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Chapter 342: Famous Actor

While observing the shadow in the distance, I tilted my head when I heard an unfamiliar name.

"I’m talking about the hostage you have. Where is she?"

"Hostage? I\'m her slave right now, though?"

"It seems like the rumors about you being crazy are true."

The muttering shadows started to whisper to those around them.

Can I stall for a bit more time?’

I didn’t really care what they were saying. In fact, sweeping them away right now would be ideal.

However, at this moment, I was acting to deceive Ruby.

To do that, interaction with these people was necessary.

"Where is the sixth executive, Easteria, who appeared at the base you attacked?"

As I quietly observed the situation, another voice also asked.

It seems like they\'re quite wary of me.

The executives who ranked between the second and fifth positions in the Church were combat experts, highly confident in their skills, and thus making them quite arrogant.

So, I expected them to attack me as soon as they noticed me, but it was surprisingly different.

Maybe my actions were too unconventional, causing them to be more cautious?

Should I have restrained myself a bit?

"Ah, she has gone with Hero to the nearby inn."

"This is a desert. There\'s no inn nearby."

"She hides in a cave a bit far away."

"Didn’t you mention an inn earlier?"

"What do you know?"

I answered half-heartedly while kicking around the rocks lying around. Then, the voice I was hearing suddenly stopped.

"It feels like something is hidden here."

Soon, a different voice, not the one heard before, began to speak.

"Hey, you guys. Check for magic. He might have used a concealment spell."

It was a very arrogant voice— that would make anyone heard of them annoyed.

- Crash...!

As a result, I felt angry, and without realizing it, I unleashed my sword aura. The man with the arrogant voice stepped forward, blocking the sword aura.

"Huh, he’s nothing special."

"We need to be careful. There\'s a high chance he’s hiding his real strength."

"Can\'t I just go and test him out?"

And so, the heated debate started again.

- You, what in the world are you doing?

As I nonchalantly watched them, Ruby sent a mental transmission to me.

If she had been a bit later, I would have abandoned the plan altogether, but fortunately, she did it in time.

Huh, you are not sleeping yet?

- I asked what are you doing?

I\'m just taking a moment to think while inhaling the night air.

I said that as I glanced at her reaction. Ruby, who had been lying down, began to rustle.

"..."

Those bastards didn’t seem to show any signs of attacking yet.

Should I slightly bait them?

Just go back to your sleep again. We need to resume our journey in the morning.

- Hm, something feels strange...

Hurry up before it’s too late Before it\'s too late.

As I whispered earnestly, the mental communication we had in my mind abruptly cut off.

Simultaneously, a refreshing feeling filled my head. It was a typical sensation that occurred when the mental communication was severed.

You can’t fool me.

However, in reality, the connection had not been severed.

If I concentrated my mental strength to the maximum, I could still faintly sense her mental communication somewhere in the corners of my mind.

Originally used to convey information to the other party secretly, this \'mental communication\' could be utilized as a \'listening device\' to read the other person\'s mind with some creativity.

Of course, it couldn’t read every thought, only what was spoken loudly and murmured internally.

In fact, that was the core of my plan.

Sorry, Ruby.

At the same time, when a refreshing sensation filled my head, I put on a resolute expression and muttered inwardly.

But I can\'t let something like this happen to you again.

After that, I drew my sword and started walking forward slowly.

Ruby must be confused by now after hearing those words, right?

I wanted to see that expression, but for now, there was something I must do.

I must protect our Lady Ruby from these uninvited guests.

"He’s coming. Brace yourselves..."

"I know, I know. No matter what, we\'ll win."

As I strode forward confidently, those bastards also adopted a combat stance.

"Hm...”

After approaching the blurry shadows for a while, two figures came into view.

And behind them, a considerable number of paladins were visible.

The lower rank executives had already been taken care of by Ferloche, and I had the sixth executive with me, so these should be the executives who were specialized in combat.

There was no way that the first executive, the Cardinal, or even the pope would come out here.

- Zaaap...

Quietly observing them, I continued walking forward, and soon, I began to silently spread the vision disrupting magic I had prepared in all directions.

- W-what\'s happening?

Then, Ruby\'s mental transmission came without fail.

Just in case, it will be problematic if we get attacked. So I cast vision disrupting magic.

- Umm...

Just lie down and quickly go back to sleep.

I currently controlled Ruby\'s heart.

That meant I could subdue her or make her heart race at any time, but it also meant I could control the mana circuit connected to her heart.

That’s right. Right now, Ruby couldn’t use magic without my permission.

Originally, something like vision disrupting magic could be easily broken by her with a few finger snaps, but after I embedded my mana into her heart, she couldn’t do that even if she wanted to.

Well, although such tricks wouldn’t work when her awakening was complete, and we engaged in the final battle.

That was a story for the future.

Therefore, the current her was secretly implanting her unique ability, Mental Transmission, into my head to assess the situation.

By the way, how did Irina implement the Demon King\'s unique ability, \'Mental Transmission,\' into magic?

She was not an onion, but the more layers you peeled off, the more you discovered new things about her.

Was she really human?

"Hey, Frey. Is the Hero doing well?"

The punk who spoke arrogantly before was now standing rudely as I arrived in front of them.

How could an executive of the Church look so disgraceful?

Even if the Church, the organization itself, had become corrupt, wasn’t it a bit too much for such a ruffian to be an executive?

"What do you mean?"

"I know you\'re hiding the hero. You almost had it all and then stopped. Is there a problem?"

The guy stepped forward and began to smirk with a chilling smile.

"By the way, isn\'t the rumor said that you\'re quite strong? Well, from the sword aura I saw earlier, it didn\'t seem like much..."

"Hmm."

"Anyway, let\'s settle it here."

And then, the guy started banging his fists together.

- Crackle, crackle...

At the same time, a sheen began to flow from his body.

What was that? Was it an ability to clean the body?

"No matter how strong you are, you won\'t be able to defeat me."

Then he swung his arm.

"Vajra Body. Indeed, this fearsome Special Ability..."

"Haaaaa!"

"Kueeeeek!!!"

This guy talked too much. Someone like him needed a good beating.

Did he really think I would wait for him to finish his preparation?

"Haaa, Haaa. Fine. Go ahead, attack as much as you want."

"Keugh, this toughness is..."

"That’s right, it absorbs all of your attacks."

By the way, did he say Vajra Body? I didn’t know much about the Eastern Continent, but it seemed like an ability to make the body tough.

Anyway, there was a special method that worked best when facing this kind of Ability.

"Just give up and hand over the hero. If you do that... Egik?"

I just had to hit him really hard.

- Thud, thud, thud...!

So hard that it was enough to break the tough thing.

"T-this crazy..."

Seeing a crack in his hardened body, the punk looked at me with a pale expression.

"Y-You… turns out to be quite strong."

"Wh-what are you talking about?"

Looking at him, I whispered with a trembling voice.

"Is it really because of the special ability? This... will be a pretty tough fight."

"D-damn it. What are you talking about... Keaaaargh!"

"Aaargh!!"

When I shattered his legs, I also started screaming in agony with him.

If someone was just listening to the \'sound\', wouldn\'t they think we were having an insanely intense fight?

"I will not give up the Hero to the likes of you!"

"W-wait. Just a moment... Kueeek!"

After I muttered in a solemn tone, I got on top of him and started hitting him to my heart\'s. Then, I quietly flicked my fingers and started to control the stellar mana a bit further away.

It was the mana embedded in Ruby’s heart, who must be in confusion right now.

This time, should I make it about twice as thrilling?

"Keeugh, Kkaeeek! I-I did wro... Kkeiiik!"

"Uggh, cough... cough..."

After beating him for a while and making him groan in pain, I stopped manipulating the Stellar Mana with my fingers and looked ahead for a moment.

"..."

The remaining executive and the paladins were looking at me with pale faces.

"Wh-who\'s next..."

Contrary to my pain filled voice, I looked at them with a chilling smile. Eventually, the man who had been staring at me finally couldn\'t bear it and opened his mouth.

"He\'s completely insane."

"You shall not pass!"

"W-we\'re retreating."

As I rushed towards him, swinging my sword wildly, he showed his back that was drenched with sweat.

Well, it was only natural.

They should have at least brought the first executive or the Cardinal.

"If you want to pass through here, you\'ll have to step over my dead body!!"

"T-the report on his combat strength was wrong. It’s at least ten times more..."

"Eaaaaargh!!"

"I-Is he under some kind of mania!?"

It was a bit upsetting that they thought I was crazy just because I changed my perspective.

.

.

.

.

.

- Crackle! Crackling...!

"Damn, does he have the ability to control lightning? I almost lost my life there."

I tried to approach the terrified guy who was shooting lightning at me. Then, I stared at the lightning that was getting closer to me and muttered.

"If I get hit directly again, I could lose my life... Cough, cough..."

"Uwaaa, uwaaah..."

Contrary to my words, I calmly walked forward, unfazed by the lightning that struck me relentlessly.

After all, I\'m still the Hero.

I could take a lightning strike without any problem, and it couldn’t even penetrate my defensive magic in the first place.

- Boom!

"Khhueok!"

"Damn... Should I let him escape?"

Having easily reached in front of him, I gleefully kicked his legs and muttered with a serious tone.

"There are too many opponents. Indeed, they’re after all still from the Church."

"W-what have you been mumbling about since earlier..."

"...Now that it\'s come to this, I have no choice but to use that."

"Heikkkk!!"

I calmly began to coat my sword with the stellar mana.

- Crackling...!

"Keeeugh!"

Then, my sword began to burn brightly enough to illuminate the whole ruins.

It might look impressive like this, but in reality, it was nothing special. I just maximized the brightness of the mana.

It had no combat ability whatsoever

"A-Are you going to hit us with that?"

When I started groaning in pain and trembling, the guy\'s eyes widened.

"Well, since my life is not important..."

"W-wait a moment. Let\'s negotiate. I..."

- Booommm!!

The guy hurriedly tried to say something, but I ignored him and swung my sword down.

- Flash...!

At that moment, my sword brilliantly illuminated the entire area.

This technique might not be much, but at least it looks fantastic.

"Heeeikk... Heik..."

After finishing the technique and looking around, I noticed that the paladins sent to attack me were all rolling on the ground, clutching their eyes.

It seemed like they were suffering because the light was too blinding. If only they had prepared by surrounding themselves with mana like I did, this wouldn\'t have happened.

"Uh, uueeuu..."

On the other hand, the guy who narrowly avoided my sword was lying on the sandy ground, shivering.

- Srrk...

- Crackling...!

When I tried to reach out to him, he unconsciously began emitting electricity.

- Crackle, crackle…

Deliberately removing the mana barriers and shields surrounding my body, I closed my eyes and began to absorb the electricity from him.

- Zaaap...

Lichtenberg figures began to appear all over my body, and an acrid smell wafted through the air.

It was quite an unpleasant sensation, but as an aftermath of using my fake ultimate move, it was quite fitting.

- Crackle...!

Having thoroughly burned my body with lightning, I kicked the guy\'s side with my foot to knock him out and turned around.

"I-I won... Hehe."

And then, I muttered in an innocent voice.

Ruby still discreetly maintained the mental connection.

She heard all the words I muttered internally and spoke externally.

"Phew.”

I smiled in satisfaction, then sighed and rubbed my chin.

It was because when I saw the lightning that burned my body, a sudden doubt crossed my mind.

What was the true nature of the \'Special Ability\' of these guys?

It was not mana, nor was it a sword aura.

I thought it was some martial arts coming from the Eastern Continent, but that wasn’t it either.

Furthermore, what kind of power did these guys actually possess? It didn\'t feel like any divine or miraculous power…

According to Ferloche, it was a power that recently appeared in a fairly recent cycle.

So, was it the power given by the Demon God to the Church?

However, the power from her would be \'dark mana,\' wouldn’t it?

Perhaps there was a different force behind it?

"I don\'t know."

I was worried that if I kept thinking, I might unintentionally get absorbed into the rabbit hole and Ruby might hear it. So I decided to put the thoughts aside and took a step forward.

"...Ugh."

However, at that moment, my body suddenly began to sway.

Why was this happening? Could it be an aftershock from being struck by lightning?

"Hurk, hurk..."

But I started retching, it didn\'t seem to be because of the lightning.

"Haha, hah..."

This was a symptom I\'d been experiencing quite frequently lately.

"..."

Yes, it was ever since the last moments of the Academy Erosion Incident.

From the moment the \'Corruption Quest\' was forcibly accepted, and the Fourth Ordeal was about to begin.

- Crackle, crackle…

The feeling of my soul-shattering dominated my entire body.

No, it was not a feeling; it was actually shattering.

How long could I maintain this state?

Until when could I use the excuse of \'changing perspective\'?

My limits were gradually approaching.

If I crossed the line just a bit more, my soul would shatter, and I wouldn\'t be able to distinguish myself anymore.

Didn\'t Ferloche notice it, too? Since she was the one who said that, who had the ability to manipulate souls, so it was certainly true.

Engaging in such a nonsensical risk, relying solely on Glare\'s helper point. If my little guardian angel wasn\'t there from the beginning, I wouldn\'t have even dared to do such a risky operation.

"Ugh..."

System Notification [Warning: Mental Strength deterioration MAX, temporary pause of the curse is about to be lifted!!]

Still, at least there was a safety measure.

Wasn\'t this operation something I had planned and re-planned so many times?

It was a crazy operation that could only be executed in my current situation. I couldn’t miss this opportunity.

What were the aftereffects and repercussions after I returned to my original state?

Well, future me would figure that out.

Right now, it\'s time to go crazy with my changed perspective.

Even those masterminds behind the curtain wouldn\'t have imagined that I would use this state to my advantage.

By the way, how on earth was Serena able to do this on a regular basis without even realizing it?

\'Mind control\' was much more challenging than expected.

Even more so to deceive the system.

- Ssk...

Feeling my soul shattering in real-time throughout my body, I stood up and started walking with a chuckle.

"W-we have to run away... quickly."

"Shit! Be quiet, you crazy bastard!"

The paladins who regained their senses were trembling as they ran away, but it didn\'t matter.

No matter how thorough the defenses of their headquarters were, I had a Trojan horse.

Did they call her \'Eastria\'? I’m looking forward to seeing the expressions of those guys when the sixth-rank executive appears in front of the headquarters tomorrow morning.

"I should go see Ruby... Hehe."

I soon started moving forward while muttering with a foolish voice.

It\'s time to meet the main character— the one who made me do these things…

She will soon drown in the most dreadful pain anyone could ever imagine.

.

.

.

.

.

-Step, step...

A few minutes later.

"What’s this? Why did you kick the blanket?"

In the space where Frey and his party were taking a break, the voice of a cheerful boy began to echo.

"If you do that, you’ll catch a cold."

Frey, who had returned to his original place as if nothing had happened, was tidying up Ruby\'s bedding.

"...”

When the surroundings became quiet, Ruby, who had been pretending to sleep with her eyes, quietly opened her eyes.

"Ugh, uh..."

Frey, having taken off his top and shivering all over, was trembling with his eyes tightly closed.

His body was covered by horrifying wounds that were dreadful to look at.

"...Frey."

"...!"

Ruby, who had unknowingly called his name while staring at his back, startled him and made him flinch.

- Shaaa...

"W-what? Were you not sleeping?"

In an instant, he transformed his entire body and stood before her, completely unscathed.

"Where did you go?"

"I told you. I went for a walk."

Frey subtly pushed aside the ointment he was holding and smiled wryly.

"I-is that so? Well then..."

"Now I\'m sleepy. I\'ll go back to sleep, Ruby."

"...?"

Suddenly, Frey, topless, hugged Ruby and lay down in his place.

"Y-you... What the hell are you..."

"Goodnight, Ruby."

As Ruby tossed and turned in response to this sudden action, Frey just tightened his embrace even more.

"I\'ll protect you."

- Thump, thump, thump...

When a soft voice came from Frey\'s mouth, Ruby\'s heart started beating wildly again.

"Ugh, ugh."

- Twitch... Twitch...!

Feeling that Ruby involuntarily cringed, her stomach began to shudder. Laying close to her, Frey smirked and lightly bumped his head against her forehead.

"I\'ll let it slide today."

- Chu...!

"...!?"

With that statement, Frey kissed her and quickly fell into a deep sleep.

"..."

After that, a long silence ensued.

- Rustle, rustle...

Ruby, who was kissing Frey, quietly lifted her hand and touched his back.

- Twitch...!

At the same time, a shiver ran through Frey\'s body.

Simultaneously, Ruby could feel all the scars in Frey’s body vividly through her hand.

It wasn\'t just an illusion.

Frey was hiding his wounds by overlaying it with illusion magic.

"..."

Ruby\'s gaze began to tremble /genesisforsaken