A streak of golden light pierced straight through Antares's single eye.
The purple destructive energy it had been gathering detonated on the spot.
Its humanoid upper body was blown apart by more than half.
And with that, even the magic stone at its chest—previously protected by layers of carapace—was laid bare.
The chain of attacks did not stop.
Finn had clearly already made meticulous arrangements before entering his berserk state.
"Ais, just give it everything you've got."
"I believe that once the opportunity appears, someone will absolutely deliver the finishing blow."
"This is Orario. Trust yourself—trust the adventurers."
==========
And reality unfolded exactly as he had predicted…
[Tempest]
Not enough. Still not enough.
[Tempest──Avenger]
The blond-haired, golden-eyed [Sword Princess] had already leapt high into the sky, both hands gripping the indestructible Sword of Despair…
Ais-chan, when you use a finishing move—your "ultimate," you know—you have to shout it out loud! It'll be way stronger that way~
In her mind echoed the utterly unreliable "divine advice" of a certain red-haired, squinty-eyed, flat-chested goddess.
The expressionless girl accepted it without question…
Utterly unskilled at battle cries, the girl let out a slightly cute shout.
An emerald-green storm spiraled around her body, forming a drill-like vortex of wind.
BANG!!!
The indestructible sword tip collided directly with Antares's magic stone.
The ground beneath the massive monster trembled violently.
Cracks spread outward.
But—
The carapace that had been meant to shield the magic stone regenerated at super speed.
Ais, after all, was still only Lv.5.
And Antares, in the end, was not a dragon.
The skill of the Sword Princess could not be fully unleashed, directly resulting in her ultimate strike lacking follow-through.
However…
That was only her ultimate move.
It was not the strongest ultimate attack currently present in Orario.
[Silver moon's mercy, the golden wilderness. This body is destined for the wild boar of the war.]
[Run through, carry the goddess' will—]
Once, he had faced [Gluttony] Zald head-on—and won by a narrow margin.
That clash surpassed the "heroes of old" and became the opportunity for his ascent to Lv.7.
That charging war-boar…
That golden slash!
Its name was—
[Hildis Vini!!!]
The sword light of the Ottar (King) struck Antares's weak point at the exact moment before the regenerating carapace could fully close.
Against this heretical monster's puppet body—one that would normally require divine-forged armaments to slay—
"Crk—"
The shockwave from the violent impact burst outward in an instant.
The adventurers who had barely managed to approach instinctively raised their arms to shield their faces from the surging dust and debris.
The pressure of the wind alone left many struggling to breathe.
But as the chaos faded and the surroundings returned to stillness…
"Fsssh~"
Before countless gazes, the colossal body began to crumble into ash.
In that moment—
"Wow~"
The joy of surviving a calamity struck straight at the heart.
Thunderous cheers rose one after another without end.
"Ottar (King)! Ottar (King)! Ottar (King)…"
"The strongest! The strongest! The strongest!"
==========
People bestowed the highest respect upon that towering figure—and upon the heroes who had fought alongside him.
Not far away…
"Tch~"
Annoyed tongue-clicks… huh? Two of them?
The two parties involved looked at each other at the same time.
On one side was a werewolf with two reckless youngsters tucked under his arms.
On the other was a catman with several children clinging all over him.
"What are you looking at?"
"Looking to die?"
sweat~
Nearby, the Hiryute sisters watched this peculiar scene, both struggling to suppress their laughter, lips twitching uncontrollably.
"These two… somehow get along surprisingly well."
"Even though they both look completely hopeless."
Tiona and Tione offered their instinctive commentary.
Oh, and by the way…
"As expected, the cap~tain~ is still the most amazing~"
Finn—who had just used his own ultimate, successfully turning the tide of battle and creating an opening for the follow-up attack—was now weakened and cradled in the arms of a certain hot-blooded big sister.
In a posture best described as a "head cushion," he was forced to endure pressure no man his age should ever have to bear.
Unable to break free, he could only smile bitterly.
Meanwhile, standing beside them, Tiona subconsciously lowered her gaze to her own—cough, cough.
She seemed to have taken emotional damage once again.
==========
At the same time…
"So… it really was never my place to make the decision, huh."
Everything happening in the distance—the cheers that seemed to pierce the heavens, the resounding roars—felt as though they were lecturing Renjiro (Aether):
"Don't get ahead of yourself. This world has never lacked heroes."
Even if they were only artificial heroes.
Even if they were merely descendants of ancient heroes.
Even if they were heroes forged by the gods.
They still existed in this world, competing in this divinely watched "heroic race," co-starring upon the stage called the world.
"Ha~"
The reality before his eyes gradually sobered the arrogant man who once carried a built-in god's-eye view.
After a relieved—yet slightly self-mocking—smile…
"I suddenly feel like competing."
"Even though I was never interested in being called a hero to begin with."
"Is this what people call… 'true fragrance'?"¹
Perhaps not.
Men remain boys until the day they die.
Had Renjiro, in the past, truly never longed for those heroic figures?
No—that was simply his youth, now gone.
Even now, it left behind memories worth cherishing.
Maybe, whenever he recalled them, he felt a little awkward.
But there was only embarrassment—never shame.
"Does this world need more heroes?"
"Yes. It needs more heroes."
"That's how it should be."
Renjiro (Aether) unconsciously lifted the corners of his lips. "What's the point of a one-man show?"
"And besides…"
He was genuinely happy.
Because at this very moment, precisely because there was more than one hero, certain choices and certain trade-offs no longer held any meaning.
Now—
[Stars, gather here—]
At the border, Lumine also wore a faint smile, gazing up at the night sky before the incoming tide of calamity.
Stars answered the call.
Descending from the heavens.