WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator/Editor: Ryuu

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◈ Everyone Else is a Regressor (65)

Chapter 13. The Master of the Relic (5)

―Kraaaaaa!

Hati seemed so pleased with KiJun's taunt that it immediately gathered blue energy at the tips of its claws and launched five crescent-shaped magical energies.

Lucy quickly analyzed the sharp attacks that tore through the air and burned with mana.

―It's the power of the moon... It seems to be mixed with coldness. I can feel the divine power, too. That thing is a divine beast!

'The fact that The Last Hero title is activated means it's a dark attribute divine beast, right? That's somewhat relieving.'

While the two were calmly assessing the situation, Ur was the one bustling with activity.

Normally, a mere beast would have no way to dodge attacks flying through the air, but Ur was anything but normal; it was a spirit.

Flames fiercely blazed under Ur's four legs, forcefully propelling its body forward.

Ur dashed parallel to the ground, leaving trails of flames in the air, and Hati's magic, missing them entirely, exploded in the air, inflicting more damage on the werewolves in the vicinity.

'What kind of regular attack is this, a wide-area deathblow?'

One thing was clear: that monster was not something one could handle alone.

I wondered how the party members would react to it.

Would they join him to fight off the monster together?

Honestly, he couldn't be sure.

And the reason was obvious.

As he had confided to Lora, KiJun was aware that there was an enemy within the party.

To be more precise, he had deduced the presence of a Vampire.

'I wanted to accompany them too. It was necessary to observe a Vampire closely and gather more information. And when the time was right, I planned to step in and take care of it...'

He hesitated at the unexpectedly human-like demeanor shown by the Vampire.

As long as the Vampire didn't bare its fangs at him, he felt he shouldn't be the one to attack first.

Even if the Vampire had joined his party with some ulterior motive.

Attacking a Vampire that wasn't hostile to him seemed no different from Charbanbesh and Kipuz attacking orcs just because they were orcs.

Although the Half-Orc Martial Artist In said to distinguish enemies based on light and dark attributes.

The fact that Vampires belonged to the dark faction, while Charbanbesh and Kipuz belonged to the light faction, had no influence on KiJun's judgment.

Not in the slightest.

Because――

―Contractor!

"Aaaaaah!"

His train of thought was abruptly cut off by Lucy's voice.

Before he knew it, the divine beast of darkness was right in front of him.

KiJun gritted his teeth and extended his two shields forward, infusing them with light and flames to forge them into a single massive shield.

―Kooooooot!

"Ugh!"

The moment he entered the close range where he could count the hairs on the beast's huge body with his eyes, Hati swung its paw, and KiJun deflected it at an angle!

―Kwaaaaaang!

Both Hati and Ur roared fiercely.

Beep―― The Shock Absorber, exceeding its limit to absorb shock in just one collision, cried out in desperation.

"Kuh――!"

―Kiiit!

And KiJun, with Ur's help, managed to deflect the remaining shock that hadn't been fully absorbed, and he leaped off Ur's back to face Hati directly.

―Krrrrrrr...!

Hati, surprised that its full-powered attack was so easily blocked, became wary, its eyes filled with caution.

But that was only possible thanks to the Shock Absorber.

Now, KiJun truly had to rely on nothing but his own body.

'Ha, it's been a while since I've had such a thorough workout.'

As the enemy lowered its stance and became cautious, KiJun solidified his stance even more, pushing his physical abilities to the limit with Salutaris and Adamant.

Facing a formidable enemy, he gripped both shields in the proper manner to maximize defense while readying himself to attack any vulnerabilities that might appear.

"Come at me."

―Kaaaaaaang!

The wolf that swallowed the moon and the human emitting light and flames like the sun clashed once again.

Thankfully, KiJun had a complete advantage in terms of compatibility, and except for two attributes, all his stats were at Legendary rank.

However, his lower race rank and level still held him back, preventing him from overpowering Hati.

―Bang! Bang! Kwaang!

After a few light clashes, the wolf, realizing KiJun wasn't as solid as before, smirked ominously.

Its claws then glowed with a deeper blue, enhancing them into sharper and more lethal weapons rather than shooting out energy as before.

―Contractor, don't try to block that with your armor. It'll get torn apart.

'Even with Adamant reinforcing it?'

―It will definitely tear through adamantine, I'm sure. Concentrate Adamant on just the two shields to increase their strength!

There are few experts better at assessing the strength of an enemy than Lucy.

KiJun obediently followed Lucy's advice, concentrating power on the shields and again blocking the wolf's attack that seemed to slice from his head to his crotch.

―Kwaaaaang!

It wasn't just a physical collision.

Terrible cold and heat clashed, creating clouds of steam.

Perhaps intending to freeze and shred KiJun in one go, the wolf's eyes sparked with a cold flame as its attack was blocked once more.

―Kuaaaaaang!

The moment a fierce brawl began.

The wolf swung its front paws mercilessly to tear him apart, while KiJun, refusing to back down, gritted his teeth and countered every move.

The coldness imbued in the wolf's paws was terrifying, befitting its name as a divine beast.

But the holy fire in KiJun's two shields, combined with job effects, skill effects, and title effects, harmonizing with adamantine, made even the coldness emitted by the moon-eating wolf evaporate before it could get past the shields.

"Kuuuuk―― Is that all you've got!"

While frantically maneuvering the two shields to block the beast's attacks, KiJun began to taunt the enemy.

If he continued to just block attacks, he might get a good workout, but he would never be able to overcome the beast.

To defeat the beast alone, he needed to take risks and create openings, unless, of course, he received support from others.

'So it comes to this.'

The howling of the wolf, the falling frost, the rising flames, the steam, the fierce collisions.

His savior, holding his creaking body together and reinvigorating him.

As he received new energy, his bones and muscles reinforced with adamantine, his shields strengthened.

Facing the giant wolf, taunting it until his throat was raw, yet...

He found himself thinking of his party members again.

'I thought that if it were for a third party NPC, we might be able to join forces.'

Even if the invasion of Gratia Kingdom by the vampires was a foregone conclusion, and the vampire who had joined the Jahil party was also part of that group, inevitably making them adversaries, the NPCs they met within this relic were unaffiliated with either side, so he had thought they could temporarily become allies for their sake.

'I thought it could be possible.'

Recalling the conversation he had with his party members the day before, KiJun smirked bitterly and gripped his shield tighter.

The sharp edge of the shield pointed forward in an aggressive stance.

Now somewhat accustomed to the damn heavy barrage, he intended to somehow bring down the enemy before he himself collapsed.

After all, when had he ever fought hoping for someone else's help, especially when he had formed a party with such glaring gaps, expecting the party to function perfectly was greedy.

'It's fine. I have Mr. Nietzsche and Mr. Copernicus with me.'

―Ah, they were still around.

―Kaaaa!

KiJun extended the shield in his left hand to deflect the wolf's front paw, while catching the giant tail sweeping up from the ground from his blind spot with his right hand, thrusting it forward with all his might.

The flame blooming at the tip of the shield shot out like a laser, infused with light.

The moment the holy flame collided with the blue coldness in the tail, with Ur's full power imbued, it flared up, engulfing the wolf's tail completely!

―Kaaaaaak!

Hati, feeling the golden flames burn through the coldness and even its tail, panicked and rubbed its tail against the ground.

―Now, Contractor! The internal mana is concentrated in the tail, making other parts weaker!

Lucy's urgent cry.

KiJun, chuckling to himself at how even a divine beast is still a beast at heart, didn't miss the opportunity to strike at the enemy's weakness.

'The target should obviously be――'

KiJun's arms, shining brilliantly like fangs, pressed down on one of the wolf's front paws while the other bit precisely into the claw-like weapons sprouting from that paw.

With a crunch, the fangs tore through the flesh, pulling out one of the wolf's claws from the root!

―Kyaaaaaaaak!

―With masterful butchery skills reaching the realm of legends, you successfully extract a part of the body from a legendary entity. You obtained [Moon's Claw (L-)]. Separated from the main body, it has lost its source of power and weakened, but gathering several will restore its true power.

―Butchery (R) skill has reached level 17!

The wolf's claw, thicker and longer than an ordinary sword, was sucked into KiJun's inventory as it flew through the air.

Perhaps lacking the dreadful regenerative ability unlike werewolves, the wolf couldn't regenerate its torn claw and howled in pain, frantically attacking KiJun.

―Kyaaaaaak!

"Let me pluck the rest of the seven..."

However, just as the enraged divine beast of darkness opened its jaws wide to swallow KiJun whole.

―Bang!

A bullet, fired from behind, flew in and lodged itself in Hati's throat as if sucked in.

A giant slug bullet for a silver-plated shotgun, but the enormous magical power within was unmistakably from someone KiJun knew well...!

"――Herbert!"

Realizing the identity of the reinforcement and calling out his name, KiJun didn't miss the glaring opening Hati revealed from the dual shocks.

Crunch, the blood-stained fangs tore into the opposite front paw of the still-intact wolf, successfully plucking another claw.

The sight of the giant wolf retreating, bleeding from both front paws, was almost laughable.

―Just six more to go!

Lucy's voice, lively yet slightly eerie, was heard as KiJun glanced back to see the composed gentleman standing there as usual.

The difference was that he appeared quite weary and injured in places, holding a triple-barrel shotgun, which meant...

"I'm sorry, Jun. I'm late."

"Is that so?"

It wasn't that he was late in coming to help.

The fact that Herbert had been detained proved that the opponent he had fought was no easy adversary.

And if such an enemy existed, then naturally...

KiJun asked, suppressing the surge of emotions.

"If you're late, then Gunman Kei..."

"The boy is safe, probably. There seemed to be a barrier, so... I didn't touch it unnecessarily. His parents managed well."

Despite knowing it wasn't the time, KiJun momentarily closed his eyes.

Countless thoughts swirled aimlessly before settling heavily.

There was no end to being swayed by what he couldn't protect.

Now was the time to focus on what he had saved and what he needed to protect.

He opened his eyes again.

"Thank you."

"It's what I should do for the quest. Of course, depending on the boy's mental state, all the silver we brought might be in vain..."

"I mean, for coming to help me."

At KiJun's words, Herbert's eyes widened.

Then, regaining his composure, he said:

"As a party member... it's only natural to help the leader."

Herbert, having tended to his wounds, aimed the triple-barrel shotgun at Hati, who was stealthily approaching them again.

"Let's deal with the rest by killing this thing."

―Kooooooooooh!

"...Yes, let's do that."

KiJun's shields, once again radiating bright light, taunted Hati, and the beast, forgetting the hit it took from Herbert, charged straight at KiJun.

The shields and the wolf collided with a thunderous noise, and the shotgun, seizing the opportunity, fired.

Once again, the boss battle began.

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): KiJun, you must be curious about something.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): Wondering why I didn't explain beforehand.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): You've noticed I'm from the dark faction, right?]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): Was it too obvious? I could've just told you, but that was a bit hard. Silly, right?]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): You could've asked too. It's not like I couldn't answer...]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): Ah― sorry, that was a bit cowardly of me. I'll be honest.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): I didn't want to say it myself.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): I didn't want you to have a prejudice against me.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): It was going to be obvious once we crossed into Reta, what a fool I am.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): Still, I'm sorry. If I knew such dangerous situations would arise, I should've told you in advance.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): Who's dangerous in the dark faction, how they act, what to be cautious of... I should've told you all.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): (Message deleted.)]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): Thanks for pretending not to know all this time.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): But don't be too lenient on the others because of me.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): You know, being a tutorial NPC, I'm somewhat free from faction issues. But those from Reta fighting for continental supremacy, it's different.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): Regardless of their will, many must follow the intentions of their faction or civilization.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): And to defy such 'fate,' a significant price is needed. Be it soul, body, or self...]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): Or a massive amount of points. Heh, now do you see why I'm gathering points?]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): No reward for praising me? Instead, I'll come myself. So just wait.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): Oh, right. In very special circumstances, if there's an irregular mutation in race, the faction can change, but this is really rare, so no need to worry.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): ...But saying this makes me a bit anxious that such a thing might happen around you.]

[Bice♥(Dimensional Waiting Room): Why won't this message delete?]

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