#1056 Hero vs Hero

And so, the battle begins between Ritheseus and... that woman now calling herself Momoko? The summoned hero from another world.

It’s a showdown of heroes, old versus new.

On one side, a hero from ancient times who gained superhuman powers by inheriting divine blood...

On the other, a modern hero summoned from another world, granted overpowered abilities.

When the old era and the new collide, the story unfolds.

This matchup...

Looking at it again, isn’t this more of a spectacle than I thought?!

“An ancient hero versus a modern one, huh...”

Even the Demon King is suddenly wearing a serious expression.

“To us demons, both are terrifying threats. These two, who should never have met due to the flow of time, now face each other. We must watch carefully.”

The Demon King’s earnest nature is as consistent as ever, no matter the time or place.

And so, the unprecedented battle between heroes kicked off.

“Ha!”

“Taaahhhhh!!!”

As they clash, shockwaves ripple out.

Ritheseus’ and Momoko’s swords lock at the hilt, neither side giving an inch.

“What the heck! Isn’t the Holy Sword supposed to be the strongest?!” Momoko shouts, sounding rather annoyed.

Come to think of it, her sword is one of the legendary Seven Holy Swords, right?

It’s the only weapon on earth that can harm a Lifeless King—a weapon that would be final-equipment level in any RPG.

Naturally, if it clashed with a regular iron sword, it would break it like snapping a Pocky stick. But Ritheseus’ sword, even when clashing head-on with the Holy Sword, not only doesn’t break but holds its ground without yielding an inch.

“There shouldn’t be any sword stronger than the Holy Sword in this world! What’s going on?!”

“This sword is made from the hardest mana metal on earth and is a masterpiece forged personally by Lord Saint! It was guaranteed to be no less than the Holy Sword! And it seems that claim is being proven right now!!!”

Indeed, that’s correct.

That mana metal sword is actually my own handmade creation, and thanks to the effect of Hand of Supremacy, it even has holy attributes.

I pride myself on having achieved specs equal to or surpassing the Holy Sword.

I gave it to Ritheseus as a graduation gift, but of course, I didn’t single him out; I gave similar presents to all the graduates at the time.

I remember Sensei muttering, “You’re destroying the world’s balance,” back then.

So, even against the Holy Sword, Ritheseus isn’t at a disadvantage!

Go, go, go! Swing my masterpiece to your heart’s content!

“Saint?! Again with the Saint... Could it be that Orkubo’s Castle has some connection to the Saint?!”

“Don’t let your guard down! Let’s finish this in one go! Deryaaaaa!!!”

Ritheseus’ attacks are fierce, like a raging torrent, yet precise enough to strike vital points in a single blow.

The first-generation graduates of the Farm School aren’t to be underestimated!!!

Most opponents would be overwhelmed in less than a second, but Momoko, though on the defensive, is holding her ground. Impressive.

I guess the title of “Hero” isn’t just for show.

Is it the skills granted by the gods at work, or perhaps her sheer experience as a hero that supports her technique?

Either way, it’s clear that this hero isn’t all talk.

“Hoaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

“Arooooooooooooooooo!!!”

The clashing sounds of the Holy Sword and the mana-metal sword resound as they fiercely exchange blows.

This reminds me of the previous battle with Arowana.

While exchanging intense blows, they remain evenly matched, in a stalemate.

Last time, Momoko broke the deadlock with a clever trick, but what’s going to happen this time?

“Hmm, this isn’t getting us anywhere... If I keep burning stamina like this, it’ll affect what’s to come...!”

She’s right.

After all, this is just an event at Orkubo’s Castle; Momoko has to consider the path ahead to reach the main keep.

Pacing is important.

If she keeps clashing seriously with Ritheseus and wasting energy, her chances of ultimate victory will diminish.

“And I still have the Demon King waiting after this... I can’t afford to waste any more energy here...!”

Wait, she plans to fight the Demon King, too?!

Thanks to her, Orkubo’s Castle has turned into a battle event!

“But this hero has fewer openings than I thought...! Unlike that Mermaid King earlier.”

Stop!

Hey, don’t diss Arowana like that!

“It’d be great if he’d use some weird fighting style again and create an opening, but he doesn’t seem like the type to use such gimmicks...! Hm?”

“Kyaa! Ritheseus, you can do it!!!”

Uh-oh.

From the spectator seats, a particularly enthusiastic cheer echoes.

Isn’t that... Eryngear?

Like Ritheseus, she’s a graduate of the Farm School, and now his fiancée.

For her to visit Orkubo’s Castle... she must be here to support Rithseus.

Receiving that, Ritheseus, who’s in the midst of an unexpected fierce battle, shyly waves back.

Seeing that, Momoko, his opponent...

“Tsk, what’s with them flirting in public!”

She was plainly irritated.

So she’s one of those types too.

“Not considering the mental damage inflicted on those around them... This is what you call a public nuisance! Those lovey-dovey fools don’t even think about... Wait a second.

At that moment, a wicked grin spreads across her face.

Did she come up with something?

What she comes up with at times like this is probably something to decide the match.

Just as I was wondering what she was going to do, Momoko took a deep breath and...

“...Perverttttttttttttttttttttttttttt!!!” she screams at the top of her lungs.

Pervert?!

Did she just yell “pervert”?!

“This guy touched my butt! It wasn’t an accident; he did it on purpose!!!”

“Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!”

Momoko points straight to Ritheseus!

She’s saying Ritheseus touched her... butt?!

Seriously?!

But their exchange was at super speed, their movements too fast to follow with the eye that you could only see afterimages.

So whether he touched her or not, no one could tell.

But precisely because it’s not clear, the woman’s accusation carries more weight.

In such cases, no matter how you struggle, the man is at a disadvantage.

Moreover, Ritheseus has an even bigger problem.

His fiancée Eryngear is watching the whole thing!

Not just his social reputation, but his relationship is in jeopardy!

In fact, Eryngear’s expression has shifted, and Ritheseus hurriedly runs over.

“It’s not true! Even if she says that, it must be some mistake... I swear I haven’t done anything shameless! I wouldn’t do that on purpose, or even by accident! Please, believe me!”

“Rithseus...”

“What is it?!”

“Behind you, behind you.”

By the time he realized, it was too late; his guard was completely down, and Momoko’s merciless attack struck his defenseless back.

“Back Assault Slash!!!”

“Guwaaaaaaaahh!!”

Ritheseus couldn’t even react, taking the full brunt and being blown away.

Focused on his fiancée, he had no way to defend; it was a perfect critical hit.

“Did you see that? Fabricating a pervert accusation in front of his lover, exploiting the moment when the fight became secondary to land a finishing blow! A perfect strategy that only a woman could pull off, maximizing her own advantages!!!”

That’s just... too cruel.

To falsely accuse an innocent, promising young man of such a vile act, especially in front of his beloved fiancée.

She could have ruined his life, and to do it in front of his fiancée makes it even more diabolical.

Can such a thing be allowed?!

The battle between Momoko and Ritheseus—the new and old heroes.

The deciding factor was a sickeningly cowardly sneak attack.