I Will Eventually Embark On The Path Of No Return Called A Hero

[Arc5] - 14. Lucky Day

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Cyd always strikes with extra force when facing an immortal enemy. After all, they can't die, so it's a perfect opportunity to practice ancient Greek self-defense techniques.

This type of defense, which specializes in breaking the enemy's body, is hard to practice alone. Although Cyd had already practiced a lot on Bell, some of the more deadly... complex moves were not very practical. So, he used his current sparring partner as a convenient practice dummy.

"Ugh—" Ban, blood streaming from his head, performed a textbook back throw, slamming Cyd into the ground. However, the moment his hands touched Cyd, they were twisted like pretzels.

"What are you made of? How are you so tough?!"

"How rude. I'm a perfectly normal human." Cyd, with his hands on the ground, pulled himself out of the dirt, maintained a handstand, twisted his hips, and casually kicked Ban in the face. The force of the kick sent Ban crashing through the prison walls like a high-speed train, obliterating the ground as he went.

"Cough—what kind of monster is this? That hurt like hell!" Ban quickly climbed out of the rubble, complaining, but a smile of excitement appeared on his face. For someone with an immortal body, the sensation of near-death seemed to be the only joy.

Ban kicked through what was supposed to be the sturdiest prison wall in Liones, shouting at Cyd with excitement, "Come on! I haven't used my full strength yet!"

"I know you haven't used your full strength. Go ahead and unleash it." Cyd dusted off his clothes and spoke casually, "It's fine if you attack with the intent to kill me too."

"Kill you? Uh…" Ban scratched the back of his head awkwardly. Fighting was one thing, killing was another. He had no interest in taking someone's life, especially not someone like Cyd, who shared his white hair and seemed somewhat close to him.

"Don't worry, my body can handle your rough treatment. After all, I'm going to share the burden of sins with you." Cyd smiled brightly, patting his chest.

"Share the burden of sins? What kind of nonsense are you talking about…" Ban's eyes stung for a moment, but he covered up this weakness with a rebellious smile. That was his nature as a fox—no matter the situation, he made sure everyone saw him as cunning and without flaw.

"But you said it yourself. If you die, it's not my responsibility." Ban loosened his hands, then clenched them tightly, his streamlined muscles bulging unnaturally.

"Huh?" Meliodas collapsed to the ground, his legs giving out beneath him. "What the..."

"Oh~ such fitting magic for your sin," said Merlin, grabbing Meliodas by the collar and lifting him. "Captain, it looks like you've turned into an energy pack~"

"Sorry, Captain, but consider it payment." Ban smiled shamelessly, showing no regret. "But… Captain's power is way too strong. I might actually kill you this time."

"So this is your magic power, [Snatch]? It can take away not just items but strength too."

"Hey, didn't you hear what I said?" Cyd's calm and collected demeanor caused Ban to lose his composure. Frustrated, he shouted, "If I punch you now, you'll really die! No matter how tough your body is, you're not immortal, right?"

Talking about bearing the burden of sins is something you can say to those fools. The person in front of you is the [Sin of Greed]. That sin belongs to him alone—he doesn't need anyone else to share it!

With a title like [Hero], you don't need to mingle with us, the [Riffraff]!

"Who knows~ I thought you'd hit me without hesitation. Are you afraid of taking a life?" Cyd tilted his head. "But you'd better make up your mind soon—the sun's setting."

"You! Don't underestimate me!"

Drunk on the power surging through him, Ban raised his fist and swung it toward Cyd's face. The sheer force of his swing shattered the prison.

"And you, don't underestimate me."

Just as the moon rose, Cyd lifted his hand and caught Ban's fist, which contained both his and Meliodas's power. The torrent of strength instantly tore through the plains, demolishing the prison in its wake. The violent wind robbed them of their breath, and the soft earth was uprooted, forming a tsunami of dust.

Boom—!

A more powerful shockwave erupted from the center of the storm. The winds and waves of dust were pulverized, and the sky, dyed by the glow of dusk, cleared as the soft moonlight gently spread over the land.

"No way…" Ban stared in disbelief at Cyd, who had caught his punch with one hand. Under the moonlight, Cyd's white hair swayed in the breeze. Though he looked somewhat fragile, he had easily withstood Ban's full-strength attack.

"I'm your guardian, after all. This level of attack is nothing."

Cyd let go of Ban's fist, casually patting his shoulder as he joked, "Your shoulders are a lot softer now. Looks like my massage worked."

"You clearly had the power to counter my attack. Why didn't you fight back? I'm immortal!" Ban clenched his fists tightly, feeling frustrated that his usual tactic of [acting tough] had no effect on Cyd.

Though Cyd hadn't said much, his demeanor was resolute. By catching Ban's fist, he seemed to be saying, 'Even if you give up, I won't.'

"That's because it's what I'm going to do from now on. I don't know what you've been through, but I'm sure we'll figure it out. After all, in the face of eternal life, there's no problem that can't be solved."

"…Hah~ I give up!" Ban slumped onto the ground, raising his hands in surrender. "Seriously, what kind of extreme environment do you have to grow up in to turn out like you?"

"Ban, you really are someone whose inside matches his outside," Cyd said, squatting down to meet Ban's reddish-brown eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean…" Ban looked away, feeling uneasy.

"Keeping everything bottled up inside is exhausting. But if you feel like it's your punishment, that's fine too. One day, you'll realize you've had enough. When that time comes, we can talk about your sins. But until then…" Cyd extended his hand, "let's get along. Come on, shake my hand."

"Tch, you stole all the lines I was going to say."

Ban clicked his tongue. Though he turned his head, showing a reluctant expression, he still honestly reached out and shook Cyd's hand.

"Let me introduce myself. I'm Cyd, an ordinary person who's troubled by having to discipline a bunch of troublemakers." Cyd stood up, pulling Ban to his feet.

"I'm Ban, the immortal, and today is my lucky day."

"Eh~ why's today a lucky day?" Meliodas, having recovered his strength, raised his hand like a curious student.

"Who knows." Ban snorted and turned his head, but the moonlight softened his usually sharp eyes.

Today, in an otherwise meaningless life, I gained two new friends.