The First Rank

With Ram fully recovered, she was back to pulling the carriage.

"This 'First Rank' person targeting you, Yuri-sama... are they strong?" Fee asked.

"Yeah. Ridiculously strong."

His skill with a blade exceeds even the swordsman from the Original Game Party. His mastery of magic surpasses that of a Sage. On top of that, he's a powerhouse who can wield Space-Time Magic and Special Skills.

He had likely been given such absurdly high stats because the story was designed to progress even if the player lost the encounter. However, because of that, it had eventually become a staple of Completionist Content for players to upload videos titled "I Tried Defeating the Empire’s First."

He possessed such overwhelming power that you could only hope to win if you raised the protagonists’ Level to the cap and had a massive stroke of luck.

As we were now... we stood no chance of winning.

Furthermore, since we weren't the protagonists of this world, we wouldn't be saved by the plot progression of a Losing Event triggered by the Mastermind. While losing the fight itself might be inevitable, I had to find a way to drive him back.

I had one trump card ready, but I didn't want to use it if I could avoid it. I have a feeling a certain sheep would end up inflicting a lifetime of trauma on everyone involved if I let her loose.

"C-Can we really win?"

"It’s impossible," I admitted. "I’d rather not run into him at all."

"That’s wishful thinking. I think he is coming to meet us," Luna said, her voice flat and certain.

"...Probably. Luna, could you win?"

"No. Impossible."

Fee’s expression clouded with anxiety at Luna’s immediate dismissal. "Is it really okay for us to go to a place like that?"

"I doubt they would be so reckless as to slight the envoys of the Beast Kingdom," Emilina offered.

"I’d certainly like to hope so."

Despite my dwindling optimism, we continued our high-speed trek toward the Empire. In the end, I couldn't come up with a better alternative.

I had a nagging suspicion that Ram had run over or devoured a few people on our way to the Empire, but for the most part, our journey remained peaceful.

However, on the highway leading to the gates of the Imperial Capital, a single man stood waiting with his arms crossed.

He looked to be in his twenties. He was somewhat slender but possessed a corded, muscular build, with long silver hair that caught the light. Between his appearance and the sword he carried—which was nearly as tall as he was—there was no mistaking him. He was the one person I had hoped to avoid.

"The Empire’s First..."

"So, you've arrived."

Had he been meditating? He slowly opened his eyes, which had been closed until just now.

We were still moving in the carriage. By the time we realized he was there, he was already looming before us. Ram, apparently viewing him as nothing more than an obstacle, charged forward to blow him away.

"You're in the way, baaa!"

"Hmph. You are the one in the way."

Ram, who should have trampled him, was instead repelled with a dull thud, bouncing back toward us. She looked up, appearing genuinely puzzled.

The Empire’s First had clearly swung his blade, yet seeing that Ram hadn't been sliced in two, he let out a dark, amused chuckle.

"Hoh. For a mere piece of Meat, you actually survived that Attack?"

"S-Something sent me flying, baaa. That hurt a bit, baaa."

Looking closely, I saw a thin red line across Ram’s wool. Fortunately, the blade hadn't reached her skin, but it was chilling to think that Ram—who had been peerless until now—was so easily outmatched.

"Fritz!"

"Leave it to me!" Fritz shouted, bracing his Shovel.

"No, use a normal sword this time!"

"Oh, right."

I was filled with nothing but dread. This wasn't an opponent I could afford to take lightly.

"Luna, I'm counting on you for support. Emilina, stay back and provide healing if anything goes wrong."

"Got it. Leave it to me."

"Please, be careful," Emilina whispered.

"...What should Fee do?"

"I have a special mission for you, Fee. It’s something only you can do."

I leaned in and whispered the instructions into her ear. She nodded immediately, though she looked skeptical. "Will that really change anything?"

"Of course. It’s our final trump card."

"I don't really get it, but okay!"

With her confirmation, I gripped the staff I’d received from Luna and stepped forward to stand beside Fritz, blocking the path of the Empire’s First.

"I assume you won't complain about the unfairness of us all taking you on at once?"

"Not at all. It makes no difference how many small fry you add to the pile."

"We'll see about who's a small fry soon enough."

In the next instant, I unleashed a barrage of magic so dense it threatened to swallow the Empire’s First whole.

"I see. You can manipulate magic on this scale? However—"

With a casual sweep of his sword, he cut through the spells, dispelling them instantly.

"Quantity means nothing when the quality is this poor."

I'll have you know each of those was at the level of Intermediate Magic.

He still possessed the same nonsensical abilities as the game. Facing him in the flesh, I could only manage a bitter, dry smile. Suddenly, the Empire’s First closed the distance in a blur.

"Is this any time to be looking away!?"

Fritz managed to parry the heavy blade, but he was sent tumbling backward by the sheer force of the impact.

"No, that actually helped. This spell takes a bit of time to set up."

I activated an Earth Restraint to bind his movements. I had poured so much Magic Power into it that its structural integrity was reinforced to the point where even Highest-Tier Magic would struggle to break it. With Luna adding her support on top of mine, its strength was further magnified.

And yet, despite all that effort, the restraints began to creak and groan.

He really is a monster... if this had worked, no one would have had to suffer.

"Absurd," the man scoffed. "To think you could face me without making sacrifices—"

"No, you're the one who's about to suffer."

The moment the words left my lips, Fee appeared out of thin air and shoved something directly into the mouth of the Empire’s First.