Hidden Under the Shadows (4)

The previously noisy audience falls into silence at the sudden occurrence.

“What, what’s happening?”

“It suddenly became night!”

But that doesn’t last long. The spectators begin shouting as they realize the abnormal situation.

Edge Forys observes the situation while Rohan sweats profusely, worrying about how to handle this.

And I, who knows what this phenomenon is, immediately try to take action.

No, I was about to.

“This is……”

I barely maintain my rationality and scan the surroundings amid the terror, as if the world before my regression has overlapped with the present.

Where did Wallace Hope go?

The world plunged into darkness the moment his eerie voice stopped. That’s why I was about to move.

But as I calmed down, I finally realized something strange about this.

Someone as thorough as him wouldn’t cause trouble in a place like this.

Considering this darkness originated from Another Hope, it’s obvious who would be blamed if an assassination were to occur.

“You showed good restraint.”

A sneer echoes in my ear.

In that brief moment. He induced action through a performance that only I could understand.

What if I had panicked at this sudden situation and attacked Another Hope, who was the source of the shadows?

I would have become the Pantheon Temple madman who attacked based solely on the darkness of shadows, without any evidence of him being a demon.

Not only would I have ruined the hunter’s guild event, but it would appear as if I had picked a one-sided fight with House Hope.

Moreover, House Hope is publicly regarded as a devout noble family that makes substantial donations to the temple.

“But thanks to that, I’m certain now. You knew what was coming next, what I could do. Right? Pilgrim who returned against time. How does it feel?”

“I don’t know about anything else, but having this buzzing in my ear is quite annoying.”

“Kekekeke.”

I fell for it.

With just one move, I overreacted and gave away too much.

It seems he had been suspicious about my regression, and this incident gave him certainty.

The very fact that he suspected this sends chills down my spine, but…

Now it will be difficult to utilize the advantages I had.

“Now then, boy. Watch.”

Whoom!

The moment that eerie voice in my ear ceased, an extraordinary event unfolded on stage.

A deep blue radiance blazes in the darkness like an illuminating torch.

Blue power, mana. The essence of power transformed through means other than magic.

Aura.

The aura, visible enough to catch the eye, gradually refines itself into the form of a sword.

“Aura blade……”

At my words, cheers erupt from the surroundings.

This isn’t merely coating a sword with aura – it’s the pinnacle of aura manipulation, unifying the sword itself with aura.

And who is this person wielding a sword of aura that burns like flame?

Not even twenty years old. Someone who hasn’t just mastered it but perfected it.

“Another Hope.”

The fact that he reached master level at the youngest age among humans in the empire.

His striking appearance and diligence. Moreover, his background as a duke’s son, yet maintaining humility despite that, along with his character that cannot tolerate injustice, and his courage.

What do you call someone who embodies all these qualities?

“…Are you planning to set him up as a hero?”

“Indeed.”

A being walking a path directly opposite to the ideals that Belial now harbors.

If Belial himself created such a being, then that means…

“If you and I stand on opposite sides, that fellow will check you while standing on your side.”

He’s a demon without blind spots.

To win, he won’t hesitate to do even what he despises most.

I understand now why there was no information about Another Hope before my regression.

He was insurance.

Insurance prepared for when his identity might be revealed early.

Since his character and humanity aren’t lies, there would likely be those who believe in him even if his bloodline is revealed to be demonic.

An enemy before our eyes and an element of internal anxiety.

Truly a seed of division.

The fact that he’s germinating it in this state now means Belial has played such a strong hand.

Deception and discord.

Truly a long-laid cornerstone that the demon prepared for a single moment.

That one can’t be touched. He’s a weapon that will hurt us even though we know about it.

“The more I gather forces, the more his influence will grow. Then what if you try to bring me down?”

“…So you’re saying you’ll use him to split our forces.”

“Little to gain, but much to lose. Kekekekekeke!”

He understands humans. No, he understands countries. The fact that a country’s true masters aren’t its kings but the common people who have settled there.

Even a country’s king can’t deny such common sense.

Political prowess. Methods of inciting the masses. A true hero fabricated for lies. A demon’s cunning.

“I see… Seems you fear me, given how much you’re trying to check me.”

“Of course I would fear. No matter how weak something might be, is there any reason not to fear a being holding a deadly weapon? Even a mere child holding a knife must be watched carefully.”

He avoided direct confrontation with me. It’s not about all of humanity. He’s seeking a sure way to victory while avoiding even a single fight with just me.

“Then watch carefully. I hope this proves to be entertaining.”

Whoom!

I immediately draw out chains of holiness and shatter the source of the sound echoing in my ear. His shadow scatters like glass shards.

The audience’s attention briefly turns toward the flash of holy power’s light, but I ignore it and take my seat.

Another Hope, I need to watch him.

“How foolish! After taking away visibility, you use aura?!”

The hunter on stage shouts as if it’s his own business.

Though the opponent had essentially revealed an opening, from the perspective of someone “accepting” a challenge, it looked like an inexcusable mistake.

The hunter shouts at Another Hope who created an aura blade.

At least it’s obvious who this environment benefits more.

Even if Another Hope has the ability to detect his opponent in this darkness, it doesn’t change anything.

As long as the aura blade makes his own position clearly visible, it’s certain he wasted energy unnecessarily.

“No, I wasn’t trying to take away visibility.”

Another Hope counters while staring into the darkness with his sword raised.

Though we can’t confirm it from here yet, just looking at his confident eyes makes it clear that his opponent is where he’s looking.

It’s not a technique to take away visibility. Yes, it seems Another Hope also knows how to use this power.

Clang!

A hunter wielding a spear deflects Another Hope’s sword. In terms of pure technique, the hunter has the advantage.

But their learned skills are different.

A hunter who has swung his spear to hunt magical beasts and Another Hope who learned swordsmanship to defeat humans.

Hunting techniques versus imperial knight swordsmanship.

With that difference in quality surpassing technique, the outcome is obvious without looking.

Bang!

The hunter struggles as he finds it increasingly difficult to deflect the straightforward yet unpredictable swordsmanship.

Though it’s becoming harder to deflect, he can’t block head-on.

A weapon coated in aura versus a weapon transformed into aura itself – the difference in hardness and cutting power is clear from the start.

“Still young though.”

On the surface, Another Hope appears to have the upper hand.

The hunter’s expression as he barely manages to receive Another Hope’s sword is no lie.

He’s definitely being pushed back.

However…

“He won’t last long.”

Along with Edge Forys’s mutter from the seat beside me, Another Hope’s sword that had been one-sidedly pressing his opponent starts to dull visibly.

“Huff… huff…”

It’s good that he reached the master level.

But an aura blade isn’t a technique that can be used carelessly. You think others can’t use aura blades because they don’t want to?

“Achoo!”

Kruud waiting for his turn behind the stage sneezes.

He watches Another Hope with an indifferent expression.

Someone who has already reached the master level.

The youngest master by far if not limited to humans as a race.

The dragonkin Kruud is a master.

He, too, can use an aura blade. But I’ve never seen him use it.

That’s natural.

“It’s an inefficient technique after all…”

Even just visibly manifesting aura consumes a lot of energy.

Then how much more for the process of harmonizing it with one’s weapon to create a perfect weapon?

Even Kruud of the dragonkin race, who naturally possess abundant mana, doesn’t use this technique carelessly.

Allen Wise completely sealed off and doesn’t use this technique at all.

Crackle! Crackle!

As proof, Another Hope’s weapon begins flickering in the darkness.

Lack of experience. A mistake born from wanting to show off what he has achieved.

Seeing this, the hunter immediately evades Another Hope’s sword by a paper-thin margin and counterattacks.

“What exactly are you trying to do? You said it wasn’t just to block visibility? What exactly do you want?”

“Ugh?!”

Another Hope takes a direct hit from a kick that comes up after ducking and spinning once, sending him rolling across the ground.

The hunter watching this points his spear tip at the fallen Another Hope with a displeased expression.

“What are you hesitating for? Am I mistaken about who the challenger is right now? Am I the one challenging you?”

“N-no, you’re not…”

Another Hope answers while clutching his chest that took a direct hit.

The hunter pointing his spear tip frowns as if finding the talent regrettable.

“He’s got good character.”

“Who wouldn’t compared to you.”

“Well, compared to the Duke, no one would appear lacking in character.”

While exchanging pleasantries with Edge Forys.

The hunter was still waiting for the fallen Another Hope to get up. Indeed, it seems clear that character education is required to become a hunter’s guild master.

“Alright, are you ready?”

“…Yes.”

Another Hope, who had repeatedly gotten up only to fall again, finally manages to take a stance.

The hunter smirks at this sight before taking his stance again and urging Another Hope on.

“Come at me with everything you’ve got, no need to hold back!”

“Yes!”

Rustle.

And at that very moment when the hunter stepped on the ground to charge at Another Hope again.

“The match is decided.”

“Though it doesn’t seem to be a result he’s satisfied with.”

Slash!

In that instant, the hunter’s body shakes violently. The hunter who hadn’t received a single wound even against a knight wielding an aura blade collapses while bleeding from his entire body.

“Hey, come on… I have my pride too. This is a bit too much.”

The fallen hunter covers his face as if embarrassed and groans.

Understandably so. After acting all impressive, he was defeated in a single strike.

“An unsettling technique.”

Edge Forys sighs.

The innate ability to control shadows that runs in House Hope’s bloodline.

But it’s not just shadows, it’s closer to darkness itself.

Yes, this domain of darkness that Another Hope spread out as soon as the challenge began is his attack range.

Without light, it’s impossible to escape his attack range.

If there had been even torches, they could have seen the attacks coming.

But no one can grasp the moment darkness takes form.

Once left in darkness, it’s like being inside a monster’s stomach. Even if that power shatters like glass.

As humans, exposed flesh can only be fragile.

“Boy, what do you think? If Wallace Hope appears to be a demon to you, how does that fellow rolling on the ground look?”

“……”

“At least to my eyes, he still looks human.”

I turn my gaze to look at Edge Forys’s expression upon hearing his defense.

It was a complicated expression.

“You seem to have taken quite a liking to Another Hope.”

“There are too many people to hate in this world to dislike someone solely for being an enemy’s blood.”

“Then let me give you my opinion as an apostle of the Pantheon Temple. At least Another Hope doesn’t ‘yet’ appear to be a half-demon or demon.”

That’s what I wanted to confirm today.

If he were a half-demon, he would have killed his opponent here.

But he didn’t.

Though it could be seen as just a measure to avoid suspicion…

“He kept hesitating until using his ability after all.”

Another Hope could have defeated his opponent as soon as the duel began.

But he tried to prove his skill by manifesting an aura blade.

Shadows sharp yet fragile as glass. That alone cannot pierce a trained hunter’s flesh.

To win with that means, he would need to either precisely strike vital points or create multiple shallow wounds to incapacitate at once.

“He fundamentally has a character that’s hesitant to harm people.”

Wounds naturally accompany duels. But his character hesitates to cause unnecessary pain.

That’s why he tried to overwhelm with the clear power of an aura blade.

He tried to dominate. Though it ended up like this anyway.

In any case, that’s different from a half-demon’s instinctive destructive urges.

“Unlike someone we know.”

“Keke, that’s true. That one would have cut the throat without hesitation.”

I look at the now empty audience seats.

Wallace Hope who should have come to watch Another Hope’s challenge.

He had already left.

Even before Another Hope’s challenge properly began.

Then that means he didn’t come to watch Another Hope.

“…What exactly are you thinking.”

Though I thought otherwise, he came to confirm me after all.