Reluctant Hero | Amaki Ren

Chapter 12 | A Worthy Opponent

"Think ahead of the enemy. You'll find yourself laughing at their idiocy."

Sakura blocked another one of Glass's powerful slashes, lowering her body as she drew herself near her enemy. She twisted her blades in the air and activated a skill. "Thunderbolt,"

"Why haven't you shown yourself a little earlier?" Glass laughs.

She was certainly enjoying the fight that Sakura was able to put up. The disappointment upon battling the four heroes was getting to her, and having a challenge now makes things exciting.

They were reaching the climax of the battle.

Sakura only stayed quiet and landed a blow on Glass. It made her jolt back at the force, but she was able to catch herself on her feet and landed safely on the ground. She looked at the Dagger Hero staying in front of the three she knocked out awhile ago. Her stance was telling her that she was protecting them.

She was not about to let Glass hurt them more.

However, Glass had no intention to do so. They were already defeated the moment that they dropped down the ground and let go of their weapons. It was a humiliating defeat.

A single woman defeated the three heroes with the Shield Hero making an escape. The only one who stood firm against her was Sakura.

"I am impressed that you can consistently land hits on me." Glass smiled. "You're not like the four heroes who blindly attacked without a strategy. I take it that you are the one who trained these four?"

She points to her party laying unconsciously by the side of the ship. Sakura's eyes widened at their condition. She was almost too sure that they can't move by themselves. "They almost met my criteria for a challenge. You, however," Glass pointed to her with one of her unfolded fans. "Exceeded my expectations. I commend you for your skills."

"There's nothing to commend for doing my part." Sakura's dagger clashed with Glass's.

"Then, you must be the only other one capable of becoming a hero. The Shield Hero appears to have fled away already."

The ship suddenly rocked from side-to-side. The two lost their balance and stumbled around the ship. As they were regaining their balance, Sakura took it as her chance to move forward and deliver another blow towards Glass. "Ten Men,"

"Reverse Four Seasons!"

The slashes and daggers collided. As Sakura swung down one of her daggers toward Glass, her enemy blocked it yet again and parried it. Her figure flew up in the sky. "Today ends in a draw. I will definitely become stronger." She deduced. "Until our next battle, Hero Sakura."

Glass disappeared along with the Wave of Catastrophe.

The sky cleared once again, making Sakura grit her teeth in frustration. She wasn't able to defeat her. Even when she stood a chance against her enemy, their skills were definitely on par. None of them would have won that fight, unless it becomes a war of attrition.

With defeated shoulders, she sheathed her daggers in their scabbards and turned back to the unconscious adventurers.

***

"Sakura-sama! I knew you'd come!"

Ria and Nami tackled their leader in a hug after recovering. Sakura was the one who brought all of the adventurers down the ship before it crashed. It took her awhile, seeing as there is more of then than she could count with her fingers.

The hardest ones to transport were the three heroes.

They were too heavy for her.

As she patted both Ria and Nami's heads with her hands, she looked ahead of their heads and saw Freya and Haru still sitting. They were still feeling dizzy after being dealt a serious blow from Glass. Sakura was thankful that the only consequence they had out of the fight was a concussion.