Chapter 437 The Last Remnant

　Ragune and the others were watching Tauro and Aeris from the shadows, but they knew that if Tauro noticed them with his “Presence Detection” and started to be considerate, it would be a nuisance, so they quickly returned to the rooms assigned to them.

　Meanwhile, Tauro and Aeris were chatting away in the garden,  enjoying their first reunion after not seeing each other In a long time, when suddenly a fog began to roll in.

“Isn’t that a bit strange?”

　Tauro was suspicious of the oddly timed fog.

“Tauro, this fog is infused with magic ……!”

　In response to Aeris’s’s words, Tauro quickly took out the ebony magic wand that she’d returned to him from his magic storage and handed it to her, then took out his own short sword, “Tauro,” and readied himself.

　In the thickening fog, a figure appeared.

　Tauro makes full use of “Presence Detection” and “Anti-Inhibition” to accurately capture the shadow.

　For now, even when I check the silhouette with my “true eyes”, I don’t know this person.

　Without waiting for the figure to appear, Aeris chanted a magic spell and then set up a barrier.

　At that moment, the fog in the area cleared and the figure appeared.

　It was indeed someone he had never seen before.

　He had red slicked back hair, red eyes, and his mouth was open in shock.

　And,

“Tsk! They didn’t tell me there was a warder! I don’t have a choice. What difference does it make if I kill one person or two now?”

“Who are you?”

　Tauro stepped in front of Aeris, without giving it a second thought, and asked the man in front of him, who appeared to be an experienced fighter.

“Hmmph! Tauro Graunewald. I’ve heard a lot about you.　I heard that while I was away on business in the north, you used the Dragon People to drive the guild to the brink of destruction. I have heard the report. And you went the extra mile this time, too. Thanks to you, the assassination guild’s reestablishment is no longer possible. ……”

“Are you a remnant of the Assassin’s Guild?”

　Tauro was calm. He has been in mortal combat with the Assassination Guild and knows their tactics.

　Looks like this man can manipulate “fog” at will, but he has “anti-inhibition” himself too.

　For this enemy, I must be the worst match.

　After analyzing it like that, I concentrated hard, trying not to miss any of the enemy’s movements.

“All my subordinates have been killed by the dragon-people pursuers you sent out. Since the pursuit is difficult, I will kill you at least and disappear. I am the second-in-command of the assassination guild, and in fact the strongest man in the guild. I hope you both die!”

　As the second-in-command announced this, Aeris’s wards were nullified, and the fog began to spread all over again.

“Fufufu!　Do you think you’re better than me just because you were able to cancel this level of warding?”

　Aeris replied, chanting another spell and raising her wand.

　Then the fog clears again.

“That’s absurd!　Unlike earlier, this fog is harder to lift!”

　The second-in-command was astonished by her magic.

“Don’t underestimate me. Even though I’m like this, I became an apprentice to a True Saint and spent my days training. This is nothing!”

　Since the True Saint is a person of the Dragon Race, Tauro was worried that Aeris might have picked up a strange habit of speaking, but he was also surprised at how steadily she was growing.

“Then how about this!”

　A purple mist erupts out from the second-in-command’s body.

　Immediately Tauro knew it was a poisonous fog.

　The couple, who had been flirting in the shade of a tree in the garden without paying attention to Tauro and his friends, began to suffer.

　Aeris calmly chanted a magic spell to lift the poisonous fog, then quickly detoxified the couple and created a barrier to ensure their safety.

　Amazing! I can’t believe how much you have grown since we last met!

　Tauro was once again amazed by Aeris’s magic.

　But he was unable to contain his surprise.

　He took out his prized “Round Shield Made of Guardian Puppet” from his magic storage and challenged the second-in-command to close combat.

　The second-in-command responded to Tauro by drawing his dagger while again emitting fog within Aeris’s barrier.

　Tauro wields a small sword and the second-in-command wields a dagger, and as the blades clashed in the mist, sparks flew repeatedly.

　He is the strongest of all those I’ve fought so far!

　Tauro clearly understood that the second-in-command was no joke, as he crossed swords with him many times.

“Boy, I’ve heard that you excel with a bow and arrow, but you seem to be skilled with a sword as well. However, you don’t seem like a match for me!”

　The second-in-command’s strength was real.

　Tauro also fought back admirably, but even he could tell that his opponent was a cut above.

　However, he wasn’t wounded in the slightest.

　The second-in-command also repeatedly slashed at Tauro’s vital points with his dagger, but his attacks were blocked by something not too obvious to the eye, and sparks flew each time.

　It was, of course, the work of Pella, disguised as a belt

　Whenever an attack threatened to reach Tauro, it was deflected at high speed by a transformed tentacle.

　If not for Pela, he would have been easily hit in the vital spot and probably be dead already.

　As this offensive and defensive battle continued, Aeris cast a series of body-strengthening spells on Tauro.

　Ignoring the second-in-command’s mist. it was a spell to increase his abilities.

　Judging that his fog was not affecting Tauro, he prioritized attacking.

　At first, the second-in-command had an overwhelming advantage in their fight, but Tauro’s mysterious ironclad defense and s enhanced abilities began to even it out.

“Dammit! What kind of sorcerer is this girl!”

　The second-in-command begins to be gradually pushed back.

　He must have felt that he was at a disadvantage if things continued like this,

“I have no choice but to use my trump card… It will be a great burden for me as well… 『Hidden Mist』!”

　Chanted the  second-in-command.

　Then the second-in-command’s body seemed to dissolve into the thick mist that had settled in.

　But Tauro has an “anti-inhibition” ability.

　I know where you are.

　Tauro took a sharp slash at that mist, but it cut through the air.

“Eh!?”

　Tauro was surprised at the lack of response and saw a gap.

　Then a dagger appeared from the fog and slashed at Tauro.

　However, this too was repelled by Pella’s fast-moving tentacles? 

“How are you blocking my attacks?!”

　As the second-in-command peeked his face out from the mist and spat out bitterly, Aeris, without hesitation, cast the area attack spell “Lightning Shower.”

　Tauro is, of course, by her side.

　Gyaah!

　The attack seemed ineffective, but it seems he couldn’t withstand a direct hit from Aeris’s magical attack.

　The second-in-command regained his true form and appeared in front of Tauro.

　Without hesitation, Tauro plunges his sword into the second-in-command’s chest.

　This was a superior opponent, we can’t afford to capture him.

“…… Die!”

　The second-in-command mustered his last bit of strength and tried to stab Tauro with the dagger, but this time Pella clearly broke his disguise and blocked the attack.

“I didn’t know you were a …… tamer,……, gghh,…….”

　The second-in-command vomited blood and died on the spot.

“One of the conditions for activating the special skill [&%$#] <The one who has defeated a strongest opponent> is confirmed. You have acquired [Enhanced Ability in Adversity].”

　“Enhanced ability in adverse circumstances”? I’ve learned something weird again…

　As the fog cleared, Tauro sat there in relief as he thought this, and gave Aeris a thumbs up for her spur-of-the-moment magical attack decision.

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