Sousetsuka

Chapter 143 Strongest Sage, Revises Magic Circle

 

"Uum... Since it's a bird monster... Fighting it will be hard if it takes flight..."

Ruli points at the monster's wings.
By the way, we haven't been found thanks to the effect of concealment barrier.

"Then what if we go about this while preventing it from flying? Like shooting arrows at its wings?"

"...I don't think arrows will be enough to break its wings considering its size... Iris-san, how damaged wings could be before they lose the ability to fly?"

"Hmm... For us dragons, we can fly even if most of our wings are destroyed as long as our mana is in perfect state, to begin with, our wings rarely ever get damaged... but I think ordinary monsters aren't that tough! I think it won't be able to freely fly if half of its wing is broken!"

Looks like Iris understands stuff about wings well since she can fly herself.
Just as she's said, that level of monster won't be able to fly if you smash half of its wing.

"Then if we destroy it with a bow...."

Ruli said that and looked at the monster again.
And then she mutters.

"How many times should we attack to break a wing of that size...?"

"We will long run out of arrows first for sure...."

"Breaking it won't be hard if my spear can reach it...."

"Iris-san's spear... Ah!"

Due to its size, the bird monster's wings are located quite high up.
Since this floor has a high ceiling, Iris's spear won't be able to even reach the monster's feet once it flies.
Ruli sounded like she hit upon an idea.... And began to draw something on the ground.

"If we do this.... I think we can drop it down!"
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
Ruli has drawn a magic circle that combines a spell to inhibit flight and a spell that increase attack power against big monsters.
Looks like she's planning to drop the monster down to the ground since it's not possible to break the wings by normal means and make use of Iris's offensive power.
The plan itself is good.
This kind of tricks works well when a bow user join hands with a Glory Crest.
Looks like my teaching of magic circle drawing has started to bear its fruits on Ruli.

However... There's a slight unfortunate part.

"Your idea of combining these two spells are nice... but the power increase and flight inhibition will work separately if you do it like this. We don't really need the arrow power in this situation, and rather reinforce the flight inhibition effect, so... This is how you should combine them."

I erased several lines on the magic circle Ruli drew and added some.
With this drawing, the arrow won't have any power, but the flight inhibition effect will be raised to maximum.
A few arrows of this should be enough to drop down that level of monster.

"This combination... I understand! You two, do you have any objection about this plan?"

Ruli looked at Iris and Alma.

"I think this will work!"

"Yes! Leave the monster to me once it fell!"

Normally, you also should discuss how you are going to retreat in case of failure... but I guess I should teach them about it after we leave the dungeon.
I'm with them this time, and even without me, this party has Iris.

Even if they failed, they should have no problem dealing with it as long as they kept their calm.
The ability to keep calm and devise a plan in cases of sudden unexpected turn of events are ones of the important abilities to have.

Thus they finished the strategy meeting, Ruli augmented the arrows they had in hands--and then Ruli declares the start of the operation.

"Then, let's do it! Iris-san, please guard us until the monster fell down!"

"Understood!"

"Let's go!"

As she said that, Alma pulled her bow and shot an arrow at the monster.
The monster immediately noticed the arrow and attempted to evade it, but Alma guided the arrow and made it hit right on its wing.

Now, the battle begins.













Previous Chapter

Chapter 142 Strongest Sage, Looks for Monster

 

A few minutes after we parted ways with the adventurers who warned us.
We entered the ninth floor of the dungeon.
So far, I didn't sense any reaction from a strong monster at all.

"Well, guess it's not on this floor."

"Looks like it hasn't gone up here...."

I shot magic at a nearby monster, defeating it.
Right now, Iris and of course Alma too, could easily defeat monsters in this area.

Ruli is acting as Alma's support like the usual, but since there wasn't much need of arrows, her role didn't come up much.
The ninth floor is already nothing for them.

"I'd prefer if it stays like this and the monster doesn't show up...."

"In that case... We'll keep going down until the monster does show up."

"Eeh! Then, monster-san, please come out quick!"

We've got enough leeway to have such conversations while fighting.
The fact that Ruli and Alma are watching the surrounding mana reaction even during that might be a testament of them getting used to fighting.
Iris's detection is very poor.... but that's due to the injury on her wings, and it's not like she'd get a scratch from surprise attacks anyway, thus it's not really a problem.

That said, from my observation, we probably can only descend this calmly until the floor 18.
Beyond that, we probably have to raise our battle experience and magical capability first.
Well, those stuff should go up by themselves as long as we keep fighting in the dungeon.

We kept descending the dungeon while I was thinking that, but....

"No strong monster in sight...."

"It's not showing up... I don't sense any through mana detection either."

The monster in question isn't showing itself.
Even if there are cases of monsters climbing up the floors, they rarely ever go down.

I thought there was 90% chance the monster was in floor 11 or 10... But I don't sense any presence that points to that at all even after coming to floor 11.
Of course there are differences in the mana size of each monsters... But there's no mana reaction strong enough to warrant a subjugation quest by the entire adventurers of the dungeon city.
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
Ruli speaks up in that situation.

"Mathi-kun, don't you think the monster reaction over there seems big?"

Ruli pointed diagonally after saying that.
The direction where she pointed at... True, that mana reaction is the strongest on this floor.

However, it's not at a level that warrants a large-scale subjugation effort.
They should be able to defeat it without much preparation.

"True, it's the most decent monster around here. I don't think it's our target, but... wanna have a go at it?"

"Can we, don't we need to preserve our mana?"

Ruli asked a question.
However... It should be fine.
Not like we need to consume much mana nor prepare to fight this monster.

"No problem. We can beat a monster of this level with our usual style. That said, you still cannot let your guard down."

I calculate the dungeon structure with detection magic and proceed toward the monster through the shortest route.
And the one waiting there was... A huge bird monster two times larger than the monsters on this floor.

"I-it's huge...."

"It's about as big as a smallish dragon!"

"Huge... Can we really fight it?"

The girls gave their impressions of the monster.
However, the fact that none of them tried to run from it must mean that they knew by intuition that this monster isn't that strong.

"Hmm... It's big alright... but it doesn't look that strong."

It's on the bigger side of a monster.
However, judging from its mana reaction, it's neither sturdy or agile.
I should be able to kill it in one hit if I fight seriously.

....Okay, let's use this guy as a practice stand.

"Alright then, you three, try defeating this monster without me!"

"Without Mathi-kun!?"

"That's impossible... or not, I think. I kinda feel like we could if we gave it our all! Mind if we think up a plan for a bit?"

"How about we try punching it once!"

The three began their strategy meeting (Iris isn't really helping though).
...Now then. Show me what you've got, girls.














Previous Chapter

Chapter 141 Strongest Sage, Follows Advice

 

The day after we sent the letter to the principal.
The four of us went into the dungeon.

To begin with, we came to the dungeon city to explore the dungeon.
It's going to take some time before the letter reaches the king anyway, we should wait for it while we engage in the dungeon exploring.

"So this is the dungeon's gate...."

"I've heard about the rumor, but this door looks really huge in person...."

Alma sounded astonished when we arrived at the closed gate that led to the dungeon.
True, the door installed on this gate is huge.

Besides being tall and wide, it seems to be more than one meter thick.
It probably weights several tons at least.

Looks like it's installed here to stop monsters from coming out of the dungeon in an emergency.
However....

"Huh? Is this door made of ordinary iron?"

"Yeah. It's just an ordinary iron. It breaks easily."

I replied to Iris.
Yes. This door is just a hunk of iron.

Dungeon Rampage isn't simple enough to be stopped by this stuff.
Iris in her dragon form could easily break it with a kick.
Thus, we went inside the dungeon while worrying more about the dungeon city.

"It's bigger than the dungeon in the academy... but you know, it's kinda ordinary..."

"Apparently, there should have been more people on the floors above...."

The inside of the dungeon really was ordinary.
The monsters aren't particularly strong and there aren't that many people around.

There are traces of many people having hunted here, however... looks like there's not a lot of them today.
It might have to do with people having been injured in the battle yesterday.
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
Several adventurers show up as we advance on.
There are cases of adventurers attacking other party to plunder money and stuff in a dungeon, but.... Looks like there's no need to be wary here.
I don't feel any hostility from them.

"Ou, that's some young party you have there. What are you guys doing in the dungeon?"

The adventurers stopped slightly away from us and talked.

"Just as you can see, we're exploring the dungeon."

"...You'd better not and turn around today. That monster from before might have gone up the floor."

The monster from before.... He's talking about the monster the ruler failed to defeat huh.
It's a great news for me if that monster is still alive though.

"Are you talking about the monster from the failed subjugation?"

"Yeah. Last we checked, it was on floor 11. However, that type of monsters is hard to read. It's impossible to beat that thing in the first place anyway, so you'd better give up exploring the dungeon today."

Dungeon monsters usually don't move between floors.
However, special kind of monsters that are sometimes spawned can do it.
True, if you're not confident enough, you probably should not go into the dungeon today.

"...Thank you for your advice. We'll hunt for a bit on some shallow floor and go back early today."

"T-thank you very much!"

"Take care!"

We advance through the dungeon.
Let's follow their advice and go fight on shallow floors.
Or more specifically.... Until we got to a floor with strong monsters on it.















Previous Chapter

Chapter 140 Strongest Sage, Sends Letter

 

"He wasn't able to even leave a will.... Isn't that too quick?"

"Yeah. I thought it was strange that he was unable to speak considering his wounds and physical conditions at the time.... But he really couldn't speak a word."

"Couldn't he just write then?"

"Yeah. We tried that.... But when ruler-sama was going to write a will, his hand suddenly stopped moving. We tried all other possible means too... However, it was all in vain. I'm thinking that he might have contracted a different disease in addition to his wounds...."

Yup. He was being completely silenced alright.
There's no doubt that it was someone's handiworks to weaken the dungeon city.

Judging from the level of magic used, the perpetrator is probably a low class demon.
Since I don't sense any reaction from demons around the vicinity, the culprit is probably long gone.

If the current ruler is joining forces with demons, we might be able to squeeze their location from him, but.... It's very unlikely to be the case.
The current management of dungeon city is just too crude no matter how you slice it.

If the demons were behind it, they'd either adopt a swifter and more effective strategy or gradually sap the dungeon city's strength to prevent them from getting found out.
They could probably destroy this unstable city in 10 days if they were serious after all.

It's too half-baked for either short-term or long-term plan.
Which leads to the conclusion--the current ruler has nothing to do with demons, and is simply an idiot.
The demons probably can't stop laughing at how stupid the management of the dungeon city has become after only killing the previous ruler.

"I have never heard a disease with those symptoms either. Well, I am not that well versed as a healer."

I think about what to do with the current ruler.
We need to do something about the guy for now.
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
◇

Evening of that day.
We've gathered in an inn room.

"This territory is really awful...."

"The mood of this city is far gloomier than what I heard...."

"Or rather, won't this city be in danger if we leave the current ruler alone?"

Looks like the three are well aware of this city's ruler's dreadfulness.
Alma is right, we can't let the guy run around free.

"Yeah. Thus, I'm going to send principal a letter."

I took a paper out of Storage magic.
The easiest way out of this is by secretly assassinating the guy but.... that will cause a chaos, so it'll be the last resort.

"Principal... Ah! Are you going to convey the situations to the king through the principal?"

"That's right. And here's the content..."

I write a message to the principal on the paper.
The letter was done in less than one minute.

『We have arrived at the dungeon city, but we still don't understand what our homework is about even after coming here. Would it be acceptable for us to be exempted from the homework along with classes?』

The three speak out when they see the sentences written on the letter.

"...What is this?"

"It reads like... a completely trivial letter...."

"What's a homework? Is that human's culture?"

Putting Iris aside, I've anticipated the two's reactions.
But that is fine.

"That's how it looks outwardly, this letter is a dummy, here's the real one."

I take another letter after saying that.
It details about the current ruler's behavior and that there's a high possibility of demon's intervention in the previous ruler's passing.
I put that letter and the dummy letter in a box that has a secret compartment in the bottom.

This secret compartment can't be easily opened as I've assimilated the material together using magic, the box is very good in being undetected.
It won't get find out unless the other party is a specialist. I've told the principal about this method, I'm sure he will notice.

"...Is it a countermeasure for inspections?"

"Yeah. There's no doubt that the letter will go through inspections. Otherwise, the royal capital would have been informed of this terrible situation long ago. We could go there ourselves, but a round trip takes more time than expected."

That said, there is a limit to information blockade, it's only a matter of time before this situation leaks out even without me doing anything.
The royal capital was probably late in their correspondence because they were busy dealing with demons.

"I see.... So you can use production magic like this too...."

We sent the letter to the royal capital and went to take a rest in preparation for tomorrow.
Now we just need to wait for the king's response while exploring the dungeon.
The king is usually quick to act when it's about a matter related to demons, so it shouldn't take long.

















Previous Chapter

Chapter 139 Strongest Sage, Made into the Leader

 

"I...It healed!? That wound!? You sure about that!?"

"I'm very sure!"

While listening to them, I stopped the second person's bleeding and went to the next patient.
It's important to be quick if you're stopping bleeding.

"L-let me see it!"

The healing magicians followed after me.
And then they're watching me doing the healing slightly away without saying anything.

You guys should use that time to heal the other patients instead....
While thinking about that, I coagulated the patient's blood with magic and closed the wound using magically made threads.
And then I put the finishing touch with healing magic and went to the next patient.

It all took 30 seconds.
I could have used healing magic right from the start, but the mana consumption would be too big.
Then I move on to the next patient.

"A-amazing...."

"I've never seen such a fast treatment before...."

"Didn't he just stop the bleeding with magic? I didn't know that kind of magic exist...."

The healing magicians sounded surprised to see my treatment.
....Think they'll obey me now.
I'll give it a try.

"Could you guys give a hand instead of just gawking there. Just as you can see, we don't have enough people for the healing."

"G-got it! We just need to use magic on the patients by those wooden tag's orders right!"

The healing magician leader nodded to my words.
And then he went to the patients with numbered tags.
The other healing magicians cooperated too when they saw their leader.

"Alma, no.23 is done! Go to the next one!"
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>
"Gotcha!"

"You can't manage no.27 alone! Cooperate with another!"

"Yes!"

I'm using 【Passive Detection】 while healing the patients and giving instructions while keeping tabs of the patients' mana reactions and the remaining mana of the healing magicians.
Many of the patients were unconscious so we couldn't get their names, therefore, we used the wooden tags as substitutes.

As expected of healing magicians who had stayed in this city until now, they were more usable than their early impression would suggest.

--And about an hour later.

"We've treated the last person!"

We're done treating everyone with Alma's announcement.
Now, no one will die at least.

In the end, the four of us were the only ones who could continue the treatment.
The city's healing magicians ran out of mana nearing the end and shifted to nursing the patients.
Well, they were downed when there were 20 patients remaining though, we were able to save all the patients in part due to their contributions.

"You really did save them all... You may look like a kid, but in reality you must be a veteran healer aren't you?"

The healing magician leader talked to me after seeing that it was over.
Let alone famous, I can count people I used healing magic on in my past life by hands.
There were also times when I healed monsters I defeated and returned them to the forest in hope of making them stronger, but it's not a popular method nowadays.

"Nope, I've never taken the role of a healer before."

"Are you saying that this was your first time!?"

"Well, I'm an adventurer. I've been through a lot."

Apparently, it's customary in this country not to probe into an adventurer's past.
They should stop pressing further if I say it like this.

"Your skills are still weird regardless of what you've been through.... Even your instructions felt like you had precisely grasped what everyone was capable of...."

"Well, that's a matter of experience. ...By the by, I've got a little question."

I stare at the healing magician.

"Question?"

"Yeah. I'd like to hear the details about the previous ruler's passing... I've heard that it was because of a rare disease...."

Of course the latter half was a lie.
I don't know how the previous ruler died.
The only reason why I pretended to have an interest in his disease is to avoid suspicion.

However, I have a reason to ask this.
From what I've heard so far, the previous ruler was a competent man.

In fact, the basic constructions of this city are well thought out despite traces of deterioration from the current ruler.
I can't believe a ruler like that would willingly appoint such an inept man like the current ruler is as his successor.

However, it could be a case of him not making it in time while he was trying to find a solution.
--Like say, if he suddenly passed away.

"That rumor is inaccurate. The previous ruler passed away from a wound he sustained from a monster. You might have been able to easily cure him, but keeping his life for a week was the best we could do."

I see. Normal wound huh.
There are monsters that are poisonous after all.

Even if that wasn't the case, with the level of the healing magicians here, no one could probably heal a too serious injury.
As I thought this far, the healing magician spoke like he recalled something.

"Ah. There was one strange point. ...He lost his ability to speak early on. Due to that, ruler-sama wasn't able to leave a will."

...I see.
It came to that huh.
















Previous Chapter

Chapter 138 Strongest Sage, Heals

 

"Healing magicians recruited by the guild, we're here!"

A few minutes after the guild called for assembly.
We arrived at a wide building near the dungeon.

"T-this is terrible..."

"Did they not administer first-aid treatment..."

The inside was awful.
More than 200 wounded adventurers are lying on the floor, most without even having been treated with first-aid.

They have a sick ward in this city but it seems they don't have enough beds at all.
Nor recovery personnels.

Looking around, there are only around six people who can use healing magic here including me and Ruli.
Judging from the scale of this city, it needs at least three times that.

"We're in a dungeon city, even only by name, right? Aren't there more the healing magicians than these?"

"We have no more! Previously, we had people specialized in the field employed by the city, but last month, the ruler said that it was a waste of expenditure and let got most of them...."

"Are you serious...."

The situation was even more terrible than I thought.
I investigate the adventurers' mana while looking around.

I can't heal them all at once in a situation like this.
Thus, I need to set priorities.
If it seems like we don't have enough hands, we might have to give up on some of them to save as many life as possible, but....

"Okay, looks like we can heal them all."

Fortunately, healing magic that doesn't require range is one of the strongest point of Disqualified Crest.
For now, I should be able to at least save their life.

"Eh!? All of them!?"

The guild personnel was surprised to hear my statement.
Her tone sounded like such a thing was impossible.

If possible, I'd like to continue after getting her understanding, but... We don't have time.
We can only save them all if we start the healing right away.

"Yes. All of them! I'll do the complicated part, everyone, use healing magic on the wooden tag I prepared one by one! We need to treat a lot of people, so just heal them enough to prevent them from dying!"

As I said that, I magically carved numbers on wooden tags I took out of storage magic and left them beside the patients.
Even Disqualified Crest can do it if it's just carving readable numbers.

"Yes!"

"I understand!"

Alma and Iris nodded when they heard me, and began to carry the magic tools Ruli created.
The other healing magicians aren't moving.... But I've got no time to care for them.
I have my own important work to do.

I use healing magic on patients whose injuries are especially bad to prevent them from losing any more blood.
Judging from the other healing magicians' quality of mana, they can only heal physical strength at most.
I need to heal people who are hemorrhaging myself.

Someone called me out from behind.

"Hold it right there! We're professionals! Why do we have to listen to a child!"

The one who called was one of the gathered healing magicians.
He's probably one of the remaining healing magicians in this city.

Seeing how the other healing magicians are following him, I guess this guy is the leader.
Well, as for his skill in healing magic... It's just as you've guessed, same with other magicians.

"Then can we save them all with your lead?"

I asked the healing magician while still continuing the healing process.
His reply is within my expectations.

"Of course not! However, we can minimize the victims by prioritizing people who can be saved! So you should abandon that hopeless patient and--"

I stand up and go to another patient while ignoring the healing magician.
It seems like this healing magician understands the procedure when you don't have enough hands.
However... It looks like he lacks the capability to grasp the situations.

"It really is impossible huh! So stop treating that hopeless patient--"

He probably thinks that I've given up after seeing me moving away from the patient.
The healing magician shouted out at me.
The other healing magicians behind him look at the patient I treated... and let out surprised voices.

"I-it's healed! That horrible injury is healed, look!"


















Previous Chapter

16-13. End of the Assailants

 

※From third person point of view


"Is that an airship? But it looks somewhat organic....."
"It's emitting such wicked presence. Do you know what that is Satou-san?"

Satou and miko apprentice Lily exchanged words while looking up from the terrace of Tenion temple.
Satou's AR shows it as, [<<Evil Float Ship>>].

"It seems to be a kind of ghost shop called Evil Float Ship."

In his mind, Satou recalled the ghost ship he fought in the Lalakie sea during the Divine Punishment.
Ghost ships have a peculiar type of sub-dimensional travel function called [Underworld Crossing], it probably made use of that to appear in the duchy capital.

(I got the reason why it didn't show up in my Map before the ceremony, but who and why did they attack the duchy capital?)

The Evil Float Ship continued its battle against the Duchy Capital army while Satou was lost in thought.

"Looks like the duchy capital army is putting up a good fight."

Lily muttered.

The Evil Float Ship's attack was blocked by the duchy castle's defensive wall.
On the other hand, none of the duchy capital army's attack could get through the Evil Float Ship's defensive wall either.

"--Ah."

Lily witnessed a high powered ray fired by the Evil Float Ship cutting a Wyvern Rider in two.
Satou clicked his tongue when he saw that.

"That ray is dangerous."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm gonna go and neutralize it for a bit."

Satou thrusts his hand into the shadow on his feet and mixes it around.
At the same time, the Evil Float Ship's artillery that shot the ray was wrapped in black shadow.

"Alright, it should be fine now."

Lily looked up and the Evil Float Ship's artillery had disappeared.

"Amazing...."

Even while conversing with Lily, Satou is making use of [Magic Hand] and [Another World] to evacuate people who were located in places endangered by the Evil Float Ship.

The reason why Satou doesn't immediately get rid of the Evil Float Ship is probably because he's looking for the one who sent the ship here.

"And the royal capital--Don't think there's anything threatening there."

Satou looked over the royal capital with space magic [Distant View].

He was wary about simultaneous terror attack on both places, but it seemed to be in vain.

(Looks like there was an accident during the fake Holy Shell Mobile Armor activation experiment, but it's impossible to rampage with that by hijacking it anyway, and Princess Shistina with her golems and Zena-san are there, they should be able to manage even if they're with Lady Karina.)

Just in case, Satou told the situation to Liza who was sparring with Shiga Eight Swords in one corner of the royal castle through space magic [Telephone].
He also gave instructions to the intelligence division of Echigoya Firm and Chuu Fat and the other mice.

The Evil Float Ship was enveloped in tremendous explosions before their eyes.

"That was from the Duchy castle wasn't it."
"Yes, that was Ringrande-sama's attack magic."

A huge robot that looks exactly like the Holy Shell Mobile Armor is standing on the bow of the Evil Float Ship whose armor has been stripped off.
Satou muttered quietly, [Dynast].


◇


--I've got to stop it.

Ringrande who's riding on a small airship is overlooking the huge aerial warship with a flustered face.
The light shining from the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's chest, which has enough power to bring in ruin, is still trying to destroy the duchy castle.

The divine weapon bestowed by Gods to the Lalakie Kingdom that once thrived in a floating island--[Damnation Cannon] is attempting to demonstrate its full power here.

The dazzling light is flickering unstably.

--Her chant won't make it.

Ringrande's eyes could only see that flickering as an omen before the firing.
Even while staring straight at death, the only thing she can do is chanting a magic to oppose it.

She can only hope her father, the territory lord's proxy who holds the power of City Core, could block an attack from the [Damnation Cannon].

A sudden change happened to such a hopeless situation.

"--The light disappeared?"

The brownie in pilot uniform who was steering the airship muttered.
The light on the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's chest has disappeared.

If someone who holds the power to see mana were here, they would undoubtedly notice an abnormal amount of mana loss from the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's chest.
It's as if someone drained its mana.

"....■ <<Divine Explosion>>!"

Ringrande's advanced explosion magic pulverized the rear engine of the Evil Float Ship.

Several black shadows jumped off of the quickly descending ship, and lastly, the Holy Shell Mobile Armor took up a spear-like thing.

『RIIIIIIIIIIINGRANDEEEEEEEEEEE』

It cried out through the external speaker, and then the Holy Shell Mobile Armor made a leap off of the falling Evil Float Ship toward the small airship Ringrande was riding.

"Choiyaa!"

Just before the armor could grab the airship, it made a turn like a fighter jet.
It was an intense maneuver unthinkable of the slow moving airships of this world.

"I-I'm going to fall!"

The one riding on the airship doesn't think that it's a safe move to do however.
Ringrande ended up having to cling on to the handrail with her dear life in order to not get thrown off the airship.


◇


"I-it's demons!"
"Send the golem unit forward!"
"All hands, retreat while holding them back!"

The short horn demons that jumped out of the Evil Float Ship surprised the anti-aircraft unit of the Duchy Capital army.
The golem unit battled with the short horn demons, but the agile demons overwhelmed them and quickly got on heels of the retreating unit.

The burning trees that fell from the Evil Float Ship's bombardment blocked their escape route.

"I will hold them off here!"
"We're no match for them even if they're lesser demons. I won't let anyone die in vain!"
"However, if this keeps up--"

A youth who had reached level 20 spoke of a heroic line, but the well experienced unit commander stopped him.
In the middle of the youth speech, the commander was pulled away by an ape-like short horn demon.

"Commander!"

--ＧＲＯＲＯＲＯＬＷＮ.

The youth pulled out his mithril alloy sword to come to the rescue, but the short horn demon extended its arm and flung him away.

"--■■■ Drag Ignis"

A dragon of flame appeared while smashing the burning fallen trees and hit the short horn demon while scattering explosive flames around.
The commander who was pulled in also got burned but he was already mortally wounded.

"Just when I chased a fool who rampaged with the legacy of his Majesty that should have been sealed, reincarnated demons huh... And there's even Yamato's legacy."

A black clothed alchemist with a covered up face showed up from behind a fallen tree.

--ＧＲＯＲＯＲＯＬＷＮ.

"Hmph, figured it won't die from one shot--"

The black clothed alchemist drew a sword on his waist.

"This sword is too good for you, but..."

--ＧＲＯＲＯＲＯＬＷＮ.

The dying short horn demon charged toward the muttering alchemist.

"Perish, you grave robber."

A blue gust of wind flashed, and the being that was a short horn demon disappeared into black mist.

"Holy sword?"
"Hero-sama? It's Hero Nanashi-sama!"

The retreating unit forgot to escape and clamored.

"Hero huh... How ironic."

The alchemist looks at the coming crowd of short horn demons while laughing sarcastically.

"--Leave. ■■■■■■■..."

The soldiers retreat, leaving the alchemist who has begun a ranged attack magic chant.


◇
<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than Sousetsuka .com you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>

『RIIIIIIIIIIIINGRANDEEEEEE』

A two-pronged spear in the Holy Shell Mobile Armor hand was thrust at the small airship Ringrande was riding on.
Light buckshots that shot out of the spear tips exploded near the small airships.

"I can't shoot my magic! Stabilize the hull just a bit more!"
"It's impossible!"

The small airships slips through gap between the tiny explosions with acrobatic maneuvers.

"If we're too far away, my magic won't reach--then."
"Ri-Ringrande-sama?"

Ringrande jumped off of the airship.
She was free falling for a short while before her falling speed slowed down.

"I'm glad I got it from Hayato."

Running in the sky with the Flight Shoes, she approaches the Holy Shell Mobile Armor.

『RIIIIIIIIIIINGRANDEEEEEEE』
"Sheesh, can't you say anything else?"

She fired [Quick Burst] that could be chanted quickly at the head of the Holy Shell Mobile Armor that was taking the action to attack as a distraction, and closed the distance more.


◇


『Kukkukku... spread your struggle, hatred and fear, breed the miasma necessary for his majesty's resurrection』

Deep in a jet black darkness, a man in purple costume standing in front of a floating mirror muttered.
The mirror reflects the figures of Ringrande who's fighting with the Holy Shell Mobile Armor.

White mist is coiling about around the man, sometimes something that resembles an anguished face floats in the white mist.

『Well that objective is more mundane than I thought.』

A voice that came not from the man resounded in the jet black darkness.

『--Who is it. You who speak with the language of the great orc kingdom, show yourself.』

The one who appeared before the man was a slender boy wearing a purple wig and a white mask.

『That mask, you're!!』
『Nice to meet you, mastermind-san--』

The masked hero bowed like a stage actor.


◇


"GWAAAAA"

Ringrande who was hit hard by the two pronged spear got slapped onto the arena's ground.
Even though the force of the blow was enough to carve out a trench on the arena's ground, Ringrande still retained her fighting spirit.

Ringrande tried to get up, but the two pronged spear pierced the ground on both her sides, pressing on and holding her back.

".■■ Quick Burst."

The spell Ringrande chanted while coughing blood disappeared after only leaving a small light explosion.

『What's wrong, ran out of mana?』

A sane sounding voice that made the mad voice earlier seemed like a lie resounded from the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's external speaker.
A hatch on the throat of the Holy Shell Mobile Armor opened slightly, and the aged face of the third prince Sharlick peeked out from there.

"That face..."

Ringrande expressed her surprise to see the prince's face.

"I will ask you this only once."

The triumphant third prince Sharlick said so while looking down on Ringrande.

"Yield to me and give birth to the king of the next era."
"I refuse."

Ringrande flat out refused the third prince Sharlick.

"...What. How foolish can you be, Ringrande!"

The third prince's Sharlick's face convulsed and warped.

"I will destroy every single country in this age of strife once. And I am the only one who is capable of uniting all the lower class people in this turbulent time to create an empire that covers the entire continent. Do you mean to say that you have a problem becoming the wife of such greatness!"

Ringrande isn't answering the third prince Sharlick who rattled on with bloodshot eyes.
She's fully concentrating everything to recover her mana.

"No, you cannot possibly have any complaint. I will make you, who was discarded after becoming the hero's plaything and missed your chance to marry, into my sex consort, not concubine. You cannot possibly be dissatisfied with that!"

Ringrande's eyes were filled with rage.
She wasn't lenient enough to overlook words that made a mockery of the too stoic Hero Hayato.

Ringrande twisted her restrained body and took out a ring from her pouch.
It's a cursed item that can change life force into mana she found in the Blooduscking Labyrinth with Hero Hayato.

She has never used it since it has a fatal weakness of producing mana to the point of exhausting your entire life force.

"Oh I see now! You must be hesitating! No need to hesitate! I, the great king of the world, forgive you. Ringrande, become my empress!"

Third prince Sharlick feverishly shouted out loud words filled with love--nay, obsession.

"I refuse!"

Ringrande wore the ring and shouted.

"Wha, what--it can't be--why."

Third prince Sharlick's face distorted in shock.

"Because I hate you of course! Be reborn anew and make a fresh start! ■■ Quick Burst!"

Ringrande's explosion magic burst from the gap of the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's cockpit.

"GWAAAAAAAA"

White smoke and smell of burning meat leak out of the gap, and then the cockpit shuts off.

"DIEEEEEEEE"

Mana congregated into the two-pronged spear, and a vestige of light ball was produced in front of Ringrande's eyes.
She could break out if she struggled, but that would likely take time.

"--■■■ Drag Ignis"

The flame dragon that hit the armpit of the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's arm that held the spear spread explosive flames around.
Since the armor's hand got separated from the spear, the light that was going to roast Ringrande disappeared.

"Good grief.... Here I went to find out the identity of the fool who brought the Evil Float Ship here, and what I got was just a lover's quarrel, what a waste of time."

A black clothed alchemist showed up in the arena ground along with a heat haze.

"I can't really agree to that, but thank you for your help regardless."
"No need for thanks."

Blue light flashed, and then the two pronged spear turned into round slices.

"This sharpness is as absurd as always."
"Holy sword?"
"Correct. It's a blade to fell any evil given to me by my friend."

The magic artillery on the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's arms, and the [Divine Punishment Cannon] on its chest are clad with mana.
Ringrande and the black clothed alchemist run off to look for a cover.

"Can you fight that?"
"I cannot."

The black clothed alchemist concisely replied to Ringrande.

The Holy Shell Mobile Armor's triple weapons are filled with red light.

"That's Yamato's anti-demon magic weapon that can even wrestle against greater demon. It's the strongest and worst weapon created by the mad magic engineers of Furu Empire--it cannot be defeated by ordinary men."

The alchemist spoke as if it was none of his business.

White and red light behind them are approaching critical.
The cover they're running toward to is still far away, and even if they arrive in time, they don't think it would be strong enough to block the super weapons behind them.

Ringrande is convinced of her death when she feels the burning heat on her back.

"--Thus, I leave the rest to you."
"OK."

The light and heat behind them disappeared with that easygoing voice.

Ringrande turned around and saw the Holy Shell Mobile Armor who had lost its mana falling prostrate to the ground, and purple haired Hero Nanashi floating in the air before it.

"Heya, Ga Hou, did you come to help?"
"I just came across grave robbers who rampaged around with his majesty's legacy that should have been sealed."

The Holy Shell Mobile Armor's hatch opened, and a dark purple figure showed up from there.
Hero Nanashi didn't even need to turn around as the figure got slapped onto the arena's ground.

"I found youuuuuuuuuu! You fake hero who stole my holy sword!"
"The one controlling it was the third prince huh."

Hero Nanashi looks below on the third prince who soul crushingly cried out.

"And, since when were you a demon?"

Hero Nanashi's line of sight was directed at the long horn on the third prince's forehead.

"The king who rules over the world needs a body that transcends humanity!"
"But your body is crumbling, is that alright?"

Black mist coils around the third prince's body as it's crumbling down.
The crumbling fragments disappear into black mist.

"T-this can't be..."

His body is crumbling from the ends of his limbs.

"No, no, I am, the ruler... of the world..."

Ringrande's mana clad magic sword destroys the third prince before he crumbled completely.
That might have been her mercy.

"So, I see that there's a clown behind you, did you catch the mastermind?"
"Un, I did catch the mastermind who directly perpetrated this."

Hero Nanashi pulls a purple clothed man restrained with magic sealing ivy out of a shadow and throws him to the ground.

"Don't tell me--"

Ga Hou tore off the hood that covered the purple clothed man's face.
What showed up was a face of a corpse rotten to the core.
There's a twisted horn on its forehead.

『--Zo Gil.』
『Is that you Ga Hou?』

Ga Hou's face grimaced to see a familiar face under the hood.

A face of pity and grief to see a former colleague who got called back as an undead and been reborn as a greater demon with Twisted Demon Horn.

『What would be the reason for you, the one entrusted to command the entire army of his majesty, to lay waste on his majesty's grave.』
『Is there any other reason than for the second coming of his majesty.』
『You fool... You think his majesty would wish to be revived as a demon lord.』

It's probably the difference in perception between someone who died before the final battle and someone who survived through it.

『To rebuild Orc Empire on this land--that is his majesty's wish!』
『Who told you that?』

Hero Nanashi smoothly asked Zo Gil who vigorously shouted out.

『His majesty demon lord who stands equal to his majesty, goblin--』

Zo Gil's head blew off in the middle of his words.

It must be a delayed magic that would activate if he were about to say a certain word.
Hero Nanashi traces the vestige of magic that not only revived him as an undead but also destroyed a being that had turned into a greater demon.

"Zo Gil..."

Ga Hou gave a silent prayer to the body of his old friend that was disappearing into black mist.

"So the one who assaulted the duchy capital was the demons after all?"
"Yup, you're right. I wasn't able to reel them in, but our opponent appears to be one of the demon lords."

Hero Nanashi replied to Ringrande.
However, Hero Nanashi didn't speak the fact that the [Goblin] word Zo Gil left behind might be referring to the [Goblin King].

(From this matter, I see that they haven't given up on their schemes and get to know one of the elusive sources of this.)

Hero Nanashi--Satou is exploring for solutions in his mind.

"Nin nin~?"

A golden ninja wearing pink mantle showed up from the shadow on his feet.

"Pick up~?"

Satou joined hands with the golden ninja and returned to the royal capital using Unit Arrangement.

Apparently, something happened in the royal capital.






※ Next Update is planned for 9/17.

※ People who don't remember Ga Hou could refer to Volume 7 of the published book or web [Intermission: Orc Alchemist].














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