Chapter 71: Replica
Pope: “Well then, time to end the little test here. I shall start taking this seriously.”
The pope readies his sword.
Then, the form changes to a spear, the shape changed while retaining its luxurious design.
Looking at the weapons, you can tell it was made by the same person.
Naofumi: “It can transform!?”
Pope: “Of course, it is a legendary weapon after all. Sword, spear, and bow…… What shall I purify you with?”
Holy weapon of the Three Legendary Heroes……?
The power of Three Legendary Heroes merged together in to one weapon turns its fangs against the Hero of the Shield.
That is quite the composition.
Even if I tried to escape……Can it even be done against an opponent who wields such a weapon?
That shock-wave was too fast to dodge.
If he takes this seriously and uses a bow skill, it might even be impossible for Firo to escape……
Pope: “You see, our power from the believers is limited. So allow me to end this with a single blow.”
The knights are wholeheartedly supporting the Pope in the background.
The weapon was pointed towards us.
The replica spear shines and from the light transforms into a three-pronged spear.
Motoyasu: “…… High Class Skill, Brionac!?”
Hero of the Spear Motoyasu cries out.
It is probably a skill name from a game which Motoyasu has played.
That means this is a considerably high-class skill.
It would normally do an enormous amount of damage, will the skill kill us……?
Escaping is impossible, I have to block it…… Motoyasu and the others are unable to, only the shield can.
Is this move going to attack from all sides?
No matter what I have no intention of giving up.
Naofumi: “Firo!”
Firo: “Okay!”
Firo grasps my intention and throws me directly at the pope.
The moment the pope entered the range of my skill. I shouted its name.
Naofumi: “Shield Prison!”
A cage of shields imprisons the pope.
After I will use Change Shield (Attack) then Iron Maiden will surely kill him-
Pope: “……What kind of imitation is this?”
He didn’t even need to take a posture, the prison was destroyed merely by the skill’s after effect.
No way!?
No, I need to calm down and think about this.
The requirements to activate Iron Maiden weren’t met, and it’s my only other means of attacking.
I’ll just burn him with Self-Burning Curse.
However, he grips the spear and begins his attack.
I think not.
Naofume: “Firo, Throw Motoyasu at me!”
Motoyasu: “Eh!?”
Firo: “Okay!”
Motoyasu who hasn’t landed yet is hurled towards me by Firo.
Motoyasu: “Dowaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
Motoyasu shouts in panic while flying towards me at a high-speed.
Naofumi: “Motoyasu attack me!”
Motoyasu: “Ahhh!? Oh I see, okay!”
Motoyasu turns out to be quite sharp.
While I turn around Motoyasu readies his spear.
And with a thud the spear hits my shield.
That’s right.
This is good.
Motoyasu: “Meteor Spear!”
Next, Motoyasu releases his skill towards the Pope.
Pope: “Foolish.”
However, Motoyasu’s meteor spear was stopped by an unknown barrier around the pope.
Motoyasu: “What!?”
Naofumi: “Now try this!”
With me at the centre, the Self-Burning Curse flames fly out and engulfs the pope, Motoyasu is also hit.
The barrier surrounding the Pope suddenly vanishes and the flames–
Pope: “It’s useless!”
The believers accompanying the Pope immediately begin chanting in unison.
Knights: “””Our god commands the origin of power. I have read and deciphered a law of nature. Purify this curse with a miracle!”””
Knights: “High Class Purification Magic [Sanctuary]!”
The area was dyed pure-white and my Self-Burning Curse was instantly removed.
No way!?
Certainly the curse power conflicts with holy power.
Was I deceived into buying holy water? Oh well, it did do enough.
High Class Holy Water should still be required to completely cure the curse.
But instantly…….
Naofumi: “Air Strike Shield! Second Shield!”
Before reaching the Pope I called the shields as a foothold, Motoyasu and I both use it to back off.
It seems the flames that also burnt Motoyasu were purified.
There is nothing I haven’t used yet.
Naofumi: “Okay. Motoyasu’s companion heal us with recovery magic.”
Woman: “R-right! Tzuvait ?Heal!”
Motoyasu’s wounds healed considerably.
This is becoming quite useful.
What’s sad is that I’m forced to work with Motoyasu.
Pope: “Now then, are you finished with your farce? I would like to attack now.”
As the Pope begins to activate a skill, the tip of his spear glows.
Pope: “This is as far as you go. I bid the devil and the imposter good-bye.”
The spear shines even brighter than before and the pope smiles at us. His attitude is as if he completed an exorcism.
Firo: “Mel-chan!”
Firo instantly covers Melty. Raphtalia grasps my hand.
Motoyasu: “So this is it……”
Motoyasu mutters as if he has given up.
Malty: “I-I am going to become the queen of this country! How dare you be so rude-“
The bitch is screaming before death.
Motoyasu’s companions begin to lose their composure and breaks down crying.
Is there any possibility that I can withstand this?……
It’s sink or swim, with nothing to lose, I step forward.
Of course I would rather not defend those guys.
I just want to protect Raphtalia, Firo, and Melty, they are the ones who have believed in me.
I ready my shield and step forward.
Raphtalia: “I’ll accompany you.”
Raphtalia follows me as I step forward. With her hand on mine.
We’ve gotten this far together.
I was brought to this world against my will and became the devil of the shield, and was forced to buy a slave to become my fighting force.
Of course even to now there is no sense of guilt.
Still, even in those days she believed in me.
Naofumi: “I’m sorry……To bring you to such a place……”
Raphtalia: “No, Naofumi-sama I believe you can protect us all.”
Motoyasu: “……That’s right. I don’t know how the previous Hero of the spear was, but this is definitely one of his skills.”
Not yet, I will not be finished in such a place.
The chance to finally counter-attack the mastermind is right in front of me.
Brionac……I’m not sure which Celtic Myth it is from, but I will stop it.
The Pope raises the spear towards the sky–
Ren: “Hundred Sword!”
Itsuki: “Meteor Bow!”
Suddenly, a wave of swords and arrows rain down on to the Pope.
Pope: “What’s going on!?”
Since I broke down the Pope’s barrier, he was forced to stop casting his skill and twirl the spear around to deflect all the swords and arrows.
I turn my gaze to where the voice came from. There I see-
“Oh my. You two should have already been purified by the judgement of god, why are you here?”
Ren and Itsuki are standing in a line with their parties.
Ren: “Don’t just kill me off without my permission. In the first place did you even confirm our corpses?”
Itsuki: “That was a close call. I barely made it in time.”
Ren and Itsuki call out to us while preparing for battle.
Pope: “Oh dear, if there was even a need to confirm your bodies, then there would have been no reason to use that magic.”
I look to where the attack previously landed.
Certainly, there is a slim chance of even finding a corpse within the crater.
Not even a trace would remain.
But I endured it though.
When looking at Ren my body feels heavy.
The shield makes a commotion about who I should be directing my hatred towards.
The rage of the dragon is producing anger meant for Ren.
I have to endure it…… I cannot act violently now.
Motoyasu: “You guys, how did you……”
Motoyasu is looking at Ren and Itsuki like he’s looking at dead people.
Well Motoyasu isn’t wrong, it’s definitely strange that all the heroes have gathered in such a remote area.
The last time I saw them was in the opposite direction heading towards Silt Welt.
Ren: “A group called shadow helped us.”
Itsuki: “Yeah, it was a close call.”
Motoyasu: “Eh? Did a guy called shadow tell you about Naofumi’s whereabouts?”
Ren: “He said that he was on the church’s side.”
If I think about it, it’s strange that they’re able to predict our escape route and lay an ambush.
In other words, Motoyasu was able to pinpoint my location thanks to the help from the shadows on the Three Heroes Church.
We also met a shadow during out escape.
That reminds me……
Naofumi: “…… I was told the shadows are splintered.”
Ren: “Yeah, the shadows who saved our lives said they worked for the queen.”
I see, the queen’s shadows are collaborating.
I’ll assume that the shadows who helped Itsuki and Ren are from the queen’s faction.
Is this because the queen has a hostile relationship with the pope?
At least now the queen and the four heroes are hostile against the Pope and his Three Heroes Church.
However……These guys look like they came from an old weekly manga.
It’s like they were waiting for the perfect timing to appear.
The leader of the heroes side is Motoyasu.
The Arch-enemy position is me……? I’m not kidding.
Is it possible to clear up the misunderstanding if I had a companion character there? Like in the manga.
Unfortunately, I have no intentions of becoming a companion of Motoyasu or any of them……
Ren: “A punitive force will be arriving soon! Surrender quietly!”
Ren declares as if he already won.
However, the pope doesn’t seem to be worried at all.
Pope: “Our victory is certain no matter how many you bring. No matter what the armed forces bring they’re just numbers, its meaningless!”
The pope gets in position to activate his skill again.
Ren: “I wonder about that”
Itsuki: “Of course.”
The two heroes both shoot a skill at the pope.
Ren: “Meteor Sword!”
Itsuki: “Metero Bow!”
Arrows and Swords made of light head directly towards the Pope—
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