The hero is now gone, but I’m still here, now what? (Undergoing editing)

I tapped my foot impatiently as I listened to the principal's speech, I was sitting on top of the stage, next to my brothers and sisters- the ones attending the Academy at least, - alongside the scions and heads of influential Families, as well as the unneeded investors that keep Pledge Academy “afloat” or whatever it is that they actually do.

Up front, the principal was talking about something, an introduction or whatever, a speech to inspire the new generation of Pledge Bearers but I couldn't really listen to it properly because I knew that it was only a matter of time before a bunch of portals opened on the right wall of the gymnasium and an invasion from the Demon Lord descends onto all of us.

 

Someone tapped my shoulder and I whipped my head to glare at them for disturbing me only to flinch when I saw that it was Byzanthine, “sister, please conduct proper manners,” she chastised, “we are in front of thousands of students and it will do no good if the person that they think is a role model does not look at the principal as she's doing her speech, do you want them to follow your example and start to daze off during important speeches?”

 

“Sorry,” I apologized before focusing on the principal again.

 

“-and history has taught us that catastrophes out of our control would always repeat themselves over and over again and for the first few years of humanity's existence, when civilization consisted of nothing but a group of villages with houses made of wood, when we were still new to this world, the best that we could do is weather the storm until they leave us alone, but over time, we learned; becoming better at avoiding storms, then we started to fight back, first we did nothing more than push away the dangers, then we started killing them, slaying living manifestations of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions as they neared our homes and cities.”

 

While keeping my eyes focused on Ms. Dialecta, I started to feel my Light reservoir, it was packed and full and ready to be used to fight the invading Demon Duke and hopefully stave off any potential casualties- back in the game the students who died during the invasion weren't really shown but they did exist, I know because it wouldn't make sense otherwise, it was such a large scale thing and everyone inside of the school couldn’t move on for a while after it happened so there's no way that everyone got out of it unscathed.

 

I'll help and protect them, I- I don't care if I have to fight a mid-game boss to do it. Casualties should be minimized- that's my rule for myself during this particular event, and I know, just know that I'd be outclassed by the invading Demon Duke but that's fine, it's absolutely fine- I- I'm willing to get hurt if it means that everyone else doesn't.

 

As I worried about the potential casualties, the speech kept going and even moved on at some point and Ms. Dialecta went from talking about slaying Omegafaunas to talking about the first Hero; Valian, “- he fought bravely with everything he could, even though his armor was weak and made out of poorly crafted iron, he pushed on even when the only thing that made him strong against the Demon Lord was his Pledge, he continued fighting, undeterred by the uneven odds because he knew that one day, his successors, the next line of heroes, would have a better fighting chance but before that, he needs to show them that they shouldn't fear the eye of the storm even when wearing weak gear, that the future generations of heroes should face the Demon Lord head on regardless of what they were carrying and fight.”

 

And that was it; the portals were starting to open, I could feel it and so could the people around me.

 

I closed my eyes and immediately used all my strongest Techniques: Maximum Speed, Maximum Strength, Maximum Defense, and Maximum Regeneration for the standard physical buffs.

Then I proceeded to use some of my more “cheesy” Techniques like Searing Thorns, which makes it so that every time I get hit- if it happens in the first place that is, - the damage would be returned, but only by a small amount, which didn’t matter thanks to the bonus effect of Searing- a debuff that burns the target and chips at their health until they leave combat.

 

Following that is Strongest Weapon to strengthen my Pledge, then Master Archer to allow my attacks to hit even when they would otherwise miss, Mighty Blows to strengthen my attacks and then Chasing Damage to increase my damage based off of my speed.

 

The first of the portals opened and Demons started to pour out, Byzanthine stared me down with a look that I couldn't recognize before she called her Pledge, a black lance that's meant for jousting, it was cylinder-shaped and went narrower as it went up from the handle, thinning until the weapon’s tip turned sharp and pointed.

 

Byzanthine moved away and immediately started throwing her weapon before recalling it to her hand after it struck a target.

 

Meanwhile, I continued casting my buffs- it wasn't time for me to move yet, I needed to fight the strongest Demon to protect everyone- I- I don’t care if I’m risking my life by doing this- Lucille can potentially die and she’s more important-

 

To finish my set of buffs, I used the ones that'll increase my speed, Dance with the Wind, Wind Walker, and Lightning Steps.

 

Eventually, a bright portal the color of molten metal erupted directly on the center of the wall, growing in size and overtaking all portals it passed until it reached a size of over 25 feet, I stood up then, preparing myself for the upcoming fight as a massive hand emerged from the gate and when the length of its entire forearm got revealed, I moved-

 

…

 

“Why does she keep staring at the wall?” Naviri asked in confusion as she eyed her friend up on the stage, the princess being distracted like this was bad and Naviri followed Neophyte’s gaze to the white wall to their right but found nothing but a blank wall.

Despite that, Neophyte has been glaring at it like it did her wrong and Naviri couldn’t figure out why, “what do you think she’s thinking of right now Satti?” She asked her husband, who, as always, was doing his best to pay attention to the speech on stage, Naviri honestly didn’t get it because like all speeches, it was boring. “Satti?”

 

“Huh?” Her husband snapped into focus and Naviri chuckled, “w-what? I don’t know what the principal is talking about!” Well, what the hell was he focusing so hard on then?!

 

“I’m not talking about Miss Tundra,” Naviri corrected, “look at Neophyte,”

 

Her husband nodded and did what she told him to do, he raised his eyebrow, “what’s she doing?”

 

“She’s been staring at the wall since the start of the speech,” Naviri explained, “and I don’t know why.”

 

“Weird.” He said and Naviri nodded.

 

“Suspicious.” She corrected. “Prepare yourself,”

 

He nodded and Naviri hoped that his preparation involved using his Techniques because that’s what she was doing; she mentally imagined a ball, one that she slowly shaped into a shield.

 

Back when she was young, her mother had told her to play with clay, telling her to turn a small ball into various shapes that got more and more complex as she grew older and by the time she got her Pledge, her proficiency in shaping Light was on par with the best of the best within her Peers.

 

Well not the best of the best because that particular prodigy is a monster- despite her constant denial of any compliment sent her way, - but the point still stands.

 

Naviri mentally weaved another ball, this time she turned it into a sword, following that, she created a suit of armor, then a pair of wings, she mixed them all together to create the doll of an angel and then… she waited.

Whatever it is that Neophyte is preparing for, it couldn’t be good, and Naviri knew that her friend wouldn’t worry this much about something, doubly more so when it’s a prophecy, so whatever it is that’s gonna pop out of that wall, she needed to take seriously and heavily prepare for.

 

Her preparation wasn’t enough and Naviri realized that quickly when the beings that emerged from the portals weren’t a random gang of cultists or even a giant monster- no, it was an entire horde of Demons followed by a Demon Duke-

 

Her eyes widened when the massive hand of the Demon got cut by a white blur, causing it to fall to the ground and melt into a pile of disgusting sludge where more Demons grew out of.

 

In reaction to that, the white blur killed them all without slowing down or an ounce of hesitation before it went to the stage and stopped, revealing Neophyte in what Naviri thinks is her in full power and no longer holding back. She likes to think that this is all that Neophyte can do but so far, the past month had been nothing but her pulling off one achievement after the next; first making a Pact with an Adolescent Dragon, then killing an entire forest’s worth of monsters, then this.

 

 “Don’t panic,” the princess said and Naviri snapped out of her shock, she activated her Technique and her doll lit up, her body became stronger and suddenly eight daggers floated around her, they felt like they could cut through anything.

 

Well… not anything, Naviri eyed the emerging Demon Duke and gritted her teeth, she wasn’t scared, and her hands weren’t shaking- “Huddle together, create parties, and fight.”

 

Shouldn’t Neophyte tell them to evacuate?! Goddess that’s a fucking Duke! Not some random Demon infantry!

 

Then, as if reading Naviri’s mind, Neophyte’s words directly answered the question that Naviri internally yelled, “we need to fight,” she said, “or else the Duke will get out of the school and find his way into the streets outside,”

 

At that Naviri steeled her nerves, there’s really no point in being scared is there? She sucked in a deep breath and eyed the portal on the wall, three more hands popped out then a bull-like head, followed by a muscular torso and finally, a pair of furry legs that ended in hooves. The 30 foot tall minotaur roared in challenge, and several other portals opened around it, sending out more Demons onto the student body.

 

One came at her and Naviri pierced its head with one of her daggers, it fell to the floor and turned to sludge, most of the students here weren’t as fortunate as her and were most likely untrained, literally green.

She knew that, she also knew that they were as strong as the princess, who by now had once again turned into a white blur that repeatedly slashed at the Demon Duke, who, despite Neophyte’s relentless barrage of attacks, looked no worse for wear, the hand that she cut off at the start is starting to grow back too, and a sharpened bone spur has temporarily taken its place, the Demon used it to stab at Neophyte over and over again-

 

Then Fafnir came and tackled the Demon in the ground, breaking walls and causing cracks to run across the floor.

 

That was when everything became downright chaotic.

 

“Naviri! Focus!” Her husband told her and she nodded and commanded four of her daggers to hit four Demons in front of her, then she willed a few to go near Satti who looked at her weirdly, “grab one! Or two! I don’t know! Fucking do boxing!” Following her own words, Naviri grabbed two of her daggers, which she used to slash at a nearby Demon, this one, judging by the bronze sheen of its skin, belonged to the Greed caste-

 

Focus, she needed to focus. She stabbed another Demon, this time Wrath judging by its bulging muscles, then another, two of her daggers came back and with her newly found clarity, she aimed at a spot where multiple Demons were converging, it shot out till it reached its maximum distance, killing 4 Demons on the way there.

 

Naviri plunged a dagger into the neck of a Gluttony Demon and in response it protected itself by raising its right arm to block.

 

Seeing her daggers do nothing to its large, log-like arm, Naviri gritted her teeth and kicked herself off of the damn thing before sending out one dagger to slash at both its ankles, it fell with a grunt and Naviri dashed forward, slashing its neck and tearing it apart. Blood spilled out of its wound in droves and she sighed.

 

Then something clanged right next to her and she faced her husband to see him blocking a massive spear- Sloth? She thought quickly and started searching for the ranged attacker and spotted a Demon with long arms in the distance, a quiver full of spiky spears on its lanky back, its head nothing more than a singular eye.

 

She sent two daggers towards it and fell the Demon with ease. She sighed, here’s to hoping that- she dodged by jumping left, she looked at the spot where she stood moments prior and huffed, another spear?

 

She dodged again- and again- Satti blocked a few- more than a few- and yet Naviri continued dodging, she spotted one of the Sloth Demons targeting her and sent a dagger its way, then another, and another, and another- she continued until even the daggers in her own hands were used to kill the ranged attackers and when all was said and done, she killed most of them while the rest got eliminated by the more opportunistic students.

 

A Demon of Wrath came down on her and someone slammed it in the back uselessly, it growled before turning back to face its attacker and its head immediately burned to a crisp. It fell and turned to sludge, allowing Naviri to see Neophyte’s not-so-secret-lover/maid Zathania, who nodded at them, “We need to help Neophyte,”

 

One of Naviri’s daggers came back, “right.” She eyed the fight between the princess and the Demon Duke, if her fighting a lot of regular Demons is already hard enough, what about the Demon Duke that the princess is fighting? Naviri shook her head and followed after the maid, “I don’t think we can help there by the way,”

 

“We won’t,” the maid replied, “but we’ll kill Demon Captains,” Naviri sighed, sure, fight a Demon that’s one step above the regular infantry, why not? It’s not like the regular Demons are hard to kill right? As if sensing her thoughts, Zathania added, “They’re not as hard to kill as you think they are.”

 

“You already fought one?” Satti asked.

 

Zathania scoffed, “I already killed three,”

 

…

 

I dodged a punch, but only barely- I dodged again, gritting my teeth as the Demon Duke wrestled Fafnir in slow motion- from my perspective at least, - and if I wasn’t here, then chances are, my Dragon would’ve been overpowered by the Demon.

 

Fortunately, that wasn’t the reality we were in and I’m here to support my Dragon as she wrestled with her four armed opponent which in turn, caused Fafnir to use all of her limbs to as well- her tail was wrapped around one of the Demon’s legs, spiraling downward until the sharpened tip reached and buried itself in her opponent’s ankle, her arms were in a similar position and she was using them to hold down two of the Duke’s own arms while I assisted with the remaining two by attacking them whenever they moved to punch Fafnir, who was also using both her legs to anchor the Demon’s thigh onto the ground.

 

One of the Duke’s free arms moved far faster than should be natural and I stepped in to intercept, slashing at his palm and fingers, I trusted Fafnir to protect me as I tore apart his hand, hopefully preventing it from moving for a few more seconds and buying us more time- and she was, in the corner of my eye, I caught my Dragon biting the remaining arm of the Demon, her jaws locked against its wrist as it tried to flail and break free, and I don’t know if it’s instinct or not but Fafnir managed to somehow lead along the arm’s flailing around without breaking her neck.

 

I looked away and continued slashing at the arm of the Demon, first the hand, then down to its forearm, its elbows, then the bicep- all the way up to the shoulder, and as I did, I repeatedly used my Pledge’s special ability, causing two strikes to be struck whenever I slash instead of one.

 

Under my onslaught, the Demon’s arm broke apart, the skin got torn and muscles got ripped apart- when I reached the bone of the Demon’s bicep, I hacked at it until it was cut off-

 

I jumped off as a roar erupted out of its mouth, jumping back a few dozen meters away from the Demon. I stopped fueling my Techniques and time started to flow normally again, I released my breath and got a painful headache from straining myself, Fafnir connected to me then, ‘You okay?’

 

“Just dandy.” I nodded, sucked in a lungful of air, and refueled all of my Techniques, Maximum Regeneration started slowing down the damage to my brain and I narrowed my eyes, the world isn’t that hazy yet, I’m still fine, maybe three more of this and I’d stop.

 

I eyed the Demon Duke, trying to spot an opportunity where I can go in, his missing left arm made that easier but… I sighed, it’s still fast, very fast, and I don’t know how the hell Fafnir manages to keep up with it without any sort of enhanced perception.

 

Its arms were already moving pretty fast in my sped up perception and I can’t imagine just how fast it punches are normally.

 

Well, I could but-

 

I saw an opportunity and ran.

 

As I slashed at the Demon’s eyes while its in the middle of a headbutt, I couldn’t help but wonder how the current Heroine is doing, by now, she should have been chased away by a Demon Baron, and with her current power, she wouldn’t be able to beat it but luckily, the people close to her should have followed her.

 

Well, good luck on your quick time event Lucille, I wish you the best-

 

I dodged the Demon Duke’s following bite, But only barely.