[Grimgar World]
The goblins collectively rioted, and countless monsters along the border roared in fury.
These humans were so underhanded!
They actually attacked while they were sleeping. It seemed the border had been too peaceful!
Monster leaders gathered to plan an assault on the starter town!
Soon, Count Granvidia of the Borderlands received the news, his expression grave. It seemed the world was in turmoil once more...
Now, all they could do was maintain the status quo. The human race no longer had many troops to spare for attacking other races!
Their only option was to defend this fortress city; otherwise, the human kingdom would surely face disaster!
"I hope Haruhiro's future performance can intimidate these monsters..."
The Border Count let out a deep sigh...
Not only were there upheavals among humans, with high-ranking officials contacting the Volunteer Corps, but even allied races like elves and dwarves wanted to recruit him...
However, Haruhiro himself returned to his residence with his friends and continued his adventurer's life!
For them, there was only one goal now: to become stronger!
Only then could they survive in this world and avenge Manato!
[Screen Continues]
[Haruhiro and the others continued their ambushes while the goblins slept...]
[During this period, they kept fighting, and their newly learned skills grew increasingly proficient...]
[Day after day, they tirelessly hunted goblins...]
Goblin: "Are you seriously not done yet!?"
There are so many races out there; try picking on someone else! Do they really think goblins are easy to bully!?
[Now they could easily handle three goblins at once...]
[Their mindset also became increasingly relaxed...]
[Screen Continues]
[The Straw Hat Pirates]
Usopp: "As expected, dealing with goblins has become relatively easy..."
Chopper: "But there really are a lot of goblins..."
Zoro: "They're underestimating the enemy. Even a weak existence can become a formidable foe if allowed to grow!"
[Goblin Slayer World]
Goblin Slayer: "Goblins aren't that easy to deal with!"
They would continue to learn—from primitive animal instincts to gradually using weapons, to magic.
Goblins are a race too, and they evolve. If you ignore their evolution, you will face despair!
"Don't relax..."
"Goblin Slayers from another world!"
[On Screen]
[Everyone was walking back...]
[Suddenly, Haruhiro's thief instincts alerted him to danger...]
[Haruhiro's expression changed drastically. He sprinted forward with all his might and shoved Manato aside!]
Thwump—
[A flying arrow pierced Haruhiro's shoulder, sending heart-wrenching pain shooting through his nerves!]
["Haruhiro!!!"]
[Manato hurriedly checked on him. The others wanted to rush over to help, but he stopped them. No one knew how many monsters lurked in the shadows...]
["It hurts! It hurts so much! I can't breathe!"]
[Haruhiro wanted to pull out the arrow, but the bone-chilling agony made his whole body tremble. Tears mixed with sweat streamed from his eyes. His mind went completely blank under the stimulation!]
[Immediately after, another arrow from a goblin pierced his calf...]
[Overwhelmed by the pain, Haruhiro lost consciousness, and the dagger beside him clattered to the ground...]
[Moguzo picked him up and hid in the shadows...]
[Manato hastily began treatment...]
[Screen Continues]
Goblin: "Kekeke! Complacency is your greatest weakness!"
"You will all be destroyed now!"
The goblins danced excitedly. Having been killed by these unruly humans earlier, they were filled with rage!
Now seeing them injured, they happily took out daggers and stabbed themselves a few times. How satisfying!
Goblin Slayer: "As expected, these brats are quick learners..."
He could only pray there were just one or two goblins.
No more than that...
Otherwise, they were truly in danger...
[On Screen]
Crash—
[A giant goblin smashed through the wall and stood before them...]
[The fierce commotion drew more and more goblins gathering around!]
[Manato shouted anxiously, "Retreat now!"]
[Everyone hastily fell back...]
[At that moment, a blue goblin standing high above raised its crossbow and fired...]
Whoosh!
[Manato was struck in the back by an arrow, but for the sake of the team, he endured the pain and kept moving...]
[Until they ran into the forest and collapsed on the ground, gasping for air...]
[Haruhiro looked back and froze...]
[He saw Manato with an arrow embedded in his back, his clothes soaked in blood, teetering on the brink of death...]
[And Manato wanted to use his healing magic, but his body was a wreck from the arrows... unable to focus...]
[Haruhiro frantically asked him what to do...]
[No one here except Manato knew healing magic...]
[Manato raised his hand with great difficulty, looked at Haruhiro, and said weakly, "Ha... ru..."]
["I'm... sorry..."]
["Please..."]
[The young man's eyes gradually lost focus, his eyelids slowly sinking until they closed...]
[Screen Continues]
"Dammit! Damn it all!"
"Why couldn't we have been more careful?"
"Then Manato wouldn't have died!"
Ranta raised his sword and hacked at a tree wildly, venting the anger in his heart!
Haruhiro was filled with self-blame, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists...
If he had noticed Manato's injury earlier, everything could have been saved!
Manato wouldn't have had to endure his wounds and run such a long distance for their sake!
They had missed the critical treatment window!
[Goblin Slayer World]
"It's a pity. The priest shouldn't have been at the front."
Goblin Slayer already felt their positioning was off. The priest, who was supposed to provide healing, was actually standing in the vanguard.
He was overburdened, causing the team's core to rest entirely on him...
Manato could easily die just like that...
[On Screen]
[By evening, they carried Manato to the temple where the priest was...]
[But the priest regretfully told everyone he couldn't revive the dead...]
[He could treat any injury, but only if the heart was still beating...]
[He wiped Manato's face, feeling immense regret that a young man with a bright future could pass away so easily...]
[Everyone was in disbelief. Ranta was furious, and Haruhiro was so distraught he couldn't form coherent sentences...]
[They had been companions for so long!]
[They were laughing and talking about the future just this morning!]
[Why...]
[In less than half a day, had it come to this?]
[The priest wasn't angered by their rudeness and said softly, "Bury him properly..."]
["Because of the curse of the Deathless King... those not buried properly will become his servants..."]
[Shihoru's eyes widened, her pupils shrinking continuously as she collapsed to the ground. Despairing cries filled the entire temple...]
[Manato had just left them...]
[It was so sudden. They had never imagined what death would be like...]
[They didn't understand until today...]
[Death was truly painful... agonizing...]
[Screen Continues]
[Inside the Temple]
"What a pity..."
"Manato, may God's light protect you..."
The priest raised his head and gazed at the boundless starry sky. His old, sunken eyes held not a trace of cloudiness.
"I hope they can pull themselves together..." Yoshihara no longer had his earlier frivolity and murmured to himself.
He wondered if the newly recruited priests would be able to work together harmoniously...
[On Screen]
[To prevent Manato from becoming undead, they chose cremation...]
[Under the boundless starry sky...]
[Haruhiro opened the cloth containing Manato's ashes, his heart aching with unbearable sadness and reluctance. He held it tightly in his hands...]
[Then he raised his hands into the air and slowly spread them open...]
[The ashes drifted into the air with the wind...]
[Manato's soul might follow this wind and return to his original world...]
[They experienced growth that night... growth through life and death...]
[Screen Continues]
[Konosuba World]
Kazuma lowered his head. He had originally thought they were just having a tough time, but they'd pull through eventually.
But reality was cruel. In that world, there was no resurrection, and they couldn't act recklessly.
It seemed they had it even harder than he did...
"Dammit! Are there undead in that world? It would be great if they could be purified!"
Hearing about the undead got Aqua excited, her face filled with disgust. She wished she could purify them all!
Kazuma didn't hit her this time; instead, he agreed with her sentiment!
If it weren't for the Deathless King, maybe they could have found resurrection magic in the future!
But now they were forced to burn him...
Even if they found resurrection magic, there would be no body left...
Manato had truly left that world...