Return of the Former Hero

Chapter 109. Former Hero. Goes Practice.

The next morning.

Kaan, the sound of wooden swords striking against each other echoing in the blue sky.

During our conversations, the tournament will be starting in less than a week and it’s been decided that we will be practicing with the Hero party like when we were in the Royal Capital.

I will also participate in the tournament but why should I train with the other participants?

On Leon’s part, I kinda understand why he doesn’t want to lose against the four heavenly kings after the tournament.

Moreover, I got the rewards for joining the training with Leon so it’s a good thing.

[Yo… to] (Haruto)

I lightly intercepted Leon’s wooden sword which he used all of his might towards me and parried it to the side and during that chance, I land a good kick on him from the side.

[Gu..!] (Leon)

Since he was knocked off-balance with my kick, Leon falls down and rolls on the ground.

[Oioi, you put too much strength into it!] (Haruto)

Yesterday, I said that he might get a hit on the target if he used all of his strength but when he’s thrusting it like that, it shows how he’s stupidly honest.

[I-I’m sorry.] (Leon)

Leon obediently apologizes and stands up.

However, he has no composure. Is he being impatient and can’t do anything about it?

I understand that Leon feels like he’s running out of options but he doesn’t need to beat himself up over it.

[Even if the magic is ineffective and it’s possible to hit using a physical attack, don’t you think you can use magic in a different way?

For example… Let’s see… This is a magic that I often to use. It’s not like I say that you should imitate it…] (Haruto)

After I said this, I turn around, facing Leon.

Leon noticed that I want to do something and he tried to set up his wooden sword in his hand.

After I confirm his preparation, I began to chant.

[Fire Ball] (Haruto)

I shot the Fire Ball aiming, not at Leon, but at the ground between me and Leon.

Naturally, BAAAM! The ground exploded at the impact, obstructing the view.

Then, during the chance where it’s hard to see, I use Restraint of Earth Bind without any aria.

Since Leon is falling back due the first explosion, I aimed my magic where he’s landing.

While I activate the Restraint of Earth Bind, I went through the smoke caused by fire ball.

In the place which I couldn’t see due to the smoke, there is the splendid appearance of Leon who was bound by my Earth Restraint.

Although the bindings did not completely restrain Leon, it’s already good since I could obstruct his movement even for a little.

It’s important to create a gap and strike a blow at the opening against the opponent in the match. It will determine victory and defeat.

I reduced the distance in one dash and thrust a wooden sword at Leon, who can neither dodge nor defend against it.

[Ka…ha] (Leon)

The Earth Restraint breaks because of my thrusting power into pieces and Leon is lightly blown away.

That was splendid. Everything went as I planned.

The current Hero is too simple. He still has a long way to go.

I think it’s better for Leon to remember some tricks, isn’t it?

[I guess that’s it. Caroin. I’ll leave Leon to you]

[Y-yes! Leon-sama, are you alright?] (Caroin)

Did I use too much power earlier?

Leon crouched down while fainting in agony, so I asked Caroin to treat him.

It can’t be helped if the opponent is a man. It might’ve ended up a bit too severe. It’s because I am a man after all.

After that, I see Caroin who’s running-up to Leon.

…Ouu.

Her breast shakes and jiggles.

Is it because Caroin is a younger sister? I didn’t realize it because the outfits that she wore but she is really outrageous.

By the way, I didn’t realize it in the Royal Capital back then, but there is a reason that I’m able to realize it this time.

The clothes.

When I decided to train the Hero party, the female members were obligated to wear special clothes that I have prepared only for training.

Frankly speaking, it’s gym clothes: bloomers.

At the race in Angel, I came up with this idea after I saw everyone in swimsuits.

The elementary school that I went to had used shorts so I haven’t seen any bloomers at all.

I haven’t seen the real thing but my heart was attracted to them. It’s really mysterious!

After that, on the way to this town, I asked Mina to create it and it just got finished only a few days ago.

As I asked to make spare ones for everyone and for reserves, I was able to prepare the outfits for Aura and Caroin too.

I can say that my judgment to make spare outfits was really fortunate.

[Healing Light] (Caroin)

Caroin, who ran up to the downed Leon on the ground, kneels sideways while in bloomers and casts recovery magic.

…. That’s good.

Even if there is an injured person among us, there are Mina and Celes who can use recovery magic. Honestly, I rarely get hurt.

It’s good.

I want to show my injured hand to Caroin. I want her to gently heal it with her recovery magic.

[Haruto-sama, does this place hurt? I’ll use recovery magic now.] (Caroin)

[Even without recovery magic, if you grab my hand, the pain will subside.] (Haruto)

[If it can be healed with my hand, please tell me anytime.] (Caroin)

[Thank you. Then, can you also heal my swollen lower part too…] (Haruto)

[Oh dear, it has swollen so much…! Is it alright?] (Caroin)

Rub rub

What the hell.

I am an idiot.

Well I guess I should try to receive an attack for once without avoiding it.

That is it. If that door will be opened again, I’ll asked Laurier to step on me later. (ED note: You know what this means. :D)

….

…. I think it might be a good plan.

No no, I should not think of anything weird during practice.

I must endure it. I am a rational man.

After that, Leon who was healed by recovery magic, repeatedly tasted hell for several times with recovery in between.

That’s too bad, Leon.

If you were from a battle-savvy race, you might be have been able to grow stronger today.

[Leon. Let’s end here for today. Please think of a plan to land a blow on me tomorrow.] (Haruto)

[Yes… I understand] (Leon)

Even if you say that you want to defeat the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King Army, there is no way to become dramatically strong as soon as possible.

I’m also getting stronger too.

Although we have exchanged blows for an hour or so today, Leon failed to land a hit on me.

Is it vexing? Leon seems very depressed.

I thought of doing something about it but let’s leave it to Caroin instead. It’s Caroin’s chance!

I am an adult so I can assist other people’s love relationship.

Therefore, please forgive me with my wild delusions.

After that, I head towards Aura who was exchanging blows with Sharon on the side.

[Ah Shisou! These clothes; I can move considerably easier!] (Aura)

[It’s simple and the design is suitable for the movement.] (Sharon)

When I approached them, Sharon and Aura stopped their movement and talked to me.

Of course.

Those are gym clothes after all.

Red bloomers are suitable for the red-haired Sharon.

For the black-haired Aura, deep blue bloomers suited her well.

Blue-haired Laurier too, deep blue bloomers… Wait, aren’t bloomers perfectly good for everyone?

No, but it’s true.

The exposed thigh; it’s really amazing.

Because the girls will be moving intensely, it’ll become candy for my eyes.

Due to her intense movement while exchanging blows, the bloomer digs in lightly and I can take a peek at the line of Aura’s underwear.

To fix it, Sharon thrust her forefinger to the bloomer and corrected the edge….

This is bad. I’m gazing at it.

I will never get tired of it even though I see it every evening. It’s because this is her after all.

Nude and half-naked: can you feel their charms?

From there, I joined the sparring with the female group for a while.

It is different from with Leon earlier: this time I was full of motivation when my opponent is a girl.

When I was sparring with Aura, sure I might have touched and felt a few places but it was beyond my control.

This is just a grappling technique so it can’t be helped. Such an excuse.

By the way, Leon and Yunikram didn’t spar with the female groups.

I will do it if it’s between men. I’m a man after all. (TL note: MC is explaining the reason)

Un, I repeat it although I understand that.

I’m such a small-hearted man.

But, I don’t want everyone’s skin being touched by other men except me. This also can’t be helped too.

Lastly, I’ll train Rithina about magic.

Although Rithina cannot use fire magic as usual but in exchange, her water magic is starting to get better.

Like usual, when she trains and shows me her water magic, Rithina suddenly talked in a small voice.

[Did anything change?] (Rithina)

Nn? Changed?

Eh, I see… I guess it’s about Leon.

Last night, when I was studying language with Rithina, she consulted with me about her uneasy feeling that she felt in daytime.

As a result of the thinking of two people at that time, we have reached one conclusion.

The sense of uneasiness that I felt.

It’s about how Leon firmly understood our movement.

In the morning, when he came to the room, Leon said to Rithina.

[I just arrived last night.] like that.

The day before, he said that he had seen us in front of the Coliseum so why did he know that we just arrived?

If he really went on ahead of us on his own, it’s very likely that he was able to investigate us.

When we had lunch, he had secured the seats for my new companions: Celes, Tanya and Kagura, to whom he should have met for the first time.

Even though he only saw Rithina in the morning, he had secured the exact number of seats for everyone to sit properly.

However, there are many excuses he can use.

When he saw us in front of the Coliseum, he learned about our numbers because we’re not spread apart.

When examining the hotel since the day I checked in, he knew our numbers as well.

It might be that Leon can also use the same magic like my Search.

There should be many possibilities if I raised my suspicion.

However, I can’t confirm them with Leon directly.

[Today’s feeling is like usual.] (Rithina)

[I see.] (Haruto)

When I answered her, Rithina only gave a short reply and she began to concentrate on practice magic again.

[What about the Holy Sword?] (Rithina)

When I thought about it, it seems that this is not the case.

[Th-that is also… I’ll let you know when I see it later.] (Haruto)

[Thank you.] (Rithina)

…..

This time, for real, Rithina began to concentrate on the practice.

As for the Holy Sword, we will know about it soon or later.

But, how come Leon can understand our movement? For what purpose?

Who is his target?

Is it me?

I certainly come from an unknown origin; the same as Leon. However, for the Hero himself to investigate…

Or is it because I’m stronger than Leon so I need to be observed?

Or is it Laurier?

Honestly, that girl is most likely the cause.

She tried to kill Leon’s group before.

He might be worried for leaving the Demonkins free like today.

However, I already said that I’ll be responsible for it. I wonder if it was too hard for all serious Leon to observe us in silence and check our movement.

No, is it because a man of unknown origin, who is stronger than him, is harder to be trusted?

Un. That may be the case. I felt it was like that.

I cannot think of anything else other than this even after I checked the other possibilities.

Well, it’s not like we did anything bad so far so why should I worry about it?

It’s better to be good, free-natured soul..

For the time being, I’ll put the matter regarding Leon at the back of my head and I will spend my time preparing myself for the tournament.