VS The End-of-the-World Cat

“What was this… the sword was glowing?”

It happened when Arthur and the others left the orphanage and tried to head for the royal castle to grasp the situation. The holy sword in Arthur’s hand began to shine.

“Don’t tell me… the holy sword is reacting to the mana of the ‘End-of-the-World Cat’? I see… Up until just now, it hadn’t fully revived, so you still had time to spare and stopped by the orphanage.”

“As expected of Arthur-sama.”

“Y-yeah…”

Morgan and Kei looked at him with admiration, but Arthur had only one answer.

‘No—what was this function? I didn’t know it existed. That was scary!!’

Anyway, since they now knew the location where the ‘End-of-the-World Cat (Cath Palug)’ was likely to be, they headed straight there—and found themselves at a prison near the royal castle.

“This is… the aftermath of a fight.”

A corpse—probably a prisoner—caught his eye, dead with a face like the world’s hatred had been boiled down into it.

Arthur swallowed hard, wondering what could make someone wear such an expression, when he heard a scream beside him.

“Eek!!”

“Kei, are you okay?”

“Yes… but if you hold my hand, I’ll feel safe.”

Even though she wasn’t used to anything violent, she had come along with Arthur’s selfish request, and he was grateful as he squeezed her hand.

For some reason, Morgan was giving him a look as if she wanted to say something, but he didn’t have the leeway to worry about that. Because… the deeper they went, the more everyone could feel the stagnant mana growing stronger.

“What is this disgusting air…?”

“Yes. It’s in there.”

“Even I, who doesn’t have mana, can tell… this is dangerous.”

“…”

Tristan agreed with Arthur and the others, and Kei’s grip tightened. And beyond that lay an even more hellish scene…

What the hell was this?!

At that moment Arthur almost stepped back.

The holy sword released an even stronger light, and as if it were saying, Don’t run, it pulled him—like a magnet—toward the source of the mana deeper inside.

Arthur included….

“Uwooooo?! The sword’s moving on its owwwwn—!”

And what Arthur saw was Elaine standing face-to-face with the ‘End-of-the-World Cat (Cath Palug).’

“Huh, what is this? What’s going on?”

“That surprised me… Arthur-sama, are you all right?”

When he looked around, knights and priests were staring at him with hollow eyes.

“Uwoooo!! Don’t come any closer!!”

Arthur reflexively swung the holy sword around. The moment the light touched them, the mana coating the knights vanished—and they collapsed like puppet strings had been cut.

“Prince Arthur, are you okay? Why did you suddenly rush in? You don’t know what could be in here.”

“I see… he sensed the saintess’s danger. I smell a refined love triangle.”

For some reason, Elaine blushed at the words from Morgan and Tristan, who arrived a moment later.

“Arthur-sama… don’t tell me you knew I was here, and you came without caring about the danger?”

“Hm? Yeah. I can’t leave Britannia’s crisis to you alone.”

Of course, it was only the holy sword acting on its own with some mysterious power, but Arthur—misunderstanding that she would try to one-up him with I got here first—answered in a way meant to provoke her.

Honestly, he wouldn’t have cared if Rod saved Britannia, but when it came to Elaine—who had the same healing ability and whom he saw as a rival—he couldn’t stand the thought of losing.

“Arthur-sama… it’s coming.”

“Uwooooo?!”

“…!!”

At the same time Kei’s voice—almost a scream—rang out, the ‘End-of-the-World Cat (Cath Palug)’ sprang up with movements far too nimble for its massive body and slashed its claws at them.

It happened in an instant. Arthur screamed as his sword met the claws, and a shrill sound echoed.

The holy sword’s light made the ‘End-of-the-World Cat’ flinch, and at the same time, an overwhelming surge of dark emotion slammed into him—

“I already know that!!”

Painful memories from his previous life flashed through his mind, but he crushed them immediately by clinging to his memories with Kei.

“Fuhahahaha! What’s wrong, ‘End-of-the-World Cat’? Was that all you’ve got?!”

“Elaine-sama, please fall back for now. Tristan!! We’ll make sure we don’t get in Arthur-sama’s way!!”

“Understood… any more and we’ll only be a burden…”

“Leave it to me. I won’t let Arthur-sama get so much as a scratch!!”

The moment Arthur realized he had the advantage, he got carried away and charged the ‘End-of-the-World Cat (Cath Palug).’ Reading the situation, Morgan cast magic at the hollow-eyed knights to keep them in check.

“…!!”

The ‘End-of-the-World Cat (Cath Palug)’ flinched at Arthur’s inexperienced yet unhesitating blows. Just as he thought, I can do this, and was about to press in—

“Arthur-sama!! The holy sword’s light is weakening!”

“Huh?”

When he looked, just as Kei desperately said, the glow had dimmed.

“Why… did it run out of mana? Uwo—!”

“Arthur-samaa!!”

The ‘End-of-the-World Cat (Cath Palug)’ didn’t miss the moment he faltered. Its sharp claws struck him—blood sprayed—and he was flung back into the wall.

“Why is the holy sword…? How am I supposed to win like this?”

His wounds healed instantly, but an unnaturally intense anxiety surged into Arthur’s heart.

‘Why am I even fighting something like this? All I needed was to escape the execution flag… I didn’t need to try this hard….’

While he was thinking that, the ‘End-of-the-World Cat’ lunged at him again—

“No!! I won’t let it hurt Arthur-sama anymore!!”

Kei forced out a trembling shout as she stepped between Arthur and the ‘End-of-the-World Cat.’ Then, as if time slowed, he saw the cat’s claws sweeping toward Kei as though drawn in—