The Tale of the Hero, Daiki

 

 "Damn it, you bastard!!"

 

I charged at the demon with all my might, but a black object appeared, emitting a piercing sound, blocking my path.

 

 "How naive."

 

 "What!?"

 

As I realized the black object was about to launch an attack with its protruding needle, I managed to dodge by backstepping, narrowly avoiding a grazing blow to my side.

 

 "Haa, haa."

 

Phew, that was close! I barely dodged that, but I can't keep this up much longer.

 

 "Whoa!?"

 

Suddenly, Dozem appeared in front of me, pointing the black spear at me.

 

 "Carelessness is not advisable."

 

Oh no! Am I going to be killed!?

 

 "Daiki!! [Fire Arrow]!!"

 

 "Hmph!"

 

Thanks to Mika's magic, I was able to retreat, but Dozem casually shifted the black spear into a square shape in front of him, blocking the Fire Arrow with ease.

 

 "Daiki, are you okay?"

 

 "Haa... haa... I'm fine. Thanks, Mika!"

 

I said that to Mika, but in truth, I was far from okay.

 

 "Daiki, let me cast a healing spell on you."

 

 "I'm sorry, Iori."

 

She placed her hand on my side and muttered "Holy," enveloping her hand in a faint light, causing the wound on my side to vanish.

 

 "Hmm... so this is the power of a hero. Just as I've heard."

 

 "What do you mean?"

 

 "Allow me to enlighten you. Do you remember our acquaintance, Sould, whom we repelled earlier?"

 

 "Yes, I remember. The one who tried to assassinate the Emperor."

 

What's he getting at? I responded while wondering.

 

 "He was the demon we first battled. So what?"

 

 "Well, that simplifies things. Do you know how powerful he was among us?"

 

 "His strength?"

 

I remembered struggling against Sould during our previous encounter. Considering that...

 

 "He was about average in strength, right?"

 

 "Hahaha! I see... You've been mistaken."

 

"Mistaken? While Daiki and the others were thinking that, he continued.

 

 "Among us, his strength... was the lowest."

 

 "The... lowest?"

 

If what Dozem said was true, then did that mean we were celebrating defeating a mere underling...?

 

 "I don't know who defeated him, but he was killed. Well, he was just a nuisance among us, so his absence doesn't matter... And now."

 

After saying that, he spread his hands, and three black objects started emerging from the ground, taking shape.

 

 "Please, witness a fraction of my power."

 

 "I-Is that... true?"

 

Mika's disbelief was understandable. Yes, because right in front of us were black objects identical to our forms.

 

 Amidst this, Iori addressed Dozem.

 

 "Could it be... shadows?"

 

Shadows? There's no way! Shadows becoming weapons or armor, let alone touching shadows, that's absurd!!

 

 "Excellent answer. I obtained the power to freely manipulate my shadow from him. I can materialize my shadow, shaping it into weapons, armor, and even people... Well then, shall we begin?"

 

With those words from Dozem, shadows shaped like us brandished weapons and attacked.

 

 "You bastard!"

 

I exclaimed while striking at the shadow, only to be blocked by its sword. As we engaged in a clash of strength, I found the blade inching closer to me.

 

 This... guy!? His... strength... is overwhelming!

 

 "Daiki! Watch out! Gaaah!?"

 

 "Mika!!"

As I shifted my gaze towards Mimi, I noticed a figure resembling her, clutching its stomach and poised to strike with a spear. In this state, I couldn't offer any help.

"【Holy Arrow】!"

Countless arrows of light flew towards the figure, but it managed to evade them. Nevertheless, I seized the opportunity and rushed to Mimi's side.

"Iori, are you okay? It looks like you just got kicked."

"But, still!"

Iori stared at Mimi with a worried expression as she used her spear as a makeshift cane to stand up.

"Stop worrying about me and focus on the enemy! They're coming!"

"Wha-!? 【Sacred Shield】, now!"

She chanted a spell and conjured a barrier in front of us to block the incoming attackers.

"A barrier of the holy attribute, but it's rather thin," remarked Dozum, as the figures resembling Mimi and Iori each brandished their weapons and delivered powerful strikes, creating a deafening noise and causing cracks to form.

"Bang!"

"Huh!?"

I couldn't believe it. Iori's barrier, which could withstand the punch of an Iron Golem, was shattered by a single blow.

"N-No way! Iori's barrier was broken just like that...?"

Unbelievable. That barrier was supposed to be as strong as to halt an Iron Golem's fist, yet it was destroyed so easily...

"How about this? This is just a fraction of my power."

At this rate, we can't win! The enemies are too strong!

I managed to fend off the sword wielded by the figure and rushed towards Mimi and the others.

"Both of you, we're getting out of here! Follow me!"

If we can break through the earth-based wall, we can escape from here!?

"Understood!"

"Huh!"

As we prepared to run towards the wall made of earth, we found figures resembling us blocking the staircase.

"It's not that easy to escape," they sneered.

Damn it! Were they not only strong but also fast!?

"Everyone... behind me," I said.

"Huh?"

Upon hearing Mimi's words, I turned around to see three figures wielding weapons.

"What!? What's going on? Why are there six figures, three in front and three behind us!?"

"How amusing," chuckled one of the figures.

"What's so funny!?"

"It's simple. We knew you'd try to escape, so we created illusions of ourselves and hid them under the nearest earth wall."

Damn it! They predicted our moves.

"Now that you've had a taste of my power, shall we end this?" They looked at us with a chilling smile.

We were completely surrounded! What should we do? This is really bad... We have to find a way to save ourselves, but how?

Mimi and Iori looked at me with anxious expressions, while I racked my brain for a solution, but nothing came to mind.

"It's over. You might as well accept your fate and become my nourishment," said the figures, slowly advancing with their weapons ready to strike.

How did it come to this? If only we had bought magic scrolls before coming here, could we have saved just the two of them? If I had been stronger, could I have handled this? No, would it have been better if we had trained in the grasslands instead of coming here?

Among various thoughts racing through my mind, the answer I arrived at was simple.

It's hopeless.

With that realization, all strength drained from my body as I fell to my knees, even dropping my sword.

"We... we're going to... die here..."

"What... what nonsense are you spouting?! Daiki, get up quickly!"

"Daiki, don't give up, stand up!"

They tried to shake me awake, but there was no response from me. Watching this, Dozum gazed at us with a chilling smirk.

"Perhaps it's better to accept death gracefully, like him."

"Who said we're going to be killed for your sake?!"

"..... I see. If that's what you say. Let's see how far you can endure."

"【Sacred Shield】!"

Iori surrounded himself with a barrier, clashing with the weapons of shadows assaulting him, creating a cacophony of high-pitched noise.

"Ugh!? Aaaargh!!!"

Pouring all his magical energy into the barrier, cracks forming, Iori struggled visibly to hold it together.

"Iori, don't give up!!"

"Uryaaaah!!!"

With that shout, he blasted the barrier protecting them, colliding with the shadows and Dozem, pushing them away.

"Nice one, Iori! Let's escape while we can!!"

As Mizumi spoke, she glanced at Iori, noticing his labored breathing, realizing he must have exhausted his magical abilities.

"Huff, huff... Mizumi... just... huff... huff... go... escape..."

"What are you saying, Iori! Get up and run!!"

"I... huff... huff... can't... move... anymore..."

"No way..."

Mizumi lacked the strength to carry both Daiki and Iori to safety. Even if she could manage, it was clear they would be overtaken.

What should I do? How can I save them? Can I really abandon them here? I can't bring myself to do that.

"I never imagined you'd hold onto such power."

"Huh!?"

Mizumi turned towards the voice, seeing Dozem attempting to rise.

"But you're the only one capable of fighting."

Indeed, the enemy was right. Daiki was despairing, rendered useless, and Iori was immobilized due to magical depletion.

Although there were mana potions in Iori's item box, drinking one would leave him vulnerable to attack... there was nothing more they could do.

"Go."

With those words, Dozem extended his hand, and the shadows they had blown away earlier surged towards them.

Am I going to die here, unable to do anything?

In that moment of despair, a tremendous explosion filled the room with smoke, prompting them to cover their mouths with their sleeves to avoid inhaling it.

"Cough!? Cough!?"

"Wheeze!? Wheeze!?"

Daiki and Iori seemed to have inhaled the smoke, choking on it.

"What... what happened!?"

Could it be Dozem's doing? Mizumi thought, looking around.

"Ugh!? What did you do!?"

Dozem, too, was coughing, just like Daiki and Iori.

Wasn't it him? Then who did it?

Clang! Clang!

"What...?"

"Whoa!?"

As they wondered, the shadows between them and Dozem began to sway, and simultaneously, as if exploding from within, holes opened up in their heads, causing them to collapse. This was followed by each shadow falling with similar noises.

"What's happening?"

"My... my shadows being defeated so easily... I can't believe it..."

Watching all the shadows of the puppets he created being defeated, Dozem wore an expression of disbelief.

"I see. So, that black mass is your shadow, and you're the one controlling it, an enemy of the heroes? Well, it's not hard to guess why they fell like that."

"Who are you!?"

"I'm someone who came to help the heroes. Anything wrong with that?"

As Dozem spoke, he turned his gaze behind us, so we followed suit, only to find a girl with striking white hair standing there.