Chapter 569 |
Defensive Battle of All Worlds ⑮ Because Maid Outfit is Combat Outfit
Going back in time, right after the defensive battle of all worlds started.
In the palace of one of the kingdoms of the star spirit world, Balted Kingdom. Inside its office,
「Hm……?」
Eric Luxeed Balted had been grappling with a mountain range of paperwork ever since the morning. He suddenly felt a chill and lifted up his face.
The wind that blew in from the left open window was strangely cold. He shivered from it.
「Since when……that’s a disheartening sky up there. Is it going to rain at afternoon?」
The morning was really refreshing. The weather was so clear it made him anticipated good weather for the whole day.
However, currently when it was several minutes past noon, the weather was changing to a cloudy sky with turbid grey color. The wind too felt somewhat slimy to his sense.
He stretched thinking of taking a break soon. However, usually a servant would come to notify him about lunch around this time, and yet they still hadn’t showed their face. He tilted his head in wonder.
His chair made a sound as he stood up. For now, he went to close the window to get away from this cold wind.
「Muh? It’s……mist? That’s unusual.」
The scenery looked somewhat misty to him. It looked like there was thin mist coming down. It was a very rare phenomenon in Balted Kingdom.
If it was at the era when interaction with the gods wasn’t rare, the “divine spirit of flowing sky Enti” changing the weather whimsically or the influence of “divine spirit of thunder cloud Udar” making the sky cloudy were something that often happened.
But, this was an era without god. If it was at Tinted Beast Kingdom then it wasn’t unusual in part because of the land’s nature, but there hadn’t been any mist in Balted’s capital, at least for these five years.
Eric knitted his eyebrows at the strange weather and unpleasant air. For some reason it made him felt irritated. But, Eric immediately shook his head. He smiled wryly and muttered.
「Well, this too is nature.」
The nature’s whim. It had to be taken as they came. That was what they decided when they got a fresh start. His mental attitude was lacking if he got irritated just because of depressing weather.
「Shia-dono will laugh at me……good grief.」
His wry smiled deepened.
It had been a while since the visit of Nagumo family. At this moment it could be said that the country’s atmosphere had also calmed down and the everyday life had returned to normal.
He thought that it was a good reunion and a good parting. Not just for the people of this world, but also for Eric himself.
At the very least he could assert that his feeling toward her had been completely severed. It should be the same with his childhood friends too. President Arogan of Rated Democratic State and King Gruelle of Tinted Beast Kingdom should be the same too.
His childhood friends too, especially Louis who awakened to fatherhood were even starting to think seriously about marriage due to the pestering of their houses. There was even talk with Arogan and Gruelle about what if they each marry lady of high standing from each other’s country to contribute in strengthening the relationship between the three countries.
Even so, for him to recall her out of nowhere……
「This is admonition, a guide for me to become someone to be proud of in front of our savior. Yeah.」
He put it like that. Perhaps it was a feeling that wouldn’t vanish for his whole life like a prognostic symptom, but even so he had to keep moving forward even then. He had to keep the memory as simply memory, and even used it as a driving force to improve himself instead. That feeling too was genuine.
「Although, I need to fix this habit of saying her name.」
For the woman who he would marry, even if it was the name of the savior that she herself also loved and respected, as expected it would surely be intolerable to hear her husband saying other woman’s name at every turn.
Get a hold of yourself, Eric slapped his cheeks with his hands to clear up his brain that was tired from his duty.
「There’s also the matter of the confined land……of Dahlia. There’s no time to rest.」
Eric rubbed his shoulder while closing the window. First thing to do was filling his stomach. He also needed some extraordinarily thick black tea.
As he closed the window while firing himself up like that……
「!!?」
He turned around with shock so great it felt like his heart would stop.
「W-who’s there!?」
Someone was standing inside the office without making any sound.
They were standing near the wall with their back facing him. They were a well built man wearing an extravagant mantel. His hair was white and his back was turned on him so it wasn’t clear to see but, most likely he had swept back hairstyle.
The man didn’t even react against Eric’s yell. He was simply standing. No, watching.
At the sword hanging on the wall.
That was the previous king’s beloved sword.
Of course, the sword of Balted’s king was a divine spirit arms, the god sword Tarnada. But, the divine spirit arms was the country’s treasured sword and also a threat for other country. He couldn’t just carry it casually.
The previous king was also a warrior. The sword that he used in training, or hunting, or for self-protection, the sword that he carried around everywhere with him as the spare sword was exactly this sword.
It was an unrefined normal sword without any extravagant decoration. It was also wasn’t any famous sword. But, when the previous king wielded it, it never snapped or bent, and showed sharpness that wasn’t at all inferior compared to the god sword. It was solely thanks to the previous king’s skill.
Perhaps, it was a lesson.
To not get drunk on the power of a powerful weapon like divine spirit arms. To not wield such weapon thoughtlessly, that a sword was truly sword when wielded by one’s own strength and technique.
Eric’s early childhood was spent in the middle of war.
Many of his memories of his father was of his back. His back when he was swinging a normal sword. He didn’t enter the office, and when he saw his father outside it would be always when he was talking with someone else. As expected he only kept seeing his back.
That back suddenly overlapped. With the back of the intruder before him.
「……Fa, ther?」
It was impossible. His father died in war. That was why, a too young king was born. He suffered trying to become the savior even while shouldering mankind’s fate.
It seemed his hoarse voice became the trigger. There was reaction.
However, not from the man before him but from the sword hanged on the wall. Aura of deep green color that was like creepy mist suddenly entered his eyes. Rather than such aura welling up just now, it was like it had been there enveloping the sword from the start. That was how he felt.
That deep green mist flowed from the sword and enveloped the man. It was connecting with the man just like umbilical cord.
While Eric was watching in a daze, the man’s hand suddenly reached out. The hand touched the sword’s handle and he gazed at the blade in nostalgia.
The blade reflected the face of the man.
「Father-」
There was no way he could be mistaken. It was certainly his father’s face.
The father’s eyes and the son’s eyes met through the blade.
「Tsu, impossible!! You――」
His father was dead. There was no way he was alive. Although his mind understood that, his feeling couldn’t keep up. It billowed like a storm and rolled tempestuously.
What’s going on!? His mouth was opening and closing from confusion. However, he didn’t step forward seeking his father. In a sense, it perhaps could be said as Eric’s growth.
Who knew how he would react if it was during the age of turmoil when he wanted to cling even on a straw. But Eric had grown both in body and spirit and moving toward the future. That was exactly why, he followed the voice of his instinct that was ringing the alarm bell in the corner of his wavering heart and instead, took a step back.
That resulted in his life saved.
It was like the devil’s face. The previous king’s face instantly transformed. The distance had been closed when he perceived that and the sword was swung.
A layer of skin of his throat. He got away with just that.
「Tsuu!!?」
Eric backstepped while reflexively touching his throat. The diagonal swing moved like flowing water. He barely avoided it even as the blade tore the ornaments on his shoulder and chest.
But, he couldn’t counterattack. Because he had no weapon. Because the opponent’s skill was amazing. And not only that, because he had no will.
How, such question got in his way. Why, the question constricted his heart.
Why was his father’s face, was looking so,
「Do you-, hate me!?」
Those were eyes filled with rage and hatred. Like the man was loathing anything and everything in this world, like they were radiating concentrated negative emotion. The man was wearing such face.
Even though his head understood that there was no way this person could be his father, his father’s eyes, face, the fact that they were turning toward him with fury and hatred froze his body. His heart felt chill, hardening……
But, even more than that.
「Screw you……just screw you! You went off and died leaving everything for me to shoulder, and you’re now hating me!? That’s what I feel! I should be the one who has the right to blame you-!!」
He was cornered to the wall. He couldn’t dodge anymore. And yet, what boiled up from inside him wasn’t anxiety or even fear but anger, and then hatred.
It felt like his heart was screaming No somewhere inside. But, he didn’t even have the composure to be aware of that.
The sword, was raised up.
「Eric!!」
The door was kicked open and the royal guard captain Greg rushed in. His head that felt like it would seethe cooled down instantly with that and he regained his calm.
As soon as Greg saw the situation, he judged that he wouldn’t make it in time and in a flash, he unsheathed and threw his short sword in a single motion.
It was astonishing speed and technique. As expected even the previous king couldn’t just ignore it, so he turned the sword that was about to tear apart his son and deflected the short sword.
Greg closed the distance in that instant and slashed.
The previous king easily blocked it with his sword, but perhaps Greg’s physical strength was unexpected. He couldn’t deflect or parry it and the two got into sword-locking contest where he got pushed back even more.
Naturally, Greg too had recognized the opponent. The previous king’s face. His eyes opened wide. But,
「Greg! Father is――」
「My king is you!!」
He was only shaken for a single moment. No matter who the opponent was, no matter what kind of situation it was, it didn’t matter. He was a royal guard. The king’s protector. Then, there was no reason for him to show mercy to someone who pointed their sword to his king.
He implicitly told that to Eric who wanted to say more and put even more strength to his sword, pushing from above.
The previous king couldn’t endure the pressure and fell to his knee. His face was distorting even more from rage and hatred. He still hadn’t said a single word even at this point. In exchange there was only voice like an animal’s growl slipping out from his throat.
No, there was something transmitted other than the sound’s vibration.
――Hateful, hateful. Every living thing is hateful—
Hatred toward the living. Such thing that ought to be described as intense thought felt like it was directly reverberating inside their brains.
「Tsu, Greg!! This is your king’s command! Cut him down!!」
「OOOOOOOOOO!!」
It was a completely different situation whether there was order from the king or not. Not to mention that the opponent was wearing the previous king’s face. Even if he had shed off his hesitation, the king’s command granted a knight great strength.
It had been a long time since they lost the spirit factor. That was exactly why Greg never slacked off with strengthening his physique. His physical strength was tremendous.
In respond, the previous king was trying to resist with strength.
One of his hands let go of the sword handle to push on the blade like a shield so he could push Greg back.
It was a bad move that the previous king would never have done in life. If it was the previous king then he should be resisting with skill. He wouldn’t become emotional, but cool-headedly handling the opponent and switched to counterattack.
After all, his beloved sword was “a normal sword”. It would bend or snap if he didn’t handle it skillfully. It was just a normal sword that could be found anywhere.
Then, there was no feasible way it could possibly win against a quality sword created with technique that had progressed since the era of spirit factor, one prepared to be used by the royal guard captain.
「Nuhn!!」
「!!?」
The previous king was cleaved into two together with his beloved sword.
And then, he turned into deep green mist and dispersed. He vanished completely like he had never existed there from the start.
What was left was only the previous king’s beloved sword, split into two and clanging on the floor.
「What……was that……」
Eric muttered in a daze. Greg stayed alert against the surrounding while softening his tone and replying with his royal guard captain’s tone.
「Your majesty, this is an emergency. The inside of the castle is also in the same situation.」
「What did you say?」
Greg must be rushing here in order to report that and to guard him. Although it was too late the sound also reached Eric’s ears now from the opened door.
Clatters, screams, confused voices inside the castle.
「I ordered the guards and my subordinates to deal with it. But……royal guards and soldiers were arguing back and forth even in front of the door. They should have heard the noises inside this room but, they ignored it. Not only the situation was explosive, they even pointed their swords at me so I knocked them out.」
「Those guys were……? I can’t believe it.」
「Yes. Something is strange.」
Naturally there were always two guards, royal guard knights who could be trusted standing guard in front of the king’s office. Timewise it must be in the same timing when the previous king appeared and assaulted him but, they weren’t incompetent who would get into pointless argument with mere soldier.
「Besides I also――」
Greg was about to say something with a gesture like he was holding back a headache but, a messenger soldier rushed into the room and interrupted him.
「Your majesty! A beacon!! The “smoke signal of urgent message” is lit!!」
「!」
Eric quickly turned around and rushed toward the window that he had just closed not long ago.
He could certainly see it across the window. The forest a slight distance away from the capital. A special tower was set up around its boundary line like a tall observation tower. A black smoke was rising from its top. Further he saw fire being lighted up.
Now that they had lost the spirit factor, when an emergency occurred at far away, this mechanism allowed the news to reach the capital quickly by lighting fire at the beacon towers that were set up at certain interval from each other.
「Don’t tell me something happened at the confined land? Was it Dahlia that sent the signal……」
「No-, the smoke signals, they are all lit from every direction!!」
「It’s, everywhere?」
「Also, dead people are coming back to life and attacking people in the capital. The public safety force is dealing with it but the mayhem is considerable! Especially at the east gate, staggering number from the capital’s outskirt is……」
「What do you mean by staggering number! Speak plainly!」
「Y-yes! Beings made from bones are approaching!」
「Bones……you say? Certainly there’s the public cemetery at the east but are you saying that corpses are crawling out from there? Aah, the situation is completely incomprehensible!」
In any case. Eric took his own sword that was hanged on the wall behind his desk. He attached it on his waist while raising his voice to the messenger soldier.
「Notify the army! Close the east gate, no, close all the gates and stand guard! Also tell them to suppress all assailants inside the capital, regardless of what form they are wearing. I don’t care what kind of method they use! This is the king’s command!!」
「Y-yes!!」
The soldier hurriedly rushed out.
「Greg, let’s go. We need Louis’s analysis of the situation.」
「We are going to him? How about calling him here?」
「Right now that guy is a researcher with poor combat capability. Depending on the situation there’s also the possibility he can’t move from his lab. Rather than that is Phil not coming yet? If it’s that guy I thought he would be here right away……」
The intelligence unit was constantly spread out through the whole continent and secretly exchanging information by mean of messenger pigeon. In the current situation where the whole kingdom was sending emergency notification to the capital, he was hoping that Phil as the head of the intelligence unit might have more information but……
They left the office even while they were having such conversation and headed to the technology research laboratory where the smartest person in the kingdom, Louis should be at.
Because the king’s office was located in the palace’s highest floor, it was usually quiet because not everybody was allowed to go up to there.
But, there was sound of fierce sword fight and angry yells coming from the corner of the corridor.
Eric and Greg looked at each other and broke into a run.
「!」
There was corpse. Corpse of servant. Several of them. They hurriedly rushed and checked their pulses just in case, but as expected they all had expired. They were slashed, or strangled, or beaten to death.
None had the same cause of death as though there was a riot happening here.
「! Tsk, Greg!!」
「As you command!」
The culprit was as expected, a being clad in deep green mist. Furthermore there were multiple of them. A lot had the form of soldier but, there were also those with the form of unarmed servant or civil official.
Even now they were attacking living officials and servants. The security guards were fighting, but every one of them were affected by confusion and fear which dulled their movement. They must have acquaintances among the attackers. There were some who were desperately yelling 「Stop this-」.
「Their body isn’t damaged? Are they made from mist?」
Greg rushed in and beheaded one in the blink of eye, but although the slashed part dispersed for a moment, that was all. It seemed that damage to their body was neutralized.
「Greg!! The mist’s source! Aim at the object!」
「!」
He noticed must be because he had seen it from nearby. The source of the deep green mist, and its flow.
It seemed that the beings with the form of dead people were establishing their existence based on some kind of object. Putting it another way, they would disperse and vanish if that object was destroyed.
As expected it seemed their movements were monotone compared to when they were alive. They also didn’t use spirit magic. In that case, there was none in this place that was a match for Greg. The incomprehensible beings were dispersed in the blink of eye.
「Y-your majesty, you’re safe」
「Just what in the world is going on……」
The soldiers were looking pale and talking to him in short breath. Eric gritted his teeth seeing the corpses around while shaking his head.
「I don’t know. Anyway, prioritize rescuing the people inside the palace right now! Protect and evacuate as many as possible to somewhere safe! ……Don’t hesitate. You’ll be killed if you waver!!」
Those words were order, and at the same time also concern for the soldiers. But, the order seemed to be the wrong move to make for the soldiers before him.
「No way-, I just killed my best friend!! That guy who was killed by god! I killed him again even though he came back to live-. Are you telling me to kill again!?」
「Tsu, that’s……」
His eyes were bloodshot. The soldier was looking at Eric not as the king he loved and respected, but like he was an enemy.
It was clearly something abnormal. Even if they were in the middle of bizarre situation where the dead came back to life and attacked them, how could he turn his sword to the king in this situation?
It was just too extreme no matter how confused he felt.
「Who are you pointing your sword at?」
Greg stepped forward. But, it only startled Eric instead. Because Greg’s voice just sounded too murderous.
His childhood friend was untalkative. He didn’t really show his emotion, and even a smile could be said as something rare from him, but now he was baring his teeth like a beast.
「O-oi, Greg. You too should calm――」
It seemed that the king’s words didn’t reach them anymore. And then, it was Greg’s action that was like that that became the trigger this time.
「A-are you going to kill us!? That’s right isn’t it!?」
「Screw you-. We’ll kill you first before you can!!」
「I don’t wanna die-don’t wanna die!! Everyone other than me should just die!!」
The eyes of the soldiers were turning bloodshot one after another. Their breathing became rougher, and they were looking at Greg with eyes filled to the brim with fury and hatred. That caused Greg’s anger to seethe even more……
It was like a synergetic effect. It looked like their anger and hatred were rising with no end.
「Stop!! This is an order! Both sides, lower your swords!!」
「Die」
「「「「UOOOO!!!」」」」
Eric’s words didn’t reach them anymore. Living people started murdering each other with no more regard of the dead coming back to life.
In actuality, such abnormal situation was breaking out everywhere inside the palace, no, the whole continent even.
The dead was coming back to life everywhere and attack the living.
Many were in the state of corpse crawling out from their grave. Depending on the situation “object” with deep connection to the death like their memento became their starting point while they were enveloped in deep green mist.
And then, if the dead was coming back to life, naturally it wasn’t limited to just human. Therefore,
「E, ric-!! Guh」
「Phil-!! Watch out-」
The head of the intelligence agency, Phil appeared from the corner of the corridor deeper inside. He was bleeding everywhere. One of his arms were twisted to the wrong direction.
He was handling dozens of civil officials attacking from behind using bare handed fighting with one arm to neutralize them even as he shouted.
「Spirit beasts! Corpses of spirit beasts are approaching! Their number is unknown! But, at least several hundred are coming from the northern forest! Also, more than ten are emerging from the shrine! I’ve defeated several and right now, my subordinates and the soldiers are dealing with them but……they won’t last long!!」
「Even the spirit beasts……」
It went without saying, there was no spirit beast living in the continent right now. But, naturally there were great number of spirit beasts that had died throughout the long history, and the majority should have quietly returned to nature in the forests somewhere in the continent.
A few had yielded a part of themselves to children of man to be turned into tool of power, but if those were resurrected……
「……If such number attack us now where there’s no spirit factor or spirit beast……」
It felt like he could hear the sound of his blood leaving his face.
It was a danger of destruction that suddenly visited out of nowhere. He didn’t understand the meaning of it. Even though this was the era of trial, they had never anticipated this kind of situation.
Sword clashes, angry yells, the voices of hatred cursing the living were pounding his eardrums.
It felt like mud was accumulating inside his head.
Soldiers and servants were attacking his childhood friends before his eyes. But, even his childhood friends were attacking the people they swore to protect. They paid him no attention like animal.
Fellow countrymen, fellow humans were killing each other.
What’s this, he thought.
「We didn’t fight all those battles for this.」
He didn’t know how to apologize to Shia-dono, and to Dahlia. This act negated all their efforts until now.
They should have decided, that they would hold hands with each other to build the future. Wasn’t this then nothing else than a betrayal of that?
「Unforgivable……」
Violent emotion once again boiled up inside him. His thought was getting dyed by fury and hatred.
He unsheathed his sword. He looked at Greg’s back.
――No-. Stop!! What’re you thinking!!
It felt like someone was yelling from inside his head. But, it was nothing more than a trivial voice in front of this emotion that was boiling like magma.
The hopeful future, people who were walking forward, they were just too dazzling(detestable).
He raised his sword.
――Stop-. Stop it!! This isn’t me! This isn’t my emotion!!
*Zzzt* His head felt horribly pained. He reflexively pressed his hand on his head.
But, that was all.
It was like his heart and his body were breaking to pieces. He raised his sword once more.
To cut down, his childhood friend.
――Stop iiiiiittt!!
Himself couldn’t be stopped. The violent negative emotion couldn’t be held down.
Naturally.
Because that was none other than the authority of the powerful “void god” enveloping this continent right now.
That “void god” was the cloudy sky itself. The vast “cloud” covering the continent’s sky was none other than the true form of the “void god”. It desecrated the dead by scattering a part of itself as mist under the sky, drove the living insane, creating a battlefield that was coercing them toward destruction.
If there was corpse, it turned it into the core. Even if there wasn’t if there was memento with strong residual attachment remaining in it, it would turn it into core too. The “void god” created an undead army by pouring its own emotion into the transient body created by the deep green mist.
The living too, they got invaded by that intense emotion and conformed to it, fell into madness of fury and hatred, and turned into mad warrior that continued to fight until they died.
The main body had no direct offensive power. In the end its authority was mind pollution and creation of undead army, therefore its rank fell by one and it was just a class 1, but it didn’t matter to ordinary people. It was a genuine monster that was impossible for them to oppose even if the heaven and earth were overturned.
In that case, even if it was just a gesture of enduring headache, and even if it was just for a moment, Eric’s mental strength that stopped himself was surely something that deserved praise.
It was a moment that was nearly a miracle, but it was certainly a worthy moment that was brought about by the strength of Eric’s will.
Therefore it made it in time in a hair’s breadth.
*GOOO-*
「「「「「「!!?」」」」」」
Violent gust of wind blew even though it was indoor. It became impossible to do something like standing and everyone fell and rolled on the ground from the wind.
But, it was puzzling. That wind was warm. Not in temperature, rather the wind was actually cold like ice water.
It was pleasant like clear stream. And yet it was warm and enveloped the whole body like silk floss. The wind became a sensation that washed them away cleanly including the mud deep inside their body.
「Kahah」
Oxygen was forcefully taken away from inside their lungs. It made them unable to breath for a moment.
When Eric immediately inhaled, he never thought that air could feel so delicious that he felt moved.
At the same time, his thought and his heart also cleared up completely. That terrifying emotion was disappearing so completely it made him wondered just what in the world it was.
「Haa haaa, just now……don’t tell me……」
Everyone was on their knees. They were feeling confused while desperately breathing in air. Meanwhile Eric scolded his legs and rushed toward the corridor’s window.
「A, aa……」
The cloudy sky was clearing up. A single point at the far away sky was like the eye of typhoon, the cloud around it was spiraling and getting farther away.
The mist that was faintly enveloping the world was also getting blown away. In exchange sparkling clear wind was enveloping the capital, and the continent.
Eric knew no other being who could possibly do such thing.
「The goddess of flowing sky……Enti-sama-」
The goddess ruling over the wind of the world should be an existence that he would never see again with his own eyes while he was alive, but he definitely felt her presence there. He clearly understood through the wind that she was protecting them.
Even if he was unable to actually see her, he could picture her figure managing the wind at the far away sky.
Further, lightning flashed at the other side of the far away sky. He could also see at the sky above the clear sky, the sun was radiating light that seemed different from usual.
The gods, they once again appeared in the human world.
They descended, in order to save humans.
That thinking, was immediately proven as correct right after that.
『Informing the children of man』
A beautiful voice reverberated directly inside their souls.
He managed to understand that he wasn’t hallucinating it when he met the eyes of Greg and others. Everyone’s eyes were wide open with expressions like they were witnessing a miracle.
『A danger is approaching the world. Not only our world, but the same thing is happening in the world of our savior too.』
Everyone gulped. Shia-dono’s world is also in this state? The scale was too big that they couldn’t digest it immediately.
『Know that this enemy is a match for god. So much so that even us are unable to save everyone in a flash.』
They could certainly felt immense power. The goddess of creation, their great mother was protecting them. Just how joyous it was to be able to feel that.
If this was something that happened at the end of the trial levied on mankind, everyone would surely shed tears of joy.
But, they couldn’t be happy. Because the content of the goddess’s news was just too despairing.
『However, none of you shall be allowed to stand still.』
A powerful voice wiped away that despair. That voice was transmitted to them with encouraging scolding.
『My children. Struggle for your future. Fight right now, in order to protect those at your side.』
Right after that.
「T-this is-」
Light converged in front of Eric’s eyes. The light was intense like a flashbang that he reflexively covered his eyes.
Although, that only lasted for a moment. *Paa-* The light burst and after that,
「!!? The god sword Tarnada!?」
The king’s sword in the past, was floating in the air. As though it was waiting for its master to take hold of it.
Looking aside, there was also the divine spirit arm sword that Greg used in the past floating in front of him.
Why were those weapons that should have been handed off as the compensation for the demon god’s salvation appeared here now?
It was something that Eric still hadn’t known but, actually countless arms were appearing at the square that doubled as the soldiers’ training field.
It didn’t happen just in Balted Kingdom.
The same was happening at Rated Democratic State and Tinted Beast Kingdom. And then, the people who marched together into the island of the Star Tree that day with the resolve of putting their life on the line all without exception had divine spirit arms personally sent in front of them.
Could they handle such weapon now they had lost their spirit factor? Eric was bewildered, but his hand took his beloved sword in the past like he was being drawn in.
「Tsu」
A nostalgic sensation was instantly revived in him. It wasn’t something that he felt from inside himself like in the past. In the end it was a power that he felt from the divine spirit arm. But, even so, it was like water seeping through his dry body.
『Live』
Softness could suddenly be felt from the harsh voice. They all could feel a prayer, a wish from the voice.
『Here I declare under the name of Goddess Lutria. I won’t hand over this world. I will protect it without fail. That’s why……children of man. Keep looking forward no matter how much despair is thrust before you. Survive.』
Those were the last words before the connection unraveled.
But they knew. That the goddess was with mankind. That she was working to protect them all.
Eric took a deep breath. He calmed down his heart.
A beat passed.
「Stand, all of you.」
Eric gave his order. His voice was quiet but filled with majesty and force.
The soldiers immediately obeyed in conditioned reflex. Even the servants who had regained their sanity also straightened their posture and tensed their expression sharply.
「Let’s she them our struggle. That’s, the wish of our god. We can’t call ourselves human if we don’t answer her expectation. Isn’t that right?」
Wordless affirmation came back to him.
He smiled fearlessly, and nodded.
Miraculously at the same time, Arogan of Rated Democratic State and also Gruelle of Tinted Beast Kingdom also roared the same words.
「We’ll survive!!」
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「Good grief……even though we had only discussed this just now.」
Contact with the children of man who she had sworn that she wouldn’t get involved with for hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years. Lutria who had finished the goddess’s notification to the whole world shook her head with a very conflicted expression.
「That demon god often said it. Usually this will be suspect.」
From a god’s perspective, her conversation with Hajime about “calamity” was something that happened “just now”. This appeared in a timing that could be said as practically right after. As a goddess originally she ought to suspect such timing.
Of course, she had no such intention though.
「”Preparing for the worst case” is it? I thought it was just his groundless apprehension but, now then, just what in the world that human……human (?) was sensing?」
In preparation of the worst case, Hajime entrusted “fighting strength” for the time when danger befell the people of this world who had lost the spirit factor and also spirit magic.
Saying that, Hajime handed to her a small orb――”Lutria’s personal treasure warehouse”. Lutria recalled that time.
The majority of its content was weapon artifact. They were weapons that activated using the spirit factor contained within, and they were also weapons that allowed their user to be able to use spirit magic. The divine spirit arms that Hajime received as reward from Eric and co had been modified so they were usable even without spirit factor inside their body.
Although it was something that was requested to him, the spirit factor stripping, which was to say the weakening of mankind was something that he played a part in. He gave this present to take responsibility for that, and also as proof of friendship for the interworld interaction at the future.
The number was three thousand. A thousand for each country. All of them could only be given by Lutria’s judgment.
It was truly a preparation for the worst case that was done because Lutria was unable to modify human soul to return spirit factor to them in short time.
All of them were modified to be even more powerful than in the past but the number wasn’t many by all means. To the end it was just the minimum preparation. To buy time until Lutria and others, the gods brought salvation.
「In any case I shall be thankful.」
A wry smile formed on her face even as she was clad in overwhelming radiance at the zenith of the Star Tree that was shining brilliantly.
「Shirasaki Kaori, you too.」
Lutria looked at the side. There, Kaori was floating in the air while hugging her knees.
She was in apostle mode. She unfolded her pure white wings to envelop herself. Inside the shining barrier with two meter radius, her eyes were thinly opened as though she was in contemplation without looking particularly anywhere. Her expression was also completely expressionless, far different from her usual look.
She didn’t reply even when a goddess was talking to her.
But, Lutria didn’t consider it insolent.
「I managed to send reinforcement thanks to you.」
Reinforcement――it was the powerful spirit beasts, the celestial army of Honted Celestial Kingdom, and then, the new priest that she trusted.
Without Kaori here, surely she would be unable to send the armaments to Eric and others, and also teleporting the reinforcement to where they were required while doing the required commanding.
Not to mention dispatching Enti to protect the continent from the “cloud void god”, and allowing Soare, Udar, and Barahu, three divine spirits to deal with one more powerful void god who actually appeared in mankind’s sphere. There was no doubt that she wouldn’t have the leeway to allow all those without Kaori here.
Lutria once again gazed at the reason for that.
『『OOOOOOOOOO』』
Two screams had been reverberating many times since some time ago. There were also roaring sound and shockwave from great mass of metals clashing.
It was unknown when, from where, and how void god would appear.
Because Lutria had used human wave tactic to search the existence of “calamity” in every nook and cranny, she was certain that none existed in this planet and other planets with life, and also in their galactic systems. But, naturally physical search had limit.
Perhaps the calamity laid dormant in a corner of planetless space, or at the edge which was the boundary line with “void”. Or perhaps, they used the situation right now exactly because the worlds were connected to come from another world.
After all, it suddenly tore apart a part of Lutria’s barrier covering the Star Tree’s island and invaded. No, perhaps it more accurate to call it a march.
To put it in a single word, it was a giant. Its total height must be over 600 meters. It looked like a knight clad in pitch black full armor, or perhaps like a golem made from rock and mud.
One of its arms was shaped into a great sword itself, while its other hand was holding a large shield. Those could be seen, but because something like black miasma was flowing out from its whole body, its actual shape couldn’t be seen clearly.
And, on its feet there were an army of hundreds, thousands of the giant itself but scaled down to total height of around two meters.
The army seemed to be created from the ground that got tinged by the giant’s miasma and transmuted. The way they were fighting in a somewhat coordinated fashion was making them similar to knights as expected.
Facing such “giant monster” was the “divine spirit of earth Oros”. He grew gigantic to the same size and got into a grand close quarter combat between giants.
But, he was at disadvantage. It didn’t look like Oros’s attack was inconveniencing the opponent at the slightest.
In contrast, the giant monster’s attack was shaving off, pulverizing, and blowing away Oros’s body each time. Its great sword was like heated knife going through butter.
Oros could revive no matter how many times as long as he was connected to earth but,
『Guh!? OOOOOH!!』
His regeneration speed couldn’t keep up at all when the spatial blasting that was fired from the shield that was like a giant wall also came into play.
Even so, he was managing to hold back the enemy, enough to give time for Lutria to give a warning announcement to mankind and sending them reinforcement was,
――”Phenomenon Severance”
Thanks to the backup in the form of regeneration magic.
Yes, it was Kaori. She was still not reacting like before, but it was undoubtedly Kaori’s regeneration magic that was supporting the battlefield in this Star Tree’s solitary island.
Oros was instantly reconstructed. Combined with his own authority to manipulate earth, he was somehow succeeding in holding back the giant monster.
At the same time, Kaori’s backup was also extending to all the spirit beasts in the surrounding area.
The “knight order-thing” created by the giant monster was deploying to surround the Star Tree right from the moment they were born.
The spirit beasts were facing them, but they were being continuously created without end, and on top of that they possessed the ability equivalent to class 3. And most of all, a certain trait of them was troublesome and continuously causing death and injuries among the spirit beasts.
But, that too was getting restored altogether.
「Truly……every single one of you are outside the scope of humanity.」
Lutria was staring at Kaori with an emotional gaze that had already gone past astonishment and became exasperation now.
What was exasperating the goddess of creation was of course, not because Kaori could use regeneration magic.
She was only able to focus on sending reinforcement and offense because she didn’t have to split her resource in regeneration, but even Lutria had the ability to use regeneration magic itself.
The reason that made Lutria truly astonished was the magic that Kaori was constructing right now.
――Perfect Salvation Magic
Perhaps it ought to be called like that. It went without saying, the magic could resurrect not only soul that was dispersed to air, but it could even take back soul that had already gotten stolen and absorbed, and then completely restoring it back to normal as long as even a part of the soul still remained in the body.
It was a new magic that was currently in the process of creation in respond to the objective of the “void gods”. Because of that it didn’t even have any official name.
The battle happening right now was something unprecedented, even so she wouldn’t let anyone die. It was a magic of transcendental domain that negated death as though to embody such will. But it still went further. It would be maintained in constantly activated state throughout all worlds simultaneously except in the calamity world.
Let’s put it bluntly. It was a feat that was impossible even for a goddess.
She didn’t ask about the magic in detail because there was no time. But, Kaori was splitting the majority of her focus and thought to construct a magic that was equal to a miracle that it made her unable to even talk, all that while also perfectly shouldering the role of healer for this battlefield.
Not only that, as though to say that she would protect her body by herself, the barrier that Kaori was deploying around herself was truly a terrifying offensive barrier.
Delaying field X disintegration field. The area two meters ahead centered around Kaori would slow down all actions without discrimination, while also disintegrating them. Even though one had to break through before they got disintegrated, it would take excruciatingly long time to break through.
Just how many magic was being constructed simultaneously inside Kaori’s head right now?
Indeed. No wonder even a goddess became exasperated.
「Shirasaki Kaori, you deserve praise irrespective whether you succeed or not. But, as expected it must be beyond you to achieve such thing. Miracle only exist within dream……」
Lutria lifted up her hand to the sky.
Originally, Lutria would swiftly erase something like reprehensible outside enemy who dared to enter into her territory without even taking off their shoes.
And yet, the giant was still going strong. She even postponed its extermination to prioritize reinforcing mankind, and because of that Oros needed to buy her time. It was truly a simply story.
『Oros! Get away!!』
Lutria sent out her thought, at the same time she activated her authority. Then the whole space around the giant bent and swelled.
Oros grappled the giant, and at the same time his soul moved inside his golem body to escape into earth. The moment the empty giant shell became a shackle replacement, a localized super powerful spatial blasting came into being.
It was an overwhelming might that made one wondered if it was perhaps impossible to defend by any material in this world without a barrier that similarly interfered with space.
But,
「As expected it’s no good huh……」
There was no outstanding wound on the giant. Although some cracks and craters could be seen here and there, they were regenerating in the blink of eye.
Yes, the most troublesome trait of this “void god” wasn’t its weight of numbers or even its extraordinary physical attack power, but its overwhelming “toughness”.
It thoroughly endured Lutria’s attack that was at the level of age of god magic.
Even if Lutria deployed barrier, the giant sword would just cut it apart with unknown principle and she couldn’t even slow it down.
And then, *Zuuunn*.
The giant monster’s foot took another step forward.
It was steadily closing the distance bit by bit like a man-eating fiend approaching its prey.
Even a goddess had her hands full with slowing down that step. Its evaluation as a class 0 had nothing to be criticized.
The silver lining in this was that the opponent’s attack was leaning toward close quarter combat. In short, the opponent also had no any card that could defeat Lutria. That would be the case as long as it didn’t separate Lutria from her source of power which was the Star Tree.
Therefore, the battle situation wouldn’t change drastically to favor one side all at a sudden.
Lutria’s energy was practically unlimited. The giant monster was definitely limited. She could see a chance of victory if she could make its energy dried up before it could arrive at the Star Tree.
「Will it arrive first, or will I whittle it down completely first……」
She made the Star Tree shined even brighter in order to try new attack method while recalling the time when Kaori arrived.
Kaori said, 「I won’t let anyone die」 with an absolute confidence. And then, as soon as she saw that Lutria’s authority had little effect she declared 「I’ll be able to join the fight when I finish this magic! At that time it’ll aa~~bbsolutely be alright! Lutria-san will win! I’ll make you win for sure!!」.
Make her win――it was a statement that could even be taken as insolent that Lutria’s eyes widened like saucer when she heard it. At the same time, she felt strangely understanding that this was just as expected from that man’s family.
Perhaps that was exactly why.
「I’ll believe in her.」
She could believe her. At the success of the magic that normally would never succeed. And, that it would definitely the time for the “void god” to die when the battlefield where nobody would die was completed. That she would surely win. That this world would be protected completely.
Using a goddess to buy time. That was alright. She would allow herself to be used.
A smile naturally surfaced. It was a fearless and fierce smile that was unusual for Lutria.
『”Void god”. I shall tell you once more, I’ll forgive you if you leave without doing anything.』
Those were the words she threw at it before the battle broke out. The goddess’s permission if it only wanted to leave through the Star Tree without killing anyone.
But, as expected its answer was,
『OOOOOOOOOO』
A roar filled with hostility and hunger so great it made her hairs stood on end.
There was no choice.
Super large gravity bullet fell above the giant’s head like meteor. Further meteor shower fell down in addition. Fierce quake and terrible shockwave rippled through the isolated island.
Lutria was performing attack that was similar to her nightmare in the past while personally flying off in order to face the giant that surely was still going strong.
「I’m counting on you.」
Oros also started forming a giant body behind the giant. It didn’t matter even if it wasn’t effective. They would continue to hammer attacks on it with pincer attack so it wouldn’t be able to move.
It would be excellent if they could whittle it to dead with that. Even if they couldn’t it would serve to buy time.
Lutria glanced for the last time over her shoulder. And then, she muttered jokingly which was again something unusual for her.
「O saver. The healing hand of heaven. Other world saintess――clad in maid uniform.」
God only knows……those were words to show that god was all-knowing, but, even god had things that they didn’t know about.
For example, yes, something like the truth of maid outfit.
And, the reason why Kaori designed her new combat outfit like a combination of battle dress, with metal armor, gauntlets, and greaves in maid outfit style was,
『Hajime-kun! It’ll be nice if my new combat outfit is maid looking!』
『Why’s that? I told you it’s combat outfit right?』
『It’s the night combat outfit! They’re the same!』
『Can you stop yelling dirty joke in broad daylight?』
『I know! That you gifted Shizuku-chan with personal maid outfit! And, it’s for night battle!』
『I want to use my right to silence.』
『Rejected! Hey, this is nice timing, please make an exclusive maid outfit for me too! So that I’m ready for battle at day and night!』
『Why’re you looking so smug like you just said something clever……』
『……I wonder, does Hajime-kun really don’t want to see me wearing original maid outfit of your preference? (Upturned gaze & moist eyes)』
『……Fuu. It can’t be helped-!!』
The product of such impure discussion that was completely absent of any modesty. There was no way Lutria could be aware of it.
And incidentally speaking, actually inside “Lutria’s personal treasure warehouse” that was handed to her as proof of friendship, there was also a maid outfit for Dahlia’s use as armor……
It was the highest grade of clothing for woman to wear.
And Dahlia, she was a really good child, and Hajime boasted about this outfit. Besides, it looked really good.
Fumu……
Driven by a small bit of curiosity, she tried wearing it, then tried twirling round and round in good mood. But she didn’t know the fact that Laila had actually witnessed her when she did that.
Laila who knew the truth about maid outfit because she was now the goddess of earth was,
「How pitiful, mother-」
Her shedding tears of pity for her mother was also something that Lutria-san didn’t know about.
.
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.
Laila and Meeres are absent but I plan to mention them next chapter including various explanations.
※Meme introduction
– The base image for Kaori’s new combat outfit
From the outfit of “CZ2128 Delta”, one of Pleiades of [Overlord].
– It’ll absolutely be alright
From Kinomoto Sakura of [Cardcaptor Sakura]. It’s the unrivaled magic words befitting a magical girl.
– How pitiful, mother
From Tsugukuni Yoriichi of [Kimetsu no Yaiba].
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