Now for some payback!
Dammit! You little piece of shit!
Come on out, team!
Oh, Lady Cecil!
Let me get those ropes off you.
Oi, oi. What the hell is this?
Did he just teleport or something?!
So, are you the one responsible for this, twerp?
What's with the confused look? You never seen a Skill before?
He used a Skill?
Hey, Dagrah!
Huh?
Quit your dilly-dallying!
Why's he here?
Now's my chance!
Spidey! Use Spider Silk!
What, a monster?!
Get back here, you friggin' twerp!
Bron! Block the door!
He already took down one of my Brons. I don't have much time.
Let's see here.
That looks like the landing strip. We're about 100 meters up.
Sorry, milady, but we're going to have to jump down.
INSECT D
ENDURANCE +20 AGILITY +20
Need to boost my endurance as high as I can.
Have no fear. The proof is in the stat pudding.
Now, then...
Allen, prepared for launch!
Oh shit! That HURTS!
I think I broke my legs...
Uh, Allen...?
Come on, Lady Cecil.
Let's get you back to the Granvelle estate!
EPISODE 12: THE ESCAPE
I healed you with a Leaf of Life, milady.
Do you feel okay?
Allen...
What were those things earlier? Monsters?!
How are you so strong?! And where did those leaves come from?!
Wait, forget that! How stupid can you be to jump out of a flying ship, you idiot?!
They'll give chase soon.
We need to flee for the city, so hop on my back.
Huh?
Grab on tighter, please.
Nuh-uh!
Hollow! Scout ahead for me!
He's heading straight this way?!
Time to zig-zag!
Whoa! H-hey!
Be quiet.
I knew it. He's using a tracking skill.
Luckily, it's only the type that follows footprints.
We'd be screwed if it could track us on a map.
Since he could use those coordinates to just intercept us directly.
Hang on tight, milady! We're going up!
Huh?!
Awesome. He's lost our trail.
It'd take a million years before he's good enough to catch me!
Why don't you fight him? I mean, since you're so strong...
I struggle against his type. I doubt that I could win.
It won't be easy for them to figure out we've left the city. That buys us some time.
There's a border checkpoint for the Granvelle Fiefdom at the northern edge
of the White Dragon Mountains.
It'll take a couple days to reach, but that's where we'll go.
A-all right.
Bron! Help me out!
Now we can move without leaving any footprints behind.
How smart!
So, you do have a talent...
That's right. It has a lot of perks, as you can see.
Why didn't you tell anybody about it?
Because nothing good comes from making it public.
Good point.
Sleep well, Lady Cecil.
Goodnight.
We should be pretty far away from Carnel City at this point.
Vision share!
Looking good. You ready to give up, my dude?
Huh?
Crap. That's bad.
He's bound to find our footprints searching like that.
We have to travel through the air, even if it slows us down.
ONE AND A HALF DAYS AFTER ESCAPING CARNEL CITY
NORTHERN GRANVELLE FIEFDOM BORDER CHECKPOINT
Lady Cecil!
We made it to safety...
It's a relief to know you're okay!
Let us get a carriage ready for you!
We'll be back later!
Wait!
Allen? What's wrong?
He found our footprints.
Worse yet, he shook off Hawkins so now I can't see him.
Dammit. Did he figure out my ability?
But isn't it safer for us to stay with the knights?
That checkpoint doesn't have enough manpower to fend off someone this strong.
Well, then...
Can't you at least save yourself by just leaving me behind?
This is too much for a 12-year-old. She's cracking under the stress.
Don't worry.
He can't catch up to us if we keep running at this pace.
Besides, I made a promise that I intend to keep.
What promise?
Before Master Mihai left, I swore to him that I would keep you safe.
So I'm going to make sure we both get back home!
Thank you...
Lady Cecil. Let me heal you.
We should reach the Granvelle estate tomorrow.
Hang in there!
Oh no...
It's the Murdergalsh I fought 3 years ago!
Hey, is something wrong?
Unfortunately, there's a Murdergalsh chasing us now.
Huh?!
Being chased from two sides complicates things.
And unlike Dagrah, I know the Murdergalsh won't hesitate to kill you if it gets close.
So I'm going to defeat it.
Hey, ya ugly mutt! I'm short on time!
Let's make this quick!
The plan is simple. I throw all my heavy hitters at it until it dies!
Spidey! Use Spider Silk!
Teddy! Use Crush!
Damn. It knows better after I hit it with that attack last time.
Amazing...
This is how Allen fights against monsters?
Bron! Use Protect!
Allen!
Stay where you are!
Sadistic freak. It's enjoying making me suffer!
Oh God, Allen...
Hey, freak.
I betcha eat your taiyaki from the tail, don'tcha?
Bit off more than you can chew, huh?
That's because I swapped all my buffs over to HP and Endurance the moment you caught me.
Haven't had an adrenaline rush like this in a long while.
Feels like old times!
You lose!
Ugly mutt!
YOU HAVE DEFEATED 1 MURDERGALSH.
YOU HAVE GAINED 82,000 EXP.
Total domination! Three years in the making!
Allen!
Allen! I thought you were dead!
I'm all good. I used my healing leaves to recover.
But... we're not out of the woods yet.
Finally tracked you down.
You're dead friggin' meat, twerp!
I'm out of iron balls and my dagger is stuck in the Murdergalsh.
That doesn't leave me a lot of options.
Please get out of here, Lady Cecil.
I will fend him off.
Gonna play the big, brave warrior?
Ya know, that shit pisses me off like nothing else!
Seriously?
He was right in front of me and I still couldn't see it coming.
Oi, oi. What's the matter?
Not gonna use your monster buddies?
I'm gonna make your death extra excruciating.
It's what you get for giving me the run around!
Huh?
Did Cecil just... cast a spell?!
THE HARDCORE GAMER DOMINATES
IN ANOTHER WORLD WITH GARBAGE BALANCING
He needs me. I have to save him.
Don't do it, Cecil!
Fireball!
You're lucky you get to keep your head. Still need you as a hostage.
Scumbag!
What'd you call me?
I overheard them talking about you on the magic ship.
You're a coward who ran away from the war after just a year, aren't you?
And now you gotta fight kids for a living?
What a loser.
You think it's smart to talk shit to me?! You've got no MP left!
Time for you to die.
What's so funny?
Done with me already?
Well, it's too bad that you can't escape now.
Huh?
Any later and I would've died, Sir Zenof!
I'm here now, aren't I? Don't complain.
I sent Hawkins and Chappy to get him right after we crossed into Granvelle territory.
Lay the smackdown on this fool, bossman!
Captain Zenof, I take it?
In the flesh.
Nobles are all sacks of shit. And knights are the maggots who crawl in 'em!
You defended the kingdom's fortress for a whole decade.
And your big reward was becoming the captain of some yokels out in the boonies?!
Wanna know what happened to my brothers-in-arms?
They all died cuz of some spineless knights who couldn't keep it together!
So now I'm gonna kill your sorry ass on their behalf!
Friggin' maggot!
Sword Masters must have crazy high defense!
I lost all my brothers-in-arms, too.
I was the only one who survived.
They laid down their lives while fighting tooth and nail.
For the kingdom. For the people!
They served their duty.
And I won't let anyone dishonor their memory!
He using his Extra Skill!
AURA BLADE!
Holy shit...!
They've returned!
Cecil!
And so, our harrowing four day escape came to an end.
I know for a fact that Viscount Carnel was behind Lady Cecil's kidnapping.
After losing the economic boon of his mithril mines,
Viscount Carnel struck a deal with the royal messenger
and plotted to steal half of the Granvelle Fiefdom's mining rights.
But they needed to ensure that you never told the king about the contract,
which is why they took Lady Cecil hostage.
Sebas! Prepare a carriage!
We make for the royal capital immediately!
How are you going to handle this, my lord?
How else? I'm going to report everything that's happen to the king!
Please reconsider.
I'm sure Viscount Carnel would get his just desserts,
but I doubt the royal messenger would face any repercussions.
Please allow me to share one suggestion.
I will forgo my claim on the mithril mining rights that you gave me the other day
and return them to you.
Huh?
Use that as a bargaining chip to convince the king to conduct an extensive investigation
and resolve the issue favorably.
What? Are you telling me to bribe the royal family?!
Exactly.
Viscount Carnel and the royal messenger tried to line their own pockets
without getting their hands dirty.
But speaking as the son of Rodin the serf,
real men roll up their sleeves to till the fields, hunt monsters, and do the dirty work themselves.
Because that's how you protect a family.
Your family needs you now. Shouldn't you do the same, my lord?
Allen! You're way out of line!
Hold on.
The boy makes a point, Sebas.
But, my lord...
Given my noble heritage,
I've always felt obligated to take the righteous and honorable path, but...
Very well, Allen.
I shall put your mining rights to good use!
Okay!
After Baron Granvelle informed the king about Cecil's kidnapping,
all the perpetrators faced justice.
The Carnel Fiefdom was dissolved and placed under royal rule.
This sweep of vengeance that was incited by the famously righteous baron
later became known as "the Granvelle Incident."
In light of our ordeal,
Baron Granvelle granted Cecil and I
permission to attend a lecture on the details of the Noble's Duty.
Nothing you hear today should leave this room, understood?
Yessir.
Good. Then let's begin.
Is this a map of the world?
That's right.
The large landmass you see here is known as the Central Continent.
And this is where we live, in the Kingdom of Ratash.
To our north is a huge country known the Empire of Giamut.
Although the Kingdom of Ratash has been invaded by the Giamutan Empire before,
we are currently at peace.
At least, that's "history" as far as the public is concerned.
The true timeline is known as "Demon Lord history",
which began upon the Forgotten Continent.
The Demon Lord first appeared here 112 years ago.
Demon Lord?
He proclaimed himself "Demon Lord of the End"
and demanded the leader of every country submit to his rule.
Naturally, none of them agreed.
Fifty years after that, or 62 years ago from our point of view, the Great Calamity happened.
Every monster in the world went up by one rank.
The Demon Lord finally went on the offensive
and invaded the Central Continent with an army
consisting of millions of monsters all B-rank and higher.
Many people perished and four countries were wiped out within four short years.
The invasion stretched to other places as well.
The Demon Lord Army attacked the dwarven Empire of Baukis,
and the elven continent of Rohzenheim.
In the face of this threat, the Empire of Giamut stepped up to form the Five Continent Alliance.
This resulted in a system that called for each country to establish an academy.
Any child blessed with a talent would then undergo training,
before being sent to the frontlines.
However, that wasn't sufficient enough to stop the Demon Lord Army's invasion.
The Giamutan Empire went on to lose a fourth of their territory,
making everyone think that doomsday was close at hand.
Until...
the Hero known as Helmios was born in the Empire and restored humanity's hope.
TALENT: HERO
Sir Helmios was the first person to ever have the "Hero" talent.
The tide of battle shifted dramatically in our favor after he took to the battlefield at age 15.
He forced the Demon Lord Army back and reclaimed the Empire's lost territory
in just five years.
Even now at age 22, he continues to lead the war effort on the frontlines.
Helmios...
What a story.
Demon Lord and Hero, huh?
SWORDSMAN
SPEAR USER
SWORD MASTER
DEMON LORD
HERO
I recall those being 5 star difficulty.
DEMON LORD
It's safe to say those two classes can determine the fate of the world.
The Kingdom of Ratash made the Land Reclamation Decree to provide service support in the war.
Ah, the Land Reclamation Decree.
That explains the purpose of the frontier village where I was born.
And also why the baron wanted so much boar meat despite his own frugal lifestyle.
It all makes sense now!
This brings me to the main point,
what you know as "the Noble's Duty"
is a conscript for all members of nobility or royalty born with a talent
that requires three years of military service.
The war against the Demon Lord Army remains incredibly intense.
Even with the Hero on our side,
half of the young soldiers sent to the frontlines lose their lives.
That's a lot.
Oh, Mihai...
ALLEN: AGE 12
NOVEMBER
I was able to appeal directly to the king and put an end to our problems with Carnel.
I must thank you once again.
Don't mention it.
I have some money for you here.
It includes the bounty on the Murdergalsh, along with a reward for your rescue of Cecil.
Thank you, my lord.
But, uh, I see three bags here...
To be frank,
I also asked the king for a pardon to get Cecil out of military service.
But... her talent as Wizardess is too valuable and cannot be overlooked, so he refused my request.
That makes sense. Lady Cecil's talent is special.
She would undoubtedly be a powerful force on the battlefield.
And so, Allen, I now turn my hopes to you.
There are 600 gold coins in here. It's everything I can muster right now.
Please take this and accompany Cecil to the Academy,
then act as her bodyguard on the battlefield.
I'm aware you have some sort of talent.
That gives you the right to travel to Academy City.
I beg you. Will you do it?
Baron Granvelle.
My talent requires me to undergo a rigorous trial
in exchange for unrivaled power from Lord Elmea himself.
I am a Summoner.
Summoner, you say?!
Please rest assured. I will do everything in my power to keep Lady Cecil safe.
Oh! You'll accept the job, then?!
However, instead of taking all this money, I would like to propose two changes to my reward.
First, in exchange for 400 gold coins,
will you agree to exempt my family and Krena's family from the head tax?
Very well. Consider it done.
Thank you, my lord.
Finally...
I would like to resign from my position as manservant.
I will be independent, while still providing security for Lady Cecil.
Is that acceptable?
Of course. I saw this coming.
Really?
Sebas. Give it to him.
Yessir.
What is this?
Allen. I'm happy to say I've been promoted from baron to viscount,
thanks in large part to your contributions.
Really?
And that sword you're holding makes you one of my guests.
It's proof the Granvelle family will always stand behind you,
no matter what situation you find yourself in.
So, you're supporting me...?
You've done outstanding work during your four years here.
As the head of the Granvelle family, I'm proud to welcome you as our honored guest.
I get it. This is the conclusion of all the events I've triggered over the past 12 years.
One thing has always bothered me.
Why did I get reincarnated into this world instead of just being teleported to it instead?
Turns out there was a good reason.
Being born into serfdom led to me hunting boars
and then working my way into service of the baron.
Without that experience,
I couldn't attend the Academy or get the skillset I need to fight the Demon Lord.
This explains why Hell Mode exists, too.
VIDEO GAME
GARBAGE BALANCING
HARDCORE
My search for a truly hardcore game led me to that website,
HELL
where I chose the hardest difficulty.
HELL
LEVELING UP REQUIRES 100 TIMES MORE EXP
THAN NORMAL MODE
Elmea was looking for someone like me all along.
ARE YOU READY TO START?
YES
NO
Someone willing to tackle the hellish challenge of being reincarnated.
YES
Since the Demon Lord continues to pose a threat even after the Hero arrived,
they need me to help restore balance to the world.
Alright, then. I accept your quest!
I will venture forth with Lady Cecil...
and we'll beat the Demon Lord!