Chapter 521 Yielding the Ground

Windrock City.

The defeated Heroes returned to the city, their heads hung low.

“Damn it…… Who the hell was that guy?! Why couldn’t we beat him?!”

Russell slammed his fist against the wall in frustration.

“It seems things did not go well for you.”

A voice came from ahead.

The Heroes looked up to see Firuvin walking toward them.

“Lord Firuvin?”

“We’re sorry……”

Aralond spoke with a heavy expression of apology.

“We failed. Ebony City has fallen.”

“……I already know.”

Firuvin replied calmly, showing no surprise at their defeat.

“Do you understand why you lost?”

“Our strength just isn’t enough!”

Russell answered at once.

“If I were at my peak…… that thing wouldn’t stand a chance.”

“No, that is not the main reason.”

Arthur shook his head.

“Oh? What do you think it is, Arthur?”

“I believe the core issue is how poorly we Heroes coordinate with one another.”

“It goes beyond that,” Aralond added.

“Our intelligence and preparation were severely lacking. We were too careless, and we could not respond properly when ambushed.”

“……Very good.”

Firuvin nodded quietly.

“You have recognized your own shortcomings, so I need not explain further. We may move directly to the matter at hand.”

“Hm?”

The Heroes looked at Firuvin in confusion.

“Lord Firuvin, what do you mean by that?”

Firuvin slowly raised one finger.

“I came to you for only one purpose——

Starting today, the six of you will undergo special training befitting Heroes.”

……

“Roar!”

“Roar……”

A massive horde of black monsters moved through the woods, closing in on a certain hill.

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“The mountain is just ahead, Lord Goruzaan! We have arrived!”

A High-Rank Demon reported eagerly.

Goruzaan lifted his head and stared at the towering peak in his sight.

“……The troublesome object blocking us lies within that mountain. Send the order——

Seize the area! Destroy everything inside that mountain!”

“Yes!!”

At the summit of Dorothy’s Hill,

several figures stood side by side.

“……They really are coming straight for us.” Laki muttered to herself.

She turned to the other three.

“What do you think? Should we wipe them all out here?”

“Hmmm…… What should we do~?” Irus put on a troubled expression.

“I care little either way.” Fulmir was indifferent.

“No…… In my opinion, we should yield this place to them.”

“Hah?!”

Laki stared in shock.

“Esmelon, what are you planning? We could crush them right now, couldn’t we?”

“I have no hidden agenda. I simply believe……

The ones who gave the Heroes their first defeat should be defeated by the Heroes themselves.”

“Besides, the enemy commander has not returned. If we defeat his entire force again, that true monster will surely come back at once.”

“I see……”

Laki frowned.

“You make a valid point. We must buy the Heroes time to grow strong enough to face the Archdemon Commander.”

With that, Laki slowly lifted her head and glanced at the vast black tide approaching in the distance.

“Still, it’s rather irritating to retreat without a fight.”

“Wait a moment.” Fulmir spoke suddenly. “Lord Esmelon…… If we leave outright, what of the Hyper-Arcane Tool underground? Shall we abandon it as well?”

“Rest assured, I have already made arrangements.” Esmelon replied calmly.

“I will hide it away safely.”

As he spoke, Esmelon slowly raised his wand.

Behind him, flames, water, wind, and rock appeared, forming a rotating ring.

The circle spun faster, rumbling loudly.

Boom, boom, boom……

“I require a little time. Buy me some moments.”

Rumble.

After a low tremor,

Esmelon vanished beneath the ground.

“That old coot is even stronger than when we last met……”

This was shortly after Hulim and the others first met Esmelon and Ika.

“Hey, Irus……”

“Yes~?”

“Is Esmelon that strong?”

“……” Irus fell silent for a moment.

“Well…… Do you know how many elemental affinities the person with the most before you held?”

“Four, wasn’t it?”

“It’s four…… Wait, you knew?! Then—do you know who that person was?”

“I don’t…… Wait a minute——”

“Exactly. That old coot over there is the one!”

“He may be a stubborn old man, but he commands all natural elemental magic—without question, one of the strongest mages at the world’s peak: Sage Esmelon, crusty old man though he is.”

“Oh…… So that’s Esmelon.”

“Then…… Is he stronger than you, Irus?”

“Ugh! Cough—w-what?! How could that be? He’s just an old man! I have the World Tree’s Blessing, you know! I would definitely win in the end!”

“Why are you so flustered? It’s suspicious.”

“Guh……”

“You’re getting less and less agreeable, child……”

Dorothy’s Hill.

“That man…… He’s impossibly self-centered. Asking us to buy time only now!” Laki sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead.

“Well…… No helping it. I shall just exert myself a little longer.”

In the next instant,

Shing!

Laki’s figure vanished from the spot.

High in the air, a High-Rank Demon rapidly closing in on Dorothy’s Hill suddenly felt a bone-chilling dread.

Before he could react,

a tiny white figure appeared right in front of him.

Her seemingly delicate fist struck his chest at a speed that looked slow but was far too fast to see.

“Ugh——?!”

The High-Rank Demon’s chest caved in instantly.

With a pained groan, his body went flying backward.

“What?!”

Another High-Rank Demon in the distance paled.

“An ambush?! Damn humans, I’ll——”

Whoosh~!

A gust of wind swept past.

“Your opponent is me.”

A battle spear glinting with cold light shot straight for his head without warning.

“Not good!”

The High-Rank Demon panicked and scrambled backward.

Both High-Rank Demons sent forward had been attacked at the same time—and one had been grievously wounded in an instant.

Goruzaan halted his advance at once,

his face turning dark.

“Useless trash!”

After snapping the insult,

his six eyes spun rapidly, scanning every inch of the surrounding space.

“……Only these two?”

Once he confirmed no other ambushers lay in wait,

Goruzaan felt slightly relieved.

“Hmph! Only two, yet you dare block the Demon Lord Army! You seek death——”

Hum!!!

Six enormous eyes materialized in the air behind Goruzaan.

Frightening magical energy gathered within each eye.

“Die!!”

Boom——!!!

Six beams burst forth, merging midair into one massive blast that shot straight toward Laki.

Shing!

Laki dodged the attack by a hair’s breadth.

A single bead of cold sweat slid down her face.

“Come on, this guy is seriously dangerous…… Wonder when that Esmelon will finish up.”