Chaos, Courage, and Very Bad Luck
Axel did not collapse all at once. It failed the way it always did—loudly, messily, and with several people screaming contradictory instructions at the same time. After Beldia's curse wave tore through the front line, panic spread faster than any undead horde ever could.
Adventurers scrambled to regroup, some dragging injured comrades away from the gates while others froze where they stood, unsure whether to advance or retreat. Ruko steadied himself and took stock of the situation fast. Kazuma was conscious but dazed, leaning against the wall and muttering curses under his breath. Megumin was half-buried under broken stone but still alive, groaning and refusing help because she insisted she could crawl out herself.
Darkness stood upright by sheer stubbornness alone, armor dented and cracked, her breathing ragged but her expression disturbingly satisfied. Aqua lay face-down on the ground, twitching slightly, her staff rolling away from her limp hand. "This town is unbelievable," Ruko muttered.
Beldia didn't rush. He never did. He advanced slowly, step by deliberate step, his presence alone forcing defenders back. Undead soldiers followed in loose formation, their movements less chaotic now, more disciplined. The Demon General was done testing. This was the execution phase.
Kazuma pushed himself upright and spat dirt. "Okay. Bad news. I think we're losing." "You think?" Ruko replied flatly, grabbing Aqua by the collar and hauling her backward out of immediate danger.
Aqua's eyes snapped open. "DID I DIE?!"
"No," Ruko said. "Try harder."
She immediately began crying. "I ALMOST DIED AGAIN!" Megumin finally freed herself from the rubble and staggered forward, staff clutched tightly. "I can still cast. Once. After that, I'm done."
Kazuma grimaced. "So basically, augh ..business as usual." Darkness stepped forward, shield raised despite the visible cracks running through it. "Leave the front to me. I.. I'll hold him back." "No," Ruko said sharply. "You'll stall. There's a difference being stubborn and stupid."
Darkness smiled. "Even better."
Beldia lifted his cursed blade, and the air around it twisted. A wave of dark energy surged forward, tearing through the ground like a living thing. Darkness charged into it head-on, slamming her shield down and absorbing the impact with a shout that was half-pain, half-ecstasy. She was thrown back hard, skidding across the dirt but forcing the attack to disperse.
Megumin didn't waste the opening. "EX—" Kazuma grabbed her shoulder. "WAIT. WAIT—"
"—PLOSION!"
The blast tore through the battlefield, obliterating a massive portion of Beldia's minions and carving a smoking crater into the field. The shockwave rattled the town walls and knocked nearly everyone flat—including Kazuma, again.
Megumin collapsed immediately afterward, face-first into the dirt, smiling faintly. "Worth it…" Aqua scrambled upright and began chanting purification spells wildly, sending holy light blasting in every direction. Half of it hit undead. The other half hit empty air, a fence, and one very unfortunate adventurer.
"WHY ARE YOU AIMING LIKE THAT?!" Kazuma yelled. "I'M STRESSED!"
Ruko moved through the chaos with controlled precision, cutting down stray undead and dragging wounded defenders out of danger. His reinforcement skill burned steadily, keeping his body from giving out as exhaustion crept in. This was still manageable—but barely. Beldia hadn't taken a single real step back.
"Impressive," Beldia's voice echoed. "You resist longer than expected."
Ruko looked up at him. "You talk too much for someone who already lost his house." The curse pressure spiked instantly.
Kazuma groaned. "You HAD to say it."
Beldia raised his blade again, this time aiming directly at the town. The spell forming around it was heavier, denser. This one would break the wall. Aqua froze. "That's… that's bad, right?"
"Yes," Ruko said. "Very." Darkness planted herself in front of the gate again, armor barely holding together. "Then I'll take it."
"You won't survive it," Kazuma snapped. She smiled anyway. "I know."
Ruko stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You don't need to." He moved past her, eyes locked on Beldia.
"Hey, Dullahan." Beldia's attention shifted immediately. Ruko raised his middle finger again. "If you're going to finish this, do it properly. Or are you scared of fighting someone who can still standing?" For a moment, nothing happened.
Then Beldia laughed. "Very well," the Demon General said. "I accept." The curse attack changed direction, focusing entirely on Ruko. The impact slammed into him like a wall, driving him to one knee as pain tore through his body. His reinforcement skill screamed in protest, barely holding him together.
Kazuma shouted his name. Aqua screamed something incoherent. Darkness lunged forward, only to be knocked aside by a casual backhand from a skeletal knight.
Ruko forced himself upright, breathing hard, vision swimming. This was it huh.
The party was finished. The defense was broken. Beldia was done playing. And lastly, the second time I'm still a virgin.
As the Demon General advanced, lifting his blade for the final blow, Ruko felt the pressure inside him reach a familiar boundary. The invisible restraint tightened—then strained. Not yet, he thought. But the limit was close to a clash.