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Volume 8 Chapter 219

Imperial Sword and the Sage

A sixth monster suddenly appeared.
No, this one—alone among them was not a monster at all.
Although its appearance was identical to the other five, its amount of magical power was practically non-existent.
However—
「Oh, boss. We’re done」
「We’ve been waiting」
「Other than these two, everything went as planned」
For some reason, the other five monsters were humble towards the newcomer.
I-I didn’t understand.
But perhaps this was a chance.
I would stake everything on this slim hope.
In order to save Citri-sama.
「I, uh, have something to discuss」
「Hm? What is it?」
When I addressed the sixth man, he responded to my words.
「Just now, they said they wanted to tame me. Though they did interfere with my magic, their power is nowhere near enough to tame me」
「Hmhm. Really?」
「You’re their master, right? Are you willing to fight me? If you can make me admit defeat, then I’ll accept being tamed」
「……And if I lose?」
「Even then, I’ll accept being tamed. In exchange, I want you to let this lady go」
「Chief, what are you saying!?」
Citri-sama protested, but I silenced her with a glance.
「Why would you accept being tamed even if you defeat me? If you can beat me, you can just run away with her」
「……Even if I defeat you, I’m not so foolish as to think I can defeat the other five monsters」
「Is that so? So you think you can beat me if I’m alone」
「There is a chance. At the very least, if you want to tame me, you have no choice but to fight me. If not, I won’t accept being tamed by you, I rather die」
Now, what will be the answer?
「Okay, fine. Let’s fight」
「 —-!!」
Hope was kindled.
「I, I’m in your debt. Thank you for accepting my proposal」
「But, even if I can’t defeat you, you’ll still come with me, right? The pretty lady seems strong too, but as a floor boss, I wanted someone like you, a truly powerful monster」
F-Floor boss?
I had no idea what he was talking about.
However, I had obtained a chance to let Citri-sama escape. That was all that mattered.
I stood up and faced the sixth man.
「Aren’t you worried though that if I lose, I might not let her go?」
「I have no choice but to trust you on that one. And …… I have never said this to a human before, but I sense the presence of a warrior in you. You don’t seem like the kind of man who would go back on his word」
Despite his weak appearance, before him for some reason, I felt compelled to tell the truth.
So, I told him how I really felt.
「I understand, thanks. Then, I promise you, as long as you don’t surrender, we won’t touch her. You guys have to keep that promise」
「Okay」
「Roger!」
「Good luck, boss」
「Be careful. He’s really strong」
「Watch out for the huge arm」
The five monsters finally released the encirclement around me and Citri-sama.
Of course, I have no intention of running away.
I will defeat this one and let Citri-sama escape!!
「By the way, I’m Haruto. Haruto Elnor」
「……Sorry, but I don’t have a name to introduce myself with」
Even though we can speak human language, we monsters do not possess individual names.
The exception is the dragon tribe.
They are a reckless race that mimics humans.
「Hmm, it’s inconvenient not to have a name. Alright, if I win, can I give you a name and call you that? Okay?」
「Do as you please」
Names are trivial matters.
Besides defeating him and letting Citri-sama escape, nothing else matters.
「Oh, are weapons allowed?」
「Of course」
From what I could tell, he, Haruto, was unarmed.
But it didn’t matter what weapon he chose to use. My skin could withstand even orichalcum blades.
Would he use the staff that one of the monsters who fought me earlier had?
It was quite painful, but it wasn’t unbearable.
As I pondered this, Haruto opened a hole in space.
I-Is he……some kind of hero?
His actions seemed familiar to me.
Once, a hero I fought opened holes in space, just like Haruto, and pulled out various weapons to attack me.
Well, none of those weapons had so much as scratched me.
So, I didn’t need to fear whatever weapon he brought out.
When Haruto withdrew his hand from the rift in space, a huge sword, as tall as Haruto himself, appeared.
The moment I saw it—
My arms, torso, legs, head—all were mercilessly cleaved into pieces in an instant.
「 —-Ugh!?」
I fell to my knees.
This is strange……
I was cut into pieces just now—-
Yet, my body now appears unharmed.
W-what’s going on!?
I tried to lift my gaze to assess the situation, but—
I couldn’t bring myself to look up.
My instincts as a monster warned me not to look up.
My body was trembling.
I-Is this… …fear?
A-absurd!
Am I-am I afraid of that sword?
……No, that’s not it.
It’s not the sword.
My insticts were ringing a warning bell loudly about Haruto, the one who wields that sword.
— I can’t win.
It’s not that I’ll be avenging Citri-sama or something of that nature.
But the moment I stand up, the vision I saw earlier will become reality.
I’ll be cut to pieces without any chance of resistance.
This isn’t a mere hunch or prediction.
It’s a confirmed future.
「Ci-Citri-sama… …I-I’m sorry」
「Chief? What’s wrong!?」
Citri-sama worries about me as I kneel before Haruto.
Despite bowing to a human, her voice doesn’t carry any anger.
She’s genuinely worried about me.
Surely Citri-sama won’t blame me for what I’m about to do.
That’s what torments me.
I know.
But still, I can’t stop myself.
「Haruto-sama… I admit defeat… I’ll accept being tamed」
I’m a fool.
I failed to realise Haruto-sama’s power even though he was right in front of me.