
Day two.
Like yesterday, the heroes were already preparing in their positions before Tortoise awoke. This time their goal was only one, ascertaining whether Tortoise's skin actually grew stronger each time he fell asleep. It was posted the night before.
Flashback.
Every night after the fight, the heroes had to have a serious discussion about the oddity they found while trying to attack Tortoise. No matter how small the difference, because in the condition of the heroes do not have a single information about Tortoise, small information is very important.
"Everyone, I have something to say. During this fight, I realized one thing that was clearly displayed. Why doesn't Tortoise attack us using its power, like before, which overwhelmed Hazama? At first I didn't notice. During our fight, he only tried to bite and stomp on us, but he no longer used magic power or the like. Which makes me wonder, why would he only use it when the entire hero gathers? and not use it when we're short on heroes?" Takumi.
Everyone is surprised. It's a very simple thing, but it's worth thinking about. Everyone had the same thought as Takumi, which was why did Tortoise not use her magic at all?
"Maybe he's saving his energy?" Petra.
"That's a possibility. However, I'm not sure if the goal is to save his energy." Takatsumi said, holding his chin should be thinking.
"Yes... If I become him and want to save energy, then I will ignore the people who attacked me or eliminate them as soon as possible, which means Tortoise..." Hazama.
"Just playing around with us, right?" Marcel continued with his furrowed brows furiously.
"So you want to say that that bastard Tortoise doesn't consider us enemies at all and just spends time playing tricks on us?!" Argo said, veins started appearing on his forehead.
Everyone had the head of Tortoise whose face was amused and arrogant. So far, Tortoise is the first because it considers nine heroes to be nothing. It was increasingly possible because every time he healed himself, he would grow stronger which made him an impregnable fortress.
"We're back to the problem... Why did he only use his magic when the other three heroes were still around? does he consider us a threat only when heroes gather?" Aland.
"No, I think what Tortoise calculated was individual power. Than three, I think only two. Back then, Yuri was the furthest and easiest to attack by Tortoise, yet she did not attack him and we can note that Tortoise did not consider Yuri a threat." Takumi.
"Just like us, yeah." Takatsumi muttered in annoyance.
The fact that Tortoise did not take it as a threat made him very upset. How could a great man not be considered a threat?
"If so, the person that Tortoise might consider an enemy is either Amatsumi Rigel or Ozaru, or maybe both." Hazama.
"The monkey? I'm not sure he's considered a disaster..." Said Argo, grimacing mockingly.
"... Are you sure? When he first came to this world Ozaru went berserk and faced the three of us. Even we can't defeat him because he's so adept at using his cane. Besides, we've never even seen him use his skill." Nanami, the whip hero.
"Yes, all this time, the new skill he showed was his wand that could change size and also the Monkey troops that came from his hair strands..." Hazama.
Hearing what Hazama said, Argo furrowed his brows in annoyance at the fact he had mentioned.
"The rest is just a man named Amatsumi Rigel, a hero without a divine weapon." Hazama looked at Takatsumi and Takumi.
"I don't know much about his strength. You know that he was reported dead, but after a year he reappeared." Takatsumi.
"I know only a few of his powers. The first is the hand of mana. He can make fists or large-sized hands at will by manipulating the Mana around. The second is that he can fly, I don't know much about how to do that. For the last I'm sure you know, with his Creator abilities he can make great weapons like Nuclear. It could be, Rigel was the one who was wary of Tortoise." Takumi.
The sight of the cataclysmic explosion from Nuclear was still fresh in everyone's memories. It was the first time they had seen the power of a Nuclear explosion directly. Indeed it's a great thing, but all the heroes are still not sure if that's what makes Rigel considered dangerous by Tortoise.
"... I seem to agree with Takumi." Said Nadia, the whip hero.
"Where did you come to such a conclusion? you hardly ever even talk to him. " Task Marcel with a hint of hostility.
"You know that I have super sharp instincts, probably sharper than a Dragon. Well, we missed that for now... When I first met her, I felt a bad feeling coming from her." Nadia.
"What kind of bad feeling do you feel about her?" Takatsumi asked with a cold look.
Nadia gulped and sweated a bit as she recalled her instincts ringing sharply as she looked at Rigel.
"I'm not sure. I felt like he was someone who had killed millions of people over the years, anger and hatred piled on his chest, sadness tied his neck and a strange feeling emanating from him made me want to worship him like a god." Nadia.
Everyone was silenced because of Nadia's words. Especially Hazama and Argo, no one besides them knew how accurate Nadia's sharp instincts were. If even Nadia was horrified by Rigel, then that was the truth.
"Are you kidding me? we haven't even been here more than two years and how could you feel like he's like the man who's killed millions of lives." Petra said in disbelief.
"I also agree, but the fact that he disappeared for a year bothers me." Aland.
Everyone was silent again. It's true, no one here knows what really happened to Rigel. Although Takatsumi and Takumi knew that Rigel was climbing up from the ravine, it was still unbelievable because before his fall, Rigel was already dying.
"Huh, we've drifted away from the topic, let's get back to the original topic..." Takatsumi said, "I also have a unique observation about the thickness of Tortoise skin that feels much stronger than before." Further.
"Yes, that's right. Even when I smashed my scythe into his head, the sound produced was much louder than yesterday." Marcel.
"Even the scar of the nuclear explosion vanished into nothing..." Takumi Mumbled.
Everyone quickly came to the conclusion that Tortoise healed himself and strengthened his defenses at night. To be sure, the heroes decided to wait until tomorrow and find out. The discussion continued until a witch whose face was covered in her robe came to enter the meeting room.
The witch got a word from the heavenly Emperor candidate that the united forces led by King Altucray would arrive at night on the third day, and that time came, one of the heroes was asked to pick up King Rudeus and King Alexei who were in their respective countries to make preparations. The witch also reported that the Union Army had something that could inflict injuries on Tortoise.
"It looks like the peak of our fight against Tortoise will occur on days four and five. Hahahah, I don't know why this makes me excited." Aland.
"Hmm, you're right. Let's show those people how powerful a hero is." Argo.
All the heroes smiled proudly and looked impatient to wait for the time the battle arrived.
"Yes. But before that big fight, we've got to find a way to kill that thing." Takatsumi.
"Is there anything else you want to say?" Ask Hazama.
"Yes, Mr. Hero, I have a few more things to say." Said the witch.
"Speak." Marcel.
"I want to say that you heroes are stupid for not knowing how to defeat them." Said the witch.
Everyone was shocked by the words of the witch and looked at her in disbelief. Even only a person with a high degree of stupidity would dare to say that to a hero. Marcel was about to say something but the witch interjected.
"You guys refuse to cooperate with me so you don't know such information, it's funny." The witch slowly lifted the hood that covered her face and exposed the man with white hair. "It's not in vain that I waste time coming here and witnessing the stupidity of all of you." Continue with a smile on the lips.
"R-rigels?! what are you doing here?" Takumi, surprised.
"Yo, I came here to do some important things. But still, I didn't expect that you guys were just guessing and didn't know how Tortoise got stronger every night." Rigel said mockingly.
Rigel impolitely took a seat near Takumi and sat with both feet on the table like a mafia boss.
"What do you want here, coward?" Ask Marcel.
Takatsumi and Argo were also staring at Rigel spitefully for no reason. Rigel simply kept silent and observed the various expressions of the hero.
"Are you here alone, Rigel? what about Yuri?" Takumi asked casually.
"Yes, I'm alone. For Yuri he is fine, right now he is playing with various things that I have made, such as the Observatory and other things." Rigel said as he waved his right hand.
Rigel purposely reveals it, he just wants to show off that he can create whatever he wants. The other heroes knew Rigel's intentions here, but they guessed he didn't come just for that.
"You're saying that you didn't expect us to guess until then, which means you already know how to beat him?" Ask Takatsumi.
Rigel smiled as if waiting for that question from the start. "If so, why?" Rigel said, mocking.
*bom!
Argo hit the table and stood up from his chair, staring at Rigel spitefully. On the other hand, Rigel remained relaxed and muttered "Wuah, terrible" with his still mocking smile.
"If you've known this from the beginning, why didn't you say it?!" Jerky Argo.
"Oi, oi is your memory really that bad? from the beginning I intended to tell you but you refused to cooperate with me and branded me a coward. Because of that, why would I tell you?" Rigel.
"Stay—" Argo was about to argue, but he was stopped by Takatsumi who judged calmly.
"Stop, Argo. He's right that we refuse to cooperate with him so there's no place to protest." Takatsumi said, his gaze immediately turned to Rigel, "I'm sure your purpose here is not just to mock. Say what you're going to do now, Rigel."
Rigel is a little disappointed that he can't provoke Argo further than this and decides to jump into business.
"I want to make a deal with you guys, well I don't care if you guys refuse." Rigel said boredly.
"What kind of deal do you want to make?" Ask Marcel.
"I want you to take that Tortoise to the ocean and in return I'll give you the information I have about Tortoise." Rigel.
"herding? is it possible to do it?" Ask Petra.
"Yes, even to keep him quiet on the spot takes a lot of effort for us." Aland.
"What do you get from taking her to the ocean? I'm not sure he's gonna drown." Nadia.
"I never said I'd let it sink, I just asked you to take it to the ocean." Rigel.
"Wait, if we agree to follow your plan, then while herding her, we have to pass Britannia." Takatsumi said coldly.
Everyone was surprised, they almost forgot that the country that Tortoise was going through after this was Britannia and after Britannia there was a small country and finally reached the waterfront.
"Your plan is ridiculous! if we do that there will be a lot of people who die being trampled!" Bentak Hazama's.
"Oi, oi, do you think I'm that bad? of course I had anticipated that by opening a shelter that I guaranteed full security. Well, this plan may require the sacrifice of some buildings from the country in which it passes. However, I guarantee Tortoise will die if you follow my agreement." Rigel said seriously.
Everyone can't deny Rigel's confident eyes. To be honest, Hazama has no problem if only buildings and a country are destroyed on the condition that there are no casualties. On the other hand, it's a pretty tough choice because it has to sacrifice a country like Britannia. Takatsumi thinks that this may be Rigel's revenge on him and King Altucray.
"Well, think carefully with your empty heads. I honestly don't really care if you want to accept it or not. I'll ask you about your decision on day four or five..." Rigel said, getting up from his chair and looking at Takumi.
"Do you want to come with me, Takumi? you can date Yuri there. Yuri also seems to be worried about your circumstances." Rigel.
Takumi's face flushed slightly as Rigel said such a thing. Rigel did not expect that a person like Takumi could make such an expression.
"I'm not going out just for a date! Y-yah, at least say hello to him that I'm fine." Takumi.
"Hahahah, of course you have to convey it yourself. Hahaha I'll see you." Rigel.
"W-woy!" Shouted Takumi but Rigel had already left with his Teleportation.
The real fight will start on days four and five. While Rigel has finished his preparations and also some backup plans.