Chapter 98

Book edition to be released on 6/12!

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In the dead of night, after Act, the Guild Master, had repelled the evil god Dostoevsky.

Vivur, the evil dragon, suddenly woke up.

"Huh... It's already night?..."

He looked around.

This was a tavern located on the north wall.

The victory party for defeating one of the Four Heavenly Kings, Jaki, had gone on late into the night.

"Man, we drank a lot... It's been a while since I've done that... Ugh..."

The members of the hero party were all asleep, drunk.

Their expressions were bright.

Of course, they had defeated one of the Four Heavenly Kings.

Starting with the Ultra Hero, everyone had powered up.

There were only two of the Four Heavenly Kings left.

The mood was becoming one of "We can do it...!"

"..."

However, Vivur couldn't share in the celebratory mood.

The reason was simple and clear.

He had learned about a formidable enemy who might even surpass the Four Heavenly Kings, perhaps even the Demon King himself.

"The evil god... Dostoevsky. A god who can stop time... That's bad..."

After defeating Jaki, Dostoevsky had attacked.

Act had managed to deal with it.

...But if Act hadn't been there, not only would they have lost, but humanity would have been defeated.

The hero party didn't know this.

Only Act and Vivur knew about the battle that took place in the stopped time.

"...Is it okay...?"

It was natural to feel anxious.

Defeating the Demon King and ending the story is only in fairy tales.

Vivur and his companions needed to defeat not only the Demon King but also that evil god.

"Lawrence... But..."

Even the unbeaten Ultra Hero, the Ultra Hero, couldn't move in the stopped time.

...Anxiety flashed through his mind.

If the evil god stopped time again and attacked Lawrence, the hope of humanity...

At that moment,

"...Hey, where's Lawrence?"

Lawrence, the hero, was nowhere to be found.

He went outside the town.

But it was late at night, and no one was walking around.

"Huh...? The sound of cutting through the air...?"

Vivur headed towards the faint sound.

Transforming into his evil dragon form, he flew through the sky and arrived at a place not far from the north wall.

"Swish! Hiss! Thud!"

Lawrence, holding a wooden sword, was practicing with sweat pouring down his face.

"Ah! Vivur! Sorry, was I being too noisy?"

"No, it's fine... What are you doing?"

"..."

Lawrence, who always smiled, had a rare bitter expression.

He faced forward and resumed his practice.

"I am disciplining my inadequacies."

"Inadequacies? Did something happen?"

"Yes. Something must have happened."

Lawrence looked at him with his eyes alone.

...Vivur had a hunch.

But he denied it in his heart.

The Ultra Hero was referring to what happened in the stopped time.

But that was impossible.

At that time, only Act, who had the Eye of the Time King, and himself, a weapon designed to counter the Ultra Hero, could move.

Lawrence couldn't possibly know what happened then.

"...Something did happen, didn't it?"

"Ah..."

Vivur finally realized that Lawrence was trying to get him to talk.

"Ah, no... That..."

"Act was acting strange. He never shows us his weak side. ...Something must have happened."

Lawrence stopped his practice and looked at Vivur.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"..."

Vivur couldn't say it.

That an evil god who could stop time existed.

He had made a promise with Act.

If he told them, it would lower their morale and cause unnecessary worry.

"...It must be a serious situation."

"Ah, no, it's not..."

Vivur finally realized that he was already making Lawrence anxious, whether he said anything or not.

At that moment,

"What are you doing?"

"..." "Act..."

The black-haired Guild Master, Act Age, approached them.

"Making so much noise at dawn is a nuisance to the neighbors."

"I'm sorry..."

Lawrence, unusually, was dejected.

Vivur's words must have made him anxious.

"Act, what happened after the battle with Jaki?"

Vivur looked at the young man.

He glanced at the evil dragon's eyes and sighed.

"We encountered an evil god who can stop time. I repelled it."

"An evil god... who can stop time..."

Lawrence's eyes widened, and he muttered in shock.

"Such... a thing exists..."

Vivur regretted his mistake.

He had made Lawrence suspicious because of his own actions.

As a result, he had forced Act to reveal the truth he had been hiding.

"Yes, that's right. He stopped time and tried to use a small bomb. If I hadn't been there, the world would have ended."

Act's eyes looked at the dejected Lawrence.

"...A hero, and yet so inadequate."

Vivur was shocked.

The man who always smiled and faced difficulties was genuinely dejected.

On the other hand, Act snorted.

"That's right. Despite having you, it's a mess."

"..." "Act! That's...!"

Act's words were cold.

Vivur was about to get angry but quickly realized something.

...Right, Act never does anything unnecessary. He doesn't kick someone when they're down.

"Lawrence, take up your wooden sword."

Act threw his jacket to Vivur.

"..." "Ah..."

Lawrence quietly followed the order and raised his sword.

"Is this a mock battle? What's the point?"

"Watch and see."

Vivur knew Lawrence's strength.

Act was indeed a combatant of exceptional power, but in a direct confrontation with weapons, the hero had the upper hand.

Everyone present knew this.

...Yet, Act was facing Lawrence.

Vivur and Lawrence realized there must be a reason.

"Come at me with all your might."

"..."

Lawrence took a deep breath.

He opened his eyes and tensed his muscles.

"Here I come!"

A powerful strike aimed for Act's head.

But...

Lawrence's body froze.

"This is... Unique Time Stop."

One of Act's abilities.

It stops the opponent's internal time, immobilizing them.

"Ugh...!"

"What's wrong? Is this all you can do?"

"Ugh... Ugh...!"

Lawrence struggled to move his body.

"No, it's impossible... Your time is stopped. You can't move... Give up."

"Ugh... Ugh..."

Even with his body immobilized, Lawrence refused to give up.

Act, with his golden Time King's eye, looked at him coldly.

"Tsk, a waste of time. It seems I need to return to your party."

Act snorted.

"Indeed... With Act's Unique Time Acceleration, even if the evil god stops time, it would be fine... I feel relieved... But..."

"No! I don't need it!"

Lawrence's eyes blazed.

"Act... I understand everything!"

At that moment, Lawrence's eyes turned golden... the same color as Act's.

"I... am a fool... I need to remember... who I am...!"

Lawrence took a step forward.

"Lawrence! Your... leg...!"

"I... am a hero! My job is to... cut through the darkness and evil... and create a path of hope...!"

Step by step, Lawrence moved forward.

Despite the Unique Time Stop, his internal time should have been stopped...

"I must never stop... until the day I bring peace to humanity!"

Lawrence fully moved and swung his wooden sword at Act.

Act didn't move.

The sword was swung down in front of his eyes.

"Act...! It's dangerous...!"

Act didn't budge.

Lawrence, still holding the sword, fell flat on his back.

"Phew...! Hah...! Is... this good...?"

"Yes. You did it. Mimicking Unique Time Acceleration."

Vivur ran to Lawrence.

"Unique Time Acceleration... Isn't that Act's move?"

"Yes... Vivur... You gave me a hint. Act used Unique Time Acceleration to move in the stopped time."

Indeed, during their conversation, Lawrence had found the optimal solution to the time stop.

"No... You can't do that without the Time King's eye... To recreate it with your body... That's amazing..."

Act took his jacket from Vivur and threw it to Lawrence.

"Thank you. You must have hung it up so I wouldn't catch a cold."

"Don't get the wrong idea. If you catch a cold, it will delay the defeat of the Demon King. That's a waste."

Act turned and left Lawrence.

"...Thank you, Act. You encouraged me."

Lawrence knew.

This Guild Master was very kind.

But he never used kind words.

Kindness and weakness are different.

He wouldn't comfort with soft words. That would be a weakness.

Act gave a solution to the evil god and... encouraged the hero without words.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I just kicked your inadequate back."

Lawrence and Vivur chuckled.

"Really, he's so awkward."

"Yes, but... he's the best Guild Master."

Lawrence forced himself to stand up.

There was no hesitation in his movements.

The Ultra Hero summoned his holy sword.

It was the ancient hero's treasure, obtained in the underground labyrinth [Seven Prisons].

"Act. I swear on this sword. I will defeat the Demon King with this sword. With the blade you have honed."

Lawrence thrust the sword forward.

Act glanced at it and looked ahead.

"Alright. I'm counting on you."

No more words were needed as Act left.

The Ultra Hero knew. His "I'm counting on you" was not flattery.

"Yes! I will do my best... for you!"

Thus, the Ultra Hero Lawrence regained his confidence and moved closer to the defeat of the Demon King.