Arifureta Zero: Volume 1

by Ryo Shirakome

  It appeared Oscar and Miledi would have to make good on their promise to help Naiz sooner than they thought.

  Despite the fact that they were clearly outmatched, the two of them grinned fearlessly.

  “Bring it on.”

  “Do your worst.”

  Their voices melded together as they roared out a challenge.

  “Just try and kill us!” They wouldn’t let anything stand in their way.

  Meanwhile, Susha and Yunfa had managed to crawl out of the oasis they’d been flung to. Fortunately, neither of them were hurt.

  As they were coughing out the water they’d swallowed they heard a deafening boom.

  “Sue-nee. What should we do? That lady was scary.”

  “Yeah. Even Miledi-san looked like she was having trouble. And she defeated all those templar knights like it was nothing.”

  The two sat silently on the sand for a few seconds. Water dripped from their soaked clothes. Their breath misted in the air. Desert nights were freezing. However, neither of them seemed the least bit bothered by the cold.

  As they sat there, they noticed that the sound of fighting was growing further and further away from the village.

  “Are they leading her away from the village so it doesn’t get caught up in the battle?” Though she had no proof, Susha was certain they were.

  She hadn’t known them for long, but she felt as though she understood them well.

  “Sue-nee. I don’t like this. We can’t just leave them alone.” Yunfa and Susha both knew they were less than useless when it came to fighting. Yunfa bit her lip and clung to her big sister’s arm. Susha was proud to have such a brave little sister. Despite seeing firsthand how terrifying the enemy Oscar and Miledi faced was, she still wanted to help. Susha wracked her brains, trying to think of something they could do.

  Her thoughts turned to the man who’d saved their lives. After their parents had died, Susha and Yunfa had found it difficult to stay with their parents’ friends. So they’d tried to run away. But not long after heading into the desert, they’d been attacked by monsters. Susha had cradled her sister’s poisoned body, thinking all hope was lost, when Naiz had come to save their lives. She’d been able to help him; surely she could help her two new friends as well.

  “That’s it! I know what we can do! Let’s go find Naiz-sama!”

  “Yeah! Naiz-sama should be able to help them!”

  Yunfa nodded in agreement. The two sisters exchanged glances and stood up.

  Naiz sensed a massive outpouring of mana, one greater than any he’d felt before.

  He dashed out of his cave and saw bursts of mana flashing intermittently in the direction of Liv. Whoever’s fighting over there, they’re not normal people.

  Oscar and Miledi’s faces appeared in the back of his mind.

  “I should at least see what’s happening.” Naiz created a tiny portal the size of a small window and surveyed the village with it.

  The first thing he noticed was the villagers’ confusion. Next, he saw the abnormal amount of iraks and carriages in the town square. A closer look revealed that they were the Holy Church’s carriages. However, he didn’t see any templar knights or priests. He then moved his portal to the outlying desert.

  “Wh-What on earth happened...” He saw an army of templar knights lying dead on the sand. Wisps of residual mana covered the battlefield, the remnants of a few extremely powerful spells.

  A great battle had taken place here. Only Oscar and Miledi could have defeated such a large contingent of knights.

  But then, who is it they’re having so much trouble with? More importantly, why did someone so strong come to Liv? Were they chasing after the Liberators? A pair of young voices interrupted the thoughts whirling like a maelstrom inside his head.

  “Naiz-sama! Naiz-sama!”

  “You have to help Onii-chan and Onee-chan!”

  How do they know my name?

  He moved his portal closer to the voices and saw two girls shouting his name.

  They were asking for his help. The way they talked, it sounded as if they were certain he’d come to their aid.

  “......” For a moment, Naiz hesitated. But then he remembered that those two girls were the ones he’d saved two years back. Miledi had mentioned she’d told them a little bit about him. Seeing as they already knew both his name, and what his magic could do, he decided there would be no harm in revealing himself.

  A second later, Naiz was standing behind the two sisters.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “N-Naiz-sama!?”

  “Naiz-sama!”

  The two started and turned around. After a moment’s surprise, tears began spilling from their eyes. They’d finally met him again.

  Naiz panicked when he saw the two girls start crying. Before he could say anything though, Susha wiped away her tears and said, “Naiz-sama, thank you so much for saving us before. Forgive us for asking your help again before we even had a chance to thank you for the last time.”

  “Naiz-sama. Onii-chan and onee-chan are in trouble! They’re fighting this scary person who looks like a person but isn’t a person!”

  “What do you mean, looks like a person but isn’t a person?”

  The sisters hesitated. They didn’t know how to explain it.

  Regardless, Naiz could tell from the urgency in their voice that whatever it was, Oscar and Miledi were having a hard time against it. From Susha’s fragmented explanation, Naiz gathered that it was likely some kind of trump card the Holy Church had been saving.

  Once she finished her explanation Susha brought her hands together, like she was praying.

  “Please, please, I’m begging you. Help them! You’re the only one who can!”

  “Naiz-sama!”

  The two of them had absolute faith in the Guardian of the Desert. He was far more reliable than the Holy Church’s god, who they couldn’t even see and whose servants had brought them nothing but misfortune.

  Though he had never hesitated to lend someone a hand before, Naiz hesitated.

  “Naiz-sama?” He had sworn never to use his powers to fight. Would he even be of any use to those two? Whatever they were fighting was far stronger than any monster. Wouldn’t he just get in their way? Sure, he could help them flee.

  But for how long? The Holy Church had sent this powerful creature after the two of them. Even if he teleported them to safety, it would just chase after them.

  Would he just help them escape again? How long would he keep that up for? So long as he wasn’t fighting, would he be of any help to them? Besides, he’d told himself he’d never meet with them again.

  More than anything though, this situation brought back unpleasant memories. His mind flashed back to that day.

  He’d obliterated his village and everyone in it. Not even a trace had remained.

  His powers were too dangerous to be used in a fight.

  There was no telling what he might accidentally destroy this time.

  Which is why, I... Over and over, he repeated excuses not to go to his friends’ aid.

  “I’m sorry, Naiz-sama.”

  “Huh?”

  He looked down, confused by her apology. Yunfa, too, bowed her head and apologized. They weren’t berating Naiz for hesitating, in fact they looked almost sad.

  “I don’t know what exactly happened, but I do know my request is causing you pain. I’m sorry. I never wanted to force my savior to make that kind of face.”

  “I’m sorry too, Naiz-sama...”

  “What face?”

  What kind of face am I making right now?

  Naiz unconsciously brought a hand up to his cheek.

  “We’ll go ourselves.” Susha and Yunfa turned around.

  Naiz asked automatically, “Go where?”

  “To help Miledi-san and Oscar-san.”

  “Wha— What are you—”

  “We know we’ll just get in the way. But maybe we can distract that woman, even if it’s only for a second
.”

  “I can do a little magic. Maybe if I make some sparks it’ll surprise the not-person.”

  Though they spoke lightly, their resolve was the real deal. Naiz could see it in their eyes. They wanted to help, even if it meant their death.

  “Why would you go so far for them? You can’t have known them for more than a few days...”

  “Because they saved our lives.”

  “Yeah!”

  Susha and Yunfa jumped onto their irak. Susha took hold of the reins. She didn’t even look back.

  Naiz couldn’t believe it. They had said that like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

  If someone saved your life, it was only natural to risk yours to save theirs.

  Anyone would agree; that was the moral thing to do. But few people would be able to actually follow through with that line of reasoning.

  Suddenly, Naiz realized something.

  In their explanation, Susha and Yunfa had mentioned why the Holy Church had come to their village.

  The bishop, Agares, had launched an inquisition. Oscar and Miledi had saved the two girls just before the bishop had executed them for heresy.

  But what was it that had gotten them suspected of heresy in the first place? There was only one thing that came to mind.

  “Wait! Wait a second, you two. Why did the Holy Church declare you heretics?”

  “Well...”

  “Please tell me.”

  Susha hesitated. She and Yunfa shared a look. But when Susha saw the sincerity in Naiz’s eyes she sighed and told the truth.

  “Because I told the bishop there was nothing wrong with wanting to help the Guardian of the Desert.”

  “Ah—”

  So it is my fault after all.

  Even Miledi and Oscar only got wrapped up in this because of me.

  Though he’d told himself over and over he was keeping his distance to protect them, he’d only been protecting himself.

  And now he was making excuses for himself, trying to pretend like this had nothing to do with him. Could he really let these two girls throw away their lives because he was too cowardly to help? I’m an embarrassment!

  “I hope we can meet again one day, Naiz-sa—”

  “Wait. You don’t have to go.”

  Those words spilled out of their own volition.

  These girls had risked their life for him, and now they were about to do the same for Miledi and Oscar.

  He was done making excuses for himself.

  Powerless as they were, these two girls were trying to do the right thing. Yet he’d just been trying to shirk his duty.

  He didn’t want to shame himself any further.

  How could I have forgotten? I’m a warrior’s son. I’m Solda Gruen’s son. My job is to defeat anyone who threatens our people! The chains of his sin still bound him. His guilt would never disappear.

  This power of his was repulsive. He didn’t want to hurt anyone with it ever again.

  But did that mean it was okay to abandon these two brave girls who were begging him for help? Absolutely not. He was done running from his past.

  If he abandoned them here, he’d never be able to face his family in the afterlife.

  Naiz made his decision.

  “I’ll go.”

  “Naiz-sama!”

  “Naiz-sama!”

  Susha’s eyes went wide with surprise, while Yunfa’s sparkled in admiration.

  “Thank you so much for trying to protect me. Wait here for me. I’ll be back. With Miledi and Oscar.”

  The thought of fighting still pained Naiz, but his mind was made up. His resolve wouldn’t waver.

  The two girls looked up at Naiz in wonder.

  “Good luck!”

  “We’ll be waiting, Naiz-sama!”

  They waved farewell to their reliable Guardian of the Desert.

  A localized thunderstorm raged a few kilometers south of Liv.

  “Gah!?”

  “Ah!?”

  Flashes of lightning illuminated the torrential downpour. Oscar and Miledi were in the middle of it all, trying their best to dodge the deadly rain.

  Oscar’s umbrella was groaning from all the abuse it had taken. Miledi had put out multiple Spatial Severances, and each had absorbed so much energy it had collapsed.

  They didn’t even have time to grumble to each other. Even a moment’s lapse in concentration would lead to their death.

  “You better not underestimate me.” Oscar flung a volley of daggers at Hearst. He controlled their flight freely, and had them close in on Hearst from all sides.

  “I have seen that trick already.” Her silver wings smacked down Oscar’s missiles before they could reach their target.

  They burned, scorched, and froze the air as they fell.

  “But now you’re wide open!” Miledi fell upward into the sky. Once she was above Hearst, she unleashed a powerful gravity sphere at her.

  Hearst crossed her swords above her head and blocked the sphere. Normal swords would have been crushed to a pulp, but Hearst’s weapons were made of sterner stuff.

  Miledi’s lips twitched, but she wasted no time in increasing the sphere’s pressure.

  Oscar jumped up next to her using his Onyx Boots and thrust his umbrella at Hearst.

  “Ability Nine, Thunderlord’s Judgement! Full power!” Originally, he’d had Spark Plasma as his ninth ability. It was the most cost-effective lightning spell he had. But now he was fighting together with Miledi, and his own skills had improved. So he’d swapped out the ninth ability for the most powerful electric spell known to man.

  His umbrella turned inside-out, and concentrated balls of lightning formed at the tips of each rib. They traveled down the umbrella’s ribs, combining into one massive lightning sphere at its ferrule. That massive sphere of lightning hurtled toward Hearst.

  There was a blinding flash of light. For a few seconds, all Oscar could see was white. Hearst vanished inside the dazzling light.

  Though the recoil sent Oscar flying backward, he was able to recover in midair thanks to his Onyx Boots.

  “O-kun!”

  “I’m sure that hit! But—”

  He wasn’t able to finish his sentence.

  There was a dull thud, and both Miledi’s gravity sphere and Oscar’s lightning were blown away.

  Hearst leaped up to where Oscar was and crossed her swords around his neck.

  It was only thanks to the heightened perception his glasses gave him that he was able to bring up his umbrella in time to guard.

  Her swords bit into his umbrella. He could feel them cutting into his neck.

  He’d avoided being decapitated, but only by a hair’s breadth. The swords slowly digging into his skin reminded him that his head could still fly at any moment. That one attack had shaved a decade off his life just from the fright it had given him.

  “You’re surprisingly tenacious.” Hearst’s lifeless eyes bored into Oscar. They were the same shade of blue as Miledi’s.

  He knew this wasn’t the time to be comparing eyes, but Oscar couldn’t help it. While Miledi’s looked like a clear blue sky after a storm, Hearst’s resembled empty glass spheres.

  There was only the tiniest hint of light in those glass globes. Up close, it felt as if her gaze was piercing right through him.

  “O-kun!” Miledi fired a barrage of wind blades at Hearst.

  Hearst turned to face the onslaught. She sent Oscar flying with a roundhouse kick as she turned, then cut down the wind blades with her swords.

  Oscar slammed into the ground faster than he could blink.

  “Cough Cough Gah, this isn’t good.” Coughing up blood, he struggled to all fours. Despite his coat’s protection, one kick had been enough to knock the wind out of him. Had it not been for his Ebony Coat, he’d be dead right now. As he struggled to his feet, he heard a scream above him.

  “Kyaa!?”

  “Miledi!”

  Oscar willed his wounded body into action, and leaped over to wher
e Miledi was falling.

  He caught her in midair, swallowed down the bile and blood that threatened to spill out of his mouth, and landed on his back. He wasn’t going to let her go, no matter what.

  “Ugh. Th-Thanks, O-kun.”

  “Looks like you’re...not okay.”

  There was a deep gash running from the top of Miledi’s shoulder to the tip of her breast. Though she was pressing on it with her hand, blood still dripped between her fingers. The wound wasn’t fatal, but it was certainly grave.

  Oscar looked down at his umbrella. The earlier scissor cut had hacked it nearly in two. Despite the fact that the umbrella’s cloth was made of the hardest material in existence.

  He mentally reviewed his remaining trump cards.

  He knew his chains had no hope of binding Hearst. If she had the strength to cut through his umbrella, his chains wouldn’t last seconds. The same held true for the threads in his gloves. Just what is her body made of? They hadn’t been able to get a scratch on her. Oscar was all out of enchanted daggers.

  Even his strongest spell, Thunderlord’s Judgement, hadn’t been able to touch her.

  “What kind of monster is she?”

  “Ahaha, don’t ask me.”

  The two smiled bitterly at each other. No matter what attack they threw out, it would probably be nullified by that barrier surrounding her. Even if they could get past that, her equipment and her body were both so tough they doubted they could dent it.

  Not only could she fly, her physical specs were through the roof, she had a seemingly inexhaustible supply of mana, and her combat skills were unparalleled. She was an absolute monster.

  “Have you finally given up?” The woman who called herself God’s Apostle looked down at Oscar and Miledi.

  “No way.”

  “I’m not sure I understand the question. The word give up isn’t in my dictionary.”

  The two of them glared at Hearst. Though their wounds had left them pale-faced, neither of them even felt the pain.

  Hearst observed the two of them dispassionately.

  “Even though my charm spell is supposed to be quite powerful, it seems it’s not working on you at all.” Her eyes shimmered. It appeared she’d been using brainwashing magic on them this whole time.