02x22 - Fight On, Hero!

[bunniefuu]

Season Two

Night Twenty-Two Fight On, Hero!

Night Twenty-Two Fight On, Hero!

Is that really Otonashi-senpai?

Something else is coming!

First a hero cosplayer, now a skeleton?

Young Master, shall we
begin by saving the hero?

Yeah.

But don't say my name
when speaking with me.

They might realize who I am.

Very well.

Then I shall call you only "Master."

Refer to me as Larva.

Got it. I'll handle this.

I don't you know who you are,

but it seems safe to assume you're enemies.

Are you on our side?

This voice...

It really is Senpai.
What is she doing in this world?

Wait, why is she dressed like that?

Not that I can talk.

Voice changer on.

I've come to save the hero according
to an agreement with the goddess.

The demons will abandon
Fort Stella and retreat north.

You should be able to use your telepathy.

Is that armor some kind
of ancient equipment?

So the goddess has pawns
we didn't know about.

I have no intention of fighting demons.

If you'll retreat quietly, I promise I won't
allow the hyumans to pursue you.

I can't do that.
I will k*ll the hero Hibiki here.

Nor will I relinquish Stella.

Move. I won't k*ll you if you
don't try to protect the hero.

I can't do that.

I've already received my reward up front.

Then I will k*ll you and the hero.

My name is Io. Demon Commander Io.

Won't state your name?

I wasn't expecting to be interrupted
by a white warrior for a second time.

The hero has some incredible luck.

Let's go!

Well, well.

He stopped Io's blow.

Amazing.

Hero of Limia, step back
with your companions.

He's unbelievably strong!

Whatever you do, don't challenge
him to a contest of strength!

I'll take that into consideration.

Not bad. However...

I see. I don't have enough arms.

Exactly!

Spin Step!

And you lack power!

That backhand took down a dragon.

Blocking it immediately was a good call.

It scares me that that doesn't
sound like a joke.

Perhaps you'll entertain
me more than Hibiki.

He's smiling. Scary.

Who is that man in white?

That armor is rather tough.

But he's up against Io.

He needs our help.

He does not.

When did you get there?

Your assistance would only get in my
master's way against an opponent that weak.

"That weak"?

The skeleton is talking.

By the way, did you purchase that sword from
the Kuzunoha Trading Company in Tsige?

You know that place?

Yes.

I once experimented with feeding wind
spirits to monsters in the wasteland.

That sword is made using materials
from my experiments.

You did what?

Who are you?

Larva.

Your run-of-the-mill lich
who likes to experiment.

Hibiki!

Damn it! More enemies!

Don't move, hero of Limia.

If you leave this barrier,
I'll k*ll your friends.

Your friends' safety was not part
of our agreement with the goddess.

As long as the hero is safe, we don't
care what happens to the others.

Then what do you want me to do?

I shall handle them.

You stay there and wait.

What?

How dare you?!

You two, making more enemies
now would be a bad move.

Let's allow this gentleman to handle it.

Let's see what you can do.

Larva-dono, show us your power.

Step back, lich.

The hero is our prey.

I know a bit about the tenacity of cattle.

At home, they are troublesome
and violent livestock.

Livestock?!

Fool. How does it serve you
to enrage us unnecessarily?

Now, let's see...

Horses that can't even grow
horns are too weak for me to ride,

but I'm not sure about you.

To be precise, I am a former lich.

Why former? Allow me to show you.

Come, Thirteen Steps.

Release steps one through four.

Wand, Sword, Cup, Coin.

What is this?

You must be excited to stand
before your superior.

Try to put up a fight.

Well, well. The horse evaded it.

The cow... survived it.

b*stard!

Damn mage!

Now burn.

Don't worry, it doesn't hurt.

Now offer your lives to me.

He's wrecking them.

What do you think you're looking at?

Whoops.

You think this will be easy?

No. I'm fighting an opponent more
skilled than me in hand-to-hand combat.

It's not easy at all.

Yeah, right. Not a single one of my
attacks has been effective against you.

Anyway, your men died. Don't you care?

Everyone who attacked the royal
capital had steeled their resolve.

Pitying their deaths would be an insult!

Elemental gauntlets, huh? Wow.

That sounded sarcastic!

Just to clarify, are you
sure you won't retreat?

Of course. I don't intend to drag
this fight out any further, either.

I see.

Larva, half-open seven.

Very well.

You're asking that lich for support?

No, of course not.
I'm having him buy time.

So you're determined not to fight fair.

My objectives are saving the hero and
the fall of Fort Stella. That's all.

I may have to fight someone in the future,

so I don't feel like
pointlessly exposing my hand.

Is he considering that he
might have to fight a hero?

Now, then...

Selecting k*ller Move.

Firing claymores.

Claymores?

Huh?

I-Is that—

That doesn't seem right.

Tracking weapons armed
with expl*sive magic?

I've never heard of such a thing.

Scissorhands Knuckle!

It pierced my hardened skin?

Scissors won't work. What else is there?

Select Anchor Shot?

Hey, nice.

Hup.

Heave-h*!

All right. Got a good one.

Huh?

He's regenerating at this speed?

He can fly, too?

Let's see...

Activating.

Jet Kick!

Demon Commander Io,
it's about time you retrea—

Hey!

You monster!

He's already regenerated.

Larva-dono, your master is in trouble!

Your advice is unnecessary.

Equip and activate Seventh Step.

Hell, half-open.

To the city wall should do it.

Go, Niffelheim.

To the city wall?

I will envelop this city in a weakening fog.

The master said weakening would be enough.

You should thank him for that.

Oh, I felt that.

You mixed in some kind
of armor-piercing jabs.

You're unscathed after all that?

You're a total enigma.

I'm not unscathed. That hurt pretty bad.

I can't believe you can move
around that much and regenerate.

If not for these circumstances,
I would've liked to enjoy fighting you.

However...

What was that about?

Is that how demons pump themselves up?

No.

I told even my soldiers who I can't
reach telepathically to use something.

What thing?

The latent strength of living beings
is surprisingly deep and vast.

I learned that from the woman in
white who was the hero's companion.

Her name was Naval.

What? Is that...

No way.

Is that a Rose Sign?

Io.

Master!

That is an enhancing item
known as a Rose Sign.

It grants the user tremendous strength
in exchange for consuming their soul.

Not only that, but it's been modified.

Your knowledge is impressive, lich.

You gave those to your soldiers?

No one will return from this battle alive.

They'll slaughter all the hyumans
with this instant strength boost.

Now, let's see what the improvements
Rona made are capable of.

You should be pleased, white-clad.
I deem you worthy of using this on.

I see. Incredible.

Here comes Demon Commander Io!

Rose Signs?

If the demons outside use those, as well...

We have to save the people of the city!

You're right.

Let's go!

Yeah!

What is this? A barrier?

Larva-dono.

You again, skeleton?
Don't trap us in here!

Let us out!

Larva-dono, dispel this barrier!

No.

Don't be ridiculous! We're going
to bring the city under control.

We won't allow the demons
to slaughter the people!

Don't make me say it again. My goal is—

Don't worry about me!

We know everything there is to know
about the royal capital's geography.

We'll wipe out the demons before you know it.

We won't die that easily!

Please!

You hyumans...

In that case, try breaking through
this barrier yourselves.

It was based on a fairly powerful
barrier known as Cocytus.

If you cannot break through this,
then who do you expect to save?

If we break through this barrier,
you won't stop us from going into the city.

Is that right?

I'll consider it.

Only consider it.

Hibiki...

It's okay. I can do it.

Hibiki!

I can keep going.

I am a hero. More...

I need more power.

Where am I?

Welcome, traveler between worlds.

Who are you?

I don't know how to answer that.

This is the only time we'll meet.

If you need something from me, it can wait.

There's something I need to do right now.

Don't be in such a hurry.

Only your consciousness is here.

Any time that passes in here is
less than a moment for them.

So it's instantaneous?

Yes. Shall we resume our conversation?

Outsider from the original world
and hero, Otonashi Hibiki.

You know who I am.

Of course. The other hero,
Iwahashi Tomoki, also came here.

Him, too?

You've earned the right to receive
the travelers' privilege.

Can that make me stronger?

That depends on you, and some abilities
come with a price, but the answer is yes.

I'm going to ask you a few questions.

From your perspective, they'll probably
all sound like they have no right answer.

Now, what color are you?

Thank you. I have your results, Otonashi Hibiki.

Your color is black.

Black?

Yes. It's one of the highest-ranking colors.

Tomoki was the same color.

Black can never be acquired by the gods.

Attack, defense, healing, support...

It's quicker to name what it can't do.

It's also known as "all colors."

All colors...

Now I will make you your ability.

Because Tomoki acquired an attack,
you can't choose that.

In that case,

can I have an ability as broadly defined
as one that conquers the world?

Of course. In that case, the cost would be
all your mana and 80% of life in the world.

Well, that won't do.

What about the ability to dispel all spells?

That's no fun.

You could learn dispelling
magic if you worked at it.

He can use it, too.

Huh?

You know him?

Did he get that cosplay suit here?

Nobody asked for that weird thing.

I know him, but I doubt he'll ever come here.

So, what power will you choose?

Could I use the emotions of
others to strengthen myself?

Turn others' emotions into your own power?

I see. That's a truly heroic ability.

Perfect for someone as charismatic as you.

Can you or can't you make that?

Of course I can.

The cost is... a reduction of
your maximum mana, I'd say.

That's fine.

In that case, Otonashi Hibiki...

I shall grant you this ability.

Hey, wake up!

Hibiki!

Hang in there!

Hey, Hibiki!

Their feelings become...

my strength!

Unbelievable.

How was that?

Per our agreement,
we're going into the city.

Wait, hero of Limia!

Something's coming, Master!

Seriously? I have to deal with
them under these circumstances?

Larva, go with the hero!

Understood.

Your opponent is over here.

When I consider my future with the demons,
I don't want to k*ll Io now, but...

Aw, man. Are you okay with this?

That attack was probably one of your allies.

You know them?

Then you must also understand
that they can't be controlled.

I don't doubt it.

I'd like to at least weaken
Io before they arrive.

What have you got?

Spell Break is effective.

When a hero equal to the enemy appears,

you can forcibly dispel the
enemy's enhancements.

A hero?

Let's go!

Investigative Kai.

Found it.

Spell Break!

You b*stard! What did you do?!

I broke your Rose Sign thing.

Still want to keep fighting?

O dragon kings who live for an eternity.

She's here.

Guardians of the world opposite the goddess,

What's she doing in the royal capital?

please grant me your strength

for a moment.

Is it an enhancing spell?

Dragons of Blade, Water, Fire, and Shadows.

Sounds like it requires a pretty long ritual.

Et cetera.

Huh? She abbreviated the incantation?!

Die!

Figures that didn't k*ll you.

You're as interesting as ever.

Night Twenty-Three:

Next Time

"Rival Revenge Match."

Rival Revenge Match