Sacrifice
We ran past the bamboo forest as we made our way to the Foxfaces's hideout while dealing with their ambushes.
Geezer made a literal shortcut with his sword so there's no chance of us taking the wrong turn.
"Ah, I see a shining bamboo."
"...It'd be a pain if we found a small princess inside. Leave it be."
"Haa, all this fighting is tough on this old body's stomach."
"Kajikawa-kun, don't you got more snacks?"
"Oh my gramps, didn't you just eat the day before yesterday."
"Feed me everyday lololol."
"Hahaha, making a senile fool out of me, are you two. Let me have a chop on those heads, I'll straighten you lot."
We cracked some dumb jokes as we advanced through the bamboo forest.
Considering he got the reference, I'm guessing Kira-san comes from the same Japan I know.
Meanwhile, the geezer is half laughing half snapping. Sorry, our bad, put that sword back in will you.
We got out of the bamboo forest into a path adorned with many torii gates. They're exquisitely red.
But thanks to geezer's slash, all of them have been split in two. What a waste.
...Still, wonder why both my Life Force and Mana Search aren't working right here.
They're getting disturbed, or more like life force and mana are getting sucked into somewhere, wonder what's the cause.
"Now then, we are finally closing in on their stronghold... This is dreadful."
"Eh? What do, you, mean..."
Spada Geezer muttered while frowning, responding to that Kira surveyed the surroundings and stopped moving in his track.
There are piles of corpses all around the torii gates.
Men and women of all ages, none of them is breathing... It's unbearable.
"U, o, oeee...!!"
Kira-san couldn't bear the tragic sight and threw up.
I don't blame him. I feel like puking too.
"Kira, do you wish to wait at the bamboo forest? Do not exert yourself."
"Cough, cough...! N, no, I'm going. Acting alone in this situation is just asking for my death flag..."
"Did those Foxfaces do this."
"They mentioned something about sacrifices when they attacked us. These people were probably..."
"What sacrifices, how dare those bastards...!"
"...I shan't leave one alive."
Kira-san who had been acting nonchalantly all this time is showing blatant anger on his face.
Geezer looks calm outwardly but he can't hide his bloodlust. I feel like he's gonna draw his sword anytime.
We passed through the torii gates and arrived at a shrine akin to the ones you see in Japan.
There's a main shrine with nine katsuogi logs on the roof ahead of the front hall, split in two by geezer's slash.
A bunch of Foxfaces are praying at a hand-mirror enshrined in the main hall.
That hand-mirror is apparently the thing that's been sucking in the surrounding mana and life force.
"...What are they, doing?"
"Looks like they're praying at that mirror, is that...?"
"! Someone's coming out."
A human figure walked from inside the shrine while we were peeking behind a cover.
A blond beauty wearing a Japanese kimono, no, a Chinese-styled dress.
I had goosebumps the moment I laid my eyes on her.
Not from her sheer beauty.
No, it's from her sheer repulsiveness.
"S, she's gorgeous...!"
"Kira? ...What's wrong, your eyes are losing focus. Oy, Kira!?"
Geezer pinned Kira's hands to stop him from unsteadily walking toward the beauty like he was lured by her.
Going there alone is suicidal. He's acting too strange even considering his usual laissez-faire attitude.
"Let me go gramps, I have to go."
"You fool! You will get yourself killed! Young 'un, aid me stop him!"
Hm, this looks like a form of brainwashing, charm maybe? I'm sure of it even without looking at his Status.
I could knock him out, but that'll make him an easy target for those Foxfaces. What do.
Ah, right. I can try making him wear this Status Abnormal resisting earring. My RES Attribute is so stupidly high, I'm unaffected by that level of Charm anyway.
I took off my earring and put it on Kira-san's ear and then light returned to his unfocused eyes.
"Ooh... Beautif... Huh?"
"Have you come back to your senses, you lecher."
"That blond woman apparently charms anyone nearby. Even a glance turns you into Kira-san earlier."
"I, I'm ashamed of myself..."
"Fumu, that earring helped him regain his sanity I see. Kira, do not take that off no matter what."
"Got it... Heck, why're you two fine."
"Apparently I got some real high resistance against Abnormal Status."
"I have no interest in women other than my departed wife."
"Sure it's not cause you can't get it up anymore, gramps?"
"Shut it."
We resumed our spying while conversing about silly stuff.
The woman smiled happily at the enshrined hand-mirror.
"Fuumu, it is accumulating well I see. A few more sacrifices and it will suffice."
Her voice was clear and sonorous.
Yet merely listening to it makes me want to puke. There's no sense of relief.
The last time I heard this gentle yet unsettling voice was Demon King's.
One of the prostrating Foxfaces lifted up his face toward the blond woman.
He spoke reverently.
"W, we beg your pardon. Our inadequate selves are unable to bring back the three finest quality sacrifices..."
"It matters not. Do not belittle yourselves, you have done well thus far. I commend your hard work."
"Y, your honored words are wasted on us...!!"
The Foxfaces looked overcome with emotions.
...So, those heaps of corpses were sacrifices for this woman.
Revolting.
"You shall henceforth offer those three hiding in the shadows. Those who kill them shall be rewarded handsomely."
...Busted.
Can't be helped, it's plan B time, extermination.
It's your turn to be piles of bodies.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
~~~~~~~~Sword King Dukeris's POV~~~~~~~~~~
"Haaaaaaa!!"
"...Impressive. Among all previous generation Sword Kings, you must be the first to have reached this level of strength."
Long.
Long, long. One second is too long.
According to Neora-kun, Demon King can only last for a few minutes outside his castle.
Once it's past a certain amount of time, his body will start to disintegrate till he disappears for good.
In other word, our role is to buy time.
I'll do everything in my power to keep Demon King busy till the time limit.
That was the belief I held until I saw Demon King with my own eyes.
"Speaking of humans, that is."
"!? Gwaaaa!!"
Demon King swung his arm toward me.
That mere gesture assaulted me with enough force to crush my whole body into powder.
Alma, Reina-kun, Hiyoko-kun, Radia-kun, Alan-kun, Baredo-kun and Rasfi-kun.
We have asked them to buff us with 'Energy Control' in our stead who are unable to.
An unbelievable amount of power is surging within me thanks to them. My Attribute values should be around 15000.
I'd have long died if not for their cooperation.
And yet, there exists a hopeless gap between us still.
There's so many ways to bury a difference in Attribute values with techniques and combat experience (career).
Even I alone can hold my ground against an opponent that has just been born with immense power yet little to no practical experience.
But this Demon King is clearly a battle hardened veteran.
Far more than me, a Sword King.
"Burn down!!"
Lunati summoned High Spirit Chtuga and attacked in conjunction with Offensive Magic through her Unique Skill 'Parallel Magic'.
Thanks to Energy Buff, Lunati's tremendously powerful spells got an order of magnitude stronger.
Not even Demon King should escape unscathed against that.
"Fumu, you 'Archmage' is nothing to scoff at either."
"Wha...!?"
"You two are indubitably the strongest of humanity as of present. I cannot think of any other combatants as capable."
Demon King coolly came out of the Flame of Conflagration.
How can that be, not even one burned hair strand. Is he invulnerable to all magic.
"Now then, I would love to keep you company for a bit longer, sadly I am lacking the luxury of time... Begone."
"Gwuu...!!"
"Ka... Aa...!?"
He's already lifting Lunati and I by our necks by the time I realized.
T, too fast, too strong...! How do you hope to fight against this monster...!!
...Alma. Looks like, we can't go back home.
"D... ear...!"
"Yea...!!"
"...Mu."
But we'll make sure to destroy this calamity no matter the cost.
For the future you walk on.
"Drop... dead...!"
"Ah, if I may, you will not self destruct."
"...!?"
"You had magic gear that will explode upon your death equipped, did you not? I already foresaw such a trivial stratagem."
'Clank' our exploding collars fell down the floor.
How, when, did, he get those off us...!?
"Apologies. I will not play along with your heroic sacrifice. This is goodbye."
He's raising his grip strength on our necks.
I could feel my neck breaking down by the second.
One second left till it's completely torn off.
...Forgive us, Alma.
Forgive us for helplessly and pitifully dying without accomplishing anything.
『Gaaaaaaaaaaa!!!』
A voice echoed in the palace.
That roar sounds familiar, a dragon's.
"Gwoaaaaa!?"
"Kyaaaaaa!!"
"Mu..."
A tremendous impact hit Demon King along with us.
Both Lunati and me escaped his clutch as we got thrown onto the wall.
That voice must be...
"...Hou, to think you dared to strike me. Do pardon the intrusion."
『Right back at you. You're a Demon King, quit wandering around and stay shut in your castle!』
"...Hmph."
The guardian dragon of Firie Kingdom, Black Dragon stood there.
...I can't believe we ended up getting saved by him.
"Do you truly believe you alone is a match for me?"
『Nah, there's no way. I ain't dumb enough to go one-on-one with a Demon King.』
"Hou, then..."
"Am I to spar against the 'Other Sword King' riding on your back?"
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