Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN)

15-35. Golden Knights' Deployment (3), Little Hero

※Not from Satou's perspective

"『Physical Reinforcement』, 『Herculean Strength』, 『Agility』, 『Concentration』"

Boy Knight Marientail buffed himself using his Skills.

The boy knight was being wary of the greater demon as they faced against each other, but the demon only looked at the boy knight gleefully, as if it had no intention to attack at all.

"I don't know what you're planning, but you'll regret that carelessness!"

『Are you ready now? I boredom.』

The boy knight used Flickering Movement and changed his course perpendicularly when he got close to the greater demon.

However, the greater demon is unaffected by the feint, it keeps its gaze at the boy knight.

The boy knight who had gotten right beside the greater demon recited the Command Word [Quick Increase], the holy sword in his hand shined and the boy's running speed increased fivefold.

The greater demon slightly smiled at the boy's actions.

For a greater demon, this much speed is as good as standing still.

The corner of the greater demon's mouth disgustingly lifted at the imagination of the boy's last moment.

"Acceleration Formation."

A light ring appeared in front of the boy knight, and then he explosively accelerated when he passed through it.

It was such a speed that made even the greater demon's kinetic vision lost him.

Moreover, the boy knight was not aiming to attack with a powerful large slash, but a stabbing technique that made use of his speed to its fullest.

But yet--.

『A simple acceleration equaling constant speed? I ridicule.』

--The boy knight which attacked at a speed that even made his outline looked blurred was intercepted by the greater demon's mere instinct.

The boy knight was blown away by its jet black tail, bouncing while breaking the stone pavements and crashed into the bookshelves of a bookstore, stopped moving.

The boy knight is hidden by the broken bookshelves and piles of old books.

『Now, entertain me more, I expect.』

Normally, one wouldn't have lived through a counterattack of a greater demon.

Even if they did, they'd probably be critically injured.

Even though that's the common sense, the greater demon's line of sight is unshakably fixed at the bookstore where the boy knight disappeared into.

Sure enough--a blue light jumped out of the white dust.

"WOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Responding to the boy knight's war cry, the holy sword he holds shines blue.

The greater demon doesn't counter the second attack and blocks him with its dark red great sword, the clash scatters blue and red sparks around.

『Lonesome struggle, I pity.』

Looking down at the boy knight who's wielding the holy sword with both his hand, the greater demon's free hand swings down.

Its poisonous claws are wet with abominable radiance.

"--He ain't alone!"

A good looking man who ran past the open space with Flickering Movement slashes the greater demon with trailing red light of Magic Edge.

The greater demon's tail counter attacks were all handled skilfully by the blond haired good looking man.

"Kigori-sama!"

"Yo, Marientail. Kept ya waiting!"

The one who has appeared as the boy knight's reinforcement is the strongest level 40 knight, pride of Seryuu City.

And--.

A huge lightning attacks the greater demon.

"Hehe, thanks to you buying time, Lightning Geezer got to launch a serious blow."

"This is Rindolf-sama's Ruin Thunder."

The thunderbolt cast by the chief magician Rindolf-shi known as Lightning Geezer made the greater demon stopped moving.

『Numbing surprise, I delighted.』

When the greater demon threw out its chest, its burnt skin scattered, and flawless skin appeared.

Even a surprise attack with advanced lightning magic is not effective against a greater demon.

『Quickly returning the favor, I swift attack.』

Jet black lightning released from the greater demon's horn extends toward Lightning Geezer who's on top of the castle's spire.

However, a wall of light that appears before the castle blocks the magic.

--It's a defensive wall created by the City Core.

The greater demon gleefully looks at the wall of light without minding about its attack getting blocked.

There are soldiers with magic cannons and fully equipped knights beyond the wall of light.

『Amusing toys, I call.』

The greater demon roared once and then a jet black circle was produced below it.

"That looks bad, let's stop him Sir Marientail."

"Yes!"

The two assaulted the greater demon while leaving blue and red trails of light.

◇

"D-damn! It can also use its scales along with tail!"

"Marientail! Evade them!"

The scales on the greater demon's body transform, attacking the boy knight's abdomen.

The blond man cut in there.

"Kigori-sama!"

"I can block this much with Vajra Body. Don't stop your hand, stop him no matter what it takes!"

The scales gouge the good looking man's armor and body, he's coughing blood from his mouth.

"Yes!"

The boy knight's effort at swinging holy swords while enduring his tears, and the desperate backing from the castle turn fruitless before long.

『Now, succumb to despair. I recommend.』

Various grotesque demons appeared from below the greater demon.

Countless lesser demons and insect rider mid demons riding insect monsters are arising from the magic circle that has expanded in the open space.

Lesser demons with wings fly in the sky and play around by crashing down on houses.

"It's like the gate to hell's opened."

While spilling blood from his lips, the good looking man's dark eyes are looking at the surroundings.

As a top level person in the territorial army, he understands that there is no force in Seryuu Earldom that can oppose this large of an army.

"W-we can't give up yet! Even if it's for a blink or an instant. We have to buy a bit of time!"

The boy knight encourages the good looking man.

The demons are looking at the scene while smirking and laughing as if it's an interesting show.

"--After that what then. Reinforcement from the royal family won't come. Even if they did, everything woulda been destroyed already."

"Wake up Kigori!"

A hot unyielding fist shakes the resigning good looking man up.

"It's not the kingdom's--Kuro-dono will come. Ane-sama will definitely make him move."

A small bit of hope burns inside the good-looking man's heart with those words.

"Kuro--the hero's follower eh."

And then, the round two of the despairing act between demons and knights began.

◇

"Martha-san, I wonder if the children at the orphanage are safe."

"It's alright, that place is as sturdy as a castle, knight Son-sama told me."

In a corner of the shelter under the inn, the maid little girl, Yuni and the daughter of the innlady, Martha are diverting their anxiety with little voices.

The neighboring people including the inn's guests are taking shelter here.

An especially loud thunderous sound resounds auspiciously.

After that, the outside becomes quiet.

"Maybe they've repelled the monsters?"

"Let's see for a bit."

"Oy! Stop!"

"I'm just gonna take a peek."

One of the evacuated men shakes off the people who try to stop him, he opens the basement door and peeks outside.

"Oy, how is it outside?"

The man who tried to stop him seemed to be worried about outside too, he asked the man who stopped talking.

However, the man kept silent and then something fell down from above.

"Ouch. What's this? It's sticky--UWAAAAAAAA"

When the man realized that the thing he held in hands was the head of the man who peeked outside, he screamed and threw it away.

The corpse of the man who lost his head fell down while spraying blood.

An even more menace comes to the basement that was dominated by scream and bellow.

With crunching sounds, the ceiling--the inn's floor is torn off, sunlight pour in.

Inside that light, somethings peek in, two black rods--no, they're the feelers of a huge insect.

The instant the feeler touched one of the men, the eye of a huge camel cricket appears in the torn ceiling and perceives everyone.

The feeler coils around Yuni and Martha who were in the corner of the room.

"GYAAAAAAA, help me father, mother, help help help help."

"H-help--Satou-san."

Martha and Yuni screamed, but only the inn couple dared to challenge the feeler.

Their desperate resistances end with them falling victims to another feeler.

"Let go of Yuni, nanodesu!"

A ball of light shining blue flying from afar pierces through the two feelers.

And then a white shadow that comes after the light ball catches the four people who were released from the feelers in the air.

"Lyuryu! Take care of Yuni and the others nodesu."

--ＬＹＵＲＹＵＲＹＵＵＵ.

A small knight clad in golden armor jumped off the white dragon.

"Sure Kill Magic Edge (Vorpala)--"

In the middle of speaking the technique's name, the golden knight attacks the camel cricket's black body.

The camel cricket's defensive wall that was shining dark red was broken in an instant, the body that was harder than steel was pierced through like it was made of paper.

"Punishment, nanodesu!"

The golden knight's sword that burst out in the sky is emitting blue light.

"H-hero-sama?"

"It's a little hero-sama."

The people who came out of the inn spoke that unanimously when they saw the golden knight.

--ＬＹＵＲＹＵＲＹＵＵＵ.

The white dragon circling in the sky informed that there were new enemies closing in.

"Lyuryu! Drop off Yuni and the others below nodesu."

--ＬＹＵＲＹＵＲＹＵＵＵ.

As instructed by the golden knight, the white dragon that's holding the inn family and the maid in its hand drop them down.

It was a soft gentle descent.

"Are you not injured nanodesu?"

"Y-yes, thank you--nanodesu? B-by any chance."

Yuni was going to guess correctly, but she stopped as the golden knight made a mouth zipper gesture.

Of course, Yuni didn't know a gesture from Japan's showa era, but she sensitively interpreted that it was, "Keep it a secret" and stopped talking.

"Hero-sama, please tell us your name."

"Pochi's name is Golden Knight Yellow nanodesu!"

"Golden Knight Yellow-sama! Thank you for saving us!"

Even though Yuni was intensely retorting inside her mind, "You said it! You said it, Pochi-chan!", she endured by smiling wryly in cold sweat.

And then, she spread the golden knight's false name, "Golden Knight Yellow" at the surrounding with an especially loud voice.

She's quiet the worrywart little girl.

"Did the others not come?"

"Zena went to the labyrinth nodesu. Pochi will go over there with Lyuryu to defeat the demon nodesuyo."

"So you've come to defeat the demon! Golden Knight Yellow-sama!"

Even while having headache at her friend's verbal slip, she conveyed the golden knight's actions to the surrounding people.

The admirable effort of Yuni who was gasping for breath didn't reach the natural airhead golden knight, it was over with her tilting her head cutely.

"Then, here it goes! Pochi will bring the souvenirs when she comes with Master nodesu!"

Yuni waves back at her friend who left while waving.

"Thank you for your covering, Yuni-chan."

"Eh, Satou--"

She looked at the familiar voice, but the one over there was an unfamiliar face.

However, the gentle pat on Yuni's head is of his from her memories.

"Yes, please stay normally next time."

"Right. We'll definitely do that."

That mysterious person gathered the people, created an underground shelter with earth magic and put up a powerful barrier.

It was such a splendid barrier whose sturdiness could be perceived even by untrained eyes that they could believe him when he guaranteed that even demon lords couldn't break it.

◇

『Is it over? I dissatisfied.』

The holy sword held by the rough breathing boy knight has lost its blue luster, the female magic soldiers he's protecting behind him have also used up all their magic power they can't even move.

The only one that can use magic now is a female wind magician.

The good looking knight Kigori who fought together with him has also left the stage with big injury, Garleon temple head Nebinen is desperately trying to save his life with healing magic behind a destroyed house.

".... ■■■■ Air Hammer"

The wind magic shot by the girl who has prepared to die vanishes without even reaching the greater demon.

『Composition too soft. I grading.』

The greater demon is looking down at the despairing girl, who puts both her hands on the ground, with eyes filled with joy.

People's despair and fear are a feast for demons like them.

In order to enjoy that, they continuously torment their opponents while leaving them alive.

"....　■■ Air Hammer"

A silver knight appearing in the sky casted a chant-shortened accelerated wind magic.

The magic that should have resulted the same like earlier reached the greater demon, showing enough power to make it step back several steps.

"<> Wind Stiletto!"

Receiving the same Holy Verse as the holy sword of kingdom's defense Claiomh Solais, seven stilettos released from the silver knight's hands are dancing in the sky while letting off clear sounds.

They attack the greater demon like birds of prey while creating blue trails of light.

『Are you a pupil of Ancestor King Yamato? I delighted.』

The greater demon gleefully handles every blades which attack like a skilled swordsman each.

"<> Wind Stiletto!"

『Two Holy Verses? I astonished.』

Holy Verse is one per one.

That's an absolute rule that even applies to the divine gift holy swords.

However, the black haired boy who made the stiletto will laugh it off if he hears that.

That difficulty is only a matter of putting several circuits in parallel.

The invisible vacuum blades spread on the stilettos are gradually cornering the greater demon.

Yet, even so, the differences between humans and demons are obvious.

Even though the holy swords dancing in the sky keep making many wounds, the decisive blow is still far away.

The silver knight begins to chant an attack magic to recover from the hopeless situation.

『Kukakakaka, suffer by the poison in the black blood. I pleased.』

The soldiers who inhaled the scattered blood of the greater demon are lying on the stone pavement while coughing blood.

Seeing that, the silver knight bites her lips under the helmet.

She holds down her feeling to save her coworkers by using ranged healing wind magic with her willpower.

The thing that she should do now is to repulse the greater demon.

And then she completed the spell up to right before the verse for the invocation.

The silver knight makes her next move before before chanting the last invoking verse.

"<> Wind Stiletto!"

Receiving the third Holy Verse, the seven stilettos shined brightly--they burst open from inside and turned into blue particles.

『It couldn't endure it? I ridicule.』

"Tempest"

Without minding the ridiculing greater demon, the silver knight recited the last invoking verse of the advanced wind magic that she had reserved.

Tempest-like wind rages with the greater demon in the center, golden trails of light appearing inside the wind shuts the greater demon inside the tempest like a cage.

Even the continuous attacks of its jet black arms from the inside only warped the golden cage, failing to break it.

It's a magic made by engrafting the secret technique of spirit magic Garuda into wind magic, a magic especially made for her.

『Kuhahaha! I pleased.』

The vacuum blades appearing inside the golden cage inside the tempest excruciate the greater demon.

Even with that much attacks, humans' magic isn't enough to defeat a greater demon. Normally that is--.

Twinkling blue sparkles can be seen inside the tempest.

The tempest changes before long, evolving into a different magic glistening with blue sparkles.

『You sacrificed a divine gift holy sword to defeat me! I commend.』

The greater demon shaved by the holy swords' grains disappeared into mist inside the tempest.

"It's thanks to magic and tools Satou-san gave me."

The silver knight mutters at the tempest without anyone to hear her.

A golden knight riding on a silver lesser dragon arrived beside her.

"Zena--not, nodesu. Err, err."

"It's Silver Knight Air remember. Golden Knight Yellow-san."

"That's right nodesu! Pochi wanted to say that nodesuyo!"

The silver knight hit her forehead with her hand, having the same feeling as Yuni earlier, but she quickly pulled herself together and heal the surrounding people with advanced wind magic.

"Pochi and Lyuryu defeated all the other demon people nodesu."

"As expected."

She said it lightly, but there aren't many people in the vast Shiga Kingdom that can defeat multiple flying mid demons in a short amount of time.

"Demon lord hasn't appeared yet nodesu?"

The golden knight made a dangerous remark while cutely tilting her head.

"Yes, it should be over with this."

If they appear that easily, people probably won't be able to live a peaceful life.

The two who have finished emergency measures by using magic descend to the ground.

"You've worked hard. Yukel."

"Ne, Ane-sama?"

"I'm a follower of Hero Nanashi, Silver Knight Air. I'm not your elder sister. Understand?"

"Yes! Ane--no, Air-dono."

The golden knight's ear twitches as she gazes at the conversation between siblings.

"--Someone is calling nodesu."

"Yellow?"

"Pochi will be going for a bit nodesu."

The golden knight rides on the white dragon and flies in the sky.

And she went to a backyard of a temple in Seryuu City.

◇

『Here you are--little hero.』

A little girl with honey colored hair is knitting corolla in the middle of a flower garden in the backyard.

The little girl smiles unsuitably of her age.

"Pochi is Golden Knight Yellow nanodesu. Hero is Master nanodesuyo?"

『No, you're a [True Hero]. Everyone just keeps it a secret.』

"Really nanodesu?"

The honest golden knight who doesn't understand doubt looks as if she comprehends the little girl while tilting her head.

『Yes, really nanodesu. That's why, I want you as hero to defeat the demon lord.』

"Bad demon lord nanodesu? Master told Pochi not to defeat good demon lords nodesu?"

The battle inside the underground labyrinth with her master floated in the golden knight's mind.

『It's a really bad weasel demon lord, so it's alright. Master will praise you if you defeat it.』

"Then Pochi will do her best nodesu! Pochi will call Zena now nodesu."

『No, you won't make it in time then. My hero is almost getting killed by the bad demon lord over there.』

"That's bad nanodesu."

After saying that, the golden knights stands on her Dragon Steed's, the little girl smiles satisfyingly.

A smile that would have made the golden knight's friends to prepare for battle against the little girl had they were here.

『You're going right away right?』

"Yes, nanodesu."

However, the pure golden knight who doesn't understand to doubt readily consents the little girl's request.

『I'll open the gate to the battlefield.』

A gate that looks similar to the temple's gate is opened before the golden knight and the white dragon.

A huge ruin dyed in white can be seen beyond the torn space.

『Go little hero. And save my hero.』

"Yes nanodesu! Pochi will work hard nodesuyo!"

The golden knight replied cheerfully and turned toward the battlefield together with the white dragon.