The Tale of how I got Reincarnated as a Hero but Decided to Help the Demon Lord Instead(pt.5)

"Wait what!" Torrikkusatu yelled at Crann who's words took him by surprise. "Why would you do that? What would you possibly have to gain from it?"

Crann led Torrikkusatu through the halls of the palace with Cut beside him. "For the tenth time! I made a clone of Makono so I could kill fake her in front of Tokuma. Then put him down in front of real her, then finally I could bring her to Lothrin. It's all pretty simple really."

"Yeah your a sadistic bastard. Wait does this mean Eldin was carrying a clone out? That's actually pretty funny, when he hears this he's gonna-" Suddenly Torrikkusatu's mind fell into the gutter. "Wait if there's two I bet they could do all sorts of kinky stuff."

Cut and Crann synchronously face-palmed.

"Anyways I have your instructor watching over her in a specialized jail. She should be sound asleep, that is until it's opened." Crann explained.

Crann stopped at a large, scarlet-red metallic door covered in intricate locks with a single, small, golden keyhole in it's center.

"Here we are."

Crann placed a key into the keyhole twisting it until each of the locks began to disengage taking about four minutes to complete.

"Why do you need so much locks! It's taking forever!" Torrikkusatu complained just before the door opened. "Huh, I guess it just needed some motivation."

The room was small with barely enough space for the cell and a desk which The Instructor sat at doing paperwork in the dim candlelit room. Cursing to himself and those unfortunate enough to hear him.

"So much damn paperwork. Damn Cut, I should've never let him convince me, if I hadn't taken the stupid cadets out I wouldn't be doing this!" The instructor slowly looked up to see Cut staring at him. "I meant nothing of it sir! With all due respect! Why are you here? And Torrikkusatu too? I was stationed here by Crann just ask him yourself."

"That's not it." Crann said. "Release the prisoner."

The instructor had a brief moment of doubt but didn't let it show. "Yessir!"

As the cell door opened Makono was visible inside sleeping on a cot seemingly in perfect condition and even snoring a little.

However as soon as she saw Crann she lunged at him pinning him to the wall by his throat, an odd sight considering the height difference. "You! Did you think I wouldn't recognize you!? Your the bastard who starved my castle, and killed my father!"

"I didn't need telepathy to see this coming." Crann jeered. "As for you father, that was a group activity. I wouldn't dream of taking all the credit."

"Um, sir do I help?" The instructor asked quizzical to which he was answered by Crann dismissing him with a gesture.

"Wait, he helped us find you." Torrikkusatu said in an attempt to persuade her.

"Don't do it. We're gonna leave the Demon Slayers. We'll redeem ourselves he's like a brother to me." Cut pleaded.

"Just this once I'll spare you, but only to prove how much better I am then you. If I ever see you again near me or mine, I will kill you, and I don't care whether or not your redeemed cause in my eyes you'll always be scum."

"Appreciate it." Crann said hastily.

"We should go." Torrikkusatu said with a grin.

"I agree." Makono answered.

********

Musashi stood behind me with what was left of his sword dripping blood.

"Hana-Chan. I'm coming." he said peacefully.

"Like hell you are! " I said consumed in rage as I grabbed his wrist and crushed with everything I had.

"What's going on?" Musashi inquired as his wrist broke in my hand. "Why am I still here?"

Musashi looked at Makono's corpse as it laid on the ground motionless before he fell to his knees.

"She's dead but I'm still here. How?" He groaned.

A bright white inferno of fire erupted from my body.

Musashi managed to free himself and make distance between us. The Towyn Resistance Army backed up a little as did the rest of my friends.

"This doesn't make any sense. Did he lie? Am I stuck here regardless? Did I kill her for nothing?"

I barely held control over my own body as I closed the distance between me and Musashi in an instant and planted a kicked into his gut hard enough to launch him over the castle walls.

I jumped high enough to grab Musashi by his throat in mid-air and plummet to the earth in an explosion of white flames visible from Towyn.

"Hana..." Musashi groaned.

The white fires around me died down as my legs began to feel weak.

"Tokuma." Lux said as he approached me. "She's not dead."

"Can't you see!? She's right there if your having any doubts!" I shouted.

"But your still here too. I'm betting Miyamoto is as well, heroes that are summoned are returned to their world if the demon lord is killed that law is older than the gods themselves." Lux said convincingly. "So you see, she can't be dead. I can't explain who that was but it wasn't Makono."

"So Musashi." I asked as guilt caught up with me.

"It's said that when Lothrin's first son fell against the second demon lord he was returned home just before he died. The theory is that since heroes are not native to this world Thanatos has no claim over their souls and so when they die their returned to their home where they belong. He's probably happier now. Or the theory is completely false."

"I don't want to hear that part!" I complained. "Anyways, if that's not Makono then where is she?"

********

"Hah! Tic-tac-toe three in a roll!" Graxia shouted pridefully.

"Obviously! Your not letting me go first, how am I supposed to win!" Miyamoto complained as he and Graxia finished a game of Tic-tac-toe while Nox, Colt and Freiala who just sat patiently behind Miyamoto in line.

"Don't be a sore loser Miyamoto, it's my turn." Colt said.

"Yeah whatever it's just a stupid game." Miyamoto said. "That was my last one anyways."

Upon reaching the five Makono and Torrikkusatu stopped in place admiring the enormous amount of Tic-tac-toe games carved into the walls, ground and even the roof.

"The hell?" Miyamoto asked as he looked at Makono.

"That's my sentence." Torrikkusatu said.

Graxia's eyes glazed over as he nose began going off. "Ma..ko..no."

"Oh sh-" Makono said before getting interrupted by Graxia tackling her nudging into her chest.

Colt and Nox peeked their heads up to watch before being scolded by Freiala.

"That's enough, pervert! You've had your fun!" Makono yelled.

With much convincing Graxia eventually obliged.

"So the other Makono was a clone? That explains why it wasn't moving, Crann can create copies as long as their as strong as him or weaker. Yet if his clone never attacks it would be impossible to tell whether or not it's power has been decreased." Miyamoto explained.

Makono turned back. "I change my mind I'm gonna kill him now."

Torrikkusatu effortlessly held her back by her collar. "No you won't, Eldin is probably on his way to Towyn right now, we're gonna need to catch up anyways I'd rather not be doing so until I die."

Eventually Makono slumped her shoulders in defeat accepting the futility in her actions.

"Wait Tokuma's heading back home? Crap! I didn't think this through we should probably go too."

"Good luck, by the way let me know when the marriage is. I'm actually able to officiate it." Nox mocked.

"What marriage?!" Miyamoto shouted in surprise.

"Tsundere, I see. I wouldn't go down that path if I were you." Nox continued, placing his hand on Miyamoto's shoulder. "Unless you wanna be a wizard along with a hero."

Miyamoto took a big gulp.

"And we don't have to worry about you guys attempting to stab us in the back as soon as we leave." Torrikkusatu asked.

"No, it's like I said, if we were to fight against you right now, we'd only die in vain." Nox admitted in a professional voice.

"Right. Then it's time for a little heartwarming reunion."

********

Meanwhile me and the rest of Towyn waited at the gates in a standoff with Lothrin's men who finally decided to show up.

"Damnit! I knew it! That's a lot of people up in those ramparts, in the better position. We're gonna need to break down two drawbridges. Then we need to infiltrate through the castle itself while dodging an onslaught of arrows. Finally there's Lothrin himself who's not gonna be easy to take out. You know he's the only person in history able to use time magic?" Lux said in a panicked voice.

"Oh come on. Don't be a wuss, your our leader you have to be appear strong even if it is a facade." Usagi scolded.

"Thanks Usagi, I made a good choice when I made you my secretary."

Usagi turned red in rage which made Lux in turn cower back. "I'm not doing this because I'm your secretary. I'm doing it because-" Usagi stopped mid-sentence and shifted to a different shade of red.

"Because.... What? You want a raise?" Lux snickered.

"No you fool! It's because I-"

"Not yet." Lux interrupted. "Lothrin really is an incredibly powerful opponent, anybody could die, everybody could die. We should prepare for the worst. But we should also remain optimistic, once the battles over we can finish this conversation. That way we have yet another reason to get back alive." Lux said.

A demonic soldier approached Lux. "I sorry to interrupt commander. But we've seen something approaching us at rapid speeds."

"Huh?"

Most of the Towyn resistance gathered at the gates.

"What the hell is that?" Lux asked.

In the distance Torrikkusatu was dragging Makono and Miyamoto by their arms while Graxia held on to his neck as they all flapped in the wind like tarps.

"Why can't we hit them? Their too damn fast."

Once Torrikkusatu got close enough he leaped forward, but no towards the drawbridges, instead he burrowed through the three meter thick castle wall.

"Oh yeah!" Torrikkusatu yelled before landing before us with the grace of a water buffalo. "Whew. Now that's cardio. I think I'm gonna rest a bit of you don't mind. Wake me when the war's over."

Makono surveyed her surroundings before coming to a stop at her clone's corpse. "That's...awkward" she said monotone while poking and examining it. "Hmm I wonder." She raised it's skirt and immediately turned red. "How'd he know I had a freckle on my inner thigh?"

The bottled up emotions I was containing started to burst out as I ran to Makono. After my fight with Musashi I was exhausted so I wasn't able to do anything inhumane I was just overjoyed. As I closed the distance Makono pivoted her feet dodging my attempted hug and causing me to eat some of the nutritious dirt.

"Oh I'm sorry Tokuma it's instinct." Makono said sincerely. "I don't like hugs."

"It's fine really, the dirt's quite tasty. " I replied sarcastically. "I'm just glad your alive. I thought Musashi killed you."

Makono turned his head away. "Then you’re even dumber than I thought. If I died, you would've been sent back, obviously," Makono said blushing. "It's still nice to hear, though. I'm glad you care, all of you. I know that it's my fault your in situation and I'm gonna help you out of it."

Towyn rallied in excitement.

"Are you all ready?" Lothrin said standing at the drawbridge with Johannes at his side. "I wouldn't want to interrupt. I have a proposition, I will fight your leader one-on-one, if you win, with your heroes you'll have no problem taking my castle and you will emerge victories. But the same goes for me. If I win the fight, then I win the war. "

A large commotion built up in Towyn.

"I'll do it."