Hello readers! This is Jun with your weekly chapter of the Retired Hero!  

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TL: Jun

ED: Jun

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Chapter 78

The phoenix gets angry

 

“Take this!”

 

Red unleashed a fire-clad kick towards me.

I stopped it with one hand, but I was blown away by the momentum caused by the flames.

When I adjusted my posture while rolling on the ground, Red had already closed the distance in front of my eyes.

 

“Haven’t you gotten weaker!? You scum!”

“Gh! You’re noisy!”

 

Without stepping in, I swung Echsdarc with just my arm strength.

If I had clad it in magic power, my power would skyrocket even if I didn’t put my back into it.

Echsdarc’s tip silently cut open Red’s now defenseless abdomen.

 

“Gh! That has no effect on me!”

 

By all rights it was a fatal wound.

But before Red’s ability, it would be a mere scratch.

The flames wrapped up the wound and regenerated it in the blink of an eye.

Although he flinched for a mere instant, he immediately wore fire on his wrist and struck me.

 

“You are a really bothersome guy!”

“I’ll take that as a compliment!”

 

To make sure I don’t lose to the power of the flames, this time I caught it with Echsdarc.

I immediately struck back, but Red forced Echsdarc back with his fist and distanced himself.

 

“To think that I would settle our scores this way”

“I agree that we’re linked by a strange fate. An unwanted fate though”

“Don’t say that. I acknowledge you, you know? That you’re a worthy opponent despite me going all out that is!”

 

Flames spouted from Red’s back.

The flames gradually shaped into wings, appearing as if embodying the word Phoenix.

 

“Starting now, my body will constantly maintain its very best. No matter how I’m cut or how much my stamina is exhausted, my movement will never decline. It’ll be worth seeing… how long you can keep up with me!”

 

Flapping his wings, Red began his rush towards me.

 

“Echsdarc…”

‘I understand… I will not stop you’

“Thank you”

 

A repulsively black aura spouted out from Echsdarc.

It was evidence that I poured large amounts of magic power into her.

My whole body strangely creaked, and a sharp pain that was like being stabbed by a needle attacked me.

Still it wasn’t so painful that I couldn’t move.

I swung up Echsdarc, striking at the rushing Red.

 

“Raahh!”

“Take this!”

 

There was an edge made of flames on Red’s arm, Echsdarc clashed with it.

The shock spread around them, lifting the ground.

 

“I’m not done yet!”

“Gh!”

 

Having turned around, Red unleashed a roundhouse kick.

I accepted it with the center part of Echsdarc and parried it, and struck Red’s stomach

 

“Gah――”

 

The feeling transmitted of my fist sinking into flesh.

It was just that Red’s body was hot enough to make me want to bend backwards.

If I were to continue to hit him poorly, my fist would end up breaking first.

 

“Heh, it hurts, but… I got you!”

“Wha-!”

 

Red caught my arm.

Pain and heat attacked me as smoke raised on my strongly gripped arm.

 

“Take this! Flames of Hell!”

 

In an instant, Red burst into flames.

Naturally I was rolled up as I was near, my whole body wrapped in flames.

It had such a temperature that I believe the liquid all over my body ended up evaporating at once.

And whenever I breathed, all of my internal organs screamed.

 

“Guaaaagh! ――Gh! Echsdarc!” ‘Yes!’

 

Although I leaked my voice, I poured my magic power in Echsdarc.

On doing so, even more black aura spouted out of Echsdarc, and it blew away the flames around me.

 

“What!?”

“Seyaaah!”

 

I cut up Red from bottom to top.

A large blood spray spread over my sight and on the other side of it, Red was staggering.

A good chance for a follow up――I thought and took a step forward, but I unconsciously stopped from the pain that came to me.

I used too much magic power in one go.

That and add in the burn damage, I won’t be able to attack immediately.

 

“Hah… you came with quite a play, didn’t you?”

“You say that, but how do you die…”

“ …Who knows. Because even I don’t know how to die”

 

Red laughed at his own mockery and shrugged while keeping his face down

 

“――While we’re waiting for your recover, I’ll tell you an old story”

“Huh? Why are you waiting for my recovery?”

“If I don’t fight you at full strength, our fate will never be extinguished. I can’t agree with defeating you in injuries”

 

… For an enemy, he is a man I don’t understand at all.

I don’t feel any hostility from the current Red as far as I can see.

No, he had no such thing since the beginning.

This guy just wanted to enjoy a fight with me.

In that case I don’t need to hesitate.

I use this situation to recover the damage and my stamina.

 

“I used to be an abandoned child you know. A son that has an undying body would give people the creeps so it can’t be helped, they said”

♦

 

It couldn’t be helped, so I lived by myself.

I had to secure my food myself, so I killed and ate monsters.

I killed by myself, stole by myself, ate by myself and slept by myself.

That cycle continued.

One day, the monsters in the vicinity disappeared, and so I became distressed with eating.

I was picked up by bandits when I was walking in the woods, and attacked human beings along with them.

I was able to eat.

Except I became on bad terms with the bandits who killed amusing people.

I wasn’t pleased with it, you know. I don’t know why though.

When I massacred the bandits because I got irritated, this time I was caught by the country.

It was because I was part of the bandits you know. I didn’t feel like justifying it anymore and let myself get caught obediently.

They give out meals too.

After I spent my time doing this and that, there was someone curious who came to meet me.

♦

 

“That was the Luke Roy that you know well”

“…”

“Luke told me. That he needed my strength. I had time, so I tried following him and when I did, there were all misfits like me… he said he was going to do something big so I joined out of interest”

 

The faint smile Red showed as he smiled completely changed all of a sudden.

With an expression that could be called anger, Red held his fist high and then struck the ground like that.

Sparks rolled up and the ground heated up so much it turned red.

 

“Those freaking bastards… while crushing a country is nice, what they’re just doing was taking hostages and waiting for the enemy to come… They could do an all-out war with the commanders of the demon lord army or so I thought, but they actually went and said to avoid that too”

 

I can’t bear it any more――

That is what Red said.

 

“Then, if we fight against Luke together…”

“That won’t be interesting. You’re all strong. That’s why fighting either side would be interesting”

“――――Really now”

 

I readied Echsdarc.

I’ve gotten plenty of rest already.

 

“Oh, you want to go at it?”

“Yeah. I’m really glad my thinking didn’t change after hearing your story”

“Ah?”

“I too had been thinking about settling my scores with you”

“Heh, that’s the spirit!”

 

Flames spouted out of Red.

It was the highest firepower until now.

… I still wasn’t able to think of a way to defeat Red.

Even so, I had to defeat him.

If not, my mind wouldn’t settle down.

 

‘You are going to do it, are you not milord’

“Yes I am”

‘I have a proposal. If it succeeds, we may be able to defeat him’

“ … Really?”

‘Yes. I would take some of your lifespan though’

 

Echsdarc said apologetically.

――My answer was decided.

 

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