This Hero is Sleeping!

Claude and Elric rushed through the city streets and neared the abandoned church that Claude had previously found. Following right behind them was a giant ball of water, now deprived of the dozen corpses it carried.

Not a soul remained that could stand in their way, Elric had taken them all out at the lake itself. Now, through the empty village, they soared as fast as they could. A glimpse of Remel's back met Claude as the village accountant shoved the creaky doors of the church open.

"Elric!"

"Righto!"

At Claude's scream, Elric raised his hand ahead and pointed it at the fleeing accountant.

Claude trusted him to knock the accountant before he could leave.

"Listen to my call and converge. The Trident of Poseidon! The ark of Noah! The rage of Neptune!

Naive, naive, Claude.

"We don't have time—"

"Leviathan!!"

A booming wind spread through the skies. The mass of water floating behind the boys contracted and expanded before breaking off into two halves. Trees fluttered from the sheer force that the movement of water brought about.

The second half coalesced. All the water, forming a dense, concentrated spear.

And with the wave of Elric's hands.

"STRIKE!!"

The water rushed through the skies. The spear tore apart the creaking door, the glass panes, the rose window, and even bits of the roof as it arched through the air and crashed right into the fleeing Remel.

Remel flew away and the decapitated head fell from his hands. The head rolled over the dusty wooden floors before being kicked ahead by the aftermath of Elric's attack. The displaced wooden plank broke apart, and flushed along with the water was the head, going straight into the lair of the snake.

"ELRIC! THE DAMNED HEAD!"

Yup, he had totally missed his actual target.

"Wait, I was supposed to aim for that? I can't subject pure water to such torture! I mean, it's filled with maggots."

The maggots held no part in Elric's disrespect.

"Oh, you fucking!" Claude, unable to keep his cool anymore, grabbed Elric's collars and flicked his forehead. "You are always testing my patience, aren't you."

"Ow, ow! Why didn't you take it yourself then, idiot!"

A rumble spread through the ground.

The two grumbling idiots stopped in their tracks and turned their gazes to the side.

The ground quaked, shaking their footing.

And then, a voice boomed.

"MMMOOOMMMYY!!"

Elric's neck creaked as his head turned toward Claude. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his hand pointing in the direction of the underground passage.

Claude nodded.

He let go of Elric's collars and stretched his hands—

"WHO KILL MOMMYY!!!"

"RUN!"

The church was crushed into pieces as the ground tore apart. As if searing through paper, an enormous snake came gushing out of the ground, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Blood haphazardly filled its figures as its dark scales were hardened. The snake's fangs gleamed as a constant stream of tears came pouring out of its eyes.

"Oh, hey! Whack-a-mole!"

"What?"

The other half of the water that he didn't waste formed a giant hammer, and smashed into the head of the snake.

At once, the snake's tongue came sticking out as its head curved under the pressure, forcing it to the ground.

"Oh, fun!" Elric giggled like a child while the snake's eyes turned to them.

"Y-you!" The snake screamed. Its body slithered as its scales hardened yet more. "YOU KILL MOMMY!! RETURN MOMMY!!"

"Way to go, Elric!" Claude clapped his hands. "Now, pummel it!"

But, no pummeling followed.

Claude turned to his side, and there stood Elric, deflated like a balloon, or maybe a mosquito sucked dry.

"N-no manaaahm… I'm sleepy…"

"Why do I even try."

Sighing, Claude grabbed the amulet hanging from his neck. The purple stone glimmered as he closed his eyes and a mist spread through it.

The snake approached, running right at them.

"Sword of the Lord of Shadows. Gauntlet of the Lord of Shadows."

The mist coalesced around his arms, expelling yet more parts of the Armor of the Lord of Shadows. His left hand was covered by a single gauntlet, while a long, pitch-black sword formed in his hands, curving at the tip.

The cape, boots, gauntlet, and the sword, this was the second time Claude had pulled out these many equipments.

He opened his eyes.

The snake was right in front of him.

Right then, a flood of mist spread through the air. The dense mist took away all visibility as it spread over the face of the snake.

And in the blink of an eye, Claude was gone.

[Hero's Strength]

[Hero's Magic]

[Hero's Constitution]

Three skills activated in a row. Claude found himself standing above the head of the snake after using the mist to teleport.

"claude… give me… your body…"

The voices rang in his head, now stronger than ever. Without caring, Claude pulled his sword back.

"[Light Magic: Light Aura]"

The black sword shone white, filling it with his magic. The black color was almost gone as the sword whirred from the ingress of light magic.

"We all gotta leave mommy someday, kid."

Claude swung his sword. Sparks spread as the blade crashed into the scales of the snake.

The snake grunted in pain, but the blade seeped through the scales and lodged into its head.

"There you go!" Claude smiled and pulled the blade back. "Eh?"

It was stuck.

The scales started forming again, and the hole in the snake's head healed around the sword.

Claude stomped his feet on the head of the snake, trying his best to yank it out. At that, the snake swung its his body around.

"Woah!" Claude screamed, grabbing onto the hilt of his sword. His feet lifted off their footing as the snake kept pushing around, but the boy didn't let go of the sword.

"DON'T BULLY ME!"

The snake rolled its body on the ground. Claude clung to the blade yet as the ground slightly crushed his back but also sent the sword deeper in. As soon as the snake stood upright again, he used the fresh wound and yanked the sword out.

With the assistance of the snake, the sword came gushing out and flew away with Claude on its toes.

The redheaded boy slammed against a distant tree with the sword in his hand.

"Ow, ow, ow…" He groaned, dusting his shoulders as he winced in pain.

His eyes turned to the snake, the snake glaring right back.

"You're on. You little bitch."