“They were trash, so I killed them!” he replied. That didn’t sound good.

“But why were they trash? Were they trying to take over the world or something?” I tried anyway.

“They were getting all full of themselves, thinking they were so strong. So I had to put them right.” He wasn’t making a convincing case.

“I’m still not seeing your point here. How were they any different from you? There was no need to kill them, right?” I reasoned. Killing people simply due to concepts of strong and weak . . . I hardly knew what to say.

“The weaker they are, the more they yap. If you have a problem with me, you can share it after you’ve defeated me,” he said. He was drunk on his own perceived power, thinking he could do whatever he liked. If he was one of the four holy heroes, I would try to make him see sense and to face the waves with the seriousness they required. But by killing those heroes, he was going in the exact opposite direction of what a hero should do.

“It is a mistake to think being strong allows you to do whatever you like,” Itsuki muttered, choosing that moment to join the conversation. I glanced over at him to see him looking at Miyaji with disgust in his eyes. “Power without justice is merely violence. Tell us why you persist in believing that strength is everything?”

“Excuse me, dumbass! What are you rambling about? I’ve had enough of this, so now I’m just going to shut you all up! Strength is justice! That’s all there is to say!” Miyaji replied.

“I see. Then allow us to abide by your rules and deploy our own strength in order to respond to your violence. We can discuss this further after you have been defeated. Do you agree, Naofumi?” Itsuki asked.

“That was the plan all along,” I replied. “It looks like it’s what he wants, after all.” With a nod, Itsuki started incanting some magic. Raphtalia, Glass, and I all readied ourselves too. The effect of Liberation Aura X was still going.

“I, Bow Hero, command the heavens and earth! Transect the way of the universe and rejoin it again to expel the pus from within! Power of the Dragon Vein! Obey now orders from the hero, the source of your power, combining my magic with the power of the hero. Read again the way of all things and lend strength to them all!”

We paused for a moment and stayed alert for any initial attacks from Miyaji and his crew while we waited for Itsuki to start the battle with his magic. In that moment, however, Miyaji gave a chuckle. He took out an ofuda and gripped it in his fist. In that same moment, something passed by us from behind.