Vol 1 Chapter 8: VS Armored Swordsman (Great Labyrinth Arc)

From the magical power I sensed outside the door, there was no doubt the foe was a demon. However, his armor-clad appearance was identical to that of a human.

Just as the Demon King bears an uncanny resemblance to humans, higher-ranked demons do as well. In short, it’s safe to assume a formidable enemy awaits.

Then,

“Let’s charge through in one go!”

Carrying the still unsteady Yuu in my arms, I kicked down the door and dashed forward. The opponent was clad in armor and wielding a sword. I expected a melee attack the moment I stepped out, so I tried to put some distance between us while holding Yuu, but—

“You’re slow, huh?”
“What!?”

Speaking in a muffled voice from within his armor, the foe who had been waiting by the door caught up with me in no time.

Had that demon read my mind? Even someone inexperienced in battle would stick to the standard tactic of “waiting by the door” rather than risk taking a step ahead by dashing forward to create distance.

This armored bastard was two moves ahead. He had already raised his sword, preparing to counter with a frustrated snarl.

“Ugh!!”

I caught the downward slash—swung long ago—using only my left arm gripping Asterion. This was as bad as it gets. With my right hand occupied holding Yuu, I had to withstand a two-handed swing with only my non-dominant left hand.

It seemed I was about to be overwhelmed, but strangely enough, the slash wasn’t aimed at my vital points—it was swung as if to slice Yuu, held in my right hand, in one go.

“Just as I thought, it’s the gatekeeper here…!”

It appears that once Yuu’s magic was unleashed, it awakened him; he was likely rendered unconscious almost immediately after his seal was broken. As proof, the armored bastard paid me no mind—the red, gleaming eyes were fixed solely on Yuu.

“Don’t underestimate me…!”

With Yuu still in my arms, I channeled magic into Asterion and began a chant without delay.

“Enchant! [Explosive Sword]!!”

No sooner had I finished the incantation than Asterion flashed for a moment before erupting in an explosion laced with fire magic from its blade. It was what you’d call a “self-destruct technique”—the blast and smoke engulfed me as well—but the explosion’s shockwave sent both the armored bastard and me flying from the spot.

While Yuu screamed in terror, I shielded her from the explosion and managed to regain my footing after being blown away.

“K-Kaim… are you okay…?”

“Eh, to be honest it hurts a lot, but I’m pretty used to this kind of thing.”

Somehow, I managed to control the explosion’s radius, minimizing its impact on me while maximizing it on that armored bastard. I thought he’d be blown far away by now… but that notion was quickly overturned.

“Did you really think that such an attack could impede my mission?”
“What!?”

Just as I regained my footing and the smoke cleared, the armored bastard stood before me, sword raised. Unfazed by the fire-element explosion, the smoke, or the blast itself, he charged straight ahead. And now, once again, he swung his sword down at Yuu, who I held in my right arm. After all that, does he still not give a damn about me!?

But that won’t stand—!

“Guaah…!”
“Wha—?!”
“You’d better be a little surprised when I go all out like this…!”

By looming over Yuu, I managed to intercept the descending slash with my right shoulder. He swung as if determined to kill, yet thanks to Asterion, my body has grown remarkably resilient. The blade dug in deep, and my right arm was nearly torn off—but Yuu was unharmed. Yes, using my body as a shield, I can take a hit like this.

I have that kind of resolve, too. Ever since I vowed to save her and show her hope, she’s the only one that matters in this moment.

“Thanks to that, my one arm’s practically useless now… but at this distance, taking him down is a piece of cake!”

Channeling every bit of strength into Asterion, which I gripped in my left hand, I drove it into the gap between his armors.

“You… bast—!”
“The price for my one arm will be paid by you too…!”

Asterion struck the armored bastard’s right shoulder precisely, and with all my might, I pressed it in and drove it through.
“Even if you ask for it back, it’s too late…!”

I infused magic into the pierced Asterion and, through ragged breaths, managed to chant:

“Enchant, [Expanding Sword]!”

Asterion’s blade spread out on both sides—a simple enchantment that normally would serve as a makeshift shield. Yet in this case, it proved to be a fatal blow. With the blade fanning out from inside his right shoulder, it reached upward and downward, effectively cutting from within. In other words, everything supporting his right arm—both the pierced part and beyond—was gone.

With a dull thud, the armored bastard’s right arm fell from his shoulder. Even as he grinned smugly, unflinching, I summoned the last of my strength to enchant Asterion with [Iron Mass Sword].

“You’re so damn stubborn!!”

I slammed it forcefully into his hard armor, sending him flying. Dust rose, and it looked as if he finally had come to a halt. Gasping on my shoulder, I staggered over and glanced at Yuu.

“You okay…?”
“I-It’s Kaim you’re worried about!! M-my right hand… if it stays like this, it’s gonna tear off…! And the bleeding’s awful…”
“I really overdid it… but after all the effort to help you, I can’t just let you die right away, can I…?”
“N-No, more than that, we’ve got to do something…!”

Yuu looked around in a fluster, but my right arm was already on the verge of being torn apart. With this, I can’t call myself the Sword Saint. As I chided my own reckless behavior, a thought struck me—am I really going to die like this?
“…If I die, I won’t be able to see that person again…”

At my murmured words—almost like delirium—Yuu asked,
“That person?”
Perhaps because my consciousness was already fading, I recalled my encounter with Asterion, and the person who entrusted this to me flashed through my mind.
“…Nio-san…”

When I uttered that name, even as my consciousness slipped away, I saw Yuu’s eyes widen. It looked like she was surprised—no, the emotion on her face felt ominously dark.
“…Damn it.”

But I couldn’t ask why. More than that, I knew that all promises and oaths would end in death. Knowing that was the only certainty, I could do nothing but curse as my consciousness finally slipped away.