Chapter 72

" Meteor Sword! "

" Meteor Bow! "

Ren and Itsuki's signature Meteor series were unleashed towards the Pope. However, the Pope, who caught them with a replica barrier, stood there with a cool expression.

Their companions followed suit, each unleashing their own techniques and magic. However, the barrier centered around the Pope was deployed again, and they couldn't even scratch him.

"Is this all you can do, mere imitations?"

"Ku..."

"This is tough. I didn't expect you to have such a hidden ace."

"What are you even here for!"

To come without a chance of winning, what were they thinking?

"Do you think we came without a plan?"

"Are you seriously underestimating us that much?"

Ren and Itsuki's weapons began to glow. However, it was taking time to fire them.

"Thunder Sword!"

"Thunder Shoot!"

With a loud crack, the Pope's barrier shattered. The Pope, seemingly shocked, opened his eyes wide and received the attack.

"I was buying time to charge my attack."

Oh, with my Self-Curse Burning, to finally be able to pierce a barrier that can only be destroyed by such means, even a hero like Motokazu is on a different level.

"I can... do it too. But my SP is..."

"Right now, it's just the barking of a defeated dog."

Moreover, if you have such a powerful skill, why didn't you use it on me?

Ah, because the activation time is too long and I would have been on guard.

"Hehehe... Do you really think you can defeat me, the owner of legendary weapons?"

The Pope's injuries were immediately healed by his followers using recovery magic.

That's troublesome; if we don't take him down in one hit, his subordinates will fully heal him.

"If we can just take you down, we can control the rest. That's our duty as heroes."

"Everyone, start the incantation of judgment."

The Pope's followers nodded and began to chant.

"Those who side with the imitations are all evil."

Wow, they're already fanatical.

They say that victory is on the side of the law, but it's amazing that they still think they can win even with all the heroes gathered.

"Well, shall we finish this?"

The Pope is seriously trying to kill us. He's charging a high-output skill, probably Brunhild, which is more powerful than before.

"Naoto"

"What?"

Ren approaches me and asks.

"We need to combine our strength to take him down."

"I'd rather not cooperate, but..."

There's no way we can escape now.

Moreover, he intends to use a powerful spell called "judgment" in conjunction with his attack. Even I can't withstand it.

"I'll get close, so someone attack me with hostility. My attacks will hit allies, so everyone back off as much as you can."

The only effective attack I have is Self-Curse Burning, so I'll have to get close.

"Got it."

"Let's go then!"

I instruct the others to provide magical support and have those who can only engage in close combat protect the spellcasters.

The attackers are the heroes, the support is magic, and the defense is the rest—though it's not a very promising formation.

"Let's go!"

I charge towards the Pope first.

The Pope is focused on charging his skill and ignores me.

Indeed, with my limited offensive capabilities, there's only one way to deal a decisive blow.

Moreover, he regularly deploys barriers, making it difficult to inflict damage.

"Naoto!"

Motokazu strikes my shield with his spear, activating Self-Curse Burning.

"Roaaaaaaar!"

The followers who weren't chanting judgment cast a purification spell to nullify it, but the barrier was successfully destroyed. I quickly cast Air Shield and Change Shield and use a hook to retreat to the back of the other heroes.

The hook has a special effect of extending a rope, allowing me to control it as I please. Thus, I was able to retreat quickly with the rope tied to my arm.

"Thunder Sword!"

"Lightning Spear!"

"Thunder Shoot!"

At that moment, the other heroes unleashed their most powerful skills at the Pope!

"Brunhild!"

However, the Pope also activated his skill and fired it at us!

The heroes' attacks and the Pope's ultimate skill collided.

With a crackling sound, their energies clashed.

"Go, go, go!"

"Push, push, push!"

"Charge, charge, charge!"

It's like a thick beam of ultimate techniques from old fighting manga, flying and clashing.

With the support of our companions' magic, we gradually began to push back the Pope's attack.

It seemed...

"Hehe... Is that all?"

The Pope still had a smile on his face.

Could he be holding back!?

"No way... We're not done yet!"

"Right! We can still do it."

"Yes, let's increase our output!"

The three of us poured all our remaining SP into our skills.

We were pushing him back, just a little.

Good...

But for some reason, I couldn't shake off a bad feeling.

"Well, it's time to finish this."

The Pope calmly muttered and gathered his strength.

Damn it! If you die now, it'll be a problem for me!

I wanted this situation to happen at a different time...

I pushed the heroes away to interrupt their skills and stepped forward.

The energy passing through my body, the pain and the loud noise almost drove me mad.

But I desperately held up my shield.

And when the energy was finally spent, it passed through.

"Ha... ha... ha..."

"Hmm... I didn't expect you to withstand it, as expected of the Demon of the Shield."

The Pope calmly swung his spear and said.

"Are... are you okay?"

I turned my blurry eyes.

Behind me, I managed to protect everyone, but everything else was left with a large, single scar.

Fortunately, everyone was behind me and didn't suffer serious injuries.

"Zweite Heal!"

The overlapping healing magic immediately closed the wounds.

The Pope's ultimate skill, though its power was reduced, was still incredibly strong.

"Ugh... SP is..."

"Same here."

"Me too."

The three of us, lacking SP, reached for our water flasks.

It would take too long to fully recover.

Shouts could be heard. Looking around, as Ren had said, the Three Hero Religion's extermination force was rushing towards us.

"Well, let's end this farce and dispose of the demons to call the true heroes. We also need to deal with those guys."

The Pope changed his spear into a sword and took a stance.

The blade of the Pope's sword formed a shape like a bird of fire.

It's probably a higher-level skill than Brunhild.

This is bad... The extermination force probably doesn't know the Pope has such a hidden ace.

They could be wiped out in one go.

"Everyone, let's go with the judgment."

He intends to launch a simultaneous attack with his subordinates. We have a slight time advantage, but we don't know when it will be launched.

"Is this the end..."

The other heroes' faces were grim.

There might have been a chance of winning, but it was too reckless...

No, if we hadn't come, Motokazu and I would have been killed, so this might have been the best we could do.

Did I... do my best?

Then, I suddenly realized a possibility.

A big gamble I couldn't make.

Since I'm going to die anyway, it might not be a bad idea to take the chance.

"Ren, come here."

"What? Do you have a plan?"

I told Ren to come closer, and he approached me with a puzzled look.

Thump, thump.

The shield began to pulse and tremble.

I had sealed it intentionally, but the core of the dragon that Ren killed was inside the Shield of Wrath.

Memories of the final moments were projected in my vision, and the shield screamed to slay the enemy before me.

Yes... more. Let the anger explode!

I tried to draw out the full wrath of the Shield of Wrath, which I could control thanks to Raphatalia.

"Raphatalia, hold my hand..."

"Okay."

I held Raphatalia's hand and pointed the hand with the shield towards Ren.

Then I looked at Bitch and Motokazu, trying to recall the anger I had suppressed.

I called forth the emotion that made everything hateful, forgot everything in anger, and dyed everything black.

Emotional release growth!

Curse series, Shield of Wrath ability enhancement! Transform into Larse Shield!

Larse Shield III

Ability not released... Equipment bonus, skills "Change Shield (Offense)," "Iron Maiden," "Brute Offering"

Special effect: Dark Curse Burning, increased strength, Dragon's Wrath Roar, Follower Rampage, shared magic power, Wrathful Garb (Medium)

Dark emotions quickly flooded my heart.

"――――――――――!"