Chapter 5

"Well, finally we can get out."

When I took Alicia's place and plunged into the magic circle, I didn't think I would return alive. But now that we've managed to escape from the evil god's castle, the feeling of having survived is gradually sinking in.

"For now... I can't figure out how to open this iron gate."

There doesn't seem to be a keyhole. Given how the gate is embedded in the ground, it might be possible to lift it by fiddling with something, but...

"For now, I guess I'll give up on getting out of here."

I stepped away from the iron gate and stacked wooden boxes against the wall next to it, then climbed up.

"Trying to find another exit would take too much effort. This is faster."

With my increased stats, I can jump down from this height. I tried to climb down from the other side of the wall, but...

"What's this? An invisible wall?"

I couldn't move forward, as if something was blocking me. When I touched it, it felt hard. It seems there's an invisible barrier.

"Let's try cutting it with the divine sword Volmunk."

I drew the sword from its sheath and, raising it high, swung it with all my might.

—Screeeech—

The sound of metal clashing was heard.

"Clank!?"

The shock traveled through my hand, making it tingle. It seems this barrier can't be broken by the divine sword.

"Could it be that even if the evil god is dead, this barrier remains active forever?"

It seems the evil god's security is foolproof. If the most powerful sword I have can't break it, nothing else will work either.

I put my hand to my chin and thought on the wall. The fact that I felt a shock means it has a physical presence. The problem is its hardness. If I can somehow deal with that...

"Ah, this might work!"

When I have an idea, I act on it. I activated the Evil Beam I had stored. When it hit the invisible barrier, it made a "splat" sound. It seems to have successfully penetrated the barrier, so I moved the Evil Beam to widen the hole enough for a person to pass through.

"Good, we managed to get through."

I turned back and tapped the invisible barrier. I successfully made it to the other side.

"Hmm?"

I saw something like a distortion in front of me, right where I had used the Evil Beam.

"I see, it repairs itself automatically."

I thought it might be usable as an entrance again if left alone, but it seems I need to use another Evil Beam to get back in.

I might come back someday, but we'll see when that happens.

Thus, I left the evil god's castle.

"First, I need to figure out where I am."

I walked through the forest. I've been walking straight for hours since leaving the evil god's castle.

"If there were a village, I could ask someone..."

But no matter how far I walk, there's no sign of people. If this were a place humans have visited, there should be some paths, but there are none.

Perhaps the evil god's castle is on an isolated island where no humans exist?

"Come on, show yourself, anything!"

I haven't even seen small animals. I hope to see any moving object, but...

—Rustle, rustle, rustle, rustle, rustle—

I heard a sound and hurried over. Beyond the forest, there was an open space, and what I saw there was—

"AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

A body as red as blood, towering over several meters tall, a horn extending from the forehead, and a heavy club in the right hand.

"I said anything, but I didn't mean this."

I was thoroughly disheartened by the monster in front of me.

"Um, just to be safe, will you let me go?"

From what I've heard, the creature in front of me is probably an ogre. However, this ogre is clearly larger than the ones I've heard about, and its skin color is off.

"AEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"

"I don't understand what you're saying, but I get that you're not going to let me go."

After all, he's raising his club, clearly intent on smashing me.

"I survived being a sacrifice, I can't die here."

This is the first humanoid monster I've encountered. Normally, I might be paralyzed with fear, but the pressure from this monster is nothing compared to the evil god.

For now, there's still some distance between us. If I run into the forest, I might be able to shake him off. But then...

"Hmm? What's that...?"

I noticed a human behind the ogre. I can't see their face because they're wearing a hood, but from their build, it looks like a young woman.

"I can't just leave her to die, can I?"

She seems to be unconscious, but if I run away, she'll become the ogre's prey. At the very least, I need to draw the ogre's attention and help her escape.

"Can't be helped. I'll take him on."

With that, I drew my divine sword and charged at the ogre.