Chapter 205-206 - Vain Struggle

“This is an order from the match administration. Surrenders are not allowed. The match has to resume until a conclusion is reached.”

5 matches in the current heroes vs the previous heroes.

Just as the third match, was about to finish due to a verbal agreement –no, can it be explained as simple verbal agreement?

“Oh my, what unreasonable people~. They telling us to fight until one of us dies?” (Yoneko)

Yoneko-san, the person that surrendered, was amazed by this.

“Well, I understand what they wanna say-sa ne. The first and second match be also the wins of Sasae and the others after all.” (Oba-san)

The Earth Founder Oba-san, that had stopped her tears, says this boldly.

The first and second match were won by the current heroes team; with the victory of Sasae-chan in the third match, the victory of the whole team would be decided.

By the way, I have no intentions of throwing a bomb.

“Well now, this be quite the bad joke~. Sorry but, I can’t tag along with this. I been missing mah husband and my older child, so I wanna return right now~.” (Yoneko)

But the broadcast increased even more in volume and shouted.

It is a voice I have heard of before.

“Shut up! Fight! Today’s match is programmed to have us win!! A result other than that is unacceptable!! The third, fourth, and fifth match will end with the previous heroes turning the tables with three straight wins! That’s obviously how it is! Don’t go ruining the outline I have drawn, Earth Church’s country bumpkin!!”

That voice, so it really was the General of the Aurora Knights, Dobbe huh.

“Lad, hey Lad.” (Oba-san)

The Earth Founder says with a tiresome voice.

“Just finish it already. I wanna return to mah room and drink tea.” (Oba-san)

She is totally right.

I announce in a loud voice so that everyone in the venue can hear me.

“Third match, current earth hero Gonbee Sasae’s victory!! With this, the current heroes team that has obtained three wins first is the winner!!” (Haine)

““Ooooooo~~h!!!””

Applauses and cheers exploded in the venue.

The audience here are people that came from the five major powers: the Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Light nations.

This means that the strength and legitimacy of Karen-san and the current heroes has been witnessed by the people of the whole world and was acknowledged.

“Don’t go deciding that yourself~~~!!!” (Dobbe)

It looks like the Knight General Dobbe finally felt that a broadcast wouldn’t be enough, he came running to the battle stage.

He forcefully pushed away the tumult of people that he encountered on the way, and even when he pushed away children and women, he didn’t care.

With bloodshot eyes, he approaches me.

“The match just now is not valid! No, this is the lost of the current heroes due to foul play! Bringing such a crazy big statue like that, there’s not a single trace of dignity in such an action!!” (Dobbe)

“Ya saying that the statue of mah mom is stupid-dasu to?” (Sasae)

Those words made Sasae-chan burn in blunt bloodthirst.

“The match before too! And the match before that one too! It is the defeat of the current heroes due to foul play!! In the first place, what is with you! Aren’t you a person in the side of the Founder Yorishiro?! Someone like that doing the job of a referee, there’s no doubt that you made verdicts that were advantageous for the current heroes! That’s why all the matches until now are invalid!” (Dobbe)

“Then, want to clean up the matches of today completely? Counting the team match not long ago, the entrance gate allocations, and even the referee girl that utilized a bomb.” (Haine)

“Guh?!”

My words made Dobbe stop his breathing.

What an idiot.

Why is it that he can complain about others when he himself has mud at his back.

“T-There’s no need to investigate that! There was no foul play there! The suspicious ones are you guys!” (Dobbe)

“Do you seriously think such childish logic is going to work?” (Haine)

“Are you making fun of me?! I am the Aurora Knight’s General! The most proficient military power of the Light Church! It is different from the other trash churches!!” (Dobbe)

Just like that, Dobbe changed his talking target to the crowd.

“Everyone, listen! The current heroes and Founders are trying to destroy the world!! Breaking the current established order, they are trying to bring corruption and chaos. In the first place, the prospering Light Church mixing with the other third-rate trash is a blasphemy to beauty!! Everyone thinks so as well, right?!” (Dobbe)

There were many others here aside from the people of the Light Church. Just what is this idiot saying in a place like this?

“It is wrong to decide such an important thing with a clash of brute strength! Let’s take the opinion of everyone! The majority rule! Everyone should know who is in the right here! If it is with this, there’s no chance we will lose!!” (Dobbe)

But the reaction that came back was not even necessary to guess –it was the appropriate reaction to it.

The venue that was burning in excitement by the victory of the current heroes team, the venue that raised cheers like a tsunami…

Was completely silent.

It fell into silence in an instant.

“Waa?!!”

The pressure of that silence makes Dobbe stagger.

The cold stares of thousands in the venue were mixed with scorn.

There’s no way they wouldn’t think of today’s events as strange. Everyone has left it to themselves for now and continued watching, but if it had ended with the victory of the previous heroes just like that, who knows what kind of chaos would occur later.

An idiot wouldn’t understand that though.

Who knows how much trust he has lost with that ‘safe’ method he speaks of.

Just as the Water Founder says: ‘trust is the most important asset’.

You guys, who readily broke the rules, have lost the trust of the people; in contrast, Karen-san and the others, who were standing straight even when attacked by that unreasonableness, had moved the people and have obtained huge amounts of trust.

That is the result of this.

Karen-san and the others have not simply won, that victory has been witnessed by the civilians.

They didn’t simply win on their own.

“Grrrr!!”

He should just stop it, and yet, Dobbe squeezed out the last of his pride and shouts.

“What’s with those eyes?! Do you think it is okay to look at me with those eyes?! I am the General of the Aurora Knights, you know! A holy knight that is several tens of times higher than you heretics! Obey me! You are not allowed to go against me!! You idiots should just silently obey me!!!” (Dobbe)

Just by leaving him alone, he digs deeper and deeper.

This fight, looking at it in a political perspective, is a confrontation between the Hero Alliance and the Pro-Reconciliation side against the Contra-Reconciliation side.

No matter the decision it is, when it involves many people, there will always be people against it; everyone will try to see things to their own advantage and will fight in order to avoid any harm to themselves.

At times, they even fight for the sake of their stupid pride and feeling of superiority.

The Dobbe that’s in front of me is exactly the very example of that.

There’s no need to be a genius to tell that he is in the Contra-Reconciliation side.

He is the one in the Light Church that believes himself to be the most excelling and gains a sense of superiority by looking down on others.

He can’t be satisfied unless there’s someone below himself. He can’t endure having someone stand above him.

Even if it is a delusion created by himself, for him, the other four churches must be below the Light Church.

However, there’s no need for the world to tag along with his prejudice.

If words don’t work, there’s no other choice but to eliminate it by force…

“Leave it at that, General…”

The moment I was about to punch Dobbe away, someone appears.

Carrying a spear in one hand, she has the appearance of an innocent person, and yet, I can only see her as suspicious-looking…

“Ooh, Ates-dono!” (Dobbe)

The previous light hero, Sunnysol Ates.

Why is the girl that’s supposed to be on standby as the fifth match participant here for?

“Ates-dono! You say it as well! This match is filled with deception! Justice is going to fall and evil will bloom! There’s no doubt that foul play occurred from the shadows! In the first place, I think that you are the one that’s the most fitting to be the light hero. That filthy little girl that’s the current hero is just a fake—–Guhooo?!” (Dobbe)

WA?!

Ates suddenly punched Dobbe!

Unable to endure the strength, Dobbe gets send flying away.

“Silence, filth. You are the one who did the foul play.” (Ates)

“What?! What are you saying?!” (Dobbe)

The cheek, that had been punched, swoll heavily, and Dobbe was showing an expression that was saying he didn’t understand what was going on.

They are supposed to be in cahoots in the shadows.

“I, the previous light hero Sunnysol Ates, will indict this person right now. Aurora Knight’s General, Zeberphon Dobbe, you will be prosecuted for the many foul plays that were done by the Church’s Contra-Reconciliation side!!” (Ates)

• 206: The Fox Woman dances

“Wa…What are you saying, Ates-dono? You are in our si—Gehoooo!!” (Dobbe)

Dobbe was about to say something, but Ates kicks him again.

“First of all, at the team match just before, the entrance gates serving in favor of the Contra side was an intentional thing. Utilizing this box that has a gimmick in it.” (Ates)

Saying this, Ates takes out a box that has a hole big enough to place a hand inside.

“Ah! If I remember correctly, we took out the ballots inside of it ta decide from what entrance gate we be coming out from-dasu!” (Sasae)

Sasae-chan testifies as a person present at that moment.

“Moreover, the reason why the girl that was in charge of being the referee acted in such a violent manner was due to the instigation of the Contra side. I have secured the contract that they had her sign in order to have her work as their puppet.” (Ates)

“Waaa?!”

Dobbe stands up even when he had been beaten up.

“Stop it, Ates! Do you understand what you are doing?! You were also in favor of our ideologi—Buaagh!!!” (Dobbe)

Punched again.

Ates continues speaking as if nothing has been happening from the very beginning.

“On top of that, I have brought and arranged the documents of the insurgents that were involved in this time’s plotting. I want to present this to the Founders!” (Ates)

That’s…isn’t that the very materialization of what Yorishiro and the others were aiming for in this match?!

In order to clean out all the contra-reconciliation side, that is going against the standard bearers of a new era, there’s the need to have a good grasp of who they are first.

That’s the reason why we hung a tempting bait like having all the heroes and Founders retiring if we were to lose the match between current and previous heroes; and even let them do as much cheating as they wanted.

It was all in order to have the other side get overconfident and have them peek out of their hiding.

Karen-san and the others endured gruelling fights for that sake.

No matter what kind of underhanded method they used, no matter how injured they got due to that, they gritted their teeth as they continued fighting!

The very thing that we worked so hard for was currently dangling in front of us.

And yet, what’s with this…this feeling that’s hard to agree to?

“Wait.” (Haine)

I call to Ates.

I was aware that my voice had hostility in it, but I simply couldn’t hold it back.

“You are from the contra side, right? You were in cahoots with that Dobbe there, pressed today’s match forward, and tried to push down Karen-san and Yorishiro. Why are you turning over now?” (Haine)

At such an easy to see timing where the current heroes have won three matches and the winners of the team match has been decided.

“It looks like you are having a misunderstanding here. I have never been the enemy of Yorishiro-sama and the others for even a second.” (Ates)

“What?!” (Haine)

“I am a former hero; me being part of the Church is a thing of the past. Meaning that, no matter from which side you see it from, I am an outsider. Being held up high on the convenience of the contra side was a pain all over, but I had a great idea.” (Ates)

“A great idea?” (Haine)

“By using this situation, I was wondering if I could help my benefactor Yorishiro-sama.” (Ates)

Saying this, Ates smiled lightly.

Is she elated by her success? Or is that self-derision? Or maybe that’s just a complimentary smile? It was a vague smile that had a different impression depending on the person seeing it.

“In other words, from the very beginning, you had no intentions of going against Yorishiro, and yet, you made it look that way so that you could infiltrate the Contra-Reconciliation side?” (Haine)

“…”

Without saying a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’, Ates smiled.

An expression that could be taken as both an affirmation or a negation.

“By acting as if you were their comrade, you sounded out their internal conditions, investigated the ins and outs of it, to give that information to Yorishiro. With that, the contra side is done for. Was that what you were aiming for?” (Haine)

“Yes.” (Ates)

Ates answers.

Like hell I can believe that!

If the previous heroes were to win today’s match, she would have remained in the contra side as if nothing had happened, and then, with Karen-san gone, she would have taken a political position!

In other words, this woman has created a scenario where, no matter which side won, she would not only secure her safety, she would also manage to make a comeback to political power.

By easily abandoning the side that has lost!

“[Dark Matter, Set]!” (Haine)

Dark Matter gushed out from my hands.

If we let this woman do as she wants, this truly will have no end!

“Stop!”

?!!

When I turn back, I see that Yorishiro had at some point in time come down to the battle stage.

The audience that is filling the venue has also not said anything in order to oversee the situation.

“Did you forget, Haine-san? She was a former light hero.” (Yorishiro)

Yorishiro whispers to me in a low voice and made me remember something I had forgotten between my anger.

My dark matter can erase all divine powers, but the only one that I can’t do that to is the light element.

“Previous light hero, Ates-san.” (Yorishiro)

Yorishiro moves forward as if relaying.

“Good work in your infiltration. Let’s have you give me those documents with the names of the contra side at once then.” (Yorishiro)

Yorishiro!

It could be said that the documents Ates has are the very objective we were here for.

Are you telling me Yorishiro will just accept it just because of that?

“Before that, there’s something I want to request.” (Ates)

Ates says this as she kneels reverently.

“I want to receive words of gratitude in regards to this time’s work. Please acknowledge my achievement in this place.” (Ates)

!!

That’s basically making Yorishiro say that she made Ates destroy the Contra-Reconciliation side, and on top of that, it is also telling her to make it official that she was working under the orders of Yorishiro!

Is she going to go that far in order to secure her own safety?!

“Yorishiro-sama!”

Another person jumps onto the stage.

It is no other than the one other related party of the Light Church, Karen-san.

“Please don’t accept something like that! We have won! We have achieved our objective plenty enough!” (Karen)

‘Please don’t mix in poison just for further achievement’, is what I felt Karen-san was saying.

That was in a sense a predicament for Ates.

If she were to be rejected by Yorishiro and Karen-san, she won’t be able to return to the contra-reconciliation side and will have no place to go.

But…

Yorishiro took the documents of Ates in her hands.

“Good work, Ates. Kazama Shinobis, please apprehend Ates-san.” (Yorishiro)

“?!”

In the blink of an eye, several black-clothed people appeared around Ates.

Kazama Shinobis; the military power of the Wind Church located at the Rudras Metropolis we are currently in. If something were to happen, it is natural for them to be the ones acting, but…

“Yorishiro-sama?!” (Ates)

Being surrounded by the black-clothed people, Ates raises her voice.

“Please don’t misunderstand, Ates-san. These documents that have the names of the contra side, there’s absolutely no assurance that they are the real deal. I am not as careless as to acknowledge your merits before knowing for sure that these are real.” (Yorishiro)

“…”

“You must have wanted to gain a pledge while things were still hazy, but due to the warning of Karen-san, the atmosphere cleared up. Until the authenticity of these documents are confirmed, I will have you apprehended…… Proceed at your own discretion.” (Yorishiro)

With Yorishiro’s signal, the Kazama Shinobis pressed Ates forward…and while at it, they also dragged out the unconscious Dobbe as they left the stage.

…Is this the end now?

They won the first team match, and after that, the individual matches that were basically forced onto them ended with three straight wins. On top of that, the closest ringleaders we had -Ates and Dobbe- have been apprehended.

Everything has ended in our favour.

It can be said to be a grand victory.

But for some reason, I feel like the battle still continues.

What is with this dissatisfying feeling?

“Sad to say, it is not over yet.” (Yorishiro)

Yorishiro who was still standing on the stage said this.

“The reason why I came down here was not only to receive the list of the people to be executed that Ates-san had. It was also in order to communicate the information that the lookouts of Rudras Metropolis have told me.” (Yorishiro)

Lookouts? Must be talking about the people keeping watch at the outer edge of the city. They watch out for dangers that come from the outside.

And if we talk about dangers…

“…A strange monster has appeared. It is steadily approaching this place.” (Yorishiro)

Yorishiro speaks about a mysterious monster approaching, but…is that really the source of my uneasiness?