Vol 1 Chapter 42 – Hmph, I’ve Been Waiting for You

A shockwave shot high into the sky.

It split the clouds and shook the earth.

It was powerful enough to make one think a small earthquake had occurred, and the people of the city cried out in surprise.

Fortunately, however, most of them assumed it was a natural phenomenon, not a man-made disaster.

Even in a city close to the front lines with the demons, it had been peaceful for a long time thanks to the heroes’ prestige.

As a result, the residents of this city had grown a bit complacent.

Thus, it never occurred to them that such a thing could have been perpetrated by a single man.

“Ughh… my stomach hurts, nya… Why am I the one suffering from a stomach ache when I have nothing to do with this…?”

Clutching her stomach, the one moving swiftly with the nimble movements of a cat beastkin was Ruru.

Even in a large crowd, the fact that she could deftly leap about without bumping into anyone was nothing short of impressive.

However, she was in no state to be proud of her agility; she could only pray that her suspicions were wrong.

“Besides, that goddamn man. Saying it’s none of his business and refusing to move… he’s a disgrace to the name of hero. I wish I could’ve done the same.”

The heroes had heard the massive tremor while they were in the middle of the Hero’s Council.

The first to act were Antares and Melia.

Each of them had shot out of the room alone.

Alan, on the other hand, showed no signs of moving.

“You guys are here, so just handle it,” he had said with a smug grin.

Just remembering it was infuriating. He can go die.

“Those are not very hero-like words.”

Running alongside Ruru was the hero, Lois.

Despite her face being hidden by a veil, there was no hesitation in her movements.

It must be hard to move in that thing. She should just take it off, Ruru thought.

Or maybe she had a reason she couldn’t show her face to others.

…Now that’s something I’m really curious about!

Ruru, it seems, did not know the saying that curiosity killed the cat.

“I’m more surprised that you decided to move.”

To be blunt, the only hero of the current generation who acted like a proper hero was Melia.

Both Ruru and Alan just did as they pleased.

Though in the former’s case, she hadn’t been able to do as she pleased at all lately, thanks to being captured by a certain weirdo.

Antares also did hero-like things, but her methods were so unhinged and extreme that she didn’t count.

She didn’t act on her own desires, yet she didn’t act altruistically like a hero either.

That was Lois.

Ruru had thought for sure that Lois would stay put this time as well, claiming it had nothing to do with her, but that wasn’t the case; she was running right alongside her.

“Is that so? I believe I am more diligent in my hero activities than you are.”

“Ahh, that might be true.”

In any case, Lois handled more hero work than the freewheeling Ruru.

There was nothing particularly unnatural about it, so she gave a simple nod.

“Besides, I don’t think we even need to go. Melia and Antares already headed out at top speed.”

“Then why are you going?”

Melia would probably try to resolve everything neatly and cleanly.

Antares would probably smash everything to bits and feel refreshed.

Their processes were polar opposites, but the result would be the same: the problem would be solved.

So, normally, Ruru should have just left it to them and wandered off somewhere on a whim.

But this time, she couldn’t.

The reason, of course, was that pervert.

“…I just have a bit of a hunch…”

“A hunch?”

“N-no, it’s just that. It’s not like it’s a sure thing. There’s still hope. I mean, it’s just likely, probably, maybe, almost certainly his fault, but—”

“I don’t think you can call that ‘having hope left.’”

Lois’s words stabbed into Ruru like daggers. Shut up, be quiet. There is still hope.

As long as you believe, you will be rewarded.

Ruru believed it, strongly and firmly.

The site of the explosion was already close. Believe! Believe!

Believe that my stomach, the stomach of a freewheeling hero, will not be tormented any further!

“Oooohhhhhhhhh, I’m begging youuuuuu! Godddddddd! Pleeeeease!!”

Ruru, praying to God for the first time, rounded the corner and saw the scene.

“Hmph, I’ve been waiting for you, Ruru.”

“Aaaaaaaahhhhh…”

There stood Alvarado, holding his rubble-encrusted Holy Sword and wearing a smug look on his face.

The surrounding area had been destroyed beyond recognition.

For the record, Alvarado had only swung the Holy Sword a single time.

Ruru collapsed to her knees.

It was you after all…

◆

The reason Rayfia was no longer at the scene was that she had used the incredible force of Alvarado’s strike to launch herself far away.

She had intentionally created distance.

There was no way she could engage in close-quarters combat with a monster like that.

So, she had praised herself for the successful maneuver, despite sustaining some injuries, but… the gods had forsaken her.

“Well, well, a demon in a place like this. I suppose it’s time to take out the trash.”

Appearing before the Heavenly King of the Demon Lord’s army was not the man whose infamy alone was spreading, but the woman whose infamy, face, and everything else were widely known—the one renowned as the worst of the heroes.

【The Bloodstained Hero】 Antares.

Her eyes, which held no trace of a smile, were thick and murky. She wore a broad grin as she slowly, deliberately closed in on Rayfia.