Chapter 568 |
Defensive Battle of All Worlds ⑭ Each’s Defensive Battle Eleventh
Author’s Note: There’s more than 13000 words, so please pay attention to your reading time and eyes’ health.
There was a car running at full speed from the heart of the extremely chaotic London toward the city outskirt.
It was avoiding the main streets and ran across back street to back street as much as possible. In some cases it even crossed walkway and small public parks in the city. The driver’s ability to choose the route that avoided the major traffic jam and blocked path could only be described as superb.
Although.
「H-hey!? As expected driving through a building is too much isn’t it!?」
The road in front was clogged by great number of cars. The walkway was also no good. Cars trying to pass each other were blocking the road like puzzle pieces causing a complete deadlock.
As soon as the driver saw that, he swerved sharply toward a building’s entrance and crashed inside. On the surface he was an analyst of the security bureau, but his true identity was an illegal agent of JD Agency and Director Magdanese’s right-hand man――Allen Parker.
Fortunately the looby was deserted. The car passed through and crashed through the glass wall at the other side without braking and came out at the opposte road. Allen replied 「Weell~」 listlessly even while driving in a way like he was picking a fight with the traffic rule head-on.
When he glanced at the rearview mirror, he saw Emily there sitting stiffly with a twitching face. As soon as her eyes met Allen through the mirror, she raised her voice and let out an angry yell.
「This isn’t simply rowdy driving anymore though!?」
「No, I’m really sorry. I too am on tenterhooks here in various sense from being assigned with escorting you……」
「I’m the one on tenterhooks over here――kyaaaaahfront! The froont!」
*Kiiii–* Allen made the car’s rear swung aside while making the tires screaming. A large car that ignored the traffic light appeared at the intersection ahead.
Allen turned right while dodging the car with an impressive wheel control. Then he himself ignored the traffic light at the next intersection and turned left. He returned to the route heading toward their destination.
「At this rate we’ll meet our end first before we can meet with big sis Lizzy!」
It seemed her forehead just got smashed on the window due to the inertia. Emily was protesting while rubbing her head with tearful eyes.
Yes, Emily was going on a drive that was like an action movie’s stunt work like this was to pick up her very very important big sister figure――Lizzy Ashton.
The universities at Britain were in the middle of long holiday in this period of time. Because of that too, Lizzy was coming to London in a coincidence. It was for doing a program that was like part-time work in a research facility affiliated with Gamma Drug Manufacturer which was her future workplace.
When Emily was making her round of emergency call, it seemed Lizzy had just gotten into the subway at London outskirt near the research facility. She was in the middle of going home. Due to the commotion this time the train stopped completely and she was walking together with the other passengers to get out to the surface. Right now Emily and Allen were driving the car toward that surface entrance where Lizzy would go out from.
「Even if you say that we’re in a race for time right now, and it’s also dangerous for you to be outside like this……」
「Danger……you don’t only mean the “void god” by that aren’t you?」
It went without saying, Allen’s original duty wasn’t protection of VIP but capturing, interrogating, and if necessary assassinating people like the Worshippers or the magicians.
And yet he accepted the duty of escorting Emily who was moved from Grant Residence to the security bureau (Vanessa’s work commuting route). The reason was naturally because of the “void gods” appearing all over London, but other than that there was a bigger reason. It was because it was judged that his anti-personnel combat ability was needed.
「The Worshippers are already starting to realize the true identity of the “mystery man in black”.」
「M-mystery man in black……」
Mystery man in black――it was a being that was becoming hot topic in internet right now. From a glance, it looked like a conflict between monsters but, Could it be that one is protecting humans? there were a lot of people who were starting to realize that.
In internet 「Apparently it’s called the abyss lord」「Hah? What’s that, sound funny」「Is he chuunibyou huh」「What’s your source?」「No, it’s the person himself who called himself that」「I also heard. Apparently he also called himself Abyssgate」「Is this a joke?」「He can, understand words?」「No, he can’t in a sense」「He’s springing out all over the world」「What’s that, scary」 etc. Fact and speculation and honest impression were thrown everywhere.
Emily felt conflicted toward the conflicting rumors about her lover.
「And so, it’s not hard to imagine that they’ll target the people important for Aby-san in order to back up the “void gods”. It’s also easy to imagine that in order to secure you who’s among those important people, they’ll surely target the “people of Grant Residence” who you are holding in great importance.」
Of course, we the agents of JD Agency are in full mobilization in order to prevent that though, Allen said that while putting out a hand outside the window and shooting the head of the cat-thing that had been running in parallel to the car without her knowledge with an unparalleled accuracy using the handgun in that hand.
「By all rights, Dr. Grant should be evacuated right away to Nagumo house even if alone though.」
「Uu, I can’t say anything back if you tell me that……」
Emily looked down while tightly holding her seatbelt. Sharp swerve! *GON* A nice banging sound rang out. Next 「Kyan」 there was also a scream that sounded like a puppy’s yelp.
It seemed her head hit the window again. Emily’s hands clung on the assist grip above the window and braced herself so she wouldn’t hit her head again.
「Ah, no, I’m not being sarcastic you know? I know how you feel. Besides, we’ll need to secure her sooner or later anyway due to the risk. And so you taking action is overwhelmingly faster as well as efficient, that’s a fact. And so, please don’t tattle that I’m being sarcastic okay? Please.」
「No, I’m not going to do anything like that though……」
She wondered why this person felt so pathetic even though he was a super skilled agent. The way he was observing Emily’s mood while genuinely shivering in fear was really far from the image of the right-hand man of the security bureau’s director.
「It’s also true that I’m being selfish……. But, this is something that I can’t concede no matter what. That’s why, I’m sorry for wasting your time but, please take care of me, Allen-san.」
It was just as Allen said.
Emily’s name was at the top part of “the list of evacuees to Nagumo house”. Because she a non-combatant was one of the existences whose safety had to be secured the most to allow Kousuke to fight without any worry.
Of course, the names of Emily’s family and her big sister figure Lizzy Ashton, along with the names of the children in Grant Residence were also in the list.
But originally, the people who were living like freeloader in Grant Residence――the priests and sisters dispatched from the church, and “the awakened” who were under custody weren’t put in this list.
Because their relationship was too indirect for them to be welcomed deep inside Nagumo house.
Where and what kind of influence they were getting, how many of their family were to be protected. What to do about the other “awakened”. Was it just the “awakened” at Grant Residence who were given special treatment……
Like that, there would be no end to the protection targets.
That was exactly why, the facilities sheltering the “awakened” ――mainly the churches though――were given sturdy and supernatural defense……
In any case, certainly when thinking what kind of existence Emily was for Kousuke, she should be evacuated first even if just by herself. It was an undoubtedly fair reasoning.
Emily acknowledged that with admirable attitude. Allen shook his head with a bit of panic.
「Please stop, it’s awkward to be treated politely by you. After all if talking about making trouble then it’s me who had greatly troubled you before. Perhaps this isn’t much for a compensation but, if you say that you want to protect your family then I’ll cooperate no matter what.」
Yes, family. Family. It wasn’t just her parents and grandmother. Right now Emily had a new family that she swore in her heart that she would protect.
Kousuke and Rana and the others went without saying. But the children sheltered in Grant Residence were also definitely family. They weren’t just freeloaders and she just wasn’t their patron. They were children who she swore were family.
「With the situation as it is, there’s a chance that even the protection in Grant Residence won’t be enough even if it’s just a small chance. I understand your feeling of wanting to evacuate them.」
「……Yes. At present I’m the only one who is permitted for direct teleportation to Nagumo house, and I don’t have anything to do. So for me to run away to the safe area by myself……I can’t do it.」
Teleporting from any location to Grant Residence and not to mention Emily’s home, and connecting Grant Residence to Nagumo house, right now Emily was the only one who could do that. The identification system was performed by soul magic so the gate couldn’t be opened by someone else.
If it was Emily, it was possible to do one-way teleportation as long as she was able to arrive where the target was.
Additionally speaking, even demon or apparition with teleportation ability couldn’t directly teleport to Nagumo house that was in defense level max right now. Only the seven deadly sins demon kings and a handful of highest ranked demons were permitted for that.
Therefore, there were a ton of things to do, and priority had to be assigned to them no matter what. She was unable to secure the safety of the awakened children first and foremost.
That was why, Emily couldn’t stay still in the safe area by herself because she was in the possession of an exclusive gate key even though it was a one-way ticket that required her to travel physically first to the target.
「……It’s a “home” that I decided to build together with Kousuke and others. I want to be at those children’s side no matter what’s the situation. I decided to be at their side. Just like teacher did for me in the past.」
She was extending her hand to the children who sought help, just like her mentor did for her before. She would create a “home” where they could be at peace and where they could return to anytime.
It was with that feeling that she started the Grant Residence, where awakened children were taken custody and welcomed as new family.
If the central personage of that home evacuated ahead of everyone else to somewhere else during emergency, then certainly it might be something that went against her heart, her determination, and the trust from everyone.
Even if, putting priority to securing her own safety was the logical and optimal solution.
Even if there was the worst situation that was predicted to happen by doing this.
This was a line that she would never cross no matter what. For Emily, and surely, for Kousuke too.
After all when Emily said that she wanted to do this, Kousuke hugged her tightly with an extremely gentle expression.
Hajime put the children of Grant Residence in the evacuee list as awakened exception was definitely also because he recognized her feeling and conviction.
「Just in case, I’ve asked a strong demon to be bodyguard, and I’m also wearing all the defensive artifacts so, I’ll manage NYAH!?」
「Oops, sorry. I drove on the walkway. Putting that aside, it looks like mister demon god is also favoring “Dr. Grant” a lot huh. I’m so jealous. Can’t I get some kind of good item too?」
Allen looked at the rearview mirror with a jesting tone. Perhaps he disliked the serious atmosphere a bit.
It seemed Emily-chan had bitten her tongue quiet deeply. She was shaking fiercely while hugging her knees. It seemed to be really painful. She didn’t look like she had any leeway to reply.
And then, a situation arrived that made Allen to be the one who was lacking leeway.
「Hm? Geh, how did they come from over there!? Aah geez, Dr. Grant! It’ll be a bit wild ride! Be careful so you don’t bit on your tongue!」
「Hou’re hahing hat nowh!?」
Emily reflexively protested but, she noticed that Allen’s eyes that were visible from the rearview mirror had turned into the eyes of an illegal agent and she held her breath.
Emily followed his gaze and when she looked over her shoulder, she saw two SUV closing the distance fast.
Something like a mass of grey smoke flew out from one of the cars. Its speed was like a cannonball.
Allen dodged it by a hair’s breadth by skidding the car’s frame to rotate once.
The SUVs were in hot pursuit due to the deceleration and reached their side. At the same time, Allen extended his arm from the window.
That arm was holding a handgun that was different from earlier, however, from a glance it looked like a normal large automatic handgun.
The trigger was pulled. And yet there was no bursting sound of gunpowder. There was also no bullet casing ejected.
The fired bullet hit between the gas tank and tire with unparalleled accuracy. However, the bullet didn’t open a hole into the car or get deflected. It was sticking to the frame like magnet instead.
And then, looking closer the bullet casing was also still sticking. It didn’t get bounced from the bursting, but shot along which must be due to some kind of mechanism inside the handgun.
The bullet was clearly a special one with extremely reduced power and range compared to normal handgun. Right after that, the enemy learned what was the meaning of such bullet.
It created a staggering explosion and the SUV’s back floated as though it had just gotten its butt kicked. It didn’t stop there and rotated upside down like it someone had done shoulder throw against it. It obeyed the inertia and slid away.
And then, it exploded in flame. Apparently the gas tank caught fire.
The other SUV broke right through that flame blast.
「What’s that just now!? The bullet exploded!?」
「Yes, it’s the prided invention of our R&D――it’s the so-called spy gadget.」
「Could it be, this car also has mechanism……」
「Sorryy, I already used them up in my previous mission……」
「It’s really a movie world……」
「Our head researcher and Mr. Nagumo seems to really hit it off and got fired up you see. Perhaps I’ll also get supplied with some before long? Brieze and Schutaif is it? I want those.」
The atmosphere was like a casual chat but, they were under fire from the SUV that was in hot pursuit. A type of magician that must be targeting Emily was firing an assault rifle in full auto. Though the window wasn’t cracked because this was a reinforced car.
「This would be easy if there’s still some missiles remaining at the back though……」
「Eh, ah, it might be alright……?」
「Yes?」
Emily spoke with a twitching face. Allen tilted his head in confusion while looking at the rearview mirror. Right at the next moment.
On the SUV’s bonnet, a giant arrow as long as an adult male and as thick as a human arm landed *ZUDON*.
The giant arrow that came down from the sky not only pierced the engine. It also got buried into the road like a stake that completely sewed the SUV in place. Of course, the kinetic energy from the car’s great speed assaulted the car’s frame and interior as recoil.
Looking at the car’s frame that got crumpled until the middle, it could be guessed what’s the condition of the people inside.
The next moment, *ZUDON* there was a second impact. Allen and Emily jerked while at the same time looking at the side. There a majestic centaur holding a great bow landed on the road then ran parallel to the car.
「Ah, this is, Buer-san. A demon.」
「Ah, I see. Nice to meet you……」
The mighty president of hell nodded Nn and turned transparent before vanishing. He was a great demon who was knowledgeable of natural philosophy, morality, pharmacy, and medical care, and also in possession of healing power……the great demon (?) had been favoring Emily-chan greatly even from before, perhaps because of her natural talent in pharmacy.
It was to the degree that this time too he volunteered to be her guard. Or rather, even usually he would try to be of help in various ways.
Btw, when he showed his true nature, five goat legs would grew out from his lion head like a pentagram. It was a shocking form that could shave the sanity level quite much, so even while holding respect as her teacher in medicine, Emily was also harboring a bit of discomfort toward him.
Getting back on topic.
「In any case, looks like there’s no more pursuer……we’ll soon arrive at the designated location. Please teleport to Grant Residence right away after we link up with Miss Ashton.」
「Right, I know.」
Their destination came into view while Allen was talking.
There were a lot of people running every which way in panic. It was chaos, even so perhaps because this location was quite far away from the city center, there was no “void god” around so the situation was still relatively better.
They looked around near the entrance of the subway.
「Found her! Over there!」
Emily saw a red haired woman crouching and leaning behind a large building’s pillar at the other side of the road.
There were several cars that had been abandoned, making it difficult to drive. Feeling vexed, Emily turned her gaze at Allen. Allen nodded and took out his gun while getting out of the car.
His sharp gaze ran through the surrounding, then he nodded.
Emily immediately got out of the car and raised her voice 「Big sis!!」 while running. Allen also stayed on guard against the surrounding while following behind.
「Emily!」
Lizzy seemed to notice them too. Her anxious expression cleared up immediately. She rushed out from behind the pillar and ran toward them.
The two then hugged each other and felt each other’s safety through the warmth.
「Thank god you’re safe, big sis. Are you injured anywhere?」
「Yes. I’m fine. Rather I’m in a good mood from the precious experience of going through the subway on foot.」
It was obvious she was just bluffing from the color of her face. She must be acting tough because she was in front of her little sis.
「Just what in the world is going on, Emily?」
「I’ll tell you all of it later. For now, we should go home first with teleport. From there we’ll evacuate to Nagumo house at Japan.」
「The children?」
「They’re fine. You’re the last one big sis.」
You’ll be angry if you heard that you got prioritized over the children right? Her little sister figure winked while saying that. Lizzy nodded with a wry smile hearing that.
At the same time, the tension in her shoulders went away a little knowing that it seemed all the children were already in Grant Residence.
「Everyone’s family is heading to Grant Residence too right now. I heard that Father Charles might stay behind for a while, so as soon as we arrive, I’ll open the gate again to pick him up.」
「The children has to be evacuated first even if it’s just them isn’t it.」
「You two! Can I ask you to keep the talk until after the evacuation is complete?」
Allen’s voice startled the two. Emily immediately took out her exclusive gate key. It was among some other modern looking keys bundled with a keyholder of adorable anime character. She picked one of the keys.
「Eh, we’re doing it here?」
「Yep. We’re told that it’s fine to put secrecy as secondary.」
「We’re in this situation. It’s too late trying to keep it a secret now.」
Emily glanced at the surprised Lizzy before thrusting her key to the front.
「Hi! Aby! Open the door to the Grant Residence!」
『FUHAHAHAH, confirmed! Emily Grant!! Feel free to pass! Through mine door of abyss!』
It went without saying that Allen and Lizzy’s expressions became conflicted. Emily too looked a bit embarrassed.
Of course, a certain demon god was the culprit who set up this kind of activation word. He even went out of his way to record the Abyssgate speech to resemble the confirmation word of a certain well-known voice assistant. It wasn’t Emily’s doing by any means.
In any case, the space whirled and shined around the key. The get was opening without any problem.
Emily turned around and looked at Allen.
「Thank you for driving me until here.」
「No no, please take care. Although, you only need to teleport to the absolutely safe area from here.」
「Ahaha, that’s true…… You too, take care.」
「That’s unexpected, but those words really hit the heart.」
Thinking back of the past incident, Allen smiled wryly because that consideration was really unexpected.
Emily shrugged in respond and held her hand toward Lizzy.
Like that,
「Now, let’s go, big si――」
That hand held empty air.
Because before Lizzy’s hand that was also reaching forward held Emily’s hand, Emily’s hand was moving away.
Yes, something that ought to be described as a lump of meat leaped out from inside the gate. That thing with its flesh and blood replaced with the nauseating texture of “amorphous monster” instantly expanded and swallowed Emily in one breath.
Then like a receding tide, the amorphous flesh blob vanished to the other side of the gate.
There wasn’t even any time to scream.
Not just Lizzy, even Allen couldn’t make any move. Everything happened in an instant.
The gate warped unnaturally, then it dispersed as though it was twisted off.
What was left behind was the noise of the surrounding and,
「…………………Emi, ly?」
The voice of the big sister whose precious little sister just got taken away. Her voice echoed through empty air meaninglessly.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
*DOONN* There was impact. Right after that,
「Kyaaaaaaaaaaah!!?」
The one who shrieked while rolling on the ground was Emily. A shining half-transparent sphere――a barrier from an automatically activating artifact that enveloped her whole body was fading away.
Terror and axiety were putting her heart in a tight hold. Hah-hah-hah-hah- Her breathing was repeating in short and fast rhythm.
It couldn’t be helped. What she experienced just now was undoubtedly “predation”. She instinctually knew. That she was eaten. The sensation was just too repulsive and horrifying that she couldn’t even recognize that she was protected by a barrier.
The sight of writhing blob of flesh was burned into her eyes and wouldn’t leave. She could even see it again when closing her eyes like revolving lantern.
Even so her numerous peculiar experiences that no ordinary person would have was preventing her from falling into panic if only just barely.
She was staying on her hands and knees, but she somehow lifted up her head.
*DOSUN* A horse’s foot stomped in front of her eyes.
「Kyaaaaaaaaah――wait, Buer-san-」
The centaur carrying a great bow on his back was looking down at her. He had a peculiar look of thick beards and hair standing on end along with features that made him looked like a lion, but his eyes looked concerned.
「T-thank you. You saved me didn’t you?」
He nodded. He was quite the untalkative type even usually. His unchanging attitude and then his immediate vigilance against the surrounding after he confirmed Emily’s safety made her heart calmed down a little.
At the same time, she realized.
「Tsu, everyone!?」
Emily’s exclusive gate key had certainly worked. That meant, it should be connected to Grant Residence.
A flesh blob leaped out from that gate. Then, thinking normally it came from inside the Grant Residence.
Her heart that had almost calmed down was thrown into turmoil once more. Anxiety and terror turned her mind pure white.
She scolded her legs and waist that wouldn’t move like she wanted. Then Emily somehow stood up while looking around again.
「Eh……this place……」
What came into view was a road, lined up houses, trees at the sidewalk……
It wasn’t the Grant Residence no matter how she looked at it. It was clearly outdoor. But, it also wasn’t a completely unfamiliar scenery.
「This is, near the house isn’t it?」
She knew the street. The house should be five or six more kilometers from here.
But, she wasn’t sure. It certainly looked familiar but, there was something there that was just too different.
「What’s……with the sky……」
Perhaps it should be described as marble color. It was like she had entered inside a soap bubble. The color changed each moment. Those colors mixed in complicated pattern. The sky’s pattern was like that.
Bluntly speaking, it was a coloring that was nauseating, making her felt like her senses would go crazy the more she looked at it.
『This is a barrier befitting a class 0.』
A pleasant baritone voice sounded in her ears. Buer was looking toward a point of the sky with a harsh gaze. Emily couldn’t see anything but there must be something there.
Buer suddenly nocked his arrow. His magic power that was colored like mercury whirled like a powerful vortex that was converging into the arrow. A beat later, the arrow was fired like a cannon with a beautiful form toward the something in the sky.
It looked like he was targeting the sky above more than ten kilometers ahead. The arrow left a trail of magic power as it climbed to the sky. It was like a laser beam.
But, the arrow of light didn’t produce the expected result. It was too fast that Emily didn’t really understand but, she thought that it hit the zenith of the sky before the next moment it vanished with a whiff.
Buer narrowed his eyes to that and let out a low growl.
『Escape is most difficult.』
It seemed that it wouldn’t be easy to escape even with Buer’s strength. While Buer looked like he was thinking, Emily asked him question to confirm and digest the situation in her own way.
「Tsu, you’re saying that the teleportation is interfered? I’m targeted? This place is just another world that’s similar with the real world?」
『It’s the actual town. The town is taken along in its entirety. I don’t know about the teleportation’s discrepancy. Whether it’s intentional or accidental……either way, this is the highest class of spatial interference.』
The fact that even a great president of hell couldn’t escape. That Hajime’s artifact was interfered with and her teleportation coordinate was off point.
And then, a spatial interference barrier in the scale that covered a whole neighborhood, or perhaps the whole town. Looking at the marble colored sky, perhaps there was still more to come.
Indeed, this wasn’t the average “void god”. It wouldn’t be excessive to consider it the equivalent of a class 0.
「That’s……it’s strange! Because, our town isn’t like the big city! Even the university that has the most human concentration is in the middle of long holiday right now and mostly empty. Even the residential area, in this time slot there are a lot of people out at work!」
This wasn’t a town that a class 0 “void god” would go out of its way to target. After all those guys were appearing at locations with dense population to reap souls as efficiently as possible.
Emily’s thinking was certainly logical. At the very least up to this point.
Yes, the behavior pattern of a part of the “void gods” had changed.
Even if they targeted the metropolises they got stymied and taken down. Then, they couldn’t be extravagant anymore. Even if it was only bit by bit they would eat from place where it looked like there was food in order to gather strength. This was something like that if put in a simple term.
The change was brought by none other than mankind’s high defensive capability. It took Laila and the headquarters by surprise just for a moment. The slight delay in search led to the delay in respond and delayed the lord’s movement.
As the result, they allowed a barrier that enveloped a town to be formed.
The lord had just gotten sent in outside right at this moment. And, looked from outside it was a repulsive scenery of a huge writhing flesh covering the whole town. The lord currently was also in shock when he realized which town that wall of flesh was covering, and when Laila contacted him that she couldn’t teleport him directly inside.
Was it a coincidence that this town where Grant Residence was located got targeted? Or was it a design by someone?
Laila’s teleportation was blocked, and yet Emily’s personal gate key connected even if it was interfered? Was it simply the problem of timing that Emily did it before the barrier was fully completed?
It was unknown. Emily immediately tried to contact outside, and similarly the lord was trying to contact Emily, but the communication artifact didn’t function.
But,
「Kou, suke……?」
Emily looked up at the sky and muttered. Her heart that was assaulted by chill and terror that froze her viscera from inside mysteriously calmed down.
She couldn’t see, or hear, or talk. But, she somehow knew. Kousuke, no, the lord had begun fighting against the “barrier’s void god” with all his strength without laughing loudly like usual. She could feel his anxiety and rage.
He was right there, for her. She didn’t know the reason or the cause of it but she knew.
With just that, Emily’s heart regained its composure. It was like a warm fire had been lit, driving away the chill trying to enter inside her body.
*Paan* She slapped her cheeks and pulled herself together.
「Anyway let’s return to the house. We need to check everyone’s safety. Besides, I heard that the gate connecting Nagumo house and Grant Residence is specially made. Perhaps we’ll be able to escape from there.」
『Acknowledged. Get on.』
As soon as he said that, Emily’s body lightly floated. Perhaps it was telekinesis. Her body was put on Buer’s horse part just like that. Even though there wasn’t any saddle, her body was stable on it like she was stuck.
Right after that, the scenery became a blur.
「F-fast, too faast……」
He moved so fast that perhaps it didn’t even take a minute to reduce the distance of six kilometers. Even though it was an absurdly sudden acceleration, there was no burden to her body, and she also didn’t feel any air resistance. Although there was slight feeling of moving up and down to her body, she also didn’t feel almost any shaking. Her body stayed stable like she was riding on him while he stood still.
Calm down me! Right after she told herself that,
『Muh』
「Hie!?」
Buer leaped. She didn’t know he would do that and reflexively closed her eyes while clinging down on the horse body.
*ZUDON* The sound like a cannon reached her ears. When she opened her eyes, she could see the sight below really well because she was lying down……
「Eh……?」
She was astonished.
What first entered her eyes was a huge beast pinned to the ground because of the huge arrow skewering it.
Its body length must be around 4-5 meters. The form looked like a wolf. But, it had no skin. Its muscle, blood vein, and bone were exposed. There were lumps here and there, from where yellow-green pus spurted out or perhaps flowing out continually.
Buer’s jump just now must be an emergency evasion. He dodged the precise ambush from the side while running in super speed, as well as shooting it from above.
But, what truly shocked Emily wasn’t the bizarre and atrocious form of that skinless huge wolf.
「A-aa-」
It was reflected on Emily’s eyes while her body followed gravity down.
The sight of the town having been ravaged by the huge skinless wolf here and there. Houses were destroyed, cars that must have been crushed or torn apart while running.
And then, from inside those……
「Uu-」
Buer landed *Zun* along with a light impact. Emily reflexively covered her mouth.
It wasn’t because she got sick by the sense of weightlessness. It was because she saw. The nightmarish and nauseating sight.
It was immediately proven before her eyes, that the sight wasn’t a nightmare.
She heard screams. Screams of death throes.
At the same time, a house nearby got blown up like there was explosion from inside. She saw the inhabitant flying out from there.
Their lower body was already torn apart. The body then slammed and rolled on the road like a dirty rag before staying completely unmoving.
A huge skinless wolf showed up from the hole in the wall. Its mouth was smeared crimson. Someone’s arm got stuck between its fangs. It was another inhabitant that was devoured by it.
Emily was dumbfounded and couldn’t make any sound. She was frozen with her eyes wide open.
Buer fired his giant arrow like laser beam and put the thing down immediately but……
「What……the……」
She didn’t watch it.
Naturally. Because some other houses exploded even in that moment. There were also people who noticed the strangeness and went outside, getting into their car to escape but,
「Stop……stop it-」
Skinless wolves surged out from who knew where and attacked them. Such sight was unfolding.
The huge wolves attacking houses and cars were preying on the people like they were cracking egg and slurping its inside.
Death, was overflowing. It was truly a hellish painting of pandemonium.
The situation worsened even more.
Countless roars that sounded like people screaming out till their throat tore apart reverberated far and wide. When they looked up to the sky, monsters that looked like pterosaurs appeared as though they were born out of the marble colored sky.
As expected they were skinless. They were covered with lumps and pus, with their flesh and bone exposed. The pterosaurs’ figure were horrifying.
They spread their wings in the middle of freefalling before soaring to the middle of the town.
Dozens among them were heading in a straight line toward them as though they were given birth exactly for that purpose. Roars also thundered from every direction. The skinless wolves were apparently converging at their location too.
『Let’s go』
「Tsu, b-but-」
『I too won’t be able to move satisfactorily without securing thy safety first.』
「……」
Buer started running once more. Eily couldn’t say anything more to him. She was unable to express objection to the choice of abandoning the inhabitants around them.
(Endure it, me. Don’t let your emotion control you……I’m weak. Then at least, don’t get in the way of those who can fight-)
Emily knew of how Rana and others were struggling hard to improve themselves. But, she never trained like them.
She knew that even if the like of her tried to get stronger, it wouldn’t amount to much. And most of all she knew that she had a different role.
Emily Grant’s talent shined the most at the time of peace.
She would be the most useful for Kousuke’s dream of “wanting to develop medical treatment that didn’t use magic in a world of magic”. She would be able to support that respectable wish.
She ought to offer her every effort for that dream. That was exactly the battlefield of Emily Grant. Emily had understood, accepted, and resolved herself for that.
But, even so, she cursed her powerlessness seeing this hell.
When she imagined that perhaps someone could be saved if it was someone else who was in her place right now, she bit her lips so strongly that blood flowed.
『This place is a hunting ground. Or perhaps, a body interior.』
Buer’s words made Emily returned to her sense.
It went without saying that the real body, was the being who deployed this barrier of flesh. Or perhaps, the being was the barrier itself.
Most likely, this “void god” was the type that was doing its predation by making the skinless monsters it was keeping inside its body to prey on the game it took inside itself. Putting it another way, the skinless monsters might be something like gastric juice.
『It seems to consider mine self as exceedingly delicious food.』
It seemed the terrifying skinless monsters were aware of their movement accurately. They were cooperating with precision and trying to block their path with the greatest efficiency.
He fired seven giant arrows all at once toward the attacking skinless pterosaurs and brought them down. The skinless wolves ran in parallel with them while forming an encirclement like actual wolf pack trying to assault their prey. Buer summoned large waves from empty air which obstructed them while rotating in high speed and unleashing something like a wheel that sliced them off.
The strength that didn’t allow the skinless monsters to get near was just to be expected from a great president of hell.
But, his speed was steadily falling.
The number of enemies was simply many. No matter how many he defeated, the huge wolves appeared from who knew where, and the pterosaurs were also being born from the marble colored sky. They were clearly targeting them. It even felt like the monsters were getting frantic to devour them no matter what.
『Perhaps they also see me as threat that get in the way of their meal.』
「Eh……?」
She realized after being told that.
Another scream rose. A huge skinless wolf was about to devour an elderly couple exactly at that moment before a giant arrow skewered it. A pterosaur above some boys who were desperately driving home in a car was blown away.
「You’re, protecting the townspeople……?」
『Only within the range mine arrow can reach.』
Just how wide that range was? Right now it was like showers were erupting centered around Buer. Magic giant arrows were fired with terrific speed.
Those arrows’ targets were, indeed. Certainly it wasn’t just the monsters targeting them. The arrows were shooting death all the monsters attacking the ordinary people at their surrounding area.
A demon’s kind deed. A part of the reason for that was evidently for the girl cursing her own powerlessness. As expected, it seemed the hell’s great president was really taking a liking to Emily.
But, just as the person said himself, that consideration and Buer’s own mighty strength were bringing in the enemies’ attention to them needlessly. No, it seemed to make the enemies get serious.
The violence of number was growing at full tilt. The skinless monsters even halted their predation of the ordinary people to head their way.
『I can hear fighting from Grant Residence.』
Buer leaped once more in order to dodge the large wave of flesh blowing out a manhole and flooding toward them. The Grant Residence came into view a few kilometers ahead from them.
「Aa, thank god!」
The place was intact. It was under attack from a large swarm of skinless monsters, but the gatling guns and missile pods appearing throughout the residence were blasting away the monsters one after another. Even if the monsters slipped through, a super gravitational field didn’t even allow flight and slammed them on the ground.
There was also the flesh blob that attacked Emily, but even when it expanded like a large wave trying to swallow the residence whole, it was prevented from what might be spatial crushing. The air looked like it warped, then right after that the blob was crushed and scattered like dust.
Numerous drones were flying around at the sky. They were mercilessly spraying tar and flame to the flesh bits and incinerating them.
Of course, the residence itself was also protected by many layers of barriers. Far from being scratched, not even a fragment of the flesh landed on it.
On top of that.
A medium sized plane came flying from the other side. It had a futuristic design and moving freely like a drone. It was an emergency escape plane for leaving the Grant Residence physically.
It stopped and hovered above the residence, then the plane’s underside and a part of the residence got connected by a pillar of light. People who were looking bewildered and scared were sliding down one after another from there.
「……Looks like, someone is controlling it remotely from the shelter.」
It was a rescue activity. Someone must be sending the airplane to save as many people as possible. The only ones who could pilot it directly were only Kousuke, Rana, and Vanessa, but it was also possible to pilot it remotely like a drone. Using that even someone inside the shelter could move it.
Everyone was doing what they could. Coupled with the intactness of Grant Residence, it felt like light was shined on her heart. A smile formed on Emily’s lips.
『I’ll leave.』
「Eh……?」
Buer said that while unleashing a raging stream like great waterfall on the ground, sending the flesh blob flying. Emily was bewildered for a moment before she immediately understood.
A flesh wall gradually rose up before them. A great mass of writhing flesh split the ground, mowed down the houses and roadside trees, maybe swallowing the people who were inside those houses while blocking the road in a scale like a castle wall.
Further, the ground was also flooding with blood and flesh as seconds passed as though the ground was going through liquefaction. Skinless monsters were also continuing to gather in a scale multiple times greater than before as though in concert of that.
They would finish them off no matter what right here……such hostility and murderous intent could be felt from the formation and mass amount of the monsters, no, this “barrier void god”.
It was clear that Buer’s side was already becoming the spot that could only be described as the most dangerous place to be. Then, at this rate the monsters targeting Buer would also trail toward Grant Residence. There was no doubt that would be a hindrance for the rescue activity taking place here.
『I’ll also serve as bait to some degree.』
If Buer passed nearby, the monsters attacking humans would also change target. It would also camouflage his relationship with Grant Residence and disperse the enemy force――that seemed to be his thinking.
『Can thou go?』
Buer landed while enveloping his body with light of magic power.
There wasn’t even two kilometers from here until Grant Residence. Considering the monsters were leaving ordinary people alone to change target to him, it was unthinkable that they would go out of their way to target Emily. Then, Emily going by herself would be the best.
But, even that would depend on the person’s own mettle. If she would only get scared and turtle down, then no matter how dangerous it was for her to stay beside him, he shouldn’t just leave her alone.
Buer’s words unspokenly left such decision on her. Emily answered with an awkward fearless smile.
「I’m fine.」
She jumped down from Buer’s back and activated her personal “treasure warehouse”.
A shotgun strapped on Emily’s shoulder, bandoliers filled with shotgun shells and grenade-like objects around her waist and things, and then, a gasmask on her head appeared. At the end an American type bike manifested.
They were Emily’s self-protection equipment. For the bike, recently there was also the proselytizing from a certain rabbit-eared rider, so she asked one as a transportation artifact from Hajime as compensation for new energy drink invention.
She jumped on it and revved the engine with a practiced movement.
The towering flesh wall finally started to propagate to surround them from left, right, and above. Rather than a wall it might be attempting to lock them inside it and crush them to death. It might be apt to describe it as creating a barrier inside a barrier. Behind there were monsters in number that made it troublesome to even count them. They were growling to show that they had no intent to let them escape.
『Don’t worry about me. Leave me behind no matter what.』
「……Got it. Thank you.」
She had gotten the thought often but, she wondered whether this great president of hell really one of the archdemons. The authority in his possession was mainly for healing, his knowledge was in accordance with morality, and he did nothing else but saving other people.
Certainly his figure when exposing his true nature was intense but……if only looking at his deed, she would be convinced even if she got told that he was a god of medical care and pharmacy.
That was why, Emily yelled with as much respect as she had filling her voice toward Buer who was raising one hand, creating giant spheres of magic power with the color and texture like mercury, and making them revolved around him like celestial body.
「But, there’re still tons of things I want to learn from you. Please don’t die no matter what, teacher.」
『……Acknowledged.』
Buer was astounded for a moment by the word Emily said to him. But next his lips loosened into a huff and he replied.
『Go』
Emily revved the bike. It accelerated right away. The bike charged toward the writhing flesh wall.
Right after that, Buer’s mercury-like giant spheres were also fired to the four directions.
One giant sphere instantly passed Emily and hit the flesh wall. The immense magic power burst, unleashing extremely intense flash and shockwave.
Perhaps it was Buer’s protection. The attack didn’t affect Emily at the slightest, however, Buer’s authority inflicted tremendous damage to the target.
The flesh wall centered around the detonation center was cleanly erased. Further the surrounding flesh wall and the flesh and blood ground were also breaking down in spreading radius as though they were disintegrating.
When she looked back through the side mirror, the monsters within several hundred meters were also getting blown away or pulverized on the spot.
Buer looked like he was breathing a bit hard when his eyes met Emily through the mirror. He lightly nodded to say that there was no problem, then he immediately leaped toward another direction.
Just as intended, the monsters outside the attack range chased after Buer like a fish of school getting lured away by bait. The remaining flesh wall crumbled as though it was melting itself and vanished underground.
「Calm down, me. It’s fine. No problem. The bike is installed with automatically attacking weapons, and I’m protected with barrier. Just two or three km is just a stone’s throw away.」
The bike instantly passed the location where there was the flesh wall and accelerated further. It couldn’t even be compared with Buer’s speed, even so the bike was running with considerable speed.
The fearless smile was already gone. In its place was face stiff with nervousness. Emily intentionally spoke it out that she was fine, in order to persuade herself.
Fortunately, no monster showed up throughout her travel. They must be getting drawn away by Grant Residence and Buer.
What’s left was how to enter the residence.
「The residence’s weapons should recognize me and won’t attack. Then I’ll throw smokescreen……it’ll be even better if the drones cover me――」
She simulated it over and over inside her head. So that she wouldn’t blunder, so that she wouldn’t panic when something unforeseen happened, she put strength into her voice saying that she could do it――
And then,
「!!?」
Her consciousness was falling when she realized. *Kiin-* Hard sound like glass getting scratched made her woke up with a gasp.
The bike’s frame shook unstably. Emily didn’t know what happened and in a daze.
She let out a wordless scream even while desperately trying to control the bike, however, that attempt failed because of an existence that was unexpected, but one that she should expect bursting in.
「Ah――」
A large white minivan charged in from the side street.
Emily didn’t have the driving skill to avoid that. The minivan’s front hit the bike’s rear wheel from the side. The impact sent Emily flying.
The minivan braked fiercely and skidded for a rotation before coming to a stop. Emily was watching her favorite bike sliding on the ground before crashing on a stopped car on the road like it was in a slow motion.
A beat passed and Emily’s body bounced and rolled on the street before coming to a stop after crashing on a nearby roadside tree.
「Uguh」
Normally it wouldn’t be strange for anyone to die from such traffic accident, but Emily got off with only some scratches on her legs and hands. She choked a bit from the impact, but that was all. Looking from the flickering barrier around her, she knew that it seemed she had gotten protected somehow.
「What……the hell-」
*Kii-* A braking sound entered her ears once more. Emily lifted up her face while still on all fours.
A medium truck came from behind and stopped at short distance away. Looking carefully there was a logo and company name and advertisement on the car’s side from a food truck company. The minivan looked like it belonged to a company of electric maintenance.
But, it immediately became clear that they weren’t company cars used by workers.
A man with really frizzy hair wearing work clothes got out hurriedly from the driver’s seat of the minivan that hit her. His eyes were bloodshot, his breathing was rough, and he looked horribly excited.
Any worry for Emily’s wellbeing was nonexistent in those eyes. The sliding door at the back also slid open and immediately a child got pulled out like luggage from inside.
「Emily Grantttt!! Get us inside the Grant Residence now!!」
Even though it was an angry yell, the voice also sounded like a scream.
The man pulled out something like a hatchet from behind him and pointed it at the child’s neck. The child had blond hair and seemed to be around six, seven years old. His arms and legs were handcuffed, and there was also a gag in his mouth.
There were three more boys and girls inside the minivan. All of them were restrained. One more person wearing work clothes, an elderly woman with conspicuous white hair was pointing a handgun at them.
She knew none of the children. But, looking at their twitching and crying fearful faces, no, even without that simply knowing that they were children wouldn’t allow her to do something like pretending not to know them.
「Who, are, you guys……uu」
Emily tried to stand up but she just fell on her knees. She crouched while pressing her stomach. Perhaps the accident’s damage reached her organs……
「Who cares who we are-! Just, get us inside!!」
It seemed the hatchet’s blade was sharp. The boy’s skin was lightly cut just from getting it pressed on. The boy shook and screamed tearfully.
The elderly woman was also pressing her handgun on the head of the nearest girl, making her shrilly screamed. The medium truck drove by a young man who looked like he was still in his twenty was also the same. He was yelling angrily while scratching his short black hair as though to tear them off.
They all looked to be at their wits’ end, conversely they seemed to be like cornered animal, like it wouldn’t be strange no matter what they would do. They all demanded shelter into Grant Residence.
Perhaps it was human psychology to calm down when looking at others more panicked than themselves. The situation brought calm to Emily on the contrary.
(You were too nervous, me! I should be thinking more of what could possibly happen!)
She guessed it. That these people were void god worshippers.
If they wanted to enter Grant Residence then they could just enter. They could enter inside if the residents opened the key. They were doing rescue. If someone come asking for help then obviously the residents would accept them. The situation was like this. There was no way the residents would question each evacuee about their background. It would be even more so if these guys just acted like ordinary people.
And yet, they were making demand at Emily. In short, they couldn’t get in. Nine out of then, they got pushed away by the barrier before they could come into contact with the residences and couldn’t get near.
Because Grant Residence’s barrier and weapons could also discern someone who held malice or hostility inside their heart using soul magic.
(Perhaps, they’re targeting me. For hostage against Kousuke. I don’t know whether they’re connected with this void god or not. But, at the very least this situation is also unforeseen for them.)
Were they discarded by the “barrier void god”? Or perhaps, they were worshippers of a different void god and simply got dragged into here? Either way, they were scared. They were desperate to get away from the approaching presence of death.
They weren’t the type to throw away their life for void god. The same like that Inspector Richard, they were the type whose objective was to survive the destruction of the world at the end.
Just now, her consciousness fell for a moment must be also some kind of magic. If her artifact didn’t protect her, perhaps her consciousness would get taken away completely and she would be used as they pleased……
Either way, she should be more vigilant. She was too focused on void god because of the situation. It was vexing how she overlooked human’s malice and hostility.
「Why are you quiet!! Get up! If not I’ll kill this brat!!」
They must have investigated Emily. She was also the head of a house that was sheltering children. They must have kidnapped the children thinking that she would definitely never abandoned children even if she didn’t knew them.
After that, it was the problem of how to talk with Emily who was inside the house. While they were racking their brain for a plan, they never expected that Emily actually wasn’t inside the house and was on her way home. For them, there was no doubt that it was truly like a single strand of spider web being dangled down to hell.
「Okay! I get it! Just don’t hurt those children.」
Emily answered with a calm soothing tone while lifting both her hands.
Perhaps seeing her obedient action created a bit of leeway in their hearts. A smile formed on the face of the man with frizzy hair.
And then,
「Yosh, don’t try to do anything. These kids will pay the price if you try to call that demon, or try using a magic tool. Their bloods, will be on your hands.」
「It will be okay. Leave this to big sis. I’ll definitely save you all.」
Emily nodded to the man’s words while speaking to the children. The children’s pleading eyes focused on Emily.
「Don’t talk as you please! Take off your weapons! All of them! Strip off your clothes too! Who knows what you bastards are hiding-」
「Please spare me with the clothes. There isn’t anything in them.」
「Don’t talk back!!」
Emily shrugged, then she first unstrapped the shotgun. She moved slower than usual to put it on the ground so as to not trigger the opponents.
After that, she stood up also slowly. Then with even slower pace she moved to take off the bandoliers and the belt containing the grenades.
「Enough dawdling around!」
「I’m just moving slowly so you guys won’t feel threatened!」
「Aaah, enough with that! Hurry――a?」
It was then, something strange happened to the frizzy haired man. His body swayed, and just as he noticed that, it was like there was no strength in his waist and he plopped down on his butt.
That strangeness occurred to everybody other than Emily. The children’s eyes became drowsy. The elderly woman and the young man in the truck were also unable to stay upright and fell.
「What, is……」
「It’s just colorless and odorless anesthesia. It has other world material mixed in though.」
If they looked closer, they would surely notice the pin on a grenade-thing on Emily’s waist was off. Great amount of vaporized anesthesia had been spraying from there this whole time over the whole area.
Just now, when she crouched while holding her stomach as though her organs were injured was her faking it. She pulled out the pin while injecting herself with a small injector of the drug that neutralized it.
「Such thing-」
「I know.」
It was just anesthesia in the end. With other world ingredient mixed in, it was even saver than earth drug, and it was compounded so that there would be no lethal risk no matter how much someone was inhaling it.
It was something for calming down a lot of patients who were in mass panic and in agony in a scene where there were a lot of wounded. As a weapon, it was just a non-lethal gas that was adjusted so in the end it could only obstruct enemy action and thinking ability at best.
Against adult it would have a hard time to even make them unconscious, and they would still be able to move depending on their willpower. Even against children, it would put them to a good sleep at best.
But. that was enough.
She kicked up the shotgun on the ground with her foot and grabbed it before pulling the trigger twice. It made a sound that was kind of a let down for a shotgun.
「Gaah!?」
「Gyaa!?」
There was no blood spray. The man with frizzy hair and the woman inside the van were blown away till they hit the car frame, but the effect and power were clearly different from how shotgun should be.
But, it also wasn’t something like rubber bullet. What was fired out by compressed magic power was shotgun shell itself. However,
「This, is……」
Their consciousness was forcefully shutting down. Even their feeling of their whole body was fading. The man pulled out the shotgun shell stabbing his chest with a trembling hand. There was needle attached on the tip.
Yes, it was actually a shotgun shell shaped injector. The content was anesthetic with increased concentration. As expected it wouldn’t be lethal even with great amount of injection, but it was a safe and secure fiendish drug that could render even elephant unconscious in several seconds. The special bullet forcefully injected such medicine.
In addition,
「Guah!!?」
This shotgun, it could be inferred from how it ran on magic power. It also had the function of firing “magic power shockwave”. The medium truck’s door was blown away and in a flash, the driver young man was shot by the shotgun shell-shaped injector at the arm.
But, it seemed that the young man was allowed to make a last resistance because he was taken care of the last.
The medium truck was camouflaged to look like a company vehicle, but there was a reason why the worshipper used such conspicuous vehicle to come here. That reason came into light.
The driver flipped a switch that opened the door at the back. Immediately, countless growls came out from the container.
「W-what……?」
Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Perhaps these people was also giving thought to attack the Grant Residence. Stuffed inside the container was nearly twenty of grotesque monsters.
Their heights were all at the range of 140 cm. They were child-sized humanoid. They had dark brown body with non-lustrous body hair covering it sparsely. They had horn on their head, and hoof at their feet. Their mouth stretched until their ears with sharp fangs lining up. All of their eyes were only showing the white of their eyes, and horrible stench drifted out from them. All of them were carrying the same hatchet like the frizzy haired man.
The young man mustered his last strength and spoke out incomprehensible words with sound that grated horribly on the ears.
Right after that,
「Aah geez, bring it on!」
The monsters that ought to be named as goblin-thing all turned their gazes toward Emily. Even while her expression was spasming, Emily glanced at the children who were in a drugged state and then yelled half in desperation.
But, her movement wasn’t desperate or anything. It was polished instead, to the degree that would make one wonder just why was this person giving up on her own combat ability as hopeless.
She pulled out a pin with one hand and tossed the tear and smoke grenade to the middle of the group. *Pshew* White smoke filled the area in an instant, at the same time Emily pulled down the gasmask on her head to put it properly.
It wasn’t just a gasmask. It had the night vision, heat source detection, and also perception boost functions. It was a multifunction mask that ought to be called as the upgraded version of the masks that once were provided to Shizuku and co.
It seemed even the tear gas had some effect to the goblin-things. They were shaking their heads in annoyance and waved their hands trying to clear away the smoke.
There, the shotgun was fired without mercy.
The injection bullets were hitting accurately with not even a single one missing. The masterpiece non-lethal bullets that were given gold star review by even Hajime and the Haurias and supplied to her periodically based on contract that was written by her asking price were apparently effective enough even against the goblin-things.
The monsters fell unconscious one after another. Their slovenly faces even looked a bit ecstatic in their sleep. It was extremely disgusting.
Of course, it didn’t just end so one-sidedly like that. The rest sensed her location from the gunshot’s direction and rushed her all at once.
The group of goblin-things armed with hatchet roared while closing the distance. An ordinary girl would surely scream and crouch down in fear from the intensity.
But, Emily’s movement didn’t slow.
The shotgun ran out of bullet at that moment. She placed the stock part on her shoulder while pointing the bottom part where the loading slot was at to the side. At the same time, her other hand moved toward the bandolier on her waist. She grabbed 2 x 2 length and width, four bullets at once and slid them into the loading slots below and above, two each.
It took her less than one second to finish loading four shots.
She fired right away. Four goblin-things fainted in the middle of charging and their body slid on the ground.
She dealt with the gap between reloading using shockwave. But, she couldn’t deal with one goblin-thing that circled from the side,
「Y-you, aren’t scary at aaall-」
She endured the terror and entrusted her body to the artifact’s barrier.
The swung hatchet made *clang* sound several dozen centimeters from her face. The monster’s ugly drooling face made her reflexively wanted to crouch down and held her head down (Charism* Guard), but she told herself that she wasn’t that girl when she had just met Kousuke anymore. She tightened her lips and her groin that almost loosen and reloaded again.
She opened the distance with a backstep while rendering four monsters unconscious one after another with quick shooting technique. She sent the rest flying with shockwave, then reload while sometimes kicking the crotch (apparently, it was a tender spot even for goblin-thing after a fashion), or hitting them with the shotgun’s stock……
「Haa haa, i-it’s……over?」
When she noticed, there wasn’t anymore monster moving around her. Everyone was snoring peacefully together.
「Ahaha……so I can do it if I try? No, I need to thank everyone in the assault division……」
How can the heroine of a hero like Aby unable to handle at least one gun! You need to at least learn self-defense! Barnard and his men were in such common agreement and gleefully taught her combat techniques. Emily smiled wryly as she remembered that even while thanking them in her heart.
Emily was a non-combatant. She was a girl who was exceedingly close to ordinary. Moreover, she was a healer.
She didn’t want to dirty her hands with blood. Kousuke and Rana and the others too wouldn’t wish of that from her, saying that was their role, so Emily didn’t carry any drug or weapon that could be lethal with her.
Nevertheless, by herself she was able to neutralize worshippers who had hostages and nearly twenty class 5 enemies. That fact deserved extravagant praise.
When they learned this, everyone is the security bureau would definitely go As expected from the abyss lord’s heroine! with wide smile. Kousuke and others too would surely be proud of her even while looking worried.
Cold sweat poured out only now after everything was over. Emily wiped it with her trembling hand while trying to somehow calm her rough breathing.
「Haa haa, this isn’t the time to bask in achievement. I need to bring those children to a safe place, quickly.」
As expected, she wasn’t so soft-hearted that she would also bring the worshippers with her just because there was a high chance they would die out here.
She dragged out the pleasantly sleeping elderly woman from inside the minivan, then in her place she lifted up the boy lying outside the car and put him inside.
「There should be no health risk but……is the drug too effective?」
The children listlessly leaned on the seats in a trance. There was no sign of them feeling any pain. They didn’t open their mouth but their gazes were looking at Emily. She could see relieve and gratitude in their eyes.
「This place is dangerous so we’ll move right away. Sorry that I can’t take off the handcuff. Bear it just for a bit more.」
She talked to them as gently as possible.
She herself was dead tired. Her stamina was used up excessively from the extreme tension and fear. Even now she felt like she would fall asleep if she let herself relax.
She couldn’t carry all the children on her bike, so she could only drive the minivan somehow. She didn’t have license but, everyone in the assault division had also initiated her in driving technique so surely there would be no problem.
She scolded her trembling limbs and put her hand on the sliding door.
And then, she put strength into her hand to close it,
「Eh……?」
Her sight wavered. She felt dull pain from her shoulder and elbow. She was toppling sideways when she realized.
(What’s, this……)
It felt tiresome to even make a voice. Her thought was also dull. For a moment, she wondered whether the vaporized anesthesia was also affecting her, however the extreme feeling of fatigue like she had just ran a marathon in full speed, and the sensation of chill spreading from her body core told her that wasn’t the case for sure.
「No, good……gotta, run……」
She didn’t understand what was going on. But, the children looked limp when she looked at them. As expected it wasn’t caused by anesthesia. If it was debility that had the same cause like Emily’s symptoms, she mustn’t allow herself to fall unconscious here.
Stand, stand up and run! Save the children!
She yelled so inside her heart while desperately putting strength into her limbs.
In her sight, *Dobo-* a flesh blob fell on the ground. As expected it seemed they had made too much commotion.
「T-this, isn’t, funny-」
She distanced herself from it with desperation. Wanting to at least protect the children, she clung on the sliding door and somehow closed it.
Right after that, the flesh blob leaped at her. She pointed the shotgun’s muzzle toward it. She pulled the trigger to fire magic power shockwave.
「……Eh?」
The shotgun stayed quiet. It only made clicking sound from pulling the trigger in vain, and then,
「Kyaah」
Emily was pushed down by the flesh blob. It expanded like slime while enveloping her. It made her panicked.
(Why-, the barrier……doesn’t activate!?)
Even the artifact that should be surrounding Emily with absolute barrier was silent.
While struggling frantically, Emily’s bright mind found the answer despite the dullness affecting her.
(Don’t tell me……this space itself……is absorbing energy……)
Buer’s words came back to her.
――Or perhaps, inside its body
It was exactly that. The predation was already starting the moment they were captured inside the barrier.
At the end of this imprisonment, every drop of energy――naturally, even the soul that was source of that energy would be absorbed bit by bit. That was none other than the authority of this “barrier void god”. The monsters in the end were nothing more than supporting ability to speed up that process.
That was why, the enemy’s mental affecting sorcery slipped through the artifact protecting her and affected her even for just a moment.
That was why, Emily got scratched when she fell from the bike. Originally the barrier should activate perfectly and brought her through a mere traffic accident unscathed, and yet the magic power contained within the artifact got interfered and absorbed continuously, making it unstable.
That was why, the worshippers were that anxious and scared. Even though they were magicians, they didn’t use any magic and relied on weapon. They noticed that the magic power inside them, and further their souls were getting devoured.
Buer didn’t realize was surely because of his vast magic power. Even though his energy was consumed more than usual, he only felt that as nothing more than rounding error.
And Emily was unable to sense magic power. She didn’t notice even when the magic power stored inside the artifact was getting absorbed. She spent the stored magic power without reservation in battle.
「At, this kind, of place……-」
Strength wouldn’t enter her body. The “treasure warehouse” itself also wouldn’t activate. Like drowning in sea, finally everything other than her face that she covered with one arm was swallowed……
She was being absorbed. Her sight was getting closed. Physically by the flesh blob, and then, even her consciousness was reaching the limit of staying up.
「No-, Kou, suke-!!」
What she could do by wringing out her last strength was only calling the name of her beloved, and then, reaching toward the sky with her hand――
「……a」
*Paan* The sky burst. The marble colored sky cracked like glass. Sunlight streamed in.
She could see a black silhouette at the center of it.
(Ahaha……as expected, Kousuke……save, e……very, one……)
There, Emily’s consciousness blacked out together with her sight.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
「Fuckk!!」
The lord eliminated the class 0, however, he didn’t rejoice or even make victory pose. In exchange he spewed out a curse that was not like him at all.
The giant marble colored barrier was breaking down in chain reaction from the zenith. Meanwhile he was freefalling in accordance to the gravity while looking over the sight below as though to burn it into his eyes.
The town where they were starting a new life, the town where a precious house was at, was being reduced into a tragic state.
A hellish painting where death overflowed.
Fortunately the skinless monsters and the flesh blobs were ceasing activity. As expected it seemed the monsters also died when the main body died. It seemed they wouldn’t vanish on their own but they were stopped moving like hideous art objects.
「The house……it’s safe-. Hah, as expected from the demon god’s quality fortification! I’ll follow him my whole life!!」
His feeling of shame softened just a little seeing Grant Residence was unscathed.
It was then. It might be a kind of miracle.
――Kousuke
「Tsu, Emily?」
It felt like he heard. A voice calling him.
At the same time he felt the sensation like a block of ice was thrown at his spine. Was it because the voice felt like the speaker had guessed everything and said a farewell? *Shiver* The hair all over his body stood on end.
Without any particular reason, his gaze was drawn toward a point.
It was a spot not that far away from Grant Residence. A familiar bike was lying down from crashing on a car. Nearby there were two company vehicles, and at the side was a flesh blob spread out like a slime.
「No, way……」
He was dazed for a moment. He used gravity magic to fall with speed that surpassed freefalling.
「Impossible-, I won’t believe anything like that can happen-」
He arrived at the blink of eye. *DOONN* He landed on the ground like a bomb exploding.
His breathing naturally turned shorter. His heartbeat was pounding loudly in his ears. Kousuke rushed toward the flesh blob,
「G-goddammit-」
He pushed aside the meat blob while turning white. Emily showed up from inside it smeared with flesh and blood. He pulled her out right away and wiped her face with his sleeve while holding her in his arms.
「Emily-! Heey, Emily!! This is a lie right!? Open your eyes!!」
He took out healing and resurrection artifact in the shape of spider and bathed her in light of healing. He also took out an ampoule of “god water” that was refined from unlimited magic power and made Emily drank it mouth-to-mouth.
But, he knew. His mind understood.
「Hey, please……I’m begging you open your eyes……」
Because Kousuke now was a user of soul magic. He got it through inheritance method that wasn’t through conquering a great dungeon and he also hadn’t practiced it for long, even so he knew.
Something like whether there was soul there or not.
There was already no soul inside Emily. It was devoured.
He himself was desperately trying to resurrect her using soul magic, but there was no sign of the soul returning into Emily’s body.
So to speak, it was the same like milk that was mixed into coffee. A soul that was devoured and absorbed was different from a soul that simply died and dispersed. The latter case could be gathered back and solidified.
Because he understood that, but, because his heart wouldn’t accept it no matter what.
He pressed Emily tightly on his chest. He hugged her body really tightly. Tears flowed out without stopping. Despair colored his eyes.
「Why-, why not faster-. What abyss lord!! What kind of hero I’m-, god fucking dammit-!!」
He could only wail loudly.
And then,
「I absolutely won’t acce――」
『Calm down, you fool.』
*Whack* A slap exploded. 「ABAAGH!?」 Kousuke-kun screamed and wilted.
What on earth!? When he looked at the source, a chibi Yue-san was there.
「Y-Yue-san-. Emily is-, please! Save――」
『That’s why I’m telling you calm down.』
*Whack* Another slap exploded. The impact twisted his neck by more than 90 degree. Chibi Yue-san, didn’t you only function as information terminal? That slap, it would make the neck bone of ordinary human to snap like dry stick you know? Kousuke thought with a shudder. Anyway, he calmed down in the end.
『……I should have told you. Allow some degree of sacrifice. There’s countermeasure.』
「Tsu, that’s……err, in other word?」
For a moment, his head almost boiled from the words allowing sacrifice, but chibi Yue-san raised her hand so he calmed down dejectedly.
And then, he recalled that she certainly said that.
『……Nn, it looks like the preparation is finally finished. Good grief.』
The raised hand was kept there and chibi Yue-san’s index finger pointed straight up. Kousuke’s gaze was unconsciously drawn up and when he raised his head,
「W-what?」
He saw the sight of glitter like platinum spreading at the sky like ripples.
The shining light that was like the blend of pure white and golden was creating a beautiful sight like an aurora even though it was daytime sky.
The people at the moon’s shelter must be able to observe it fully.
The indescribable mystical sight of the whole earth being covered by platinum aurora. And then there was no doubt that they were letting out sigh of admiration.
Right after that.
Particle lights of various colors poured out from all over the town. They were floating up and down in the air like firefly. And then they flew away as though being carried away by wind.
That light also came out from the nearby flesh blob. Fiant light flowed out and flowing right into Emily.
『……If the enemy’s objective is to take soul, then naturally, we’re also considering the countermeasure to take them back in case they succeeded.』
「A, aa-」
It was undoubtedly an ultimate technique. Something like separating coffee that was already mixed into milk. Furthermore, something like a magic at extreme scale that covered the whole planet.
『……Recently her combat power is just too high that everyone tend to forget but, originally, our Bakaori is a healer. I, Aiko, and goddess of another world are also lending a hand, so she should at least do this much, right?』
Kousuke couldn’t understand Yue’s words well. Her voice didn’t really register in his mind.
But, Yue didn’t blame Kousuke for his behavior that could even be said as disregarding. There was unmistakably relieve and gentleness in her eyes.
「Emily-」
She still hadn’t returned to consciousness. But, Kousuke could certainly felt it from embracing her tightly. The strong pulse of the girl precious to him. Emily’s breathing that was caressing his nape.
It was a feat that could only be accomplished for the first time when various requirements and a lot of collaborators were available. However, it was the ultimate healing that rivaled god’s miracle which could only be done by Shirasaki Kaori.
The town that was turned into hell, no, not only that, the many sacrifices that still actually appeared no matter how much the planet’s defensive strength had been increased were right now being saved by that miracle.
『……As expected, it will be difficult to do this when the void god is still going strong. The best way is to kill them first before taking back the souls.』
「……」
『……Listen, you fool.』
「Adah!?」
Chibi Yue-sama’s slap surged once more. With that, Kousuke finally returned his focus to chibi Yue.
『……Kill them all, abyss lord. After that the saintess will steal everything back.』
「Ha, haha……that’s an extremely evil order if someone hear it without context.」
As expected from the demon god’s first wife. Kousuke who had regained his focus kept holding Emily, however, he stood up with a firm movement.
And then, with gratitude and immense trust for saving a girl precious to him,
「As you command.」
He bowed very deeply and left behind that place.
Chibi Yue saw him off while staring at empty air with a sigh. And then,
『……Be more diligent, Bakaori. As expected that was a bit bad for the heart.』
She spewed such cursing spontaneously. And then quick off the mark,
『Uguh, really sorry! I’m not as talented as the strongest vampire princess-samaaa! I’m already giving it my all even like this with Limit Break! Stupid Yueee~~』
Such cursing echoed from a far off other world. Chibi Yue spontaneously laughed, in part from feeling of relieve.
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
If it’s Hajime and co, they should be even more overwhelmingly protective to a non-combatant heroine that it’s difficult to put them into a pinch. I’m an idiot for only realizing that when I started writing. It took me two weeks from how difficult it was.
And yet, when I realized it became more than 13000 words just for Emily side. I don’t know what happened. As expected, perhaps I had more emotional attachment to the first heroine of the original side story.
In any case, the earth side is over with this. I’m really truly thankful to everyone for going along with this for so long!
Thanks to everyone’s magnanimity I was able to write something that I can confidently say as satisfying and had fun doing it.
Next chapter we’ll return to the main characters side. Please continue to take care of me from here on too!!
※Meme introduction
– Charisma Guard
From Remilia Scarlet of [Touhou Project].
– Shotgun’s reloading depiction
It’s more or less from [John Wick], but I think it’ll be easier to understand if you search クアッドロード at YouTube. Watching it feels real good so it often appears in short video.
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