ZAP – Chapter 121: Eugene talks with his childhood friend

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Zero Attack Power’s 3rd light novel volume and 1st manga volume will be on sale at the same time on June 25th.

※Seems to already be on sale depending on the location. 

Please buy it if you see them!!

——

“Airi?” 

My childhood friend and next Empress came alone late in the night. 

(Isn’t she careless?) (Eugene)

I was worried about this, but I do feel the presence of bodyguards in the distance. 

She is a naughty Empress, so I respect the bodyguards that must be having it rough. 

“You love training as always, Eugy.” (Airi)

Airi said this with a wooden sword for training in her hand. 

“It is a daily routine before I go to sleep.” (Eugene)

I said this and…

“You seem to not have anything to do, so I will be your opponent.” (Airi)

Airi smirked and directed the tip of her sword at me. 

“Be lenient with me.” (Eugene)

I take a hasso stance** and Airi takes a hiraseigan stance**.

They are not practical stances, but it is training and kind of playing. 

We faced each other while maintaining our stances for a while. 

The Twin Heavenly Resonance Style is more of an offensive style.

Airi would often take the initiative in the past, but she is not coming at me. 

(I wonder if the swordsmanship of Airi has changed.) (Eugene)

I normally wait for the attacks of my opponent for a counter. 

But I want to see how Airi will return attacks, so I decided to attack instead. 

—Twin Heavenly Sword Style: Wind Form – [Kamaitachi].

I took a strong step and swung the sword downward, and then switched it to a scooping form. 

“Hah!” 

Airi read the trajectory of my sword and evaded as she unleashed a sharp thrust. 

(She is good… It is the Wind Form – Cornered Rat!) (Eugene)

I barely managed to deflect the thrust of her sword. 

Airi moved to her next attack as if she predicted this, so I tripped her. 

“Kya!” 

Airi let out a short scream and fell on her butt…but right before she did, she broke her fall. 

But that was still a big opening. 

“Hoi, one point.” (Eugene)

“Kuh…!” (Airi)

I placed the tip of my wooden sword on the throat of Airi who hurriedly tried to take a stance. 

“Eugy, one more!” (Airi)

Airi said this in a loud voice.

“Fine, but it is night, so lower the volume.” (Eugene)

“I know! Twin Heavenly Sword Style: Fire Form……!!” (Airi)

This time she rushed at me at full power from the very beginning just like in the past. 

 

We fought 10 times and I won 10 times. 

“Haah… Haah… Haah…” 

“Are you okay, Airi?” (Eugene)

Airi sat at a big rock nearby. 

I am swinging my sword alone. 

It really is better training to have an opponent rather than swinging my sword alone. 

“Hey, Eugy! Haven’t you gotten stronger than before?!” (Airi)

“I am challenging the Zenith Tower every day after all.” (Eugene)

“I myself am also doing missions as a Heaven Knight, and am being trained in the sword by the Juubei-ojisan and the Sword Hero-sama! And yet, why is there a gap?! There’s no swordsman that is stronger than those two in the Lykeion Magic Academy, right?!” (Airi)

Airi shouted. 

I traced back into my memories. 

“When you go past Floor 100, Dungeon Folk begin appearing. They are the ‘shadows’ of the explorers that challenged the dungeon and died. They are mostly masters in the sword and magic. There’s a lot of Dungeon Folk, and there’s no end to them, so I would continue fighting them. Also, the seniors in the Legendary Hero Department are Knight Captain class. And there’s someone who is as strong or stronger than Pops.” (Eugene)

To be more precise, people like the Demon Lord Eri. 

“Eh?! Who is that?!” (Airi)

“Aah, well, I actually don’t know who is the stronger one though.” (Eugene)

I muddy the waters. 

I would have the Demon Lord train me in Floor 100 every now and then, but I can’t make that information public. 

(You also haven’t told Airi-chan about our ‘physical relationship’ either.) (Eri)

(…And have no intention to.) (Eugene)

It seems like she was listening to our conversation. The thought transmission from the Demon Lord echoed in my head. 

“So nice… This Lykeion Magic Academy.” (Airi)

Airi muttered in jealousy. 

“You went to the school festival though.” (Eugene)

“That’s not it! I wanted to go to the academy together with you! The uniform was also cute and I would like to wear it too.” (Airi)

“Hoh, even you are interested in such thi—ouch.” (Eugene)

“What does ‘even you’ mean?!” (Airi)

She smacked my head. 

I didn’t notice I was smacked until I felt the pain. 

It went right in without feeling the presence of it at all. 

Not bad, Airi.

“Oh well, fine. The bodyguards must want to sleep already. I will go back to my lodging. Good night, Eugy.” (Airi)

“Got it. Good night, Airi.” (Eugene)

Airi is staying at a lodging near mine. 

I was wondering whether to accompany her and…

“Ah, right, right. By the way, Eugy, I would like you to hear something.” (Airi)

“What’s the ma—?!” (Eugene)

Airi moved her face closer to mine and…kissed me.

“Fufu, see ya♡.” (Airi)

“……Yeah.” (Eugene)

I couldn’t react because of how sudden it was. 

I spaced out, staring at the back of Airi as she left. 

◇Next Day◇

“Good morning, Eugy-kun… Hm?” (Sumire)

“Good morning, Sumire. What’s the matter?” (Eugene)

I greeted Sumire and her smile changed to a dubious one. 

“Hmm, Eugy-kun, you smell of a woman.” (Sumire)

“Eh?!” (Eugene)

“Hm, who is it? It is not Sara-chan.” (Sumire)

“C-Could it be your imagination?” (Eugene)

“No, it isn’t.” (Sumire)

Sumire stared at my eyes. 

I unconsciously looked away. 

“What’s the matter, Eugene, Sumire-chan?” (Sara)

Sara showed up. 

“Good morning, Sara.” (Eugene)

“Yeah, good morning… Oh, did you meet your childhood friend-san?” (Sara)

“…How can you tell?” (Eugene)

“So you did. It was just a feeling.” (Sara)

A feeling. There’s also Sumire. 

What’s going on here?

“I see, so you had a tryst with Airi-chan?” (Sumire)

“Are we not enough?” (Sara)

“No, that’s not it! I was training with the sword and Airi showed up. We trained together.” (Eugene)

“Is that so.” (Sara)

“Suspicious.” (Sumire)

I didn’t do anything bad.

Aside from the kiss at the end. 

(Even though you kissed.) (Eri)

(……)

Eri saw it. 

“Oi, Eugene! We are going to be having a meeting about what we will be doing from here on.” 

Claude called us with a loud voice. 

“Sumire, Sara, they are calling for us.” (Eugene)

“Can’t be helped. Let’s go, Sara-chan.” (Sumire)

“Right. We have time to question him later.” (Sara)

Looks like they will come at me later too. 

…Can’t they just forget about it?

That was the faint hope I had as we headed to the meeting place. 

◇◇

Everyone was gathered in a big auditorium where we were explained the Black Mermaid subjugation plan before. 

Leonhart, Soran, and Felicia from the Legendary Hero Department were already here. 

“Nice to see you have all come!” 

The one who raised his voice at the podium was the vice-general of the Great Demonic Beast raid team. 

The person who explained the plan before. 

“Now then, I would like to say this first. I have good and bad news. I will tell you the good news first.” 

He said this and looked at everyone. 

“The Black Mermaids were wiped out.” 

The people in the place were flustered. 

“What’s going on here, Eugy-kun?” (Sumire)

“They will most likely explain in more detail.” (Eugene)

I waited for the words of the vice-general. 

“The reason being…the strongest Great Demonic Beast that has invaded the waters of the Blue Waters Federation, Glasya Labolas. The Black Mermaids faced the Darkness Dragon that invaded their turf…and we received the report that they were all eaten. There’s records of the Black Mermaids having run away the previous times when the Darkness Dragon showed up, but it seems like them being aggressive because of the queen conflict must have bitten them back.” 

‘Ooh!’ -low cheers rang. 

“Hey, Eugene.” (Sara)

The voice of Sara is stiff. 

“This is supposed to be the good news.” (Sumire)

“Then, the one coming next is…the bad news.” (Sara)

“Yeah.” (Eugene)

I glanced at the face of Claude. 

His aloof atmosphere is gone and he is still showing a serious face. 

He probably knows something. 

“Now then…the bad news. The estimated route of Glasya Labolas has changed.” 

The hall got noisy once again. 

“Our information source is the Holy Union and the Empire. It is Orianne-sama and Catherine-dono. According to those two, the Darkness Dragon is currently heading towards the Golden Country. In other words, it will reach this island in a few days.” 

Of all people, it was the two in the South Continent who can use Clairvoyance.

The accuracy is extremely high then. 

The place went silent…

Someone interjected at that moment. 

Princess Tifania Crystal. 

“But it is too soon to give up! The Empire prepared a large amount of tactical magic weapons the other day. We must rally and fend off the Great Demonic Beast! If we don’t…the Blue Waters Federation is done for…” (Tifania)

“““““““““……”””””””””

No one could deny this. 

Princess Tifania wasn’t exaggerating. 

The Golden Country is the center of the Blue Waters Federation. 

It is the center of commerce, and the cornerstone of their trades between the Holy Union and the Grandflare Empire. 

The common currency of the Blue Waters Federation is from the Golden Country. 

Half of the chairmans of the Federation Congress are from the Golden Country. 

You could say they rule the Blue Waters Federation.

Everyone knows that the Federation won’t be able to stand without the Golden Country. 

“You people, it is time for battle! We will close the doors and have the Darkness Dragon turn tail back to the Antarctic for the sake of the Federation!” 

The one who shouted this was the master of Claude and the commander of the 2nd party, Ralph-san. 

His voice had strength, but there was slight tension mixed in it. 

““““““Yes sir!””””””

The soldiers that are most likely from the Blue Waters Federation respond with strength at the same time. 

Claude naturally did so too. 

I heard this and…

(I will have Sumire and Sara evacuate for now.) (Eugene)

That was the first thing I thought.

(Oh my, are you not evacuating as well, Eugene?) (Eri)

The thought transmission of the Demon Lord sounded like she was in wonder here.

It is true that the request of the Lykeion Magic Academy was to subjugate Verpal, not to fight the Darkness Dragon.

That said…

(It would be a smear on the Legendary Hero Department if I were to run away here, right?) (Eugene)

(Don’t go dying just to act cool, got it?) (Eri)

I heard the baffled tone of the Demon Lord, but she didn’t stop me. 

We have known each other for long despite everything, so she must know my personality. 

(The oldest and strongest Great Demonic Beast… It is not the Zenith Tower.) (Eugene)

What showed up in the end was a wall that was on the level of a Trial of Gods. 

■Comment Response:

>I thought the rough sketches of the new characters of the 3rd volume would be published. Maybe next week?

-I remembered after reading the comments. 

I will show the roughs!

■Author’s Comment: 

The illustrations of the 3rd volume’s characters. 

Eugene and the prime minister. 

The appearance of his Pops is young. Also, his mom is way too young (in appearance)!!

But she is older than Eri. 

Prime Minister Catherine is notably beautiful. 

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