Shii~iing!~
The sound of metals clashing sounded out as the blades in Tsukasa's hand was slowy growing dull as it was coated by green blood as the battle goes on.
'26.'
In the meantime that Daichi, Ryunosuke and Akashi grouped up to kill the goblins, Tsukasa killed that much.
Tsukasa parried the sword that crept out behind his back and slashed the goblins throat.
'This won't do. That crimson hobgoblin is bidding his time.' Tsukasa thought as he swung the blade in his hand and sweeped three goblin heads.
He eyed the crimson hobgoblin that stared at him with a devilish grin plastered in his face. Tsukasa could clearly see that the crimson goblin will only enter the battle once they were exhausted.
While Tsukasa was deep in his thoughts a goblin crept slowly towards him that held a wooden club in his hand.
'I need to-'
He couldn't finish his words as the goblin behind him struck his back accurately that made him cough out blood.
His head was ringing and his vision blurred but he lifted his daggers and slashed towards the goblin.
Kieeek!
With a pained screech, the goblin died but a hobgoblin with a sword in his hand charged towards him and it aimed the sword in his hands towards Tsukasa's back .
Swoosh~ swoosh~
Luckily, two arrows timely hit the hobgoblin that stopped it in it's tracks.
Tsukasa regained his senses as he turned around and launched a skill below it's jaw.
"[Quick Stab]"
The dagger sped up and pierced the jaw of the hobgoblin but in return the blade was embedded unto it's jaw.
Tsukasa spun his body around and faced the ground as he kicked the jaw of the hobgoblin, pulling out the blade with the force of his kick.
Tsukasa not missing the chance, dashed towards the hobgoblin and slashed it's eye.
Kieeek!!
The hobgoblin felt a burning pain in it's eyes but Tsukasa didn't stop and hurriedly rushed towards it's back and stabbed it with his dagger.
Three goblins fell in the same time as the hobgoblin, as Ryunosuke didn't forget to cover Tsukasa in killing the hobgoblin.
'5.'
It was the total number of hobgoblins Tsukasa killed out of the 26 goblins.
Daichi glanced at the worn out Tsukasa as he stabbed a sword at a goblin's stomach.
Thanks to the buff given by Akashi, Tsukasa merely suffered from lightwounds whenever he was hit by arrows and swords. Still it can't hide the exhaustion that Tsukasa is experiencing in Daichi's eyes.
'Its not enough. We need more strength.'
Daichi was desperate as he looked at the incoming goblin that seem to not end.
From behind, Akashi also had the same thought as he channelled his mana to heal Shin's internal wounds.
He gazed at the bloodied Tsukasa that went to fend off the numerous enemies in the distance. To think such a small back is shouldering all the burden of fending off their enemies.
"Hayate-kun! Pull Tsukasa back. He can't hold out much longer!" Akashi shouted towards Daichi busy fighting some goblins.
"I agree with Akashi, Daichi." Ryunosuke nodded with perspiration as he slowly picked up arrows from the ground and loaded his arrows.
Daichi hesitated as he looked at the swarm of goblins in the distance and the hulking crimson giant eyeing them.
'Damn! What are you hesitating for!' Akashi cursed inwardly as he asssed the battlefield.
'Remaining enemy numbers about 250, excluding the 49 enemies killed. Narrow space of about 8 meters wide. Enemies could only charge in waves to minimize their casualties. Number of enemies per waves:14-17 goblins including 1 hobgoblin. About 30 hobgoblins still remains and the enemy leader still shows no sign of engaging. This is troublesome.' Akashi's mind that conquered a great deal of MOBA games is on full power.
'Murokawa-kun's blades are dulled by the corroding effects of the goblins blood. Skill:Quick Stab are now limited in use judging by his mana density earlier. Most likely he can only use it 4 times. Hayate-kun's shield is now torn out and is limited in use. Skill: Heavy Blow put strains on the user arms judging by the constant shaking of his hand. He can only use the skill twice before his arm grow numb in my guess. Shouko-kun status is also not helpful. His ammunition now only depends on the stray arrows on the ground otherwise he can only engage in close combat. Sugo Shin is out of combat, Status: Currently healing.'
Akashi analyzed the battlefield with frowning eyes as he inspected his mana.
'I don't have much left.'
Cough!
Akashi turned his gaze at Shin who coughed out a mouthful of blood.
"Don't move much. Your organs are damaged." Akashi said as he raised Shin into a sitting position as he continue to heal his wounds.
"What's... Happening..."
"See for yourself." Akashi gestured with his eyes and Shin could see the small back in the distance drowned in green blood as it continue to swung it's blade with exhaustion evident in his face.
Shin bit his lip as held out his hand and began to mutter some inaudible words.
"Darkness... Blacker..." Shin willed the mana in his mana core into his arm but he couldn't feel anything. His mana seem to not respond to him.
"Don't waste your time. You don't have any mana left." Akashi stated bluntly that made Shin further clench his teeth.
"Hayate-kun... Tsukasa... Retreat...!" Shin barely uttered some words with bloodied mouth towards Daichi.
Daichi widened his eyes when he heard Shin's voice but staring at the unyielding eyes, he couldn't help but smile bitterly.
Pulling Tsukasa back meant he have to man down their front and faced the magnitude of enemies.
He couldn't do that. They won't be able to withstand it if he held down the enemies.
However he also knew that their struggle would end if Tsukasa fainted out.
'Why do they make me decide things anyway. Can't they just tell him to retreat.'
It was his true self.
He didn't want the responsibilities.
He didn't want to lead them.
He wanted to only be held accountable for himself alone. Even just for once.
He knew he needed to be strong to live. Just let this time be the last.
He'll shoulder the burden this time but he won't next.
Even if it's disgusting, the excuse is enough.
He will block the enemies for his friends.
"Tsukasa!..."
Daichi turned his gaze towards the crumbling back in the distance.
He was late. While he was trying to make himself look cool. His friend was there, with that small body, fought against their enemies without a complaint.
He had the biggest back out of the five of them but he had the weakest will. Shouting all his resolve earlier to save the world but in truth he just wanted to run away. In a far away place to avoid all his responsibilities.
A small back in the distance opposite from him, faced him as if mocking him.
Pathetic.
Daichi turned his face towards the ground and gazed at his large but clean hands heavily.
"O great Goddess of mine, heed thy call, by the power of light, heal my ally, Heal!"
An inaudible voice in the distant back shouted as a beam of holy light went towards Tsukasa that healed his wounds.
Tsukasa raised his falling body and held the dagger in his hand with a fiery gaze filled with great willpower.
"NOT YET!!!"
Tsukasa screamed on top of his lungs as if to fool himself.
Daichi woke up from his thoughts. His despairing eyes glanced at Akashi and they eyes met.
Don't run away.
His eyes conveyed those words as he glared at Daichi. With a bitter laugh, Daichi shouted at the distant Tsukasa.
"Tsukasa, fall back!"
Without any hesitation, Tsukasa turned around and dashed towards them.
Daichi focused his eyes towards the goblin in front of him, not daring to meet Tsukasa's eyes.
Tsukasa mouthed some words towards Daichi as he ran past him that made Daichi's eyes shook.
Daichi took a breath and faced the incoming goblins with the shield in hand.
Behind Daichi, Tsukasa slashed at the goblins that Daichi blocked.
A sword and shield.
Easing the burden on him, Tsukasa rampaged without care as his back was protected by a mighty shield as he believe.
Ryunosuke went together with them as he too engaged in combat with his fist while occasionally shooting the arrows he picked up in the battlefield.
At the back Akashi and Shin felt helpless. At the very least, if not for Shin killing a third of the goblins, they won't have survived this long.
Akashi inhaled a deep breath as gazed at the battlefield with eyes full of frustration.
The crimson hobgoblin glared at his enemies that held on despite the continued onslaught of his men.
The crimson hobgoblin brandished the halberd in his hand as he stared at his fairly exhausted enemies.
"Kieek! Kieeeeek!"(Fine! I'll do it myself!)
Hearing their lords command the goblins parted and made a path. The other goblins stopped on their tracks and retreated back.
Step~ Step~
With every step that the crimson hobgoblin took, the hearts of everyone present couldn't help but shook.
A vile and sinister aura bursted out from itself turning Akashi and the other's face pale.
'We need to do something!' Daichi thought as he stared at the incoming hobgoblin with quaking eyes.
Swiiish~
Tsukasa ran past Daichi yet again and charged at the incoming goblin with cold eyes.
Such a small back yet again faced the enemy with an unyielding gaze.
Daichi bit his lips as he bitterly placed his hopes at Tsukasa.
To them it was a battle of their strongest.
However this was not fiction.
Reality is much more cruel.
Pwooossh~ Thud!
Tsukasa's body came flying with a single swing of the crimson Hobgoblin's halberd towards them.
Ryunosuke hurriedly met Tsukasa's flying body with his own that made both their bones crack.
Thankfully, both of them we're still breathing as Akashi hurriedly attended to them and began to heal their wounds.
"Kieeek!kieek!"(What now puny human? There's no place to hide!)
The two meter halberd swept past them and charged towards the broken Tsukasa and Ryunosuke held by Akashi.
"O great Goddess of mine, heed thy call, by the power of light, protect my allies, Protection!"
A shield of light blocked the halberd as Akashi frantically chanted with perspiration.
"..., Protect my allies, Protection!"
However this time there was nothing. The familiar feeling of a hidden energy that reside deep within Akashi's heart was emptied and he was no longer able to cast his spells.
"No what is this!..., Protect my allies, Protection!"
There was nothing. Akashi's eyes shook as he began to fall in despair as the gigantic halberd came raining down towards him.
However just as the halberd was about to hit Akashi, a figure appeared in front of him.
"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!"
The halberd that swung down, forcibly teared off the arm.
Daichi in the distance stared at the sight with horror and remorse.
Sugo Shin, a frail guy confronted a hulking monster with nothing but his body. All to save his friends.
The arm of Shin that held a staff flew away towards Daichi.
Daichi gazed with lifeless eyes at the severed arm that landed in front of him.
He remembered the words that Tsukasa spoke to him like a fleeting wind in the midst of his despair.
"I don't blame you."
Why?!
Why don't he blame him? If not for him shirking his responsibilities, he would not get injured that much?
Daichi gazed at Shin who held his severed shoulder and Akashi who stood up in front of the injured Shin.
Even such a weak and selfish person is standing up for his comrades, then what of him?
There was no need to think.
Just move.
Daichi charged towards the crimson hobgoblin and tackled his body towards it.
The crimson hobgoblin was knocked aside as it's halberd flew meters away from him.
Daichi stood in front of them. He held the broken shield in his left hand while his broken sword laid on the ground.
"Kieek...!"(You...!)
The crimson hobgoblin stood up in front of Daichi and glared at him.
It raised it's two arms up high and attempted to smash towards Daichi.
Daichi didn't want any of this responsibility.
He accepted the request of Gods in order to run away from it.
He was a coward.
However just this once.
He won't run away.
He'll take this responsibility not as Daichi but as friends and comrades who fought together till life and death.
He will be their shield.
Daichi held the hands of the crimson hobgoblin as the ground beneath him began to sink from the sheer force.
The crimson hobgoblin grunted as he pushed through with greater strength but realized that he couldn't outdone the human in front of him.
Until this shield rusted.
Until this shield broke.
Until this shield no longer has use.
The crimson hobgoblin bashed his head in fury towards Daichi.
However Daichi smiled as the forehead of the hobgoblin came in contact towards his.
Even if blood trickled unto his forehead, he wouldn't let go of this grip.
As long as he live.
Daichi bashed his head towards the hobgoblin and it hit squarely at it's elongated nose.
Kieeeeek!
The crimson hobgoblin held his nose as he let go of Daichi and stepped back.
"No one can hurt my friends!"