Chapter 88: Gap Between the Ranks

We have to save her! She's up against someone powerful enough to impersonate an S-Rank Adventurer! I didn't really have any way of comparing his powers against any real reference point but I was sure that meant that he was far beyond us! My only real experience with S-Rank in a combat situation being against the man called Gilgamesh by Rose. And he wasn't a good reference point considering he was hiding his identity and pretending to be weaker than he actually was, hence the "Former" part of his rank. She guessed that he was holding himself back to not let on his true abilities and as a result she should expect far more skill from this Summoned Hero character.

[What the hell is happening?!?] - Karen

[I'm not sure, but it looks like... Rose is...] - Malaise

[Winning?] - Veronica

[...Hmm.] - Shade

What greeted them when they finally reached the outskirts of the Arena was a battle far beyond their meagre capabilities, the two combatants blurring whenever they moved. But it appeared that Rose was winning, or at least putting up a hell of a fight. Honestly I wasn't sure what exactly was happening because of how fast they were moving, even my visual acuity as a Slime being challenged by the sheer speed.

One thing I was sure of though, was our complete and utter inability to actually join in this level of a battle. We'd...

[You wanna go in there?!? We'll die in like seconds!] - Veronica

[...I hate to agree with the idea of not helping but...] - Malaise

[...in the way.] - Shade

[What she said.] - Malaise

[I...! ...dammit.] - Karen

We'd die. 100%. Instant Death before we made a single difference. At the speed my Rose was moving we wouldn't be anything other than a burden. Dammit! Why am I so weak?!? Helpless in our apparent powerlessness, we despaired in the face of someone so far beyond our abilities as we continued watching the battle, looking for a way, any way, to help Rose. And we got it suddenly. Rose, who had been periodically pausing throughout their back and forth battle as if in a daze, shook her head like she was regaining consciousness. Looking around, the confusion was clear on her face as she took stock of the unfamiliar situation. It was like she had been only acting on instinct the last few minutes rather than actually fighting. Whatever the case now was our chance!

Except, we weren't the only ones that figured that out. The Hero, realizing that Rose had halted her assault, also immediately took advantage of her dazed confusion, his sword quickly approaching her neck as we tried to reach her.

[NOOOOOOOOOO!] - Karen

“I wonder where Aerin went?” It had been several minutes since he'd last seen his new shadow, she'd slipped away saying something about dealing with some kind of outstanding responsibility but had reassured him that she'd be back as soon as possible. The way she had said that however—it bothered him, and her farewell at the end sounded more similar to a goodbye rather than it did to temporary business like she'd claimed. Something told him that it was wrong, like an itch at the back of his neck he felt like he'd lost something significant, it was like he'd failed one of his Master's tests. So he went searching for her, looking for any trace of the elf that he'd grown so fond of in the last few days, a feeling of emptiness that was decidedly Aerin-shaped in his soul.

And he'd still been searching the various hallways of the Arena when a massive explosion had nearly thrown him off his feet, his quick reflexes the only thing that kept his face from being acquainted with the hard stone floor.

[What the hell was that?!?] - Edgar

Shocked at what I could only assume was some sort of massive bomb being detonated above me I immediately rushed upwards, my path leading me into a group of guardsmen as I slowed down to ask what had happened.

[Hey, was there an explosion of some kind above us? What's going o-] - Edgar

[It's that fucking Elf lover! Betraying your race you fucking filth!] - Racist Guard

[Hey now that's not ni- Whoa! Easy there tiger!] - Edgar

Approaching the 3 guards from the rear I made sure to call out to them to not startle the three of them while spreading my hands in a friendly gesture. One of the guards, apparently taking my stance as one of weakness, suddenly sneered as he insulted my new friend, his other two companions smirking at his comment.

Shocked at the blatant racism of the three of them I endeavored to show them the error of their ways only for the one that spoke to suddenly unsheathe his sword and swing for my seemingly unprotected neck while I approached.

Instantly realizing that these three were not innocent to whatever was happening above I slipped into a combat stance and mere seconds later all three were unconscious on the ground, their limp body's bound by their own belts. I had to work with what I had available after all. Now to find out what exactly was going on...

My climb, taking me all of four minutes, had brought me out on a confusing hellscape of mutilated bodies and numb onlookers, the vast majority of which were still pressing against the blocked exits as they failed to realize that the ones at the front were being cut down as they fled.

[What's going on?!? Aerin, I have to find Aerin! I need to-] - Edgar

Starting to panic at the disappearance of my friend I subconsciously connected the current event with that of her still being missing, a horrifying thought. My logical side protested that trash like them wouldn’t even be capable of hurting her, but it couldn’t stifle the growing sense of dread I felt as I beheld the chaotic scene before me, eyes finally stopping on something that shouldn’t be possible.

[Limit Release!] - Edgar

I'd done it! I had finally succeeded in fulfilling my destiny! Those fools in the upper ranks of the Church treated my like a child, buttering me up in public but belittling my abilities behind closed doors. I knew, I knew they thought of me as a waste. My abilities, while powerful, only amounted to around the same strength level as a high level Adventurer. I could only truly take on S-Rank or below. The foes I was summoned to deal with, the powerful entities in this world, the vast armies of the Churches’ enemies? All of them beyond me. As arrogant as I played at being I understood my place. Yes, I was special, but they… they were in a class beyond mortal beings. And yet I was about to slay one of them. The Demon Lord's Successor, in her weakened, early state certainly, but one of those mythical beings regardless.

Realizing that I was about to finally finish this fight I smirked as I increased the speed of my blade, the Demon Lord's Successor only now realizing the danger she was in.

It's done! I've finally won!

Fate however, had different plans in store for me, as I suddenly felt a hard impact against the side of my blade and a follow-up strike into my exposed face as I felt my sword leave my grip, my body flying backwards into the wall.

A glowing form visible in my blurry vision.

It was a miracle! Seconds from death it had taken all I had to even turn my head towards the blow, my speed nowhere near enough to deal with the approaching sword. And then suddenly that reaper was averted, the blade embedded in the dirt near my face and the man that had been holding it clutching his rent helmet as he glared at the newcomer that had saved me.

[Rose!] - Karen

[Wh-Wha! K-Karen?!?] - Rose

[A-Ah?!? S-Sorry...] - Karen

Recognizing the voice of my crush I dazedly turned only to get bowled over by a jiggly mass of slime as she hugged against me. Her body nearly covering mine as she worriedly kissed my face. My mind, finally catching up to what was happening, immediately went into panic mode as it attempted to reconcile the previous danger with this new bliss that it was feeling and, unable to do so, my face immediately burst into crimson.

[Ahem, as much as I would love for you two to continue I don't think that fellow will agree.] - Edgar

[Edgar?!? What are you doing here?!?] - Karen

[Ah I was just passing by looking for my Elf and I just sa-] - Edgar

[How dare you look down on me like that! HOW DARE YOU?!?] - Keitaro

My savior, body still glowing a bright golden, cleared his throat, a bright blush visible on his face as he did everything in his power to look away. His pointed look at the man trembling with unexpressed rage however bringing us back to reality as I shakily got up. Karen, shocked at the unexpected help, also rose, the answer to her question being drowned out as a certain Summoned Hero started bellowing over the noise.

The Hero, still holding on to his crumbling faceplate, immediately rushed at the three of us, probably planning to finish what he started before we could regroup, instead he was once more thrown into the wall as three more people positioned themselves between us.

[...over.] - Shade

[<Hah Hah> What- oh goddess - what she said... Phew...] - Malaise

[You need to masturbate more Mal! You aren't getting your cardio!] - Veronica

[Not- <Hah Hah> -the time- <Hah Hah> - Ver.] - Malaise

Breathing heavily as she agreed with the one that had actually landed the blow against the Hero, Malaise leaned heavily against Veronica, her endurance waving the white flag after their sprint across the Arena floor. It was a heartwarming scene. Until it wasn't.

Shrugging off the inappropriate sexual comment of our resident horndog we all froze when a clear laugh suddenly pierced the Arena, the clear sound of insanity in it's notes.

[Hahahahaha! They all keep getting in the way! Weaklings the lot of them! It's my destiny to kill the Demon Lord! My destiny! He said I could do it! He told me! Why won't she just give in? WHY WON'T YOU DIE?!?] - Keitaro

[...!?!] - Everyone

Shocked by the Hero's insane muttering we all stared at the man as he tore himself apart from the inside out, his brain unable to deal with his seeming inability to actually kill me. What was more shocking however was what happened to his helmet when he stopped holding it together. The metal helm, having taken multiple heavy blows, was more scrap than armor at this point, and it showed, falling away to reveal something none of us expected to see.

[He-He's old?!?] - Malaise

[What the fuck?!? He's some old geezer?!?] - Karen

And so he was, what appeared before us when the Hero's helmet finally fell off wasn't a teenager like we'd expected, instead it was a man, seemingly in his mid-60's, with greying hair and a gaunt face. His facial features, while decidedly Japanese, were those of a weathered old man that had already been through most of his life. One that, in any other circumstance, would have been well-suited for a kindly old man in a martial arts movie.

Our own looks of shock however was nothing before those of Keitaro himself however, as he suddenly realized what had happened, his hand groping at his now exposed face. The look of pure, unadulterated rage on his face making us taking a step back instinctively.

[You saw? YOU SAW?!? HAHAHAHAHA!] - Keitaro

[Fine then. <snap>] - Keitaro