Published: September 10, 2025
Please note that the latter half of "16-48. The Trial of Zaikuon (3)" has been altered. If you haven’t read it yet, please be aware.
Typos corrected on 2018/5/28.
Some additions made on 2018/5/29.
This is Satou speaking. Pure young love often appears foolish, but rather than cynically mocking it, I believe it’s wonderful to follow your heart and boldly pursue the path of love.
â—‡
“—Guh NZU nu.”
I tried fighting briefly with my sword, but it felt not much different from the melee-type apostles I faced earlier.
Compared to Liza and the others, their attacks were heavier and faster, but their fighting style was lacking, so it wasn’t as tough as when our frontline clashed with them.
I’d say they could probably crush a Demon King around the level of the Golden Boar King with a snap.
“Kenshi-samaaa!”
“Who’s that guy?”
“He’s amazingly strong!”
Cheers meant for the temple knights shifted into praise for me.
“The Zaikuon Temple always loses when they step out, looks like it’s another loss this year.”
“Can’t be helped, it’s Zaikuon after all.”
“We shouldn’t have bet on those guys.”
“Fools. Even if the god is resurrected, those Zaikuon Temple people are just rubbish.”
“True that.”
My eavesdropping skill picked up various voices.
Some shouted encouragement like “Don’t lose, holy warrior!” but most were insults and contemptuous remarks. It was unpleasant, even if it wasn’t directly about me.
“Damn you!”
A temple knight unleashed a rain of arrows created by the Vanquish Archer skill.
To prevent those arrows from veering backwards, I sliced them away with a demonic sword wrapped in demon blades.
One arrow flew off course, hitting the transparent wall at the arena’s edge and shattering.
The cheers turned into screams along with curses and contemptuous words.
The temple knight watching this wore a dark smile.
Apparently, those heartless words had reached him too.
“Nuuuooooo!”
I kicked the charging temple knight back with a roundhouse kick.
With no intervention from God Zaikuon, I wanted to end this soon, but given the trends of previous trials, a situation where faith in the god decreases would be bad.
I resolved to let the temple knights have some glory, then aim for a draw or narrow victory.
If it dragged on too long, the temple knights’ bodies and souls would be in danger, so things needed to move along smoothly.
That’s what I thought at the time—but then—
“Gunununu—Nuuooo!”
The temple knight roared towards the heavens.
Countless light arrows, like porcupine quills, sprang up around him.
The light arrows flew with trajectories reminiscent of missiles from robot anime, crashing into the transparent outer wall, causing light, thunderous noise, and screams and shouts from the audience.
The transparent wall protecting the arena’s stands shattered, scattering glass-like shards.
Half the arrows flew toward me, the Shrine Maiden of the Cliff I was shielding, and Russus and the others behind me, but I sliced all of them away with the demonic sword.
“What on earth is he doing…”
He probably got angry at the abusive words from the stands.
If he kept this up, it would only cause the opposite of increased faith in God Zaikuon—expulsion wouldn’t be surprising.
Currently, the lead seemed to lie not with God Zaikuon but with the temple knight, who must have been unleashing his power in a fit of emotion.
“Nuhaha HYAHaha!”
The third volley was smaller than before but all aimed at the audience.
—I won’t let that happen.
While chanting the Flexible Shield spell, I shot down arrows with demon blade cannon fired from my demonic sword.
The arrows created by the Vanquish Archer’s skill tried to dodge the demon blade cannon, but I guided my shots to counter them.
One arrow slipped past the demon blade cannon and flew into the stands.
An explosion occurred there.
Red light danced as the explosion’s smoke was blown away.
“Master! Leave this to me!”
It was Liza.
It seemed she shot down the arrow in the stands.