Back at Arborea, a certain meeting had just finished inside the Relfatia Estate.

It was a meeting between Marlene and the other members of the Ten Braves. For the party had decided to accept her offer, to be the sword and shield of Arborea against the demons. Or, to put it in less fancy terms, they had become mercenaries-for-hire for the city state.

The five remaining members were now walking towards the front gate, with the sun already setting on the horizon. The meeting took quite a lot of time after all, with their leader haggling and bargaining like the best merchant in all of the Demon Continent. In the end, they had come to a pleasant arrangement. Suffice to say they could all live like kings now, at least until the war was over.

Their moment of joy was rudely interrupted, however, by the people who waited for them outside of the gate.

It was a blonde-haired boy with blue eyes, followed by a red-headed woman.

None of them had known or even seen them before, and yet, their leader couldn’t help but put one hand on the hilt of his blade.

“You. You’re the leader of the Ten Braves, right? Targon, correct?”

The boy’s assessment was, of course, 100% on point. He was indeed speaking to him, the one and only leader of the Ten Braves.

“Here. I brought you this.”

A round object popped out of thin air, landing on the boy’s hand before he threw it right at him.

His expression, unlike the expressions of his teammates, didn’t change in the slightest when he realized what the boy had just thrown.

It was the decapitated, frozen head of Gokura, one of their members.

He already knew, no, sensed, that the boy was indeed the infamous Hugo Greenwood. He had that sharp look in his eyes—the eyes of a fighter. A murderer.

Just like him.

And he had now returned triumphant against the old priest and the others.

"Y-you bastard!"

"Stop it, Antilla." He ordered the bunny girl ranger.

"B-but Targon…"

"Hugo Greenwood, I take it?" He ignored her, opting to speak with the boy instead. "What do you want?"

"Your friends kidnapped my friend's mother," the boy replied coldly. "What do you think I want?"

"I see." He smiled. "You believe we will seek revenge as well. You're right. Now that I know your strength, I want to fight you myself. But, just so you know…"

He activated his killing aura, sending it straight towards the boy.

To his surprise, he barely even flinched.

That was a first for him. Usually anyone hit by it would at least take a step backwards. He just used it to his new employer to intimidate her and she visibly flinched, as much as she pretended not to.

This kid… how many life and death situations he has been in?

Interesting. Very interesting!

"You're done?" The boy spoke.

"I'm done." His smile grew bigger. "Let us take this outside town. We don't want to make a mess of the place, do we?"

-------

They were now standing in the southern wasteland, away from the city.

The boy had agreed to a one-on-one fight. And so, they were now facing down against each other, with their entourage staying far away on the back.

He had drawn his sword while the boy had his wand. He didn't lose sight of the boy's sheathed sword though, anticipating he would use it once he was cornered into a melee fight.

A mageblade. He hadn't fought one of those in a long time.

"We'll start once this coin hits the ground." He showed a simple gold coin to the boy from a distance. The boy only replied with a nod.

He flipped it to the air.

And yet, before it hit the ground, he already swung his sword, sending a powerful pressure wave towards the boy.

Life is unfair. So why play by the rules?

To his awe, the boy managed to respond in time, though not in the way he predicted, using a summon to create a wall to block his attack.

He's a summoner as well? How very fascinating.

He could feel it—his excitement rising up and up.

He had not fought an opponent as exciting as this. Not since that swordswoman.

But him—he could actually win against him.

Hmm? What's he's doing?

The boy had covered himself in a brick hut.

I see. He's preparing a big spell.

Then I would just have to destroy it.

He jumped forward, grabbing the hilt of his sword before swinging down at full force.

Earthsplitter. It was a technique known to Champion-rank Lancelot-style swordsmen. It was the move that the swordswoman used against him in their fight. Her other techniques eluded him, but this one was simple enough for him to mimic.

Yes, ever since he was little, he had a knack to mimic other swordsman's techniques. He didn't know why, nor did he care to know. Talent? A gift from the Heavenly Dragon? Or maybe the Demon God. It didn't matter. All he cared about was that it made him strong—strong enough to be called a monster. How many adventurers had fallen to his blade just because he felt like it? He had lost count a long time ago.

But, behind the swordswoman, this kid was easily the second most exciting opponent he had ever faced.

Before his sword could connect, something came out from the hut. Something that pierced him right in his heart.

Or it would, if he didn't block it with his sword at the last millisecond, switching his form into Galahad.

And then, the hut burst open, sending bricks flying towards him. He cut them all down, only to find the boy hiding behind him, with his own sword drawn.

He had underestimated him.

He would actually, willingly chase after him.

He was not fighting like a cowardly mage. He was fighting like a true swordsman.

They exchanged rapid blows as they fell from the air. The boy was keeping up with Galahad-style assault, something that impressed him to no end. His swings were as fast as sound, and yet, he parried it all with ease.

When they landed, the boy dashed backwards, putting a distance between them again.

"Hugo Greenwood." He was now grinning as he pointed his sword at him. "You're a worthy specimen. It's a shame you have to be an enemy."

The boy didn't respond.

"No words? Fine. Then let's resume this dance, shall we?"

He then shifted his form again, back to Lancelot. Only this time, he added a little spice to his sword.

"O divine lightning. Grant my blade your strength and aid me in cutting down my enemies."

A jolt of electricity now crackled around his sword.

He was a mageblade as well.

---------

Hugo

Did he just… cast lightning on his sword? But he doesn't have a wand or staff! Can he do that without a focus?

Or maybe that sword is a magic sword. You can use that as a focus for your spells as well

Whatever it is, the fight is only going to get harder from now.

This man is above those chumps I just killed.

I guess it's time for me to use my Dual Casting.

Yep! In the two months I spent in the dungeon, I can finally use it. Though only at a basic level.

Still, it means I can do things like this.

"Hey, you bury yourself for now. Come out and attack when he's distracted." I told the earth fairy. "Or the others, if they decide to join."

"Understood." She nodded, before disappearing down the ground she was standing in.

I then activated Wind Step and bolted up to the sky.

Let me guess, he can hit me all the way up here with that lightning of his.

...

Yep, sure enough. He's now waving that sword around. Too bad that he was pretty slow with it. That ranged lightning strike has a delay to it, just like a spell.

...Hmmm? His stance changed?

Really? An upward slash? Does he think he can reach me from down there?

…

Yep, not even close. And so, what he will do next is airwalk to chase after me, probably while spamming his lightning attack as well.

…

And that's exactly what he's doing. Man, this guy is pretty predictable. Even though he can use both Lancelot and Galahad sword skills. It's like he has no originality in his attacks.

Well, time to finish this.

I aimed my wand at him while continuing to dodge his barrage of attacks mid-air. When I learned Dual Casting inside the dungeon, I prioritized my control over Wind Step, making it so I could move with ease without even thinking about it. That's how you use Dual Casting. You don't focus on both. You focus on one spell while the other just runs like a background process in a computer.

And then, I fired a Boom Cannon. The homing version, of course.

And wow, he actually dodged it, turning sharply so my spell couldn't follow him. My homing ability was nowhere near perfect. It was still just a light angle adjustment.

Too bad I could just spam the spell over and over again.

--------

Down on the ground, Targon's friends could only watch as once again, their unbeatable leader was having trouble with his opponent.

The first was with the swordswoman. The second was with this brat. They began to think he wasn't this invincible monster after all, despite him being strong enough to solo an S-rank monster.

"H-hey, we should help him, don't you think?" The bunny girl spoke, her ears twitching nervously.

"No. He wants to fight one on one. So we'll give him his fight." The female hobbit replied. Unlike her companion, she didn't look concerned in the slightest.

"Tch, screw that! Why does he get to have all the fun?" The bare chested human warrior followed.

"I don't like where this is going." The female centaur was the last to comment. "We should intervene."

"Well, that's three on one! Good enough for me!"

Before the others could say anything, the warrior jumped to the sky, chasing after the two.

"Wait, hold on— Urgh, he already left." The hobbit groaned, holding her forehead as she felt a headache coming. "Alright, you two. Go take out the redhead. I'll support those two idiots with my spell."

"Got it!" The centaur replied before charging forward. The bunny girl, however, took aim at the mage instead.

“Breaking Shot! Bam!"

She let an arrow loose, three times the speed of sound. It was her strongest, fastest arrow that could penetrate a stone wall with ease. No way a mage like her could dodge or block it.

Of course, she did. Or rather, she struck a shadow clone instead. Not the real body.

Tch! A shadow mage? I thought only demons know how to use shadow magic.

“Gyaahh!"

"Francesca!"

The centaur didn't fare any better as her galloping legs were swallowed by the ground. In her carelessness, or her false assumption that Hugo's summon had left him, she didn't anticipate the sprite opening the ground under her. Her front legs were broken in an instant, snapped into two. She then fell over forward, snapping her neck in the process.

The sprite wasn't finished, however, as she now tunneled towards the bunny girl and the hobbit.

She was going to be useful to her master after all.

-------

Hugo

Huh? That guy? He's coming here?

Heh, so much for a one on one fight.

Well, I expected as much. Fighting fair definitely isn't in their playbook.

"Water fairy! Come out! Guard me from my enemies!"

A surge of water manifested itself in front of me before forming the all-too-familiar blue-haired figure.

"Go down there and fight off that guy!" I pointed, while still dodging the thunder blasts of their golden-haired leader.

"T-that guy? G-got it!"

She flew as fast as she could to intercept him.

As I predicted, the lightning guy wouldn't just let her. Switching target momentarily, he fired at her instead of me.

Giving me the opening I needed.

Sorry, Miss Water Fairy, but you're going to be the decoy.

Ignoring the "Kyaah!" I heard from behind me (she's immortal after all), I dashed forward in a straight line towards him, charging another Boom Cannon on the tip of my wand.

It was a risky maneuver for sure, as if I missed, I would most likely get hit by his lightning.

But, like my dear teacher Fiora said, "you can't win if you don't take risks." It's the same in combat as well as in life.

"Boom Cannon!"

To my surprise, he managed to bring his sword for a block, even with a fear-filled look on his face.

But, it wasn't enough. The impact shattered his sword before destroying his armor as well.

Naturally, his flesh didn't survive either.

Hmm? For a split second there, he was smiling, right before my spell killed him.

What a weirdo.

As he fell, I didn't celebrate. For there was still one more guy I needed to take care of.

"Targon!"

Scratch that, two. That hobbit was now casting a spell in my direction.

I dived down, using Wind Step at full strength like a jet engine.

"Damn you! Get back here and fight me you coward!"

The big sword guy dived as well, spinning his greatsword like a drill. That's a sword skill? Though it is faster than me...

And Water Fairy, after being hit by the lightning, has disappeared. So I can't use her.

Hmm, what if I change my direction really sharply?

As I dived, once I was close enough, I scrambled whatever magic she was casting. And then, right before impact, I boosted full power horizontally, correcting my trajectory in a near perfect 90 degrees.

Only for him to halt his descent right before his sword hit the hobbit.

Damn it. That would be too easy, wouldn't it?

He then swung his sword at me without delay, sending shockwaves I was all too familiar with.

"Wind Wall."

I erected my barrier though I knew it wouldn't last long. It was just to buy time—time I needed to launch my counterattack.

--------

Meanwhile, the archer girl was now busy dodging the relentless assault of Hugo's earth sprite. Obeying the command of her master, she refused to surface at all, attacking the rabbitfolk from below the ground.

"Damn you! Get out! Get out now!"

She fired her explosive arrows to try and coax her out. However, no matter how many crater she created on the ground, the sprite wasn't hurt in the slightest. She didn't know it but the fey was quite a bit deeper under the earth than she imagined, away from the blast zone itself. And, unlike some of her friends, she couldn't hover in the air, so there really was no escape for her. None whatsoever.

"Hey, help me over here, you shitty hobbit!" She yelled.

Her friend didn't respond as she too had her own problem.

"Why… why isn't my spell… working?

"I, the genius mage, should never have failed to cast a spell. This… this doesn't make sense! I refuse to believe it! I refuse!

"That damn brat! What did he do to me? What did he do?!"

She looked down at her book. The page that had stored her spell—it was empty.

"I casted it! And yet, it didn't trigger! Why?! How?!"

...

"Nevermind that! I have to… I have to kill this brat!"

She wasn't angry because her leader was taken out. He was just a co-worker, and she had no particular feelings for him.

No, she was angry because the brat had humiliated her. As a mage, her pride couldn't take it.

She opened a different page—into a rune of a particular water spell. Whirlpool. A perfect spell to capture a fast moving target.

There he is! The brat is moving around fast but Whirlpool should catch him nonetheless!

She activated the rune, aiming it to the general direction to where he was currently at.

"Whirlpool!"

The spell activated and she watched with glee as a puddle of water manifested in the area. The puddle would expand and spin at high speed and tendrils of water would come out from it, dragging down anyone and anything nearby.

And then, the puddle disappeared.

Poofed back into thin air, as if it was never there at all.

"W-wha—b-but that can't be why is my spell failing why is it I didn't make a mistake when drawing the runes or did I no I didn't that brat must be the one but how he…"

Her swirling thoughts were cut short as a Boom Cannon hit her head on, obliterating her small body in an instant.

In her panic, she didn't even notice the boy aiming his wand towards her.

-------

Hugo

Alright, it's just this guy now.

He's been swinging around that giant hunk of metal for a while now. Horizontal slashes, vertical slashes, tornado slashes, and so on. He even made delayed slashes, creating aura blades that wouldn't move the moment he swung his greatsword. He tried to limit my movement, I imagine—to create a snare of blades I could not escape from.

Too bad he was even slower than the previous guy. I could read him like a book.

Still, dodging is one thing, counterattacking is another. This guy doesn't leave any openings for me to strike back. Unlike that hobbit mage I just killed. In fact, thinking about it, he doesn’t even notice the hobbit is dead. He’s that focused in our fight.

But, it’s not like I haven’t faced an opponent that constantly tries to get in my face. Both Sherry and Fiora were like him too, always aggressive in their swordplay.

If there is no opening, then I’ll just have to make one.

I landed on the ground and switched to using Graceful Steps for my movement instead.

“Big mistake!”

He stabbed his greatsword to the ground, causing a massive wave of raised earth to spread around him, accompanied by a debilitating earthquake.

Well, this guy has lost it. If the hobbit is still alive, she’ll be hit by this technique too, you know.

For me though, I simply lifted myself back up again. The attack was so awfully obvious after all.

Well, this isn't in my original plan, but this opening will work.

With his sword stuck in the ground, he's now extremely vulnerable to counter-attacks. These two seconds he has given me is everything I need to finish this.

"Boom Cannon!"

Just like his leader, he managed to block my spell at the last moment.

"D-damn youuuu!"

And just like him, his sword broke from the pressure, allowing the cannon to hit him right on his bare chest. Not that any armor would've helped, of course.

And just like that, the warrior fell.

Let's see… who else…

Well, would you look at that? Only the bunny girl remained. And she's busy with Earth Sprite's attacks.

Goodbye.

--------

Another Boom Cannon later, the last of the Ten Braves fell.

Whew, that was tiring. I didn’t realize it in the fight but I’m soaked with sweat from top to bottom. Firing off all those Boom Cannons, while maintaining constant movement with Wind Step, really takes a lot out of you.

Thank God we have the foresight to tell Theo and the others to stay away from this fight. He and Tama should just stay by Tira’s side. Help her recover and all that.

As much as it pains me to admit, they’ll just be a burden. Unlike Felicia, who can take care of herself just fine.

“Master, who are these people?”

Earth Sprite had resurfaced and she was now looking at me all worriedly.

“Oh, don’t worry.” I put up a smile, patting her in the head. “They’re just… nobodies. Just some bad adventurers that we have to fight.”

Yeah, that's basically what they are.

"Now, come here for your hug!"

With a shy smile, the sprite came over and wrapped her arms around me tightly, pressing her soft boobs onto my chest. Mmm, been a while since I felt hers. Her size is definitely around Felicia's.

I want to thank Water Fairy too but I think she's still nursing her wounds. Well, I'll just praise her ten times more the next time I summon her.

"Would that be all, Master?" The earth sprite asked after releasing me.

"Yes, that would be all. You can rest now."

She nodded, before melting into the ground in a puddle of mud.

"Wonderful job, Milord. That was flawless." The redheaded mage approached me with a grin on her face. "You really are growing even stronger by the day. Taking on five S-rank adventurers on your own? That's an amazing feat."

"Oh, it was nothing. I still have a lot to learn. My spells can still be improved and my stamina can be better as well. Look at me, I'm sweaty from top to bottom."

"Well, Milord, if you wish, you can undress here and clean up with magic. There's nobody else around after all~" she said with a predatory glint.

"Hmph, you just want to see me naked, don't you?" I smirked. "Fine. I need to do that before we go to Victoria's place anyways."

Why, you may ask? Because we know those guys have just been employed by the Relfatia Family, thanks to the info we got from the Guild. It would be rude to not tell them that we've just slaughtered them all.

Hiding it is useless. Intimidating them is a better route.

Even if they have a Grandmaster-level mage on their side.

------------------------

A/N:

If it isn't clear already, this chapter shows just how much Hugo has surpassed his parents. So when he meets Myrilla, the latter will definitely be the weaker over the two. No doubt she'll be amazed by his amazing growth in just five years.