Published at 22nd of January 2024 12:06 pm

Chapter 305: Making Something Big Is Easy, but Making It Small Is Difficult.

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

Afterwards, we decided to part and operate according to our original plan. It’s inefficient for the Black Knight, who can defeat the Winged, and me, who might be able to defeat the Winged, to operate together.

Yes, it’s only “might be able to” at this stage, but… hehehe, I don’t feel like losing even a bit right now.

“Hey, hey, Ed? Your expression has been changing so much, I don’t know how to deal with you…”

“Eh? No, just act normal… Am I making such a strange face?”

“You had a really scary face, then a really bad face, and now you’re smirking with that bad face still there.”

“…Ah, yeah. I’ll be careful.”

Apparently, I looked quite suspicious at the moment. Well, let’s say it’s okay since there was no one else around. Hmm.

“Now, now! Manifest, [Akashic Compass] !'”

Mixing in a bit of escapism, I activated the banishing skill [Akashic Compass]. Though what I’m looking for isn’t the hero, but the closest location of the Winged. Without hesitation, I head in the direction fixed by the compass needle, where the Winged was engaged in destructive activities in a deserted forest.

“Hey, hey, you’re doing it in style.”

“As always, it’s a horrible sight…”

When the Winged throws its spear among the lush trees, the impact site and its surroundings are transformed into withered trees and wasteland. Tia lets out a voice filled with anger and perhaps sadness, and I slowly drew my [Dawnbreaker] from the [Stranger Box] and readied myself.

“Don’t look like that, Tia. I’ll make it stop right away.”

“Can you handle it? You struggled quite a bit last time.”

“Hehehe, my mindset is different from then. Just watch.”

With that said, I activated [Hermes Dash] and ran across the land. Immediately, I reached the spear stuck in the ground, and I swung my sword, striking the spear with all my might.

Of course, the spear doesn’t break. But that’s not a problem. What I needed now was not the destruction of the spear, but the shock itself that arose from striking it.

“Yo!”

I gather the freshly accumulated shock with [Orbit Reflector] on my leg and leap high with all my might. I passed in front of the Winged’s face at that moment, but it showed no reaction to me. Hehehe, then I’ll take full advantage of that non-response.

[Offer it.]

“Whoa, seriously? You’re still ignoring it?”

I had some expectation from the Black Knight’s story, but I never thought it would be unresponsive even when I jumped on its shoulder. At this point, it seems that it cannot do anything other than “attack the world.”

“Well, it’s convenient for me. So I’ll make you pay for that arrogance properly.”

Smirking, I firmly planted my feet, balanced myself, and concentrated my consciousness on the sword in my hand.

“………….”

Suddenly, a sensation like ice ran down my spine. Goosebumps rose all over my body, and cold sweat broke out on my face. It was a warning. My body was showing a rejection reaction because I was trying to use a power beyond human ability with a human body.

“………….”

But I suppressed it with my will. My will as the Demon King is stronger than the reaction of a fragile human vessel, so it’s easy to suppress… The problem is the balance.

“Guh……….”

A black, curtain-like thing coils around the sword in my hand, but it also spreads to my arm, attacking me with a burning pain.

(No good. Weaker… Thinner…)

As if squeezing a single drop of water from a vast lake, or picking up a single grain of sand from a vast desert. More delicately, more meticulously than anything. It’s like…

“……….Ah.”

With that realization, controlling the power becomes easier for me. Yes, this is the same as when I created the [Sword Of Thin Life]. As thin as possible, yet a blade that cuts everything. I just need to coat the sword with the same.

The smallest existence that makes up the whole world. The thickness of just one of them covers my sword, and at this moment… it slices the enemy!

“Fuh!”

There’s no grandiose technique name, no flashy sound effects. Just a straight downward swing, the sword bites into the Winged’s head, and from there, black lines run throughout its entire body. When it spreads to every nook and cranny like cracks, the Winged’s body breaks into countless fragments with a snap and crumbles away.

“Whoa! Phew… It seems like it went well.”

As I jumped down from the shoulder, fragments with feathers turned into particles of light and dissolved into the sky. Watching this beside me, Tia hurriedly ran over.

“Ed!”

“Hey, Tia. How is it… Wait, what!?”

“Your hand! Never mind anything else, show me your hand!”

“Uh, okay?”

Quite forcibly pulled, I reluctantly held out my hand to Tia. Her expression suddenly became stern, and her mouth tightened in anger.

“You’re injured after all! I’m using a healing potion.”

“Ah, no, that’s…”

Tia took out a healing potion from the bag on her hip and poured it generously over my blackened hand. However, the wound showed no signs of healing, and Tia’s eyes narrowed.

“Hmm, it’s not healing… Ed, what’s going on?”

“Hahaha, I haven’t the faintest idea–“

“Ed?”

“…I’m sorry.”

I reflexively apologized as she glared at me with narrow eyes. But this was an unavoidable sacrifice. If I had the power of a hero like when I rampaged in Amelia’s world, I could probably control it well by countering the Demon King’s power, but I had no clue where to draw the hero’s power from.

“By the way, how did you know? We were quite far apart.”

“Hmm. I don’t really know myself, but something… made me feel uneasy. So I thought, ‘Ah, Ed’s doing something dangerous again.’ And sure enough! Really!”

“Haha… I can’t keep any secrets from you, Tia.”

“Will this heal? It will heal, right? I don’t want to be asked to ‘cut it off from the shoulder’ again. I hate that.”

“It’ll be okay… probably.”

If the erosion had progressed to the point where the pain was gone, my [Regenerate] might not have healed it. In that case, I would have had to cut off the eroded part as Tia said and wait for it to regenerate.

But now there’s actual pain, so it shouldn’t be that bad. It should heal over time… probably. I’ve never healed something like this before, so I can’t say for sure, but it should be fine… yes, it should be.

“Sigh… Listen, Ed. I understand that this was necessary. So I won’t blame you for being reckless, and I won’t tell you not to do it. But…”

“But…?”

Swallowing hard, Tia gently embraced my blackened hand to her chest in front of me.

“I worry. A lot. Truly, from the bottom of my heart… I worry about you, Ed. Fufu, I might even cry, depending on the situation.”

“What!? Isn’t that a bit unfair?”

I scowled and said to Tia, who was smiling faintly. If she was angry, that would be one thing, but being told she’s worried, I must consider her feelings. Of course, I never intended to worry her unnecessarily, but having Tia’s tearful face come to mind every time I crossed a dangerous bridge would be a constraint far more robust than any divine seal.

“If you’re going to be reckless, at least explain yourself first! Okay?”

“Got it. I’ll handle it.”

“Handling it isn’t enough! Promise me properly!”

“Ah, yes, yes. I’ll strive to promise as much as I can.”

“Ugh!”

Tia puffed out her cheeks and poked my back in dissatisfaction as I brushed her off. But I can’t yield here.

I won’t break my promises to Tia. But if we’re going to face a God from now on, reckless moments will surely come.

So I can’t make that promise. I can only maintain the integrity of not making a promise. But even so–

“I won’t leave you behind again. I promised that, didn’t I?”

“Mmm! Fine then. But you must… keep that promise, okay?”

“Yeah, I promise… Is it strange to promise a promise?”

“That’s a minor detail, it doesn’t matter.”

“Haha, I guess so.”

With this pointless conversation, Tia and I looked at each other and laughed. Now, the skill level is still lacking, but the initial start is going well. So, from here on–

“Alright. Hey, Tia, it’s still early today. Shall we hunt another winged creature? I want to get used to using the power.”

“Fine by me. Let’s defeat a lot of winged creatures and save the world a little bit at a time, shall we?”

“Alright!”

Instead of assisting the hero who saves the world, I myself am saving the world… What a fateful coincidence. Smiling wryly to myself, I took Tia’s hand and started moving, aiming for the next winged creature.

(T/N: Won’t be posting on saturdays and sundays)

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