Chapter 62: Ressal Showdown – The Betraying Swordsman

The boss of the Villain Clan—a sorceress.

Karl stepped into sword range and held his blade low.

“You’re ready for this, aren’t you?”

『You’ve got to be kidding me.』

To the sorceress, it must’ve felt like a nightmare.

With a single-man charge, her entire defensive line had been broken, and she’d been cornered into checkmate.

In the end, Karl’s assault hadn’t been a diversion—it was the main offensive.

『My entire collection… annihilated. Ugh, it pains me. Is this what humans do?』

“Oh? Didn’t expect someone like you to start talking about humanity, scum.”

Behind Karl, a large number of bandits still stood hesitantly at the ready.

But what could they do? The man before them was, in every sense, a one-man army.

No matter how many grunts they threw at Karl, there was little hope of victory.

『Ah, how hateful. I curse you, Karl!』

“Curse me all you want. I’ve already been blessed by the goddess. A wretch like you—your curse doesn’t scare me in the slightest.”

『Truly, how hateful.』

With that, Karl quietly lowered his gaze.

He steeled himself to face the boss of the Villain Clan.

“I’ll cut you down.”

And with that, the woman was cleaved in two from the head down.

Warm blood sprayed out.

Her limp body, drained of life, collapsed to the ground, staining the grass and trees red.

“…It’s over.”

The leader of the Villain Clan had just been struck down.

If what Maika said was true, then most of the Villain Clan should now return to the earth as corpses.

“…?”

But looking around, nothing had changed.

The bandits were still bandits. Though shaken by the loss of their leader, they remained on their feet, still moving.

Still, a win was a win. Karl sheathed his sword and, glaring at the surrounding enemies, began heading toward Ryoga.

『Hand… over… your body…!』

“!?”

A repulsive voice rang in Karl’s head, and he immediately jumped back from the spot.

Frantically, he scanned his surroundings—but no one was there. Only the corpse of the sorceress lay at his feet.

“You’re still alive!? Where are you—!?”

『Kihihihihi… Did you really think I’d die so easily?』

He had definitely cut her down.

And yet, her presence still lingered in the air.

…That woman wasn’t dead yet.

『It was about time I changed bodies anyway. That fine flesh of yours—I’ll be taking it.』

“What…?”

The way she spoke made it sound like she had survived all this time by hopping from one body to another.

A terrible thought crossed his mind. If he stayed here, something irreversible would happen.

Karl instinctively tried to retreat—

“!!”

A jet-black smoke erupted from the ground, engulfing Karl entirely.

An indescribable sense of disgust began eating away at his body. It felt like someone—or something—was trying to control him from within—

“You… don’t tell me…!”

『Too late now! There’s no escape! Kihihihihi!』

Taking control of the body of someone she killed—that was how this sorceress had survived until now.

The logic was simple. As a necromancer, she used necromancy that she had preemptively cast on herself while alive to manipulate her own dead body.

An undead genius—her necromancy had grown more refined over the years, and eventually she had built a vast evil force all by herself.

And now, Karl was taking the full brunt of that cursed necromancy—

“…Huh. I feel nothing.”

『!?』

The smoke was repelled by some invisible wall, leaving Karl unharmed.

『…What is this? Why can’t I take over your body…?』

“Hmm. Seems like whatever that was doesn’t work on me.”

『Just what are you? It’s as if you’re already possessed… by someone…!』

The voice, filled with resentment, lashed out at Karl—

“Huh? You think I’m already possessed by someone?”

『No… If this keeps up, I’ll really disappear… I’ve got no choice…』

Her voice grew faint, and she quietly vanished from around Karl.

Apparently, the spirit had failed to possess him and fled.

“She ran, huh? Damn freak won’t die even when you kill her… What do you even do about that…”

“You’re an idiot. Just hit her once with Irine’s magic.”

“Waaah!? M-Maika!?”

A monster that tries to persist even after being cut down by possessing another.

As Karl stood there, lost on how to deal with such a being, someone suddenly spoke to him.

“Hey, you guys made it. Thank god you’re alright.”

“You too, Karl. You did great.”

Looking over, Karl saw that Maika and the vigilantes had returned, turning back after witnessing his charge.

---

“How’s Ryoga?”

“…He’s in a state of mental collapse. His life’s not in danger, but…”

“No sign of recovery, huh?”

Sakura examined Ryoga with a troubled expression.

No matter how much they shook him or pinched his arm, Ryoga didn’t move a muscle.

He only showed the bare minimum reflexes required to be considered alive.

“As for this one… Irine’s just unconscious, right?”

“Strangely, her mind seems untouched. She was hit with forbidden magic for quite a while, though.”

“That’s Irine for you—strong heart.”

Meanwhile, Irine—whom Sakura had confirmed wasn’t brainwashed—mumbled in her sleep with a dreamy smile, muttering, “Springy and juicy…”

“Setting Irine aside, Ryoga’s in pretty bad shape.”

“When the mind breaks, it’s no different than death. No wonder that magic was labeled forbidden.”

“No use complaining… We’ll figure out what to do with Ryoga later.”

With that, Maika cut the conversation short and stood, lifting Ryoga onto her back.

“I’ll carry Ryoga. Can the vigilante corps go ahead and secure the route?”

“Understood.”

“Karl, you guard our rear. The bandits are still hanging around, watching us.”

“They won’t dare come close as long as I’m here. Alright, I’ve got it.”

And so, with Karl guarding the rear, they began their steady return to Ressal.

The vigilante corps led the way, followed by Maika, and then the master carrying Sakura and Irine.

“See any sign of Lev?”

“She was around when Ryoga charged in, but… we lost sight of her. No need to panic—if Irine wakes up, I think we can bring her back.”

That left only one objective: rescuing Lev.

Truthfully, they wanted to go look for her immediately—but securing an escape route came first.

Karl kept a sharp eye on their surroundings as he watched over the group’s retreat.

“…Nngh.”

“Ryoga?”

About five minutes had passed when a soft groan came from Maika’s back.

“Everyone, wait—Ryoga just…”

“What? He’s already conscious again?”

Ryoga began to stir, groaning and shifting slightly.

Maika gently lowered him to the ground and helped him sit up.

“…Hey, you okay? You alright?”

“Ow… Damn, my head feels like it’s splitting.”

“You can already talk?”

Clutching his head, Ryoga let out a painful groan.

But it was clear—his consciousness had returned.

“Sorry, guys. I made you worry. That spell really knocked me out.”

“C-Captain… You alright?”

“Somehow. I am your captain, you know. Don’t go underestimating Ryoga.”

Sakura let out a quiet gasp.

…He still seemed to be Ryoga. Sayori—the version who had no memory of losing her brother—wasn’t present. This was the “fake” Ryoga, for now.

“I’m good. I can walk.”

“You were hit with a forbidden spell. Don’t go pushing yourself.”

“Hah, forbidden spell? That all? Wasn’t so bad.”

Ryoga stood up smoothly, without stumbling.

His footing was solid—he really had recovered.

“Wow, that’s Ryoga for you. Back on your feet already.”

“Karl, huh? You too—you took out all those beasts like nothing. Didn’t expect that… in a good way.”

“You kept your promise too. Thanks for that.”

“Promise? Oh yeah, that. I’m a man who keeps his word.”

Ryoga and Karl exchanged grins.

So thoroughly immersed in the role of “Ryoga,” the young warrior clasped hands with Karl like brothers-in-arms.

“…Hey, Ryoga. Are you really okay?”

“What’s up, princess?”

Sakura gently took Ryoga’s hand, worry on her face.

He had been mentally shattered, with little hope of recovery. The most likely reason he had bounced back so fast… was because he’d forgotten he was ever Sayori.

If that memory returned—if he remembered being Sayori—he’d likely collapse again.

“Irine’s one thing, but you were seriously injured. You should really let someone carry you.”

“Oh my, Maika.”

Maika jumped in, agreeing.

It was rare to hear her worrying about someone, and Karl looked surprised.

“I’m the worse off one? C’mon, Irine’s still out cold. That’s gotta count for something.”

“Idiot, Sakura said you were worse off. Here, I’ll carry you. Come here.”

With a sly grin, Maika pulled out a rope.

“If you don’t want to be tied up and dragged, you better behave.”

“H-Hey, that’s a bit much.”

“What, not into ropes? You strike me as more the tying-up type than the tied-up kind.”

“Please stop. I don’t have any kinks like that, thanks.”

Still wearing her intimidating smile, Maika slowly approached, rope in hand, ready to tie him up.

Realizing she wasn’t joking, Ryoga broke into a cold sweat and began backing away—

“Tch, like hell I’m letting myself get tied up!”

“Don’t run!”

Ryoga didn’t want Maika to get any closer—he leapt backward with impressive force.

Maika wasted no time and hurled her rope, but Ryoga dodged it cleanly.

“…Karl, restrain Ryoga!”

“Wh-What?! What’s going on!?”

Karl was still trying to grasp the situation.

But he did notice something—an ominous aura was now radiating from Ryoga.

“…No way—Ryoga’s been…”

“Yeah. He’s been possessed.”

Maika’s declaration put everyone instantly on alert.

Meanwhile, Ryoga (or rather, the thing in his body) scratched his head and gave an exaggerated, exasperated laugh.

『When did you figure it out?』

“Ryoga always calls me and Irine with the honorific ‘-tan.’ And Irine’s passed out because you ordered it—of course she’s still sleeping.”

『Tch…』

“And lastly, Ryoga’s the kind of idiot who’d brag about loving to tie girls up—he said it loud and proud the last time he tied me.”

『…What a freak.』

“She’s just mimicking how her big brother used to act, right?”

Maika had been watching from a distance earlier when Karl struck down the “Boss” of the Villain Clan. That moment had confirmed her suspicions.

After that self-proclaimed body-snatching boss failed to possess Karl—where would she go next?

The nearest, most powerful body worth taking… was Ryoga.

“Let go of him, now!”

『Let him go? The guy’s a vegetable. Leave him be, and he’ll wither away. I’m just making good use of him.』

“Don’t—don’t destroy his life any more than you already have! Damn you, Villain Clan!”

『Pfft. Like I care.』

Realizing his friend had been possessed, Karl flew into a rage.

He glared at “Ryoga,” now harboring the Villain Clan boss, with eyes like a demon.

“I’ll kill you…!!”

『Oooh, scary. But I really don’t think I can beat you in a fight.』

Karl wanted to strike right now.

But he couldn’t just cut down Ryoga along with the monster inside.

While he hesitated, the boss made a loud declaration to her allies:

『Don’t panic, everyone! I’m still alive!』

“…That’s the boss’s voice!?”

At the same time, the body Karl had just slain began to reassemble itself.

Seeing their leader rise again, the Villain Clan erupted in cheers.

『The one who died was just a decoy. A little trick, you see.』

“That’s our boss!!”

The woman whose eyes had once looked dead now stood perfectly whole, her body restored.

“…Necromancy. That woman was puppeteering her own corpse…”

Maybe she too, like Ryoga now, had once been a victim.

『Well then—I’ll be retreating for now. Took a bit of a hit myself.』

“…You coward! You’re running!?”

『Damn right I am. I was planning to drag you all back as my puppets… but I’ll let it go this time.』

The boss, using Ryoga’s body, turned her back to Karl with a bitter, mocking smile.

『I’ll settle for this girl’s body as my prize today.』

“…You really think I’m letting you go!?”

『Oh, I do.』

Karl immediately gave chase.

He couldn’t kill her—but he could at least capture her—

『You think your precious friends are gonna make it home safely… with you gone?』

“…!”

With that chilling remark, the surrounding villains roared.

Their eyes went blank, and like beasts they shrieked and raised their weapons.

『Go now, my lovely thralls! Kill as many of them as you can!』

“Ugh—Karl! There’s too many—!!”

The enemy had chosen sheer numbers as their tactic.

Their own deaths meant nothing; the undead villains charged without fear.

“Ah—kyaaah! Somebody help me!!”

“Miss! Get away from her, you scum!”

Karl could have cut a path through them on his own.

But without him, his allies couldn’t even manage a proper retreat.

“…Everyone, behind me! Vigilantes—cover the noncombatants!”

“Got it! Cover Karl, boys!”

With no choice left, Karl had to give up the pursuit.

He watched Ryoga’s possessed body laugh and vanish into the distance.

His comrades were under siege.

Karl had no choice but to stay behind and hold off the Villain Clan—so they could all make it back to Ressal alive.

---

“Haa… haa…”

“Karl-sama, most of our allies have made it out!”

“I see… hah, hah…”

Through a storm of raging enemies, slashing desperately—

Karl and the elite members of the vigilante corps, who had remained on the frontlines alone, had finally succeeded in getting their comrades to retreat from the battlefield.

“Karl-sama, you should fall back too! You’re clearly at your limit!”

“Yeah… I won’t lie, I’m in bad shape.”

The burden of the battle had fallen squarely on Karl’s shoulders.

To the bandit boss, Karl was someone she absolutely had to kill. His corpse would surely be of great value.

That’s why every soldier under the boss’s control had flung themselves at Karl, throwing their lives away to take him down.

“But you guys go first. They’re after me, not you.”

“But, Karl-sama!”

“No need to worry. Thank you for fighting all this time for my comrades, Vigilante Corps. At the very end, let me be the one to risk my life.”

“……”

The enemy was a massive force—and no matter how many they killed, they kept rising again.

If Karl retreated now, the vigilantes would undoubtedly suffer casualties. Enemies who fearlessly charge to their deaths are truly terrifying.

“…I owe you one. Don’t waste Boss Karl’s resolve! Fall back quickly, Vigilante Corps!”

“Yeah, get going!”

They understood that if Karl escaped first, people would die. Realizing that, the vigilantes didn’t stubbornly protest.

“Sorry for everything, Boss Karl.”

“Think nothing of it.”

And so, at last, Karl was left alone on the battlefield.

As long as the vigilante corps had escaped, Karl could retreat without regrets.

This would be his final stand.

“…Alright! Come on, then!”

The lone hero stood surrounded by a sea of the dead, swinging his sword with futile resolve.

---

How many people had he cut down?

How much blood had he bathed in?

“Guh, guh!”

Karl wasn’t limitless. He’d been fighting endlessly since morning, slashing through wave after wave of bandits without rest.

Even if he cut them down, they rose again. A truly never-ending battle.

“GRAAAAH!!”

Eventually, not a soul remained around him.

Karl fled into the forest, scattering the bandits behind him.

He couldn’t fight any longer. He had truly reached his limit.

“If I run straight into Ressal like this… the town’ll get caught up in this mess, damn it!”

No matter how many corpses he cut down, they were repaired instantly.

He slashed them twice, three times—and still the bandits got up again.

Now, all Karl could do was buy time. In half a day, Irine would surely wake up.

Once she did, her “Anti-Magic Barrier” would bring an end to everything.

Until then, all he could do was keep cutting down the enemy.

『Ahahaha. You’re looking very worn out.』

“…You bastard!!”

Swinging his sword, now heavy as lead, he once again bathed himself in blood.

Yet no matter how hard he fought, the end never came. As he reached his limit, that wicked voice whispered once more.

“Where are you?! Show yourself!!”

『Ooooh, scary, scary. And here I came to return something you’ve been looking for—such a rude welcome.』

“What…?!”

Eventually, from deep within the forest, Ryoga appeared.

Seeing his hated enemy, Karl summoned the last of his strength—but when he saw the girl standing beside the boss, all color drained from his face.

『Look at her. She’s your comrade, isn’t she?』

“…Lev!!”

Ryoga—the “Boss”—revealed herself with her sword pressed against Lev’s neck.

『You seem to value your comrades quite a lot. So, what do you think? Is this girl one of your precious friends?’

“You… You bastard!”

『Apparently, she’s a decent swordswoman. I’d rather not kill her, but honestly? Even if I turn her into a corpse and control her, I won’t lose much.』

—Shnk. The blade pierced into Lev’s throat.

About halfway in, it sank into her delicate skin.

『Kihhihihihi… just a bit more and her carotid artery will be sliced. I can see the pulse thumping—nearly touching the blade.』

“Stop! Stop it!!”

『Oh? Don’t like that? Then drop your sword and let yourself be killed. If you do that, I won’t harm her any further.』

With a wicked smile, Ryoga slowly scraped his sword along her neck. As if he were playing a string instrument.

Each movement of the blade tore more of Lev’s flesh, sending tiny spurts of blood scattering.

『So, what’ll it be? Either she dies, or you do. Just two options, that’s all.』

“…Ugh…”

The boss had been waiting for this exact moment.

The moment when Karl, utterly exhausted, could no longer fight properly.

“……”

What would happen… if Karl left Lev behind and chose to run?

…Lev might get killed, but at least he should be able to escape.

Karl was a hero blessed by the goddess. His death would be an irreplaceable blow to humanity—plain and simple.

『Now then, make your choice, swordsman.』

What would happen if Karl let himself be killed in Lev’s place?

There was no guarantee that would actually save her. Lev might still be killed in the end.

In that case, Karl would’ve thrown his life away for nothing.

——There’s no reason to play along with a cheap hostage scheme like this. No—he mustn’t.

——What would Maika do? She’d abandon Lev without a second thought.

——And if they used his corpse afterward? He’d just be putting his other comrades in danger too.

“I…”

『Well?』

Lev stared at Karl, her face emotionless.

There was no way to save her. For the sake of humanity—for everyone—Karl couldn’t afford to die here.

“I… I’m going to—”

──────

“…throw down my sword.”

Karl couldn’t choose the cold, rational answer.

“I can’t just abandon Lev like that.”

『Kihihihihihihihiii!!』

He knew it was the foolish choice.

He knew the right move was to leave Lev behind and survive.

“Kill me if you want. I’ll hate you forever.”

『Hate me all you like. In all my life, not once have I suffered for being hated.』

And yet… not being able to make the rational choice—that’s Karl’s limit as a person.

He couldn’t weigh his own life against a precious comrade’s.

Because Karl was a man who loved his comrades more than anyone.

『Guhehehehe… another fine addition to my collection…』

Karl quietly dropped his sword.

The surrounding bandits swarmed in from every direction.

“…To die before finishing what I started…”

The hero raised his empty right hand toward the heavens and closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry… Goddess…”

He offered a silent confession to the goddess he hadn’t heard from in so long.

“…Huh?”

But the killing blow never came.

Opening his eyes in confusion, he saw arrows flying from nowhere—piercing through the enemy bandits one after another.

“W-What the hell…?! You damn idiot Karl!!”

A thunderous slap crashed into his cheek.

That furious voice… it was unmistakable.

“…Huh? Maika!?”

“You really thought someone like her would keep her promise!? What kind of moron tosses his sword!? Think! You’re supposed to find a way to catch her off guard and save Lev, idiot!!”

“Wait—you?! Why the hell did you come back!?”

It was Maika—who should have already retreated.

This tsundere childhood friend had likely hidden nearby, too worried to actually leave.

“I almost died holding the line so you could escape!! What the hell are you doing back here, dumb Maika!?”

“Coming from you, that’s rich, you single-celled moron!!”

The bandits didn’t even matter anymore—Maika and Karl were in a full-blown shouting match right on the battlefield.

『…Oh? Looks like I’ve gained another puppet without realizing.』

“Too bad. I’ve got zero interest in surrendering to you.”

『That swordsman over there is already at his limit. What do you think you can do alone?』

“Oh, I dunno… maybe rescue Lev and get Karl out of here?”

『What!?』

Maika stood defiantly before Ryoga’s possessed body, smiling with fearless confidence.

There was no bluff in her voice—no false bravado.

“H-Hey Maika, wait—can you actually handle this?”

“Well, technically it’s Sakura who deserves the credit.”

With that, Maika grabbed Karl’s hand and dashed away.

“Come on, we’re getting out of here!”

“Wait—Maika!! Idiot! If I run, Lev will—!!”

“—Get killed? She won’t. Relax.”

Karl had expected something dramatic… but Maika’s big move was just grabbing him and running.

The possessed boss, overly cautious, screamed in frustration.

『Fine!! Then I really will kill the girl now!』

“You can’t.”

『You think I’m bluffing!? Kihihi… to a necromancer, a corpse is—』

“That’s not it.”

The female boss—inhabiting Ryoga’s body—never finished her sentence.

And it wasn’t because Maika interrupted her.

“Our healer’s quite skilled, you know.”

『—Agh!? Wh-Who…!?』

Ryoga—the body controlled by the necromancer—was suddenly struck from behind and sent flying.

And when she turned to see who did it—

“…!”

『Rey…?』

With hair bristling with fury, holding his wounded little sister in his arms, a gash across his own neck—

It was The Silent Blade, Rey.

“W-Why is he here!?”

“You knocked him out, remember? Sakura found him.”

The swordsman said nothing. His terrifying glare pierced the necromancer.

There wasn’t a shred of hesitation in his eyes.

“Didn’t I tell you?” Maika said. “Sakura just needed a little time to break the brainwashing.”

“…Ah.”

Standing there at last, in full clarity, was Lev’s older brother, finally freed from the spell that had bound him.