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"Deryaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"
Kira-san produced a black spear out of thin air and skewered Foxfaces one after another by throwing it.
Dunno if that's just how the move works or it's the spear's ability, but the way the spear flies autonomously targeting the Foxfaces is kinda eerie.
This man is by no means weak.
Each of these Foxfaces is as strong as a Rank A magic beast yet he's killing them in one hit each.
He should be able to easily deal with dozens of them.
"You bastaaaaaaaard! Diee!!"
"Gyaa!! Sorry, forgive me! I can't use this move consecutively, please help, helupu mee!"
Kira-san ran away from the enraged Foxfaces who lost a lot of their comrades to him. His previously gallant figure is nowhere to be seen. Guess he's hopeless after all.
No wait, maybe he's just pretending to be weak? But he looks seriously cornered there... I don't get it.
"Gah!?"
"Kaha...!"
"Gobyaaa!!"
"How do you like that! Ain't one of you a match to this old beaten body?!"
Spada Geezer sliced one Foxface with every swing of his sword.
The way he moves utterly belies his advanced age. Heck, he might actually be stronger than Alma Papa even.
We could have dealt with that White Demon easily if only this geezer was around during the raid.
Missing a reliable ally during crucial times is one of those mysterious rules. In movies or something.
"Dammitall! We must sacrifice at least one of them no matter what!!"
"That man is bare handed! Get 'iiiiim!!"
"Oy! Kajikawa-kun, they're coming for you!"
"Make do, young 'un!"
Whoops, guess I look weak sporting no weapon. Around 20 Foxfaces jumped me all at once.
Suits me just fine. I'll crush you all in one go.
Aah, and just fyi, I'm not exactly bare handed. I mean look at all these weapons free to pick on.
"Uwaaaa!?"
"Higiii!?"
I dragged two of the incoming Foxfaces with Remote Mana.
"Ora ora oraaaaaaa!!"
""Gyabbabebagababababa!!!""
I swung two Foxfaces around as my weapon instead! Two-hand style Foxface school!
Okay, it's the same old 'No weapon? Use my enemies as ones!' tactic.
I wrapped the two weapon-turned Foxfaces in a thin layer of mana, so they're not gonna break easily.
They won't die right away whenever they hit their friends, but the thin mana layer doesn't completely negate damage so it's gotta be pretty painful still.
"Gyaaa!! This guy's the most dangerous!"
"Run! We're all gonna die gabuuu!!?"
"You're not running anywhere. All of you, die."
"H, hiiiiiie!!"
"Aaa... You fox lot, you don't hafta go through that if you let yourself die by my hands, y'know?"
"...What's that, a homerun batter? Scary."
I dragged back all the fleeing Foxfaces with Remote Mana and batted them away into the horizon one after another with my Foxface Bat (temp name). It's batting time!
The two old men are taken aback as they watch me. Quit standing around, help me out will you.
Afterward, we kept getting jumped and dealt with more Foxfaces.
There's a pause in between raids, yet they don't seem like they'd give up trying to come for our lives.
"Phew... This is getting tiresome."
"Heck, is this ever ending? Where'd they spring up from anyway."
"I'm gonna die from overworking..."
Kira-san is sprawled on the ground dead tired. You're gonna get dirt all over your clothes, get up.
But they're right, we're gonna hit our limit sooner or later at this rate.
We've got to think up a way to turn the situation around before it gets to that point.
"I say, we nip them at the bud."
"Indeed. This will be solved if only we are able to reach their base and cut down the leader giving out orders. However, we possess no clue as to where that is."
I've been searching for mana or life force that match the criteria all this time but I've yet to find success.
Umumu, it's like my Mana Search is getting jammed, no, more like something is disturbing the environmental mana...?
It's also probably why I can only sense the incoming Foxfaces once they've gotten close enough.
"Oh what's this, do we have a problem here? Fufufu, that's where this item will come in handy, ta-dah!"
Kira-san cringefully fetched a 'Compass' all of a sudden.
Seriously, this and that black spear earlier, where'd he get those from anyway? Can this man use Item Screen or something.
<<It appears to be a different ability from Menu Function's 'Item Screen'. Detail unknown.>>
Umumu, no way of knowing with his Status hidden.
I know it's not my place to say this, but this man is full of mystery. Gotta keep my guard up.
"The heck's that, a compass? Are you planning to go out into the seas?"
"Non non. This thing is not a compass, it's a miraculously handy item that can show you the 'direction of your destination'... Well, it can only show the direction though so you tend to hit dead ends on the way there, but at least it works no matter the world."
"That might end up being thousands of KM away."
"Worry not. You can sort of pinpoint how far it is by limiting the range."
That sure is handy. We could find the demon citadels easily with that thing.
Would be nice if he's willing to part with it... Probably not though.
"Then to start off, 'Show me the Foxface base within 1 kilometer range'! ...Heh, there's no way it's that close though."
Kira-san designated the destination while touching the compass.
He's probably starting close before gradually increasing the range, wonder how far it is...
Or so I thought as I stared at the compass, but then the red needle shot out a laser-like red light.
...Don't tell me.
"...Looks surprisingly close. Haa, pretty anticlimatic~."
"So you're saying those Foxfaces are hiding at the end of this light. Well, what are we waiting for. Kira, lead the way."
"Ah, sorry, maintaining this compass is super tiring so I'm gonna turn it off now... Ah, man, I'm so beat~... No, really, this is seriously tiring stuff."
Kira-san's complexion did get noticeably paler when the compass shot out that light.
He couldn't wait to let go of his hand from the compass. Good work.
"But man, it's hard to get your bearings inside this bamboo forest when it looks the same everywhere."
"That will be no problem. You ask for a straight path, no?"
Geezer held his sword aloft toward our destination and swung it down.
"!?"
"Uwa...!"
In one swing, really just one swing, the bamboo forest got torn asunder, the earth split apart.
No, that's not the end of it. That slash probably cut through the mountain where those Foxfaces hide.
...This geezer is seriously strong. Probably even stronger than Alma Papa...!
"Let us move on."
"...They definitely know we're coming for them. Spada, gramps, your prank's gone way overboard."
"Hahaha, it's only polite to greet first, no? Don't wanna trouble them dropping by without an appointment, so that was a 'We're heading there'."
Uh, getting your base split in two is way more trouble, me think.
Well whatever, we're going to crush the place anyway.
Now then, wonder what will we find at their base.
Would love to take useful items back with me, but these two probably would want them for themselves as well.
I might have to negotiate with them depending on how the dice rolls... Haa, a joint force that hinges on self-interest is so choking. I wanna get back to my group fast.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
~~~~~~~~~Fifth Continent King of Firie Kingdom's POV~~~~~~~~~
"Fumu, I suppose I must praise you for calmly ensconcing yourself on your throne instead of fleeing."
"...You are, Demon King I assume."
"Indeed. This fraternizing may last for but a moment, pleased to make your acquaintance nonetheless."
Just as the oracle divined, a black long haired man appeared before me. So he's, Demon King.
His exterior may be that of a man, but that is wrong. The creature standing before me is, beyond a shadow of doubt, not human.
Monster, specter, devil... None of that could truly describe this creature.
"Pray tell, what is your business with me? I was hoping you could make an appointment before showing up unannounced in the audience chamber."
"Foolish question. You are, to die."
Demon King spoke of my demise. I have been on the side of handing out judgment many times but this is my first being on the receiving side.
I suppose it is now my turn after the fourth continent king.
...There is, no escaping this I see.
*Crash* sound like that of glass breaking echoed.
"Ka, ha..."
I can tell Demon King has pierced my chest with his hand.
Even the many layers of 'Force Protect' gear that boasts over 10,000 point of Defense was powerless before Demon King who proceeded to crush my heart.
"This is my second time crushing human heart in my hand... What displeasing sensation."
I gleamed Demon King's hollow eyes as he coldly narrated those words.
Just for what reason, he, to humans...
Right as my consciousness was falling deeper into darkness, I heard a sharp sound of metal clashing.
At the same time, my darkening view gradually became more vivid.
"Impressive ambush. And, impressive move."
"Tch...!!"
"You are, the present day Sword King I see... Your power is tremendous. What is it enables that."
As I came back to my sense, the first thing I witnessed is Demon King with a bloodied hand, and 'Sword King' Dukeris pushing him back.
Next to Dukeris is the 'Archmage' Lunatiara. They must have healed me.
"Your power has breached a domain no man can reach. You are clearly no mere Level 90s."
"...Well, we are conquerors of 'Floor 21' after all."
"!... Hou, you mean to say you returned from that chaotic realm alive. Indeed, that does explain your power. I shall grant you a praise for exceeding the number ten thousands in Attributes."
"En, garde!"
Sword King swung his sword at Demon King.
Why, do you stand before him. Why, do you attempt to save me.
There is no path to victory against that being.