Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Volume 2  Chapter 35   The Attack of the World’s Strongest

“Listen, everyone!”

Mizuki glanced at Haruka with a concerned expression, but quickly turned her gaze forward and raised her voice.

“There might be an imminent attack that will affect a wide area! We need to strengthen our defenses to avoid getting caught up in it!”

“Huh? I don’t see any signs of that happening…”

The students panicked at Mizuki’s words and looked around, but there was no visible reaction in their surroundings.

“No, it’s not the enemies here… It’s coming from the sky.”

Some understood what Mizuki meant by those words, but that only made them more curious.

“…Are you talking about the ‘World’s Strongest’? What are you even saying? She came here to rescue us, right? There’s no way she would involve us…”

“If I’m wrong, then that’s fine. But can you say the same thing after you’re dead? That you thought she came to rescue us?”

One of the students retorted to Mizuki’s words, but he was quickly silenced by Mizuki’s intimidating demeanor.

Intimidated by Mizukis words and attitude, the student fell silent, and the sense of relief they had just moments ago had completely vanished from the others.

“There might be enemies hiding among the teachers and students, you know? Where’s the guarantee that the ‘World’s Strongest’ isn’t our enemy? They might have called in reinforcements because they’re frustrated that they can’t defeat us.”

Indeed, that could be true.

The students couldn’t help but think that way and looked at their nearby friends and acquaintances. But at this point, they even started to consider the possibility of them being traitors.

“So, what do you suggest we do then? Fight against the ‘World’s Strongest’? It’s clearly impossible—”

One of the students raised their voice to dispel the unease of having potential traitors among them.

“I’ll do it.”

However, once again, Mizuki interrupted their words and made a clear declaration.

Most of the people here were just students, not professionals.

But even so, they had heard of the legend of the ‘World’s Strongest.’

What she had achieved, what kind of enemies she had defeated.

The accomplishments were so great that it had become common knowledge among adventurers, to the point where it seemed foolish to even think about challenging her.

“I know I can’t defeat her, but I’ll buy us some time.”

That’s what it meant to stand up against the ‘World’s Strongest.’

None of the students, teachers, or instructors believed that Mizuki was in her right mind.

“Well, maybe we should just run away from the beginning…”

“Even if we start running now, the distance won’t change much. There are still enemies around us. It’s not easy to escape. We’ll just end up getting caught in the wide-range attack. So, it’s better to endure the initial assault, while I buy us some time, and then everyone else can escape. The enemies wouldn’t want to get caught up in that either, so their formation surrounding us should break, creating an opportunity.”

Therefore, one of the young instructors, instead of trying to stop them, opened their mouth to suggest that it might be better to run away from the beginning. However, upon hearing Mizuki’s words, they found themselves agreeing with the plan.

“That’s why I’ll buy us some time, and during that time, I want everyone to break through the encirclement created by the vulnerable enemies in the wake of the wide-range attack and escape.”

They didn’t know the extent of that attack, but Haruka was panicking, suggesting that it might be on a scale that could involve the entire school.

And if Nina’s invasion went as the enemies had anticipated, they should have already retreated to avoid being caught up in it.

If that were the case, once they managed to endure the initial assault, they should be able to escape easily.

“But first, we have to defend against that initial strike. So, please, lend me your strength.”

Mizuki bowed her head, and a quiet commotion arose, as if they were silently discussing whether they should help or not.

But still, no one spoke up.

… Time was running out.

“Understood. I’ll go along with your proposal.”

Mizuki was feeling anxious, but amidst the silence where no one else seemed willing to speak up, one woman responded clearly. It was Momozono, their homeroom teacher. She, too, happened to be in the same location for an exam of her own class.

“Teacher…”

“I can’t expect you to trust us teachers or follow our orders in a situation where there might be traitors. Besides, you are the most capable person here. It’s embarrassing to rely on children, but please let me lend a hand at least.”

“Thank you.”

With just one person expressing agreement, Mizuki smiled gratefully.

And once someone other than Mizuki took the initiative, the others found it easier to follow suit, agreeing with Mizuki’s plan. Everyone decided to participate in Mizuki’s strategy.

“Five more minutes…”

With everyone now in agreement with Mizuki’s ideas, Haruka announced the remaining time.

By that time, the attacks from the enemies had already subsided almost entirely. It seemed they had retreated to avoid being caught up in the ‘World’s Strongest’ attacks.

However, there were still some lingering attacks, whether from devices or from determined soldiers willing to fight to the bitter end.

Regardless of their motives, the enemy’s formation had undoubtedly changed as planned, and their remaining forces had diminished.

Thus, the magic users prepared defensive spells, while the warriors acted as escorts for the magic users, intercepting incoming attacks. Within a short period of time, Mizuki and the others made the necessary preparations as best they could.

“Exactly as I expected!”

Approximately five minutes had passed since Mizuki and the others began their preparations. Finally, the ‘World’s Strongest’ made an appearance.

Yet, the overwhelming emotion emanating from her was as Haruka had described: ‘anger.’

Feeling the imminent attack once again from her demeanor, Mizuki tightened her grip on the sword in her hand.

Nina, who had appeared, seemed to be using magic, hovering in the sky and overlooking the school.

However, Mizuki didn’t know where Igami was, despite Nina coming to his aid.

Fortunately, Nina was able to sense Igami’s approximate location, allowing her to confirm that he was alive. This provided a slight moment of calmness, and Nina refrained from recklessly destroying the school building in her search.

But then, she noticed someone at the edge of her field of vision.

And recalling what the man said about a ‘traitor’ hiding among the students during their encounter in the dungeon, Nina decided to eliminate the traitor before searching further, constructing her magic.

“She’s coming! Defend with all your might!”

Seeing Nina divert her attention away from them and focus on another location, Mizuki felt a slight sense of relief.

However, it was only a fleeting moment.

Mizuki’s sense of relief dissipated as Nina redirected her gaze towards them and began constructing her magic.

In an instant, Mizuki swiftly shifted her mindset and called out to those who seemed overwhelmed by the presence of the ‘World Strongest’ that exuded an almost tangible pressure.

With her voice, the students remembered their tasks. They activated their magic to protect themselves, and their defenses were complete.

They had done everything they could.

Everyone was giving their all to defend.

“No way, I won’t let you!”

“Yaaaaaaaah!!”

However, no matter how much they defended, if they were hit directly, they wouldn’t be able to withstand that flame.

Mizuki and Haruka quickly realized this and attempted to nullify— or at least weaken— Nina’s flames with their most powerful attacks.

With the white flames descending from above and lightning surging from the ground, followed by the pursuit of red flames, they aimed for the sky.

“Grrraaaaah!?”

“Eeeeek!”

The flames produced by Nina, affected by Mizuki and Haruka’s magic, burst in mid-air, forming a white umbrella-like shield over the students.

They couldn’t fully nullify it.

Although Nina’s flames had their power reduced, they easily overwhelmed the defenses created by dozens of students huddled together.

However, they managed to weaken it. None of the students, including Mizuki, suffered any injuries or fatalities.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t the end.

Having finished unleashing her magic, Nina grew even more frustrated as things didn’t go as she intended. Despite attacking herself, she directed her gaze toward the survivors and began constructing a new spell.

However, she suddenly felt a sense of incongruity. As she focused on the students who were likely the “traitors,” she noticed something and interrupted her magic construction, descending before Mizuki and the others.

“——You there. You’re the one seeking guidance from that person, aren’t you? Lead me to him.”

Having been somewhat calmed by her own attacks being halted, Nina recalled Mizuki, whom she had been taught about by Igami as their current team member.

Mizuki, being a member of Igami’s team, was expected to know his whereabouts, so Nina approached her and asked.

“…I’m sorry. We don’t know what has happened to Igami-san either.”

“…Useless.”

However, Mizuki didn’t know where Igami was.

Frustrated by the lack of information despite investing time, Nina felt disappointed in Mizuki, decided to give up on her and turned her body towards the direction where she sensed Igami’s reaction earlier, taking a step forward.

“Oh, by the way, there’s something I want to ask.”

But she didn’t take a second step. Remembering something, she turned back to Mizuki.

“——Are there any traitors among them?”

If there were traitors among these people, they had to be dealt with.

Moreover, perhaps this person herself was the traitor and an enemy of Igami.

If that were the case, right here…

As the intimidating aura emitted by Nina’s thoughts weighed down on them, the students who had initially planned to escape immediately found their bodies trembling and came to a halt.