He couldn’t say yes.

The incident in Carne village flashed across Gazef’s mind. The mysterious magic caster, Ainz Ooal Gown; had he not come to his aid, both him and his soldiers would have perished. Even with the title of the strongest in the kingdom, that was all he amounted to. He could never call himself strong with his head held high.

To his silence, Brain continued to speak.

“Weak. We’re weak. After all, we’re only human. We humans are inferior.”

Humans are indeed weak.

Compared to something like the strongest race, dragons, the difference was clear. Humans do not have hard scales, razor-sharp claws, wings that soared through the skies, Breath that obliterated everything; these were everything that humans did not possess.

That was why warriors held Dragon Slayers in high esteem. With their trained skills, weapons, and allies, there was glory in overcoming great odds and bringing down such a race. It was a merit allowed only to the warriors who could be described as ‘exceptional.’

Then could Brain have fought a ‘Dragon’ and lost?

He stretched out his hand to a place that was beyond his reach and failed; lost his balance and plummeted back to the earth.

“…What are you saying. Any warrior would understand that humans are weak.”

That’s right. He couldn’t understand. Anyone would know that a world for the strong existed.

Even if he was called the strongest by the surrounding countries, Gazef held doubts about whether that was really true.

For instance, there was a high possibility that the empire could be hiding a warrior who was stronger than Gazef. Not only that, the physical strength of demi-humans like Ogres and Giants far exceeded that of his own. If demi-humans ever gained even the roughest semblance of technique, Gazef would not be able to defeat them.

That world might be invisible to him, but Gazef was still fully aware of its existence. A fact that could even be considered common sense to any warrior, did Brain truly not know?

“There is a world where only the strong exist. Are we not training so we can win against such foes?”

With hope that one day, they will reach them.

But Brain emphatically shook his head, causing his drenched hair to fling droplets of water to his surroundings.

“No! That’s not the level that I’m talking about!”

A shout like coughing up blood.

The man before him overlapped with his image from Gazef’s memories. Despite his energy seeming to be directed in the complete opposite direction when compared to back then, it was the same spirit as when they crossed swords.

“Stronoff! We can never reach the world of the truly powerful, no matter how hard we try. As long as we’re born human, this is the truth. In the end, we’re just children holding sticks. We’re playing with swords now, but we are still mere children pretending to be swordsmen.”

A calm expression that lost all traces of emotion stared at Gazef.

“…Listen, Stronoff. You should be confident in your sword too, right? But… that’s garbage. All you’re doing is deluding yourself if you think that you’ve been protecting these people with that useless thing in your hand.”

“…Was the peak you saw really that high?”

“I saw it and realized; a height that humans can never reach. Actually—”

Brain let out a self-mocking laughter.

“What I saw was just a glimpse. I was too weak to see the actual pinnacle, you see. It was like child’s play, hilarious.”

“Then if you were to train so you could see that world…”

Brain’s face twisted in anger.

“You don’t know anything! You can’t ever reach that monster’s level, not with a human body. Even if you were to swing the sword without end, it’s obvious that it still wouldn’t do any good! …Useless. Just what was I aiming for all this time?”

Gazef could say nothing.

He had seen a person whose heart was this wounded. A person whose heart was shattered from seeing his comrades die in front of him.

There was no way to save such a person. He cannot be saved by others. Without the will to stand with their own strength, any attempts to help him would only be futile.

“…Unglaus.”

“…Stronoff. Strength achieved from the sword really is garbage. It’s useless in front of true power.”

As expected, those words showed no signs of his past splendor.

“…I’m glad to have met you in the end.”

As Brain turned his back and walked away, Gazef stared at him with pained eyes.

The pitiful figure of his once greatest rival with his heart in tatters. Gazef could no longer find the energy to speak to him. However, he did not miss the short phrase that he heard as they parted.

“Now… I can die.”

“Stop! Wait, Brain Unglaus!”

He shouted feverishly to Brain’s back.

He ran up to him and grabbed his shoulder, turning him around.

His staggering appearance no longer had the light from the past. However, despite the fact that Gazef pulled him with all of his strength, Brain’s posture did not falter nor collapse. It was proof that he possessed both a well-trained lower body and an outstanding sense of balance.

Gazef felt a small relief. In the end, his skill had not rusted.

It still wasn’t too late. He couldn’t leave him to his death.

“…What are you doing.”

“Come with me to my home.”

“Forget it. Don’t try to stop me. I want to die… I’m done with being scared. I don’t want to be constantly looking over my shoulder, frightened by shadows. I don’t want to face reality anymore. And to think I used to be content with this trash in my hand.”

Hearing Brain’s pleading voice, Gazef felt his irritation swell up inside him.

“Shut up and follow me.”

And with that, Gazef began to walk while holding onto Brain’s arm. Seeing how Brain followed with faltering steps, without putting up resistance, Gazef felt a sense of displeasure that he couldn’t describe with words.

“After you change your clothes and eat something, immediately get some rest.”

Mid Fire Month (8th Month), Day 26, 13:45

The Kingdom of Re-Estize and its capital, Re-Estize.