)￣) <I hope you will continue to support <Infinite Dendrogram>.

(=ↀωↀ=) <By the way, the side story starting tomorrow is about the past of certain characters.