Heldre’s approach was already sensed by everyone.
It wasn’t long before his form began to appear in their sight.
Heldre was flying in with propulsion, his face set in a grimace.
“Hmm.”
Osprey was the first to react, being the closest to him.
However, Heldre’s flight gradually took on an upward curve. He had no business with Osprey. Not at the moment.
If he didn’t tear out the throat of that vermin threatening his granddaughter’s life from high above—
“…!”
Boom!
The manifestation of magic from nowhere. It was obvious who it was. Heldre turned his body to look at Osprey.
As expected, Osprey had his thumb pressed against his chest. It was the combat stance that Heldre had often seen Osprey in.
Osprey said,
“Leaving without a greeting, Heldre?”
“…Osprey.”
Heldre’s eyes flashed with bloodshot rage.
“I don’t have time to talk to you right now. Later.”
Then, whoosh, Heldre flew again towards Frondier.
‘Hoo.’
Osprey followed him, literally ‘exploding’ the air behind him. Despite this, Heldre dodged through, occasionally taking hits, as he continued towards Frondier.
‘To think That Heldre would ignore being hit first.’
Was Frondier’s assumption correct?
Frondier’s actions until just before seemed too sudden and abrupt, but seeing Heldre’s rash momentum, it seemed like a success.
And Heldre arrived. In front of Frondier. Since Osprey had flown right behind Heldre, Heldre was now caught between Frondier and Osprey.
“……!”
Heldre opened his eyes wide.
He couldn’t believe it, even though he was seeing it with his own eyes. The moment he came face-to-face with the madman grabbing his granddaughter by the neck, Heldre laughed. Killing intent lingered in that laughter.
“Frondier De Roach.”
Heldre uttered that name, exuding chilling killing intent.
Frondier laughed as well. His smile was similar to Heldre’s.
“I’m honored that you’d remember my name.”
“Didn’t I say I wouldn’t forget your name?”
He hadn’t meant it that way at the time, though.
Heldre looked around for a moment.
He wanted to tear Frondier apart right now, but the situation was too disadvantageous for him.
His granddaughter, Cain, was being held by Frondier, and Frondier had an ominous sword in his other hand.
That sword, its aura and appearance clearly indicated what it was.
“……Excalibur. So, the report was true.”
“Because no one believed me, I’ve had it easy.”
Frondier responded brazenly.
Heldre spoke.
“That little brat has gotten considerably stronger. Using aura, and he’s even learned to ‘fly.’ But, his head hasn’t grown as much as his strength. Even if you obtained Excalibur, how dare you bare your fangs at me,”
While Heldre was saying that.
“Ack!”
Frondier lightly cut Cain’s arm. Blood began to flow out of the wound.
Heldre’s bloodshot eyes were now red enough to burst.
“What did you say, Heldre?”
“Y, y, you son of a bitch…….”
Heldre’s entire body trembled violently. An enormous aura erupted from his whole being.
Even now, as Frondier was holding Cain hostage, Heldre could kill Frondier if he pushed himself a bit. Cain would not die either.
However, even if that were possible, the problem lay with Osprey.
For Heldre, dealing with Osprey alone was already quite a challenge, and here was Frondier, wielding unprecedented power and taking hostages as well.
“…I understand.”
Heldre closed his eyes. The trembling stopped. His murderous intent wasn’t completely hidden, but it was restrained.
“What do you want? You must have called me here for that.”
Upon hearing Heldre’s response, Osprey, standing behind, lit up his eyes.
‘As expected, he saw this coming.’
Osprey was genuinely impressed with Frondier.
Not only for calling Heldre by taking Cain as a hostage but also for incapacitating Thompson and Skyler beforehand, leaving Heldre without proper combat support.
In the end, he had no choice but to willingly enter into negotiations.
‘If I can get a firm promise to abandon the security of Constel and the revolution─’
That’s what Osprey was thinking.
However, Frondier slightly opened his hand that held the sword. Something formed between his fingers, and he swallowed it.
In an instant.
“!”
A mighty mana burst forth from Frondier. In terms of sheer quantity, it surpassed both Osprey and Heldre.
Exuding an intimidating presence, Frondier said,
“What I want is simple.”
His voice changed. The air around seemed to boil as if it were his voice, and it seemed as if an earthquake was rumbling through Frondier’s voice.
“Your life, Heldre.”
“…Ha.”
Heldre let out an incredulous sound.
Heldre spat out in disbelief, despite emitting a significant amount of mana and even taking his granddaughter hostage.
To target Heldre’s own life was crossing the line too far.
“You’re going to kill me?”
“Yes.”
Right after speaking, Frondier extended Excalibur.
Heldre sneered.
“Hmph, the weapon is quite something, but just that much─”
His thought was abruptly cut off.
Because Frondier’s overflowing mana began to imbue Excalibur.
Excalibur, having absorbed the mana, amplified it further, shining several times more brightly.
“……You.”
It was no bluff.
Frondier really did have a weapon capable enough to kill Heldre.
But Heldre was also a member of the Zodiacs, having traversed numerous battlefields.
Heldre quietly observed Excalibur.
‘The only way to hit me with that sword is to throw it.’
He didn’t know how good Frondier’s throwing skills were, but with Heldre’s eyes, dodging it would certainly not be too late.
Heldre said.
“No matter how powerful, its essence is still ‘a sword’, isn’t it?”
It’s not a bow. Nor is it a wand. The methods to hit Heldre with that sword were clearly limited.
“Do you know what will happen if you fail to hit me?”
Being a sword, if thrown, Frondier would obviously be left unarmed. If Heldre manages to dodge the thrown sword.
“You will die.”