Chapter 18 (1/2)

'What on earth is happening?'

Iris is dashi+ng through the royal capital at full speed in the dead of night, her red hair fluttering after her

A building was cut She doubted her ears when such a report ca towards the scene torn between belief and disbelief, successive reports reached her continuously

Large scale attacks are occurring simultaneously all over the royal capital

It did not take long to draw such a conclusion But probleets of attack share no point of co firm, a warehouse, an eatery, a noble's private residence…… the fact that these attacks were premediated is clear to see, but their aim is unclear

But it is actual fact that the entire royal capital is currently shaking

All ency response, and the evacuation of i from their s despite the late hour, and not few of the the attack sites in curiosity

Iris continues rushi+ng towards the biggest scene, all while shouting at any citizens she passes by to return to their homes

This is definitely no simple incident

Iris' intuition is telling her so

Then abruptly

A scream reaches Iris' ears

”M-, monster! It's a monster, we need reinfor-……!!”

It is a knight's voice He is not far

Iris changes her direction and heads straight for the origin of that scream

She turns the corner, takes an alleyway, then comes out onto a main avenue…… a monster is there

A gigantic, ugly monster

It is swinging around its bloated, bloodstained left claw, reducing the nearby knights into meat patties

”What is this……?!”

Though surprised, Iris does not stop

”Fall back!”

Unsheathing in a flowing motion, followed by a flash of white in the darkness that runs through the monster's torso

All the way through

The huge monster was cut down, just like that

”Are you all alright?”

Not even bothering to look at the falling hts

”Thank you for saving us, Iris-sama!”

”As expected of Iris-sa!”

All of the knights turn out to be largely unscathed The ones that are still alive, that is

”We lost 8 men”

Only one blow per person, that's all it took

Iris' wine-red eyes are shaking at the sight of their gruesome corpses

”You all go on ahead and retrieve the remains I will report to your squad lea-……”

”IRIS-SAMA!”

Abruptly, one of the knights raises a shout

The others also point behind her with voiceless shouts

”Wha-……!”

Iris brandishes her sword even while turning

At which time, her sword clashes with the monster's left arm

”Kuh……!”

Finding herself being pushed back, she iic to reinforce herself, which gives her enough strength to fully receive the blow

Riding the mos Keeping her eye fully affixed on the monster this time, she retreats from its maai

The very next h her previous position, flying past so closely that the wind pressure severs several strands of her red hair

”It is regenerating……?”

The bisecting wound that she had inflicted earlier is already nowhere to be seen, and its legs are also already regenerating at a visible rate

”Ienerating……”

”You're joking, right……?”

”All of you, fall back”

Iris calls out to the shaken knights while stepping forward to receive the monster's follow up attack

That attack has speed, has strength, and has weight

But it is too simplistic

”A mere monster in the end”

There is no mercy in Iris' counterattack

Cutting up its ar its head

Her attacks rain upon the enerate this, then let's see you do it!” in brazen challenge

No resistance is allowed The monster can only stand in place and be one-sidedly cut up

But, even with that

”You're still regenerating?”

The monster still lives