Chapter 64: Ressal Showdown—Conclusion

"Irine! You're awake!"

A warm smile from Sakura greeted me as I opened my eyes.

Before I realized it, I was lying on a soft bed, still half-asleep.

"Yaaawn... Good morning, Miss Sakura."

"How are you feeling? ...Did you have any nightmares?"

"Huh? Nightmares?"

My body felt oddly heavy. Like the aftermath of an intense workout with way too much overload.

And for some reason, I felt like I'd been asleep for a very long time.

Yes... like I'd been wandering through a deep, suffocating darkness.

"Now that you mention it... I do feel like I had a really awful dream. Maybe?"

"...I see. Any headaches? Nausea?"

"Um..."

Sakura looked genuinely worried.

...What was that dream again? I think I dreamt my entire body had withered away into skin and bones.

It was a horrifying nightmare. My proud muscle fibers were crying out in pain, and my heart felt like it was about to break.

"I'm all right. I don't feel anything like that now."

"That's a relief. Honestly, it wouldn’t have been strange if you'd come out of it completely broken. The fact you're even speaking clearly right now is kind of amazing."

Sakura leaned in, peering into my eyes with her usual concern.

...Broken? My mind?

"...Ah!! That's right—the Bandit Tribe!!"

"Oh my, just now remembering all that?"

"What happened to the Bandit Tribe, Miss Sakura!? I—Lev captured me and—"

"Lev's safe. Silent Blade brought her back. Karl and Maika are both here in Ressal too."

"...I see."

Only then did everything come rushing back to me.

Right—Lev had tied me up and tortured me.

"I... ended up slowing everyone down, didn’t I."

"You couldn't help it. You were ambushed by someone you thought was a comrade."

......

No, I should’ve seen through her. I’m usually good at spotting lies. If I’d noticed Lev acting off, none of that would’ve happened.

I didn’t realize she wasn’t herself. That’s on me.

"Anyway, Irine—can you move?"

"Huh? Well... probably."

As Sakura asked, I opened and closed my hands into fists.

Still a little unsteady from just waking up, but I could feel strength returning to my limbs.

Just to be safe, I activated all my muscles and confirmed nothing felt off.

"No issues with my muscles or body."

"...I see. Honestly, I’d prefer if you stayed in bed a bit longer."

"Hmm. From the sound of it, I take it there’s something I need to do?"

"Yes."

I took Sakura’s hand and stood up, letting her guide me as we started walking.

"We’re going to see Maika."

"Understood."

Apparently, the call came from our strategist.

...Sounds like there's a job only I can do.

---

And that’s how it went.

Following Maika’s instructions, deep in the forest, I—

"Ancient arena, Antique—now, bloom in full glory, Colosseum!!!"

—commenced the Muscle Heaven Musical Spectacle.

"……What is this!?"

『────』

Mufuu. This is truly pleasant.

The liberating sensation of being inside a barrier where magic is useless and only your body counts—now that’s greatness.

『This... is────』

"……Is it suffering?"

"Listen well, Silent Blade Rey. Within my magic, that thing can no longer possess anyone."

With the grand festival of muscle safely unfurled around us, I crossed my arms with a smug look.

The rest of the job was simply maintaining the barrier.

"I’ve deployed an anti-magic field over the entire area. That thing can no longer use necromancy or mind control spells."

『Impossible? Such magic—I know nothing of this────』

"If you want to escape from here, your only choice is to face us in honorable hand-to-hand combat. I hope you're prepared?"

The boss of the villain tribe trembled, so shaken it was like their entire hand of cards had been snatched away without warning.

────I can see it.

I clearly saw it—something possessing Ryoga, starting to waver.

Apparently, necromancy is a form of magic that manipulates human souls.

"……I see. So, I should just kill Ryoga now?"

"Please stop. Are you really planning to hurt that girl even more?"

Rey looked somewhat unsure, but the fighting spirit in his eyes was unshaken. In fact, he was even radiating killing intent.

What did he think I summoned a muscle festival for in the first place?

"Don’t be so quick to resolve yourself to murder. Someone who can’t even make the decision not to kill—"

"……Then, what should I do?"

"Ryoga—no, call out to Sayori-san’s spirit. That should be enough to expel that monstrous evil from her body."

I was beginning to understand the mechanics of necromancy. It seemed to be a magic system used in tandem with mind-control spells.

Necromancy likely serves as the "glue" between the soul and the body. A spell that sticks a human soul to a human body.

Meanwhile, mind control magic acts as the "controller" of that soul. It manipulates the soul of someone who has died and lost consciousness.

────Looking around, I noticed the bandits who had been brandishing their swords moments earlier were now standing there, mouths agape.

If necromancy only animated corpses, then they shouldn’t still be standing inside Muscle Heaven.

"The heart, you say? But how am I supposed to do that?"

"I’ve already neutralized the effects of their necromancy. If Sayori-san’s heart returns now, she should be able to reclaim her body."

"So what, exactly, am I supposed to do────"

Right now, Sayori’s heart is dead. So even without necromancy—the glue—her body is still under the control of the villain tribe’s boss.

If only we could awaken that sorrowful girl’s heart, the boss’s soul would likely be expelled from the body.

"That much, you’ll have to figure out for yourself, Silent Blade Rey."

"……What?"

But the truth is, we know nothing about Sayori.

We don’t even know the real Ryoga. This is our first time coming to Ressal.

The only one we’ve talked to is ‘Sayori disguised as Ryoga.’

We’re just outsiders who happened to stop by Ressal—surely we can’t save Ryoga.

"Saving Sayori-san, whose heart has been shattered. That is your burden to bear."

"……!"

That’s why this is as far as I can go. From here on, I have to put my faith in the man named Rey.

This time, I’m a supporting actor. My role is to bring forth the Muscle Heaven Meat Festival and back up Rey.

……Besides, Rey’s stronger than me anyway.

『Stay back. Wait, what is this? Why isn’t my necromancy working!?』

"That’s right. What I must do… was never to kill that girl."

Facing the still-panicking embodiment of evil, Rey raised his sword.

It seemed he had found his resolve.

"By the proud blood that runs through this tainted arm—I vow to save that girl."

In his eyes, there was no longer a trace of hesitation.

『Hey, my beloved underlings! Why are you just standing there like statues!?』

Meanwhile, the sorceress was desperately shouting at the motionless dead soldiers.

『You’re only able to move because of me! If I die, you’ll all go back to being mute corpses!』

The boss of the villain tribe was indeed a magic user—but one capable of handling at least basic close-quarters combat. And now, she was in possession of Sayori’s body, one forged through grueling daily training.

She could probably dodge Rey’s strikes and flee at best. But she harbored no delusions that she could win against Rey without the support of her undead soldiers.

『Even without necromancy’s aid, you should still be able to move! If you want to continue existing in this world—then protect me……!!』

With that, the boss ordered the corpses to attack Rey.

She had deduced that this "Azure Barrier" deployed by the noblewoman was likely the reason she could no longer use necromancy. Thus, she intended to buy time by having the dead stall Rey while she escaped from within the barrier.

『……What’s wrong!? Why won’t any of you move!?』

"It’s obvious. Your magic has already been broken."

『Even if the magic is gone, as long as a spirit is still possessing the body, it should be able to move! Spirits and magic are separate!』

"That’s not what this is about."

But the surrounding bandits merely gazed blankly at Ryoga, unmoving.

Some even dropped their own heads—or stared off into the distance, beginning to pray to something unseen.

"Among them, not a single one wishes to stay in this world just to serve you."

『……！』

Their deaths had been defiled. Even in death, they had been used as tools. There was no way they’d still want to remain in this world.

To those whose corpses had been exploited by her, fading away now was the only path that made sense.

────

"Now then. Sister of Ryoga, the self-defense corps captain—there’s something I must tell you."

As he chased after the fleeing villain, the swordsman spoke.

"I was the one who killed your brother."

『What are you saying, you—』

"But I believe… I was defeated by Ryoga once before."

It was as if he were confessing a sin.

Rey spoke to Sayori with a bitter exhale.

"I fought Ryoga in a fair and honorable duel. No tricks, no ambush—just a one-on-one."

『……』

"His sword was swift. It was the kind of skill worthy of someone entrusted with leading the self-defense corps."

With those words, Silent Blade closed his eyes, as if recalling something deeply.

"Let me be blunt. In my immaturity, I couldn’t quite reach the level of his technique."

---

That day, Rey stood face to face with the Vigilante Corps.

The captain of the corps, though small in stature, was cutting down bandits one after another with breathtaking swordsmanship. There was no one who could face him except Rey, and under the boss’s orders, Rey leapt out to confront Ryoga.

『Well, well, looks like there’s still some spine left among you bandits. With skill like that, what the hell are you doing in a place like this?』

Ryoga was a fierce and feral man.

He took Rey’s strikes without yielding an inch, countering with equal force, trading blows head-to-head.

Ryoga, the top dog of Ressal’s roughest lot, had clawed his way up through pure street brawling. His combat ability was in a league of its own.

To a swordsman like Rey, who had been trained since childhood by heroes, he was a true rival.

『We’re about the same age, huh? I like you. I’ll beat that attitude out of you and make you one of my men.』

『Sorry, but I’ve no intention of being caught. I have to return to my boss.』

『If I say I’m taking you in, that’s final. You don’t get a say in it.』

Even in what was essentially a fight to the death, Rey found himself enjoying it.

His heart raced with the thrill—so this is what it means to love battle.

『I’ll capture you, Silent Blade.』

『Try it if you can, self-defense corps.』

He’d received elite swordsmanship training. Among his peers, he believed he was without a doubt the strongest.

Though still lacking experience and not quite a match for his parents or his older brother figure, Cain, he was confident he was far stronger than your average adventurer.

『You’re good!』

『You’re fast…』

But what about this man before him—Ryoga? He was trading blows on equal or greater footing.

If he had gained such skill without any formal training, then he was nothing short of a prodigy.

A tinge of jealousy, mixed with the thrill of being pushed beyond his limits.

For the first time since falling into the world of bandits, Rey laughed.

But as for how it ended—he could barely remember.

『W-What the hell!?』

He just remembered gripping his bloodstained sword.

And stabbing Ryoga in the back—killing him from behind, as Ryoga turned away.

Why had Ryoga turned his back in a fair duel?

Rey had believed, in the heat of battle, that he’d earned a clean victory—but looking back, there were too many strange details about that conclusion.

───Now that he knew everything, it was clear. Rey had probably lost.

---

"Can you hear me, Ryoga’s sister? Your brother was strong."

『You… even took that memory───』

"As he declared, he captured me alive. He never delivered the finishing blow."

Rey spoke on, a slight bitterness in his voice.

"That’s likely why… I lost consciousness and ended up being controlled by the Boss… and I killed Ryoga."

『……』

"Ryoga, the brave hero of Ressal. And you, Sayori, his sister. If you want my head, I’ll give it to you—now wake up."

There was no lie in those words.

If Sayori desired it, Rey would truly offer up his head.

"The true enemy you must defeat, the one who stole your brother from you, is now inside you. Sayori… if you remember the image of that brave brother, then rise to your feet."

『You… if you say any more, I’ll "……"』

"Awaken, cast out the demon nesting in your body. If you do, then finally… you’ll have your revenge."

『Stop it, stop i—"……ah, uh"』

───At that moment, Sayori’s lips moved faintly.

"What’s wrong?! Don’t you want my head?! Don’t you hate me for killing your brother?!"

『Sto—"……not"』

"Then speak up! What is it you want?! What is your obsession?!"

『I—"……of course I do"』

"Say it out loud!!"

『"Of course I hate you!!!"』

Hatred lit up Sayori’s face.

Her voice, which until now had echoed in the airy telepathy of the Boss, transformed into a raw, furious cry of a young girl.

"……If only… you didn’t exist…!!"

"Yeah. If I hadn’t existed, your brother wouldn’t have died."

The darkness began to lift.

The pitch-black fog that had cloaked Sayori peeled away from her body like it had been expelled.

"Come here, sister of the brave warrior. I’ll give you my head."

"……Shut up!"

Relief spread across Rey’s face.

The only thing he could do for Sayori was to convey her brother’s brave final moments.

And now, the sister had returned to consciousness.

"Even if I take your head, I know full well it won’t make my brother happy!!"

"……Even if your brother wouldn’t be pleased… perhaps your heart might find peace."

"Don’t patronize me!!"

With anger and resentment welling within her, the sister shouted.

"The sister of the great warrior Ryoga doesn’t kill out of personal hatred!"

"……"

"But just as promised───"

No matter how consumed she was by emotion, Sayori remained a hero of the Vigilante Corps.

"I’m going to make you my subordinate and knock some sense back into you!! From this moment on, you follow me, Silent Blade Rey!!"

"……Understood. From here on, I shall serve as your subordinate."

And thus, the swordsman and the girl reconciled.

---

『This... this can't be happening...』

Meanwhile, the villain’s lingering spirit wandered through the void in a desperate attempt to flee.

『Damn it, at this rate I'll vanish completely. But inside this barrier, I can't possess anyone...』

No matter who it tried to enter, it was instantly rejected.

And there wasn’t a single unconscious human around to target—only corpses.

『Kuhuhuhu. If it comes to this, I’ll have to settle for a bug or an animal. It’s humiliating, but better than being obliterated...』

As a last resort, the boss resolved to possess an insect slumbering deep within the earth.

The plan was to go into hiding until the heat died down and stage a resurrection.

However, such naive hope would never escape the eyes of the cold and ruthless tactician—Maika.

"Can you still see that smoke-like thing, Irine?"

"Yes, I can see it right over there."

"Hmm, so it hasn’t been completely destroyed yet. Human souls—are they different from spirits?"

"They’re similar, but it seems the nature is slightly different."

The two girls stood firmly in the path of the evil spirit.

Maika and Irine.

"My, what a pitiful sight. The big bad boss of the villain tribe. We’re here to finish you off."

『Why!? Why can you see me!?』

"...Only I can see you. I am, after all, a person loved by spirits."

Maika couldn’t perceive the villainous boss at all.

But Irine could see her clearly.

"I heard your mental magic literally tears apart the mind and soul. What a terrifying spell that must’ve been."

『You dare speak like that after stealing my magic!?』

"So this is just a little experiment. I wonder which hurts more—having your spirit torn apart, or having it slashed apart?"

The boss was dumbfounded by Maika’s words.

As if to say: What nonsense are you spouting?

"It’s just a complete coincidence, really."

Maika grinned sadistically as she spoke to the evil spirit.

"I happen to know someone who can cut through just about anything."

───A single slash.

The void was split by the hero’s blade.

『GAAAAAAAHHHH!!!』

"...Such a terrible scream she’s making."

"So it does hurt after all."

From behind the spirit, the hero Karl revealed himself.

Fully rested and bursting with energy, he once again raised his greatsword toward the boss’s soul.

"I can kinda make it out too. That thing you're seeing, Irine—this must be it."

"Yes, right there."

『AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!』

Apparently Karl, too, could faintly see the ‘black mist.’

If a soul was filthy enough, perhaps even someone with a bit of spiritual sensitivity could spot it.

"Ryoga... no, Sayori—do you have any idea how much she suffered? Someone with a heart that kind—why did she have to endure all that!?"

『Stop it, please stop! I’m dissolving—losing myself! My body—my soul is being ripped apart!』

"She wasn’t the only one. Do you have any idea how many lives you've ruined!?"

『It hurts! It hurts it hurts it hurts, it hurts!!』

"And one more thing. What the hell did you do to my comrades—Lev and Irine!!?"

The hero never stopped swinging.

His greatsword, wielded at blinding speed, tore the black smoke apart again and again.

"Face divine judgment in the afterlife, and vanish from this world!!"

With that roar, his greatsword dispelled the last of the mist.

『───Ah』

The monstrous evil, the one who created the villain tribe and plunged countless humans into despair—

"...She’s gone."

"Yeah."

On this day, at last, she was erased from the world.