"R-run 'n hide!! They got swords!!"

"No, we gotta escape, ya dingus!! It's now or never!!"

The numerous prisoners in the courtyard where shoving over one another.

I was caught up by the wave of feet and trampled.

And splendidly at that. Very mob.

"Boof!? Agaagagaaaaa!!"

Oh, this kind of reminds me of newscasts where they report people dying in mosh pits and such.

I wouldn't though.

"Urgh!! Elgh!! Buffo!!"

I was kicked around like a soccer ball and spat blood everywhere.

And once the storm pa.s.sed, I lay there like a piece of driftwood.

"Hwah!? C-Cid!? What happened!?"

While I was sated of my mobly desires, Clara came and shook me awake.

"Ugh, my head..."

"Oh, thank goodness you're alive. I'm so sorry, you got swept up again because of our..."

She propped me up against an unpopulated wall.

"Don't fret, I'll come back for you soon. For now, I have to complete my duty."

She then stood up and turned her eyes towards the courtyard.

She was watching the Royalists, her people, holding weapons and fighting the camp guards.

"Show no mercy!! We're getting out of here!!"

"Move your feet, time is of the essence!!"

Swinging their swords, they cut down their captors.

And it wasn't only those of the Royalist Faction that were fighting there. Even the rabble, who didn't belong to any faction, were taking the opportunity to give the guards a piece of their fists.

"f.u.c.k! Where'd they get those weapons…!!"

"This isn't looking good, call in reinforcements!!"

Clearly outnumbered, the guards were quickly losing ground.

To the eye, it seemed that the Royalists had the upper hand in this field.

However, I was sensing a large number of people approaching from outside the walls. Most likely, reinforcements for the guards. Some of them were magiswords too.

Magiswords are going to snuff out this riot instantly.

All the camp prisoners had mana sealing collars, after all.

A magisword against an ordinary civilian is like pitting an adult against a child. The child being the certain loser.

"Good. We're pus.h.i.+ng them back!!"

"Now, let's get the OWL and we can—!"

And then, mere moments before they had overpowered the guards— the gates to the outside opened.

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Revealing armed reinforcements charged with suppressing them.

"Halt!! Drop your weapons and surrender!!"

"Ha? Reinforcements!? Why now—!"

"This is bad. We didn't expect them so soon..."

Yeah, I also felt like they got here a bit too fast. But now that it's happened, the tables were all but turned.

"No— We should have more time still. So why..."

Clara's face was that of frustration.

Looks like she also didn't expect to be stopped at this point.

In trained movements, the newly arrived guards encircled the premises.

"W-we're innocent!"

The factionless who had been going with the flow, all gave up instantly.

"T-that's right, we weren't planning to..."

And they were so lively just minutes before.

Anyway, only the Royalists still looked like they had some fight in them. Their faces were grim one and all, but nevertheless kept a hold on their weapons.

"Final warning, drop your weapons."

Said a man who seemed to be the head guard.

The Royalists still wanted to fight, but they had no chance.

"Sorry Cid. I need to go."

Clara whispered to me. Then she stood up, firmed her resolve, and stepped forward as the Royalist leader.

And it ended just like that… or so it should have. Making sure no one was watching, I made my own preparations.

"Everyone, that's enough..."

Standing in front of her loyal retainers, Clara spoke.

And that's when I, erasing my presence, used super speed and took on Shadow's voice.

"—Seems the fight is over."

Shadows voice resounded from everywhere.

"Huh? What was that!?"

"Who's there!? Show yourself!!"

"I can hear him but from where!?"

With my presence completely concealed, no one here should see me.

"—Do you not have a duty to fulfil?"

This is exactly what I wanted to do.

The moment when all hope seems lost, a voice from the shadows makes its entrance!

"What is going on? Is that the OWL?"

"No, that isn't OWL."

"Just find him! He's got to be close!"

The rabble are going into a slow panic. Nice.

"—Know that your sister still fights. So long as you don't falter, surely you will reunite…"

"Eh, my sister…? Wait, who are you!?"

I replied with power in my voice.

"My name is Shadow… I lurk in the shadows, hunting the shadows..."

"You're shadow!? The one who appeared at the G.o.d of War Festival…?"

"Shadow!? The man said to have defeated Beatrix, that Shadow…?"

"T-there's no way! Why the h.e.l.l would Shadow be here!?"

"Shadow being here means, isn't Shadow Garden allied with the royals…?"

Yes, YES, hype it up!

"—If you lack power, let me loosen your shackles."

I said, launching the many pieces of slime I prepared underground, and breaking every single mana sealer at once.

"T-the collar..."

"B-but how, it's completely destroyed..."

"So it's true, he really is Shadow… why…? No, this is our chance!"

As the hundreds of collars broke and fell, I said some final words.

"—Struggle, fight. Grasp your fate with your own two hands..."

I then let off explosive mana, dying the courtyard a brilliant purple.