Volume 4 Chapter 36 It's A Close Call, But...
The black spear streaked through the sky, aiming straight for the bandit boss' head.
"You idiot!"
Realizing there was no time to dodge, the bandit boss, with a curse, lifted the girl's body as a shield.
"Aaaaa!"
The girl let out a frightened cry as she closed her eyes in terror.
At that moment, most of the onlookers' attention was focused on the thrown black spear and the girl being used as a shield. But just before the spear could hit her, it suddenly disappeared.
"...Huh?"
The bandit boss looked puzzled.
The girl cautiously opened her eyes.
Both of them wore expressions as if they were still in a daydream, unable to comprehend the shock or pain that never came.
Everyone else had similar reactions.
However, amidst the confusion, there were those who acted decisively.
Of course, it was "us".
――Thud-thud!
"――Wha!?"
The bandit boss snapped back to reality at the sound of footsteps nearby. By the time he noticed, Mikage was already closing in.
"Tchhh!"
With a loud cluck, the bandit boss pushed the girl towards Mikage. Just as the girl was about to close in on the sword's range, Mikage let go of the hilt and caught the girl.
"You... you jerkkk!!"
The bandit boss probably didn't understand what had happened, but he seemed to realize he'd been outsmarted. With rage, he swung his great sword wildly, aiming to strike both Mikage and the girl.
Mikage embraced the girl, shielding her from harm. There was no hint of fear in her eyes, just a steady gaze at the approaching sword.
Because I'm here.
I, who caught up with Mikage a step behind, thrust my spear towards the sword swung by the bandit boss.
"Here we goooo!"
"Gghhh... Ohhh!?"
Despite feeling a strong jolt in my hands, I swung the long shaft anyway. With a metallic scrape, I successfully pushed back the bandit boss's body.
"Mikage! Take care of the girl!"
"Understood. Yukina-sama, please be careful too."
Upon hearing my words, Mikage quickly lifted the girl and left the scene, running towards where Kyunei and the others were.
"You... you were supposed to throw the spear! What's going on!?"
"It's just a little trick."
I retorted to the angry bandit boss, straightening my posture with a sense of satisfaction.
'Haha! Operation success!'
I couldn't help but grin at Gram's hearty laughter.
It's simple once you reveal the trick.
After throwing the black spear, it was obvious that the bandit boss would use the girl as a shield. So, just before the spear hit the girl, Gram used Summon to return to my hand.
The important thing was the timing when the Black Spear disappeared. It had to be at the exact moment when everyone thought it would hit the girl in order to use Summon.
That's why I entrusted it to Gram. I thought it would be more reliable for the thrown Black Spear itself to calculate the timing of Summon rather than me throwing it.
'Wow, I have to say, I did a great job there! It was really close! Partner, you should praise me more, you know!'
Probably, he used Summon when the distance between the tip of the spear and the girl was as thin as a piece of paper. I feel bad for scaring the girl who had been held hostage, but if she can return safely to her parents unharmed, then it's worth it.
Thanks to that, all attention except for those who had been hinted at the plan beforehand focused on the girl and the thrown Black Spear. Because of that, Mikage and I were able to approach the bandit boss who had been holding the girl hostage.
The girl who was a hostage, Mikage, had finally made it to Rudel and the others. The prisoners didn't need to worry because Rudel and his team were protecting them well.
"We will protect all of you prisoners! Don't miss this chance!!"
Upon hearing Aina's strong voice, the members felt relieved knowing they were in good hands. Frustrated from being held hostage and restrained, they attacked the bandits with a powerful force.
Even though they were outnumbered, the mercenaries were much stronger individually. In addition, Mikage and Rudel were taking down nearby bandits while protecting the prisoners. Occasionally, Aina and Kyunei provided support with magic and throwing knives, making it impossible for the bandits to win.
"The tables have turned."
"You bastardsss!!"
I declared, causing the bandit boss to turn red and yell. I defended against his sword strikes with a horizontal spear.
I could feel the strength matching his size, but I’ve been training with the heavy black spear for a long time. I wouldn't lose to him.
I knocked away the bandit boss's sword and swung my spear in response. The bandit boss blocked my spear with his sword, catching it between his sword and his body.
"Even as a boss, I won't back down! Don't underestimate me!"
"Oh yeah? We'll see about that!"
We continued to clash our spear and sword many times, but my blade just couldn’t reach the bandit boss. At the same time, his sword couldn’t reach me either.
'This bandit boss is way stronger than the weaker soldiers around. He’s almost as strong as a top-level mercenary.'
Gram was right about the bandit boss. He skillfully controlled his great sword, despite his rough appearance, and defended against my attacks. He might even be better than me.
But still...
As we continued to fight, the tide slowly started to turn.
"I can’t believe... I'm struggling against this young fighter..."
"Sorry. Sorry if it doesn't make sense to young people, but I've been through some tough situations."
The bandit boss shook his shoulders up and down, releasing rough energy. On the other hand, I was filled with excitement from the battle, but still managed to keep a calm breathing.
It's clear to anyone watching who has the upper hand.
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