Chapter 48: You Idiot, I’m Going to Win This

To Ilyu, it must have been a sight so unbelievable, she would have doubted her own eyes.

A horde of bandits, rushing toward them from several hundred meters ahead.

And against such a mob, Karl lowered his sword and kicked off the ground with full force, leaping forward.

“…Huh?”

“TOOOH!!!”

Ilyu let out a dumbfounded sound at Karl’s inhuman leap.

With a shout, he struck.

Landing right in front of the enemy in one breath, Karl swung his sword in a fluid motion, releasing a circular slash.

“Crawling Fang Slash!”

The bandits, caught completely off guard by the sudden attack, were overwhelmed by the technique.

Karl’s sweeping slash, which crawled along the ground like a serpent, carved into the bandits’ legs from the knees down in mere seconds.

Without even understanding what had happened, the bandits collapsed where they stood, their legs severed.

Then, realizing that blood was gushing from their feet, they let out pained screams.

---

“…What was that just now?”

“That’s one of Karl’s specialty soft strikes. He used it back in Rewin too, when he took out those thugs.”

The slashes rippled across the ground like blossoming flowers.

I was captivated by the beauty of a technique I’d never seen before.

“…He aims below the knee, so it’s a move that rarely kills.”

“But if he uses it a second time, it’ll slice the wounded who’ve already fallen into pieces. So it’s a one-shot-only kind of move.”

“Besides, you can dodge it just by jumping… It’s a ‘first-sight killer’ move.”

Hmm. I see.

If just jumping is enough to avoid it, then yeah—it’s the very definition of a first-sight killer.

“But with that, he took out about half of them.”

“With that many gone, hand-to-hand should be enough to mop up the rest.”

Some had dodged the attack by instinct. Others had simply been outside the slash’s reach.

Facing them, Karl sheathed his sword and clenched his fists.

“Apparently, Heroes get absurdly powered up by the Goddess. So even in a fistfight, he’s not going to lose easily.”

Right after Maika said that, a bandit went flying through the air from a brutal kick.

Yeah, when it comes to combat, Karl really is something else.

He really does seem like he could handle this all on his own. As expected of a chosen Hero.

“…Which is also what worries me, though.”

---

“────It’s fine. I’m strong.”

Karl, the young man, confirmed that truth as he rampaged through the bandits.

────I’m the chosen Hero. Be confident.

In Rewin, Karl had suffered a heavy loss.

Drunk and unconscious, he failed to save most of Sakura’s family.

────If I fight, I can win. This is my role.

During the final battle at Yowin, Karl could do nothing.

He had wanted to destroy the turret before the third shot, but was blocked by the monster guarding below and allowed the bombardment to happen.

It was a relief that the town was saved.

Seeing the people smile was a wonderful thing.

…But Karl hadn’t been involved in that result at all.

His clenched fist slammed into a bandit’s solar plexus.

The bandit was blown several meters back and lay still.

Right now, in Resal, a city in the throes of a coup, the one protecting it isn’t anyone else.

It’s Karl himself.

“How about it, huh?! Come at me!!”

He roared fiercely.

Normally a laid-back, joking kind of guy, Karl’s tone became wild and rough only when he fought.

Perhaps it was his way of desperately rousing himself.

“You bastards—get ready to pay! Apologize in tears to the people you’ve hurt!”

His speed was beyond what an average warrior could follow.

Already possessing high physical ability, Karl had received a divine enhancement buff directly from the Goddess.

An overwhelming physical buff, incomparable to ordinary body enhancement magic. A power that erases the difference between humans and demons—granted only to the Hero.

A Hero, by their very existence, is a monster beyond human.

And on top of that, Karl was granted a divine ability called “Absolute Severance.”

It’s likely that no human alive could beat him in a one-on-one duel.

“…Mm!”

But—there was one flaw.

All of Karl’s blessings were focused entirely on attack power, and his durability was no different from that of a normal human.

“A wound…?”

A sudden, dull pain struck Karl. Instinctively pulling back his arm, he leapt away from the spot.

Looking at his arm, blood was slowly trickling down.

“Who did that?!”

Somehow, Karl had been cut. A deep gash, several centimeters long, had appeared on his upper arm.

He confirmed his tendons were intact and scanned the area with a grimace.

“Yo, sword bro!”

“Hell yeah, that’s our guy!”

“……”

A piercing, frigid glare hit Karl.

In the direction the attack had come from stood a silent swordsman—black-haired, wordless, with a short sword at the ready.

“Damn you…!”

Had Karl reacted just a second slower, he might have lost his entire arm.

That’s how fast and sharp that swordsman’s strike had been.

“……”

“You’re first. I’ll take you on!”

Karl’s instincts told him this swordsman couldn’t be ignored.

His stance was quiet, his posture light. Clearly not a typical warrior.

Drop your guard for even a moment, and this man might take your head. He was probably the strongest fighter among the bandits.

So Karl kept his guard up, anticipating every move—and stepped forward.

“────Huh?”

“……”

Just as he moved to kick off the ground, Karl realized something was pressing into his chest.

A dagger—pointed right at his heart.

…No wind-up. No warning.

The silent swordsman had slipped into Karl’s range without any preliminary motion and simply pressed the blade to his chest.

“Y-You—!”

“……”

If Karl kicked off the ground now, the dagger would plunge deep into his heart.

He barely managed to stop his pivot foot and instead fell backward. Thanks to the abrupt shift in direction, the dagger missed his chest.

But Karl didn’t have the balance to recover.

His pivot foot shot out at an odd angle, and his head slammed into the ground.

“Gah—!”

“……”

The swordsman wasn’t about to waste that opening.

“…Prepare yourself.”

“Ggh!?”

The moment Karl’s vision flickered from the blow, the swordsman straddled him and raised the dagger toward his throat.

The blade slowly drew closer to his neck.

A single slash—and the Hero would fall.

“I won’t allow it, of course!”

“…!”

But things wouldn’t go that smoothly. Karl had allies—many of them—waiting behind him.

Just in time, Irine, the noble young lady and Karl’s companion, sensed his danger and broke in with a dropkick.

Even from a petite girl, a full-body-weight kick was enough to send someone flying.

The swordsman had no choice but to leap back and break away from Karl to avoid being hit.

“You’re the ones ganging up—don’t go calling this cowardly!”

“I-Irine! Sorry, you saved me.”

Karl had narrowly escaped death. A moment later, and he would’ve been a headless corpse.

Grateful for Irine’s intervention, Karl scrambled to his feet.

“…Damn it!”

But his face was dark with frustration.

After boldly declaring he could handle it alone… this was the result?

“My turn now!!”

Before he could even breathe a sigh of relief, Karl was already shouting, furious—at himself.

His strength was supposed to be his worth. And yet, he’d nearly been killed—not by the Demon King, not by a legendary monster, but by a mere bandit. It was humiliating.

Clutching his sword again, Karl let out a roar, channeling frustration into fire.

This time, he wouldn’t slip up. He’d cut them all down.

“…Karl, your motion is a bit too wild, don’t you think?”

“Huh…?”

She saw right through him.

Still facing the enemy, Irine spoke softly, not even glancing his way.

“You’re a kind person. I imagine you’re working yourself up like this just to throw yourself fully into battle, aren’t you?”

“Ah, well…”

“But if you let that wild motion run unchecked, it’ll only turn toxic.”

Her voice was calm, almost gentle.

Those soft words wrapped around Karl’s shaken heart like a balm.

“You have many comrades behind you. You mustn’t try to take everything on alone.”

“B-But…”

“Karl. Your life doesn’t belong to you alone. If you fall, we all suffer.”

It wasn’t a rebuke—just clear, quiet guidance.

Her voice remained steady.

“If you truly care about us, then command us. Guide us wisely so we all survive. That is what it means to be a leader.”

“…I see.”

“You’re our core. If you leaned on us more, you’d find more room to breathe. Please—don’t drown in your emotions. Stay calm.”

“Mm…”

Chastened by the sharp-eyed noblewoman, Karl’s anger began to settle.

Yes. She was right. Just now, he had nearly lost himself.

“…Yeah. You’re right. Thanks, Irine.”

“You’re quite welcome.”

Next time, he’d stay calm. Next time, he’d strike without hesitation.

He had to take down that swordsman. Cleanly. Without fail.

With his emotions under control, Karl looked toward the enemy once more—

“──What…”

And saw the black-haired swordsman already right in front of Irine.

“…Mages go first.”

“Wha…?”

By the time he realized, it was too late.

Even Irine—who had been keeping her eyes on him—couldn’t react to the swordsman’s sudden charge.

She instinctively crossed her arms to protect her core, but the enemy’s slash was faster.

“Ugh, I have to—defend—”

“Too slow.”

Ah. What a fatal mistake.

Karl had drawn her in.

He’d dragged Irine—a mage meant to stay in the rear—into the frontlines with him.

If they had formed up properly as a party from the start, this never would’ve happened. But because of his carelessness, this twisted formation had—

──Shunk.
A dull sound echoed across the battlefield.

And Karl saw it.

The moment the silent swordsman’s dagger cut through Irine’s throat—

──

A dull thud echoed as something heavy hit the ground. Wet, sickening splashes trickled down, soaking the area around Karl’s feet.

Like a gruesome fountain of blood, the noble girl’s neck twisted at an unnatural angle before she pitched forward, collapsing to the ground.

The light faded rapidly from her eyes.

“Irine!!!”

Irine lay facedown, her neck blown halfway off.

A grotesque gurgling noise bubbled from the noble girl’s mouth, where only a strip of flesh still connected her head to her body.

“You’re next.”

“Y-You bastard!!!”

When killing a mage, you crush their throat. That’s the basic tactic in this world. The swordsman had simply followed that rule to the letter.

“Aaaahhhh!!!”

Karl, who had once calmed himself, now erupted again in fury at the death of his comrade.

Irine was killed. Because of his own pathetic weakness, he had lost someone dear to him.

For Karl, that was more painful than being torn apart.

And now, there was no sharpness in Karl’s blade.

He swung his sword wildly, blindly—just a thug lashing out in rage.

There was no chance of victory against this bandit swordsman, a man of exceptional skill.

“Locked on, baby♪”

None of it mattered anymore.

He would kill this swordsman. He would use the Hero’s power, drag the other bandits into it, and turn this place into a slaughterhouse.

Just as Karl teetered on the edge of that vile hatred, he heard that obnoxiously cheerful voice.

“Fire!”

“YAAAH!!”

With that resounding war cry, a rain of arrows showered the spot where the bandit had stood.

“Tch.” Clicking his tongue, the stoic swordsman leapt back, putting distance between himself and Karl.

“You guys, move in! Save that adventurer!”

“We’re not letting a hero of this town die on us!!”

The cheerful voice multiplied, swelling into a chorus of shouting as the newcomers charged forward.

Karl turned, stunned, toward the direction the arrows had flown from—and saw them.

“UOOOOOOOH!!!”

When had they arrived?

Perplexed by the unfamiliar war cries, Karl looked around.

And there they were, thundering in from behind him—a mighty force bearing down, shaking the earth.

“Adventurer, well done holding the line! The Ressal Vigilante Corps has arrived!”

“You bastards, wipe those criminals off the face of the earth! Everyone—charge!!!”

“Oooooooooh!!!!”

Heavily armored warriors let out ferocious battle cries as they surged onto the battlefield.

They were seasoned fighters who, had it not been for Korippa’s tyranny, would still have been safeguarding peace in Ressal.

In fact, they were none other than the vigilante members who had just moments ago been freed from the slave market.

---

“She’s still got a chance—I’ll handle treatment!! Karl, secure the perimeter!”

“Sakura!”

“Oh, come on!! That girl, always doing something reckless!!”

Almost frenzied, the chestnut-haired noble girl skidded to a stop beside Irine.

This was Sakura—a specialist in external injuries and a master of healing magic.

“Master, Ilyu! You’re my assistants. Get the bandages and antiseptic!”

“On it, milady!”

“R-Right! Don’t die, Miss Irine!”

While issuing rapid-fire instructions, Sakura opened her kit and got to work.

Karl, as ordered, stood guard and kept any straggling bandits at bay.

“…We made it in time. Seriously, she should be grateful. The moment she dashed out toward the bandits, I got a bad feeling and went to get the vigilantes.”

“Maika, that was you?! I—I owe you. Big time. Thank you.”

The one responsible for this miracle-timed rescue was Maika.

After watching Karl charge off so confidently, she’d felt uneasy—and slipped away on her own to alert the vigilantes of Ressal.

“Yeah, she’ll be fine. Irine will pull through.”

“That’s a relief… But Maika, how did you know I was going to screw up?”

“When you’re full of yourself, you always screw up. Childhood friends know everything.”

With a huff, Maika gave Karl a solid kick in the rear.

Karl wasn’t weak. Far from it—his combat ability was among the best humanity had to offer.

But mentally, he was hopelessly average. Get cocky, and he’d fumble. Drop his guard, and he’d get hurt.

At his core, Karl was just a kind, good-natured guy—not exactly the steely hero type. And no one knew that better than Maika.

“There’s the wanted man—‘Silent Blade Ray’! He’s a big name!”

“Don’t engage in close combat! Take him down from a distance!”

The swordsman who had nearly taken Karl’s life was apparently a well-known criminal.

The vigilantes knew better than to face him directly. They peppered him with arrows, forcing him back with sheer volume.

“…Tch.”

“Don’t let him get close! Keep firing!”

Even someone as deadly as that swordsman couldn’t withstand a barrage from all sides. Scowling, he retreated, step by step.

“Smart fighters. They know how to deal with a stronger opponent.”

“Hmph.”

“You, on the other hand, charged him head-on. Your physical strength is higher than his—you should’ve focused on dodging, maintained your distance, maybe used flying slashes or something. If you had, I could’ve helped from the back with my bow.”

Exactly.

Had anyone taken a closer look, they’d have realized that swordsman carried no ranged weapons. He relied entirely on swordplay—a disgraced swordsman with nothing but his blade.

As long as you didn’t meet him head-on, even Karl could have taken him.

“Well, at least it was a good learning experience. Next time, think before you act.”

“…Mrrgh.”

The enemy’s swordsmanship was tailored to fighting humans—not monsters. Even with Hero-level strength, Karl was at a disadvantage in a direct duel like that.

That—more than anything—was the reason for his near-defeat.

“…This isn’t going our way. We’re pulling out.”

“Damn it!! Next time, we’ll kill every last one of you!!”

Eventually, the bandits turned tail and fled in frustration.

The Ressal Vigilante Corps had performed brilliantly. Even without support from the lord and with worn-out equipment, they’d proven their mettle.

They had assessed the enemy’s capabilities perfectly—and with precise coordination, drove the bandits off.

“Don’t pursue too far! We can’t take Silent Blade Ray down ourselves!”

“Pick off any stragglers! Thin their numbers!”

“This is our victory—sound the call!!”

Thanks to their timely arrival, the tide had turned swiftly and decisively.

Meanwhile, Irine’s treatment was finished. Now resting with her head in Sakura’s lap, she slept peacefully, her breathing steady.

“Whew… that was nerve-wracking.”

“You did great, milady.”

And so, the defense of Ressal ended in victory.

Though Karl hadn’t claimed the glory he’d hoped for, it had been a battle rich in hard-earned lessons.

Even a chosen Hero like Karl was still young—and inexperienced. Perhaps he had been blinded by the power gifted to him.

He had comrades. He didn’t have to win every fight alone. With their help, even overwhelming enemies could be defeated.

It was such a simple truth—but one he’d only truly understood because of them.

---

“…Hey. Now that I think about it—where did Lev go?”

As he let out a breath of relief after the battle’s end, Karl suddenly noticed something felt off.

Lev wasn’t anywhere to be seen.

“Has anyone seen Lev?”

“Huh? No idea. I was off calling the vigilantes.”

“She was nearby until just a bit ago, wasn’t she?”

Lev, the youngest member of the party—and the only other close-combat fighter aside from Karl.

And yet, not once during this battle had Karl seen her face. Knowing the Lev he did, she would’ve joined the vigilantes and helped take down the bandits without hesitation.

It was strange. Too strange.

“Don’t tell me she was captured! Hey! Lev!!”

Growing anxious, Karl began shouting around. Maybe she just happened to be out of sight. Maybe she was right nearby, just hidden. That hope kept him calling.

“Lev? Lev… Ah, there she is, Karl—over there.”

“Over there?”

“Look, near the town’s entrance.”

Maika, always sharp-eyed, was quick to spot her.

When Karl looked, he saw a familiar girl standing silently in the distance near the entrance to Ressal.

“She hasn’t moved an inch, it seems.”

“…I see. Maybe even Lev was scared of the killing?”

“She might’ve never seen humans kill each other before.”

Karl let out a sigh of relief, finally spotting his missing comrade.

So she hadn’t joined the fight because she’d chosen not to. If she was afraid, that was understandable. She was still a young girl—an age where she should’ve been under her parents’ protection.

Who could blame her?

“I’ll go get her.”

“Thanks.”

Karl reminded himself to speak gently.

She was the only one who hadn’t joined the fight. For Lev, that probably felt like a heavy burden.

It’s okay—you were scared, right? He prepared those words in his heart as he slowly jogged over to where she stood.

────

“…Why.”

Karl immediately noticed it—Lev’s eyes were brimming with delicate, heartbreaking tears.

“Hey, Lev…?”

“…Why? Why…”

Lev didn’t even glance at Karl as he approached. She stood there, frozen, staring in a daze at the fleeing bandits.

As tears trickled down and splashed onto the ground, Lev reached a trembling hand forward, as if searching for something, and whispered:

“…Big brother…”

And at the end of that outstretched hand, Silent Blade Ray was fleeing into the mountains, leading the bandits with him.