Chapter 83

"Dammit, I can’t see a thing...!"

Rainer cursed the abysmal visibility. Between the dim light and the suffocating mist, he could barely see more than a few meters ahead.

He had sprinted out of Brosche Village around noon the previous day. Since then, he had pushed onward toward Fog Valley with almost no rest. He had chosen this destination because of a conversation he’d overheard at a diner. He’d only stopped there because his stomach had finally forced him to, and the men at the next table happened to be talking.

“Did you see those guys in black earlier? What was that all about?”

“Who knows? But heading into Fog Valley at this hour... that’s not normal.”

Suspicious people in black. At those keywords, Rainer had abandoned his meal and practically lunged at the men, demanding to know everything they had seen.

Taken aback by his intensity, the men had shared what little they knew: about an hour ago, just before sunset, they had spotted a pair in black robes entering Fog Valley.

True to its name, Fog Valley was a place where the mist hung so thick that visibility was poor even at high noon. Once the sun went down, the valley was swallowed by a total darkness that even the moonlight couldn't pierce. Between the jagged rocks and the treacherous footing, no sane person entered the valley at night.

As soon as he heard the story, Rainer had bolted from the shop. His destination, naturally, was Fog Valley.

He had no hard proof, but considering the timing and the circumstances, there was a high probability the duo were the culprits.

Driven by reckless determination, Rainer had charged into the lightless canyon, only to find his progress slowed to a crawl by the terrain and the blinding mist. By the time the sky finally began to pale, the fatigue of walking through the night had settled into his bones, and his pace had become sluggish.

Exhaustion finally took its toll. Rainer sat down on a nearby rock, taking long, deep breaths to steady himself. He wondered how much longer it would take to catch up.

According to the men at the diner, the culprits had entered the valley only an hour or two before him. He’d assumed that if he hurried without resting, he would catch them in no time, yet there had been no sign of them.

Rainer flopped onto his back on the rock. If he didn't take a short break now, he wouldn't have the strength left to fight.

In the heavy silence, the only sounds were his own ragged breathing and the thumping of his heart. As he inhaled the crisp morning air, his mind slowly began to clear. His racing pulse settled, and the irritation and anxiety that had frayed his nerves began to subside.

He hadn't forgiven the thieves, but the desperate impatience that had been clawing at him finally began to cool.

That’s right, don’t rush. I’m definitely closing in.

Rainer’s parents, who had trained him in the way of the sword, were constantly warning him about his temperament. He had a tendency to let his blood run too hot. When he focused on one thing, he developed a bad habit of losing sight of his surroundings. In a fair, one-on-one duel, that focus was a strength, but against trickery or multiple foes, it left him wide open.

That was why his parents constantly told him to maintain a wide field of vision. He’d heard it so often his ears were calloused: to see clearly, he had to keep his heart calm.

To be honest, it was his weakest area. But that was exactly why he knew he would become stronger if he could overcome it. Determined to master himself, Rainer had faced his mental training head-on, trying to learn how to force himself into a state of calm whenever he felt his emotions rising.

It was an admirable goal, but humans have their natural inclinations for a reason. Some weaknesses aren't easily mended.

Suddenly, Rainer’s consciousness snapped awake. He realized with a jolt that he must have drifted off.

The sun felt strangely high. Although the thick mist blocked his view of the sky, he could gauge the sun’s approximate position by the way the light filtered through the haze. The sun, which should have only just begun its ascent, was already well into the sky.

"...Wait, oh crap! I fell asleep!"

Fatigue had clearly played its part, but the clear, tranquil air had also acted as a lullaby, making him forget the discomfort of his jagged stone bed.

The biggest reason, however, was that Rainer’s mental control was so abysmal that every time he tried to "calm his heart," he ended up taking a nap instead. To be able to fall into a deep sleep in such a high-stakes situation suggested he had nerves of steel—or was just incredibly dense.

He scrambled to his feet. He had no way of knowing the exact time, but judging by the air, it was likely still early morning. Or so he hoped.

He’d been out for maybe thirty minutes, an hour at most? Either way, it was a longer break than he had intended. He had to resume the pursuit immediately.

Berating himself for the blunder, Rainer picked up the pace.

In hindsight, the unexpected rest wasn't all bad. His body was refreshed, and because he had been navigating the pre-dawn gloom, his eyes had adjusted. Now that the sun was up, even with the thick mist, Fog Valley felt much easier to navigate. The visibility was still poor, but the increased light made it far easier to see.

After tracking for a while longer, Rainer finally spotted a pair of figures.

Suppressing the urge to charge in immediately, he ducked behind a rock to observe. Through the dense fog, he could just barely make out two people. He couldn't tell if they were carrying the box for the Sacred Sword, however.

Watching his footing and moving silently, he closed the distance.

The pair showed no signs of moving. They weren't even talking. Perhaps they were resting as well.

This is it. If I catch them off guard, I can take it back.

He held his breath and steadied his nerves. The moment his body and mind aligned, Rainer lunged without a second of hesitation.

He crossed the distance in a blur, his speed ignoring the treacherous terrain. He was only a few meters away when they finally sensed him and moved.

The sight of a long spear confirmed it. Rainer accelerated even more.

He struck first.

When facing a long-reach weapon, get inside their guard and crush the distance!

Faithfully following his parents' teachings, he closed in before the spearman could effectively swing his weapon.

However, the opponent was no amateur. Even caught off guard, the man managed to bring the hard shaft of the spear up to block the strike.

If Rainer stopped now, he’d lose. From what he’d seen the night before, these people were more skilled than he was, and they had the advantage of numbers. His only path to victory was to end this before they could bring those advantages to bear. That was the whole point of the ambush.

Rainer threw his entire weight onto the sword biting into the spear’s shaft. Instead of parrying, the man planted his feet and braced for a contest of raw strength.

It was a logical choice. If he could hold Rainer for just a few seconds, his partner could strike Rainer down while he was occupied. Rainer had to neutralize the spearman before that happened.

Keeping the pressure on his sword, Rainer slammed his right foot upward into the spear’s shaft.

Rainer’s weight was pressing down from above, the spearman was pushing up from below, and then came the force of the kick. Caught between opposing forces, the spear snapped in half with a loud crack.

Stunned by the unexpected turn of events, the spearman stiffened. Rainer didn't waste the opening. Without breaking the momentum of his kick, he slid his leg through the air and struck the man across the face.

The force of the kick had been mostly spent on the spear, so it didn't do much damage. However, it sent the man stumbling to the left. At the same time, Rainer leaped to the right, putting distance between himself and the man, as well as the dual-wielder who was closing in from the other side. The spearman’s stumble blocked the dual-wielder’s path for a fraction of a second, forcing them to detour.

It was a delay of barely a second, but it was all the time Rainer needed.

"『Fire Dragon』!"

A crimson dragon manifested from Rainer’s blade. The high-temperature flames, shaped like a serpent, surged forward to swallow the dual-wielder... or so it seemed.

"Guess it won't be that easy..."

The dual-wielder simply leaped. With that single movement, they narrowly evaded the Fire Dragon.

The dual-wielder was faster than Rainer and could land more hits. If they closed the distance, Rainer wouldn't be able to keep up. That was why he couldn't let them get close; he had to fight outside their range. That was why he’d used his longest-reaching attack. To be honest, he’d hoped to end the fight right there.

Distance was everything in a fight. Being able to control the range—fighting at the distance where you were strongest—could bridge the gap in raw ability and decide the winner.

That was why he’d tried to pick them off one by one, neutralizing their individual strengths.

But reality rarely went according to plan. The Fire Dragon had been dodged, and his opponents were regaining their footing. Even with the spear broken, facing the dual-wielder head-on was a daunting task for Rainer. And the stolen sword was still in their possession.

He couldn't win.

Rainer shook off the weak thought, a smile spreading across his face that was entirely out of place for the situation.

He remembered that day five years ago. It was the first time he had been utterly defeated by someone other than his parents—and someone close to his own age, no less.

It had been humiliating. He had vowed to settle the score one day. Ever since then, that person had been his goal.

The back of his rival, Harold.

"Compared to Harold, a guy like you is practically standing still!"

The Harold he had fought five years ago was much faster. Harold was much stronger than this dual-wielder.

Rainer had kept that image in his mind, chasing after it every single day. All so he could eventually beat him. So he could stand as an equal to the boy who was both his rival and his friend.

"I’m not losing here. Harold would never let me hear the end of it!"

Harold was undoubtedly even stronger now than he was five years ago. If Rainer intended to surpass a man like that, how could he struggle against the enemies in front of him? He pumped himself up, feeling power surge from deep within his body.

He would win, and he would take back that sword.

With that resolve burning in his eyes, Rainer faced his superior opponents without a hint of fear. He let out a short, sharp breath and roared.

"Let’s go!"

His scream echoed through the mist-shrouded valley.

Author's Note: I hope this chapter conveys Rainer-kun’s "protagonist-ness." As the original protagonist, he is hot-blooded and pure—a complete opposite to Harold. To him, Harold has already been a friend for a long time.