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[Murota-san.]
[President?]
[If you want to give up…]
With a spear in hand, I started walking forward.
[Do it after I died.]
Kayako gulps.
[Sogou-san, don’t tell me…]
[Everyone, stay here and keep your defenses up. I’ll take care of those three.]
Glaring at the south, a drop of tear ran down my cheek.
They’re the reason why we made it this far.
The reason why everyone managed to escape.
[This path you’ve made for me… I’m not going to let it go to waste.]
Once again—- I released the limiters on my body.
Even though those things were wounded, I’m still fighting against those Human-Faced.
[
However…
(I will absolutely—–)
—Not give up until the end.
On both of my hands—- I create my inherent swords.
When all of these battles come to an end, it’s alright even if my body ends up broken.
Now, I have to show everyone.
That’s right…
[There’s still hope here.]
With the two swords in my hands ready, I, Sogou Ayaka powerfully kicked off the ground.
* * *
Screams resounded around the area.
[And this should be the last one.]
I thrust my blade downwards.
I coldly spoke the name of a technique synonymous to their death sentence.
[
An explosion erupted from inside the Human-Faced.
Their flesh exploding, pieces of flesh flashily scattered up in the air, falling towards the ground.
The Human-Face falls down on the group.
Only its head had barely retained its original shape.
A large mouth with its protruding tongue oozed out blue blood, characteristic of the Human-Faced.
Behind the head were the two corpses that had fallen first, turned upside down.
The two Human-Faced that died earlier had also been totally different from how they look like before.
[Three Human-Faced… She took them on all by herself… That can’t be…]
One of the soldiers shuddered as he muttered that.
[W- What’s with her speed… There’s also the way she fights with the weapons she freely spawns…]
[That’s a Hero from Another World… An S-Rank Hero huh…]
I could feel awe from their voices.
Over the corpses of these Human-Faced, I roughly exhaled.
[Haahhh… Haaahhh…]
I press down on the wound on my left arm.
(I’m not able to defeat them unscathed…)
No, my opponents were those Human-Faced.
It’s rather fortunate that I was able to get away with just this level of injury.
It was also because the enemies were already wounded.
Banewolf had already done quite a bit of damage to them.
That’s probably why I was able to defeat them even if there were three of them.
Filled with gratitude, I thought of Banewolf—–
[…, ———————]
I suddenly feel uncomfortable.
[…?]
Slowly, I turned around.
Waves of monsters.
Or should I say, they’ve finally arrived huh.
The hordes of monsters that had been lingering around the south wall earlier were now surging into this place.
From yet another direction, I heard a loud crash.
The sound of that thunderous roar made me turn my head towards that direction.
Sweat began running down on my cheeks, dropping from the tip of my chin to the ground.
[Haahhaaahh… Haaahhh…]
The sound of my own breathing is louder and louder.
Feeling a bad premonition, my eyes caught the sight of snow falling from behind the destroyed north gate, and the appearance of the Ogre Soldiers coming in.
Chapter 185
The Path of Slaughter
We had been advancing through the Northern Demon Zone while smoothly kicking away the monsters.
However…
[That scream just now——]
Suddenly, it happened.
The earth trembled, and the monsters began another great march.
Seras looks towards me.
[Touka-dono, this is…]
Running my gaze over the surroundings, I nodded.
[Yeah.]
It’s just like last time.
[Pigimaru.]
I didn’t hesitate to make this decision.
Fusing with Pigimaru—- Our combination technique.
——-Creak——-
A large amount of tentacles, resembling thick octopus legs formed and wriggled in the air.
Could this be the effect of the recent enhancement?
Pigimaru’s tentacles became thicker.
Splosh!
They’re radiantly spreading out from behind.
A large number of monsters jumped out from the bushes from all directions.
This amount of monsters…
Is it possible that the voice just now came out from one of the underground ruins scattered about in this place?
And of course…
[No wonder they’re coming after us whenever they see us.]
Varying in length, thickness and number, tentacles shoot out around me.
[Kisshiiiiaaaaaahhhh———]
[
[Uggeeeehhhh…]
The monsters within the range of the tentacle’s tip were paralyzed and left behind.
And towards those monsters who were still in range—- I invoke
Since we’re charging forward, it’s difficult to get all the paralyzed monsters within my range.
With my hair fluttering in the wind, I look at the monsters bleeding to death behind us.
[…I’m guessing it’s that Kuchiyose again, summoning them from somewhere.]
The sound was quite distant.
However, it definitely sounded like that scream before.
And, the monsters are heading north in unison.
It seems like the Kuchiyose’s summons were invoked somewhere in the north.
Slashing down upon a nearby small monster with her sword, Eve curses this Kuchiyose’s bad timing.
[Of all the times that it shouts, it had to be at a time like this…]
Just then, a white bird approached the chariot.
Seras raised her bow upon seeing it.
[Wait.]
I stopped them from moving.
This bird doesn’t have a golden eye.
Most of all…
[It looks like this has something to say—–]
“This will just be brief.”
I exchange glances with Seras.
[It’s Erika huh.]
Apparently, this bird is her familiar.
The familiar perches on my shoulder.
Thanks to my interception, the momentum of the attacking monsters has slowed down a bit.
However, there’s still a large amount of monsters moving in the distance.
The monsters in the vicinity haven’t gone to zero yet either.
Still keeping combat ready, I urge her to continue.
[What is it?]
“You do know that a little further north from where all of you are now, there’s the Anti-Demon White Castle, right?”
I’ve already confirmed the location of that castle back when I was in the Witch’s home.
It was said to be a castle made for the Demon Zone but…
“Right now, it’s being attacked by the Great Demon Emperor’s army and the monsters from the Demon Zone.”
[…Do you want
me to take another route and go around it?]
“It’s the opposite.”
[The opposite?]
“Earlier, I was able to identify that the military flags around the Anti-Demon White Castle are those of Alion Kingdom, Bakuos Empire, and——“
The familiar’s eyes turn towards Seras.
“Holy Kingdom of Neia.”
[!]
Seras became agitated.
“Cattleya Stramius is probably in that place, leading the Neia army.”
The princess.
[——Alion’s army is in there huh? What about Vysis?]
“I’ve learned through the ears of my familiar that Vysis… and alos, the S-Rank Hero Kirihara have left a while ago, heading east.”
Putting Kirihara aside, even that f*cking Goddess is absent?
Well, this is good news in this situation since I still don’t have any means to oppose her.
[What else?]
“I’m sorry, but I wasn’t sure which Heroes were in there and which weren’t.”
[…I see. Either way, we don’t have any choice but to go there… Right, Seras?]
[Yes.]
Without hesitation, Seras nodded her head.
[Please.]
“Be careful there, Touka.”
Erika warns.
“From what I’ve observed over there before looking for you all, the Great Demon Emperor’s army probably has a few Confidant-rank among them. In addition, they were flanked by the monsters from the Northern Demon Zone… and there would probably some Human-Faced among them.”
…The Great Demon Emperor’s side is probably the one who set this up.
If Erika and my theory are right, then the Root of All Evil can’t directly produce the Human-Faced.
The Human-Faced are powerful monsters.
In that case, it wouldn’t be surprising that the Great Demon Emperor would want to make use of the Human-Faced that had already existed from back then.
“They’re indeed Human-Faced, but they weren’t really on par with those Confidants.”
[Are those guys strong?]
“You can just think of them as the executives with strength second only to the Root of All Evil. How should I say this… but I think that since the Great Demon Emperor’s side deployed them, it seems like he’s already decided on conquering this side…”
Since the Humans’ side strength couldn’t be grasped if you include the Heroes, it will be hard for them to be optimistic.
“Touka.”
Erika spoke.
“Feel free to use the weapons Erika gave you before.”
[………]
“As I explained before, they’re all just prototypes that don’t have much durability. It’s like we’re using up all of their remaining time, but I can still guarantee their power. I don’t think this magical chariot would have any further uses either, so feel free to dispose it—– Anyway, quickly go to the north.”
[Erika.]
I gently pat the familiar.
[Thank you for telling me these.]
The familiar looks like it’s nodding his head.
Taking off from my shoulder, the familiar flew away.
I remembered that conversing through the familiar is pretty draining.
Erika said that before.
It’s so draining that she won’t be able to move for a day or two.
[Considering that exhaustion she talked about before, it looks like we won’t be able to rely on Erika’s familiar for a while hereafter. I guess that means we won’t be able to obtain any more real-time information from now on.]
I could see gratitude on Seras’ expression as she said that.
[However, if we didn’t get that information just now…]
[Yeah… We might have taken a different route, avoiding the route to the Anti-Demon White Castle where those monsters are headed. We should be grateful to Erika for that. Now then—–]
While I crush the monsters with my Abnormal State Skill in between our conversation, I call out to them.
[Eve, Seras.]
The two of them, who are already back to being combat ready, replied.
[What is it?]
[Umu.]
[At worst, I may have to rush to the Princess’s rescue without you guys.]
Grabbing the spear that had been set up on the wall of the magic chariot, Eve jumped.
She dexterously landed next to me and held out the spear.
Grabbing the spear with a crystal embedded in it, I flung it to a monster.
[If we weren’t able to catch up to you, you will send the both of us back to the Witch’s home—- I already know that.]
[…Especially if I’m not sure if you could defeat a monster without dying. If I judged that you have suffered a life-threatening injury, no matter how little it is, I will send you back to Liz at that point. Understand?]
Eve let out a short chuckle.
[Acknowledged.]
Saying that, Eve threw a sword with a glowing tip.
The tip of the spear pierces a large monster running parallel to us.
And then…
Fwuusshhhaaa!
A bluish white flame burst out, and engulfed the monster in flames.
The monster screamed and tried attacking us with its burning body.
However, it ran out of strength along the way and was left behind our backs.
[Umu. Even if it’s a large monster, I think I can fight them myself with the weapons that the Witch made and loaded into this magical chariot.]
[Me and my Abnormal State Skill aren’t that all-rounded either. There may be some of them who could slip past me—- Therefore, I’ll leave those monsters to the both of you, just like before.]
[Don’t worry about them.]
Glancing at me with her emerald eyes, Eve’s ears twitched.
[These eyes and ears of mine will keep them from slipping through.]
A smile appeared on the edge of my mouth, “Fuunnnn…” I snorted.
I place my hand on the turret of the magical chariot.
I then turned the gun barrel around and sent magical energy into the crystal built into the turret.
The tip of the turret began flickering with bluish-white light.
Then, a bluish-white laser was fired, piercing a distant monster that was closing in towards us.
The monster flew back, blood flowing out of its chest and tumbled down on the ground.
[We’ll have to leave some of the weapons behind when we get there… But for now, it’s up to us how we want to get through this.]
Currently, it was like we’re being surrounded by monsters as we moved.
We need to arrive at the Anti-Demon White Castle as soon as possible while kick these monsters away from this group.
Seras—- deployed her Regalia of the Spirits.
Leaping from the top of the chariot, she slashed down on a monster with a single slash of her icy blade.
With that, Seras was in mid-air.
[Sh*t—-]
I extend out the tentacles and wrap them around Seras.
I then pulled up Seras who had lost control of her body while in mid-air.
She is now back on the chariot again.
[M- My apologies…]
[Don’t worry about it. However, don’t be hasty. Well… I understand how you feel.]
Even though she got back to her fighting stance, Seras’ expression is cloudy.
She was being swayed with impatience.
Well, it’s not impossible to guess what’s on her mind.
This time, Princess Cattleya’s life may be in danger.
It would be more difficult to tell her to keep calm.
However, there’s nothing I can do about it.
It’s no longer possible to know about the situation through Erika’s familiar.
Now, how long can the people near the Anti-Demon White Castle hold out?
[………]
Redeploying my tentacles around extensively, I unleashed my Abnormal State Skill.
* * *
I wonder how much time has passed.
And—– How many of them have I killed?
The magical chariot is maintaining its speed—- or rather, it’s rushing forward while increasing its speed.
The corpses of the monsters began piling up and scattered around as we continued running forward.
Looking behind us, I could see a trail of corpses laid out on the ground.
There were some Human-Faced among them.
Climbing over the corpses of their allies, the monsters had their eye wide open as they continued running without pause.
We’ve been crushing every single monster we can on the way.
By now, the magical tank has been destroyed in some places.
There was a hint of exhaustion from Seras and Eve.
I’ve also cancelled my combination technique with Pigimaru for now.
It’s because Pigimaru collapsed from exhaustion before I could ran out of MP.
Well, it can’t be helped.
I will continue killing, kill and killed all the monsters in sight.
It wasn’t easy making this path of slaughter.
The monsters that was living in the Northern Demon Zone were now rushing in all of the time.
I’ve been using my Abnormal State Skills, which includes
Thanks to this, we’ve managed to make it this far without anyone falling behind…
[Hah, hyaahhh…! Touka-dono… Are you alright? I think you should leave them to me and Eve for a while, and you should at least get some rest…]
The more MP I consume and the more magical energy I generate, the more burden my body will have to carry.
It will continuously increase.
I’m sure my body is starting to scream, just like Pigimaru’s case.
However…
[…It isn’t that great of a deal. I’m a Hero, I have my level ups and status correction. I could last much longer compared to a certain normal High Elf or Leopardkin.]
Well, it’s not that I’m not tired.
This 360-degree all-out battle while I maintained my combination with Pigimaru was unbearable for me.
However, I can’t let my fatigue be known to them.
Above all, lasting much longer compared to them—- isn’t a lie.
It’s also true that it’s not that great of a deal—- when I compared this to back when I was in the Disposal Ruins.