It Seems That the Demon King Is Among the Members of the Hero’s Party

60. Martial Arts Tournament Semifinals

───The next day, the venue was the same as yesterday’s competition. We had already completed five rounds. The next opponent would be guided to the stage, and then it would be a battle against Eclaire. In other words, it was the semifinals.

There were around 120 participants, and some seeded players were also present. I heard that there were many participants, but the selection process had chosen those with a certain level of strength.

Compared to yesterday, the opponents in the fourth and fifth rounds were quite strong. The opponent in the fourth round was Maamaa Tsuyoize. Although I couldn’t achieve an instant kill, I was able to defeat her after exchanging several blows, and her sword broke at the root. It seemed that her magic enhancement was insufficient.

The opponent in the fifth round was Goka Isen. He was a dual-wielder with a unique way of taking distance. He had an unusual movement, making it a bit difficult to deal with. However, I was able to quickly finish the match by deflecting one of his swords. But I think it’s better to stop him from wildly swinging his sword in a reckless manner.

A huge cheer echoed from the waiting room to the stage. It was Eclaire. Although she couldn’t speak due to the soul constraint, she was a beautiful woman. As a brave warrior, she was being treated like an idol in this tournament. She was the only woman to have made it this far, wasn’t she?

Like me, she had been crushing her opponents and advancing through the rounds. Her match would likely end quickly as well. I was also worried about Natsume Shinonome, who was advancing smoothly.

According to the staff, Natsume was extremely strong, instantly killing her opponents. If things continued like this, I would likely face her in the finals.

Last night, Durandal had pressed me to win absolutely against Eclaire. She was worried about me.

But yesterday, Durandal’s behavior was a bit strange. After receiving the Durandal from Dal and returning to the inn, she remained silent.

When I’m alone, she often talks to me. When I asked her if she was worried, she reacted with surprise. She seemed to be deep in thought.

There was something on her mind. When we talked about the martial arts tournament and mentioned Natsume, she had a slightly strange reaction.

She quickly returned to her usual self, so I thought Durandal was worried about him. In the end, she pressed me again about Eclaire.

While enjoying my conversation with Durandal, I decided to read a book borrowed from Maxwel. What kind of book is it? When I asked, she said it was a novel about the great love between a demon woman named Tiara and a human named Tesla. Durandal had a funny reaction.

Is this a Romeo and Juliet kind of story? A forbidden love between different species, where they would never be allowed to be together. Maxwel said it was a true story.

I tried to read it, but Durandal strongly opposed it. It took time to calm her down, and I gave up on reading it. That day, I did my usual “accumulation” and went to sleep.

I still can’t get used to this fatigue.

The magic power I accumulated was around 10 days’ worth. According to Sasha, I could fire the “Meteor” twice.

I wonder if I should be surprised by the enormous magic consumption of the “Meteor” or lament my own magic capacity. Either way, it’s a problem.

After the martial arts tournament, Sasha invited me to practice magic to use the “Meteor.” I also wanted to use it, so I agreed. It’s a bit exciting.

The door opened, and the staff entered. I thought it was my turn, but they said they would take a short break before the semifinals and finals. They would call me again when the time came.

I decided to take a short break and sat down in the waiting room. The door opened again, and a man entered. I didn’t know him.

He immediately introduced himself as Olemma Kerunda, a participant who would face Natsume in the next match. He came to talk to me because he wanted to win and fight against me.

According to him, I was his idol. He had gained courage from watching me fight against monsters and demons with a single sword.

In this world, magic is considered more powerful than swords. Those who become swordsmen are often those who lack magical talent. That’s why he wanted to become like me.

When he said that to my face, I blushed. We encouraged each other, and he left the waiting room.

I think it’s unlikely that I’ll face him in the finals. Natsume will likely advance.

About 10 minutes after Olemma left, the staff entered the room again. It seemed it was my turn.

“Kyle, it’s time for the semifinals. Are you ready?”

“I’m ready.”

“Then, please enter the stage.”

With the usual exchange, I walked towards the center of the stage, where the chief was waiting. As soon as I stepped out into the corridor, the cheers erupted. It seemed that many spectators were looking forward to this match.

“Ah, ah, ah! The long-awaited match is finally here!!!

Today’s main event is not an exaggeration! Although it’s not the finals, it’s still part of the tournament’s matchups!”

The commentator was quite enthusiastic. The spectators were also caught up in the excitement, cheering and shouting.

“The strongest swordsman to emerge from the east!

‘ Sword Saint’ Kyle Grahem!!”

The announcer’s voice rose along with the cheers. I waved my hand in response to the enthusiastic shouts of “Do your best!”

I saw Eclaire walking towards me, her expression dead serious. I thought to myself, “If I lose to her, will she attack me?” This is a battle I cannot afford to lose.

“The savior of this world has emerged from the west!

Her beauty has captivated many fans!

‘Brave Warrior’ Eclaire Fergelant!!”

I felt like the cheers for me were fewer than for her. The loud voices were overwhelming. Who was it that just told me to lose? I’ll remember their face and make them regret it.

“I’ve been looking forward to this battle between the Brave Warrior and the Sword Saint. I’ll make sure nothing goes wrong. Go all out!”

The chief referee grinned menacingly. That’s the kind of expression a referee should have. It’s as if he’s saying, “I’ll let you fight, but don’t think you can win.” Eclaire didn’t seem to care about the chief referee’s intimidating gaze, instead focusing intently on me. This is a battle I cannot lose.

The chief referee raised his hand, and I saw it.

“A battle for the ages! Don’t blink, or you’ll miss it!

Sword Saint Kyle Grahem VS Brave Warrior Eclaire Fergelant!!

The battle begins!”

With the announcer’s signal, Eclaire charged towards me with incredible speed. Her sword flashed in the light. I couldn’t help but wonder how she managed to wield such power. Her sword was not only fast but also heavy, and I doubted my current weapon could withstand it.

I couldn’t help but think, “Where does she get that kind of strength?” It’s not like she has bulging muscles like Tra-san. Her slender arms didn’t seem capable of wielding such power.

This world is full of mysteries, just like during my battle with Diabolos.

This is my first battle against Eclaire. I’ve sparred with Tra-san several times, but one hit from her would be the end. This battle is making me incredibly tense.

The battle against Eclaire is the worst.

Eclaire herself isn’t bad, but every time we clash swords, I get a strange noise in my head. It’s an unpleasant feeling, like my head is being scratched.

Honestly, I feel terrible, and I’m not in the right mindset for this battle.

“…………!”

“No, don’t mind it.”

I stopped Eclaire, who seemed to notice my strange expression. I waved my hand, and she charged at me again. Every time our swords clashed, I felt that unpleasant noise in my head. It was terrible.

What’s going on? This has never happened before. Well, I did have a strange feeling after battling Diabolos.

That woman seemed to read my memories from my past life. I wondered if I had any strange memories that I couldn’t recall.

My childhood memories were a bit hazy, but I remembered them clearly. I also remembered my childhood friend, Sato Shouma, who was two years older than me. Did I have a sister? I felt like someone was with Shouma, but I couldn’t remember…

I started to dislike injustice because of my first boss, who embezzled funds and got caught by the media, causing a huge scandal. The aftermath affected me as an employee.

During a busy period, I was late getting back to work and ended up dying while trying to protect my colleague.

I wondered, “Was I really that kind of person who would go out of my way to help others?” Did I have a reason to help them?

───Every time Eclaire and I clashed swords, the crowd cheered. The audience’s voltage was rising, but my tension was at an all-time low.

My head felt like it was being scrambled. It was terrible. I was surprised I didn’t vomit.

Eclaire’s concerned face appeared in my vision. I forced a smile and nodded, trying to reassure her. I was on the defensive, trying to withstand her fierce attack. I would occasionally counterattack, but she would dodge lightly. Eclaire’s observational skills were impressive, and my sword lacked its usual edge.

Looking at Eclaire’s black hair and black eyes made me think of my past life. In this world, she was the only one with those features, a trait of the Brave Warrior’s bloodline.

At a glance, Eclaire was a beauty. It was no wonder the audience cheered for her as she fought with a serious expression.

But every time we clashed swords, I felt that strange noise in my head, and I couldn’t help but feel terrible. Because of that, I started to feel a strong dislike towards Eclaire.

I wished she would just disappear from my sight. It wasn’t a feeling of camaraderie.

We clashed swords again and again, each time causing that unpleasant noise in my head.

I wished she would just disappear. That’s the feeling I had as I swung my sword at her.

The noise in my head, Eclaire trying to defend against my sword, and the image of a black-haired woman with a scar on her forehead overlapped in my vision.

“Kanami…?”

I was puzzled by the unconscious words that came out of my mouth. Was it someone’s name? But whose name was it? There was no one with that name in my memories.

Eclair was frozen in shock, her expression surprised. Just a moment ago, she was trying to receive my sword attack. If I didn’t do something, my sword would hit her body!

Despite having thoughts that I shouldn’t have towards my comrades, I somehow felt like I couldn’t hurt her and forced myself to change the trajectory of my sword.

My sword didn’t hit her body, but it did hit Eclair’s sword, which was swung with no resistance. It was as if she didn’t put any strength into it.

My sword sent Eclair’s flying, and it fell to the ground, drawing a large arc.

But Eclair didn’t seem to care about that, and just stared at me with a surprised expression.

I saw the referee raising his hand at the edge of my vision.

“It’s a win! The winner is ‘Sword Saint’ Kyle Grahem!!

Although it seemed like I was on the defensive, I managed to turn the tables with a single blow and knocked away ‘Hero’ Eclair’s sword, earning me the victory!”

The commentator’s voice echoed, and the audience erupted in cheers. I could hear both applause and insults directed at me. Normally, I would be bothered by this, but I didn’t have the luxury to care right now.

The mysterious phenomenon happening within me, Eclair’s reaction, and the unknown woman – it was like a puzzle that I couldn’t complete. The feeling of discomfort was overwhelming.

I couldn’t remember, no matter how hard I tried. When I looked at Eclair’s face, my heart urged me to remember, but…

We stared at each other for a while, but then Eclair suddenly blushed and ran away. Watching her back, I felt a sense of loss and frustration.

I stood there for a while, but the referee prompted me to head to the waiting room.

— My head was a mess. I couldn’t remember, and that was frustrating. It was a memory I shouldn’t have forgotten, but I couldn’t recall her.

Eclair’s face floated in my mind, along with the unknown black-haired woman.

— It felt like I was forgetting someone important.