第１９２３堀：ヒーローは色々大変 (Part1)
Chapter 1923: Being a Hero is Hard in Many Ways
Side: Vilia
I was breathless.
I had heard the explanation beforehand, but this was the first time I had actually used it. I had been startled when it began producing a man’s voice, and it had taken quite some time to get used to the way the armor—no, the powered suit—stretched my limbs and increased my height. I thought I was prepared, having practiced until I understood the mechanics, but this still managed to shock me.
All I had done was draw the greatbow and fire a single shot into the empty sky where nothing should have been.
Normally, an arrow would simply lose momentum and fall back to earth. Instead, the Shine Arrow burst in the heavens, raining down shafts of light like a torrential storm, driving them into the ground as a rhythmic, thunderous drumming echoed through the air.
*Thoom-thoom-thoom-thoom...*
Firia had told me it wasn't a big deal—that it was just a bow that didn't require physical arrows and lacked significant power—but this...
Well, I suppose to Firia and the others, this greatbow really might not be much. It was certainly gouging the earth, but the impact was only at a level that we could easily deflect with a mana barrier.
However, looking at the pack of monsters that had been caught in the blast...
The Orcs and Ogres were mostly sprawled across the ground, letting out pained, guttural cries. Only a tiny fraction remained propped up on their knees; not a single monster was left standing on its own two feet. As for their mana signatures, Firia’s assessment had been spot on: sixty percent had vanished entirely, leaving only forty percent remaining.
She is always so precise about those things...
"Vilia. I’ve confirmed that half the enemy force has been neutralized on this end as well. Are you alright?"
I was snapped out of my daze by Nina’s voice over the comms.
"Yes. I’m fine. I only fired the bow from a distance, after all..."
"...I saw the footage. I agree that calling that thing a 'bow' is absurd. Regardless, don't just stand there or you'll look suspicious. Do your best."
"Understood."
She was right. I quickly scanned the adventurers to see if they were looking at me with suspicion.
They were all silent, frozen in place.
It seemed they were just as stunned by what had unfolded before their eyes as I was. Good, that meant I was safe for now.
"I’m moving to link up as planned."
"I’ll leave it to you."
Once I heard Nina’s acknowledgment, I leaped forward, landing directly in front of the female adventurer leading the vanguard.
It was a jump of an impossible distance, but for a high-level combatant, it wasn't strictly out of the realm of possibility. I expected her to realize I was a person of extraordinary skill, but...
She remained paralyzed, staring at the scene of carnage. At this rate, we would never make progress.
When I had seen her at the Adventurer Guild, she was the Guild Master’s daughter—brimming with confidence and seemingly rich in experience. Yet, in the face of a situation like this, she had simply lost her wits.
No, that was a mean-spirited way to think. Even we had been stunned; it was only natural for the adventurers to be overwhelmed.
I decided to be the one to speak first, keeping my sword and shield at the ready.
"Are you alright? Are you injured?"
I spoke in the voice of Nightman. It still felt strange to use such a masculine tone, but it couldn't be helped.
"Eh? Ah, yes. Wait, was that attack yours?"
"You saw it yourself. However, I didn't manage to wipe them all out. That bow cannot be fired in rapid succession. I must finish the rest with my blade. Can I count on the two of you for support?"
"O-Oh! You got it, Sir Knight!"
"Yes! I will request support from the Wolf Pack and Cat Fang corps behind us. Leave it to us!"
I breathed a mental sigh of relief. The two adventurers behind her seemed to have kept their heads.
"And what about you? If you are injured..."
"I-I’m fine! I can do this!"
Her voice was high-pitched and strained. Given how she had acted at the guild, trying to force her to stay back would likely only cause friction. It would be best for me to take the lead and eliminate the most dangerous threats myself.
"I see. Then, I’m going in."
Without waiting for a reply, I thrust my shield forward and charged. My targets weren't the Orcs, but the more troublesome Ogres. None of the Ogres had been among the sixty percent destroyed by the initial volley. That spoke to the limits of the bow's power.
*Crash!*
I plowed through the Orcs, sent them flying with the sheer force of my momentum. I left the finishing blows to those following behind me; I wouldn't waste my time on them. To be honest, I could have handled this entire situation alone, but Nina had warned me that showing such overwhelming strength would only breed wariness.
"Moderation in strength is key," she had said.
*Roar!*
An Ogre standing over five meters tall bellowed in front of me. It was taller than average, but it didn't seem to be a unique variant—just one that had grown particularly large. As expected of an Ogre, its regenerative abilities and physical strength were formidable, much like a Troll's. They were often called the "wall" that adventurers had to overcome to reach the next rank.
However...
*Swish.*
It was no match for me. To stand by my brother’s side, I cannot allow myself to be delayed by a creature such as this.
The Ogre before me was split asunder vertically. No matter how high its regenerative capacity, it was useless if the head was pulverized so thoroughly. It was instant death.
"Wha—?!"
I heard a startled shriek from behind me. It seemed the girl from before had followed me. Honestly, she should have stayed back to finish off the Orcs.
"Vilia. Killing them in one hit is bad. Adjust your output."
Ah, right. If I kept going at this pace, there were only twenty Ogres; I would be finished in twenty swings of my sword.
"Don't be surprised. My timing was simply good. The enemy is regrouping. In fact, fall back. You’ve done nothing but stare in shock since we started."
Truly, she was getting in the way. When I had watched her from a distance earlier, she had been chipping away at the Orcs, so I thought she was somewhat capable. But now, I had to waste my attention worrying about her. She hadn't even noticed the Orcs closing in on her.
I didn't come here to be a babysitter. The adventurers further back, who were steadily thinning out the surrounding enemies, were far more reliable.
"Y-You're making fun of—"
"Do not let your temper flare. Swing your sword. I might not be able to save you next time."
This person was truly a handful. Was she completely blind to her surroundings? By cutting down the Ogre just now, I had drawn everyone's attention and was being surrounded. The other Ogres had clearly identified me as the greatest obstacle.
They weren't wrong, of course.