Vol 2 Chapter 40
「What’s going on…….!?」
At the center of the unusual phenomenon…….We ran towards the underground village’s residential area and what we saw was a completely bizarre scene. The s.p.a.cious room had this sphere of energy floating in the air, the sphere was radiating white light and it was covering most of the room with its illuminance. Anything that is touched by the light, things like the furniture, wall, ceiling, floor, was instantly shaved off and destroyed, it was a crus.h.i.+ng airs.p.a.ce.
At the middle of the sphere, Flamia was in a curled up position and holding on to her knees as she floated in the air.
「Master, isn’t she supposed to be under your Subjugation Magic!? Can’t we stop her somehow if you order her!?」
Amelia joined up with us and was speaking to me in a fl.u.s.tered voice, however I could only shake my head.
「I’ve been trying since a while ago. Considering that it has been completely ineffective, it can only mean that Flamia herself has lost control and is unable to cease her powers from rampaging」
「Hey Odamori-kun, don’t you feel that the destructive airs.p.a.ce, is expanding somewhat……!?」
Flamia was continuously discharging that devastating energy into her surroundings. Just how large is this destructive airs.p.a.ce going to expand? Is it going to cover the whole entire underground village? No, perhaps it may even cover the entirety of the Forest of the Elves——c.r.a.p, if that is truly the case, then both our group, the dark elves and the elves have no place to escape to.
And……..It is likely that even Flamia herself, who was exuding this self-destructing aura could not escape.
「Oi, Flamia, Listen to my voice! Do you understand what you are doing!?」
「…….u…..ah……」
When I shouted at the top of my lungs, Flamia replied with a very faint voice. Her body was curling up and her eyes which had already lost its light turned towards me slowly.
「Anee……sama……..told me, she didn’t need me anymore………」
「……What!?」
「She said…….She didn’t need me anymore……..At the very least, as her tool………I should become useful……for the last time…..」
After talking in broken sentences like that Flamia returned to being silent again. The demonic pledge on her forehead was emitting a high-density amount of magical power and s.h.i.+ning brightly.
「Is that so? Is that what happened………! Iblis, she is actually pouring a large quant.i.ty of magical powers from the pledge into Flamia’s body causing her to enter a state of overload!」
Normally, the further the magical power needs to travel before reaching the mark, then the amount of magical power that can be transferred into the contracted person, drastically reduces……. The fact that Iblis is able to transfer a huge amount of magical power even though she is obviously not in this location means, that she must be using some sort of device which works like a portable signal extender that allows for a more direct link to Flamia’s pledge.
I shuddered at the immensity of power that the Eight n.o.ble Demonic families hold.
「W-what’s wrong Master!? We need to hurry up and warn Dianne-san and the rest to take shelter——」
「It won’t work, this underground village is completely connected. Far from being able to warn everyone to escape, even if we took initiative to escape by ourselves, the chance that we wouldn’t be able to make it out is quite high!」
The crus.h.i.+ng airs.p.a.ce is not really speeding up but I also need to consider that it may explode. The main problem is that Flamia may not be able to survive. For one of my Magical Slaves to die……I will never allow that to happen.
In that case, my only option is to stop it!
「Himeno-san, can you use your best technique? the one you used to defeat the demonic knight Groom?」
「Using the Volaris Alkanshel technique!? ……..Don’t tell me, you want me to cut open this dense magical airs.p.a.ce!?」
「Ahh, if you are worried about the magical expenditure, I will provide it to you via our magical link. I want you to forcible cut open a road towards Flamia, so that I can approach her and cancel out her current “Demonic Pledge” towards Iblis and renew it——」
「No…..I’m afraid that if we use this method, we won’t make it in time」(Palmyra speaking)
「Ah, Palm-chan!」
Before anyone noticed it the demoness was already besides us, but she was biting on to her lips and shaking her head.
「Right now, Flamia is like a broken tap that is just incessantly leaking out all this destructive force. For argument’s sake, let’s say that both Kirika and I were to fire off our Jet Black Vortex and her Holy Sword art at the same time…….Then at best we would be able to counteract that dense destructive airs.p.a.ce for an instant before it started to leak out again jyarou」
「Kuu……!」
「However. If our plan was to kill Flamia in the instant an opening is made……Then it may just work out」(Palmyra speaking)
「Ehh…….!?」
“You should understand this concept as well Tooru”……..Saying this with a bitter expression, Palmyra was coldly stating out the solution to the problem.
Yeah, indeed it is just like Palmyra has said. Even if a single instant was not enough for me to save her, if my objective was to kill her in that instant…..Then it would be possible to sacrifice Flamia and in this way, I would be able to save all of the other people……….!
「There is no time, you need to make a decision, Slavemancer. As the ruler of us Magical Slaves, you have the responsibility to make that decision!」
「…….」
Kirika, Nina and Amelia’s gaze…………all of them were focused on me.
Is this really the only option?
Is there really………..no other option!?
「Wait, Master! It’s still too early to give up!」(Nana speaking)
The one who broke the silence was the Armor Golem who was running towards us whilst shaking the ground with a *Dosu Dosu*.
With vigour the right arm which was covered with the crystal of the Divine Corpse was raised up………And she threw her palm against the spheroidal crus.h.i.+ng s.p.a.ce that was already about to reach the vicinity of the room’s exit.
「Na, Nana-chan, what are you!?」
「Previously I have been able to crush this! Therefore, I believe that I can also push it away!」
「Wha, no matter how you think about it, this is way too reckless, you foolish blockhead! Don’t you see how big this crus.h.i.+ng airs.p.a.ce is!?」(Palmyra speaking)
「You little demonic runt, just stay silent and watch! Uoooooooooohhhーーー!!」(Nana speaking)
It was just like a huge stream of water was being poured into Nana from a powerful firehose, and her big arm was trying to push it back. Her gigantic figure was shaking and clattering, but even so, Nana persisted and slowly advanced forwards.
「Alright……I understand Nana! You’re betting this on that arm and your firm resolution!」(Amelia Speaking)
「Odamori-kun!?」
「Amelia, please use the s.h.i.+eld that Nina has reinforced with magic and go behind me, I want you to guard me from any destructive airs.p.a.ce that managed to go past Nana! if I can just get close enough to Flamia, I will be able to renew the contract!」
「Heheh, Roger that! I’ll show you guys the willpower of someone in the position of vanguard!」
「Himeno-san and Palmyra, I want you both to prepare your combination attack and shoot it to widen a path for Nana! However, you need to be careful not to hit Flamia, understood !?」
「……..I understand!」
Each of my Magical Slaves were taking position one after the other, and Palmyra was still in a bit of a daze.
「Y…..You guys…..Eeeii, I understand! All I need to do is cooperate with you guys, right?! Fine I’ll do it! I can’t believe I’m getting accustomed to Tooru’s completely reckless plans jyawa!」
「Fufu, even though you’re saying that Palm-chan in honesty, I bet you don’t want to see Flam-chan die in vain, am I right~?」
「uu……」
Even though they were cracking jokes right now, this mission is extremely challenging and if anyone makes even the slightest of mistakes, we could may well face total annihilation.
I frantically calculated the amount of magical power I needed to distribute to the girls within my own head, Nana was in front of me and Amelia was behind me acting as s.h.i.+elds, I was interposed in between the two girls and was walking forwards towards Flamia into this destructive airs.p.a.ce.
「Guuu……Guuu……Guooohh…….!!」
「Nana!? Your body it’s falling apart here and there……A-are you alright!?」
Amelia who was right behind her, was shouting out anxiously to make sure Nana was alright.
The right arm of Nana which was pointed directly at Flamia was heating up and glowing white, a sinister sound of melting bubbles continuously resounded.
Parts of Nana’s body which was unable to protect itself from the destructive waves, was being torn apart, it was almost like someone was filing her skin away, it was truly painful to watch. Darn it….. I don’t think she can hold on for much longer!
「I’m alright, Nana is strong! Nana won’t lose!!」
「Tsk, you’re acting so cool and all…….Princess Knight, have you finished preparing yet !?」(Palmyra speaking)
「Thanks to your magical energy, I’ve managed to fully charge my attack! I can go at any time!」
「Alright, Please do it, Himeno-san!」
The walls which was touched by the crus.h.i.+ng airs.p.a.ce completely disappears and Kirika was readying herself to launch her attack.
She was brandis.h.i.+ng her Alkanshel sword right above her own head as the colors of the rainbow shone around the surroundings.
「Holy light that s.h.i.+nes with brilliance, Sever the heart of wicked demons! Holy Rainbow Blade, Volaris Alkanshel !!」
Her black hair was waving around behind her due to the recoil, as she swung down her aurora-colored blade.
The white sphere of death was cut right from the front by the rainbow colored light, it was almost like a holy scene whereby the water was split into two to enable the crossing of the seas! Nana’s body which was supposed to be in the zone of death for an instant was released from the pressure, it was the emergence of a mythical scene!
「Uoooohhhhhhh!! Its timeeeee—–!!」
In that moment of release, Nana’s gigantic figure bounded forwards.
Using her arm which was covered in the crystal of the Divine Corpse she pushed onwards and arrived one step away from Flamia……..!
「……d…..don’t…..come!!」
「What!?」
「Uu!? Uguooo!?!?」
The output of the crus.h.i.+ng airs.p.a.ce increased all of a sudden, and Nana’s shoulder which received the brunt of the attack rattled and cracked raising an unpleasant sound.
That was Flamia’s voice just now………this girl, is she trying to reject our approach!?
「Gu……Kuuuu…….! Master, if it keeps going like this, we’ll be in trouble……!!」
Even Amelia who was doing her best to protect me from the violent pressure was quickly approaching her limits.
Dammit, just one more step…….one more step and I will be able to interfere with the Magical pledge on her forehead!
「……….Leave it to me, My Lord」
At that time, a small and modest voice resounded with clear intent.
At the same time, right above us, an arrow of light……….soared down like a falling star leaving a trail of light as it flew.
The arrow exploded above Flamia and an innumerable amount of light particles rained down towards us.
「Nuu…….This, is!?」
「The resistance in the destructive s.p.a.ce is decreasing…..!?」
Being totally caught off guard, I looked backwards. The person who was there, was Sierra wearing her light weight equipment which was green in color.
And what she had held in her thin elven hands —— was a very large and dignified looking bow.
「Diane-aneesama…….This is?」
Both Sierra and Dianne was making their way to the place that was making all these vibrations but before heading there, Dianne took out an artifact from within the interior of her sacred temple.
It had an extremely hard exterior and was made from something called Iron Wood. However, it didn’t look brutish or ugly in the slightest, in fact it gave the impression of being a work of art, it was both graceful and elegant in design. The bow’s size was big enough to exceed the height of her younger sister Sierra.
「It is the Elemental Twillight Bow: Thousand Light. This is our most valuable treasure which was handed down by our G.o.ddess Teiputori to our clan. With the amount of ability, you have right now, I’m sure that you can draw out the full extent of its powers」
Sierra was shocked that she was given such a priceless treasure, and Dianne merely smiled in return.
「The only thing I can give you is only this much. Sierra………All this time, you’ve been trying to find a solution to my curse of short life as a Priestess and have set out to travel in order to find any clues to cure me, right?」
「!! Th-that is………! Even though I never told you……..」
「Of course I knew. Even if we aren’t connected by blood, us sisters grew up together after all」
「Anee-samaa……..!」
「Now then, you should bring that with you. Tooru-dono, surely needs your strength right now——」
Sierra sets up her large bow and slowly pulls on it. The bowstring didn’t even have an arrow nocked to it.
No, I’m wrong. There were particles of purple light gathering together and forming into the shape of an arrow……..As soon as she fired the shot, the arrow exploded in a firework of lights and this was precisely the thing that helped Nana to advance moments ago.
「Flamia’s crus.h.i.+ng airs.p.a.ce is actually being weakened!? That light……I see; the arrow must have the properties of magical absorption! 」
「Dianne-aneesama told me that, this elemental bow is capable of lighting up in the darkness like a bright star, its revered name is Thousand Light and the arrow it fires off is a combination of the seven magical lights converging into one…………According to the dark elves history, this light guides their path along the darkness and provides a sense of peace.」
「That’s amazing, Sierra-chan!」
「Ahh, if it’s at this distance……! I can do it! I’m going to do an emergency contract renewal!!」
Nana, Kirika and Sierra………This is the golden chance that was created by their combined efforts.
I pointed my hands towards Flamia’s head who was just floating in the air whilst being curled up and commenced my magical art.
「Now then, Flamia. I’m going to sever…….the chains that bind you!」
——In reality, I knew it from a long time ago.
The fact that I……..Had never been loved by anyone in this world. Iblis-Aneesama is the only one who has ever praised me for crus.h.i.+ng our enemies.
………Only when I crushed our enemies, would she say that I’ve done well.
In truth, I didn’t particularly like crus.h.i.+ng my opponents. I would even dream about my opponents and I could vividly remember their faces as they turned towards me just before they were about to be squished to pieces. However, if I did not continue to crush them, my Aneesama won’t praise me any longer so I endured it and continued to kill.
Whilst being disliked by everyone, I continued to crush.
The only thing Aneesama wanted from me was my ability overpower my enemies and my strength. That’s why I had to become stronger no matter what.
I needed to enjoy crus.h.i.+ng my enemies.
If I wasn’t strong, I’m sure that n.o.body would like me. n.o.body would even need me.
There is just no one else who would care. Unlike Palmyra who had many followers, I had none.
I had always hoped that perhaps I wasn’t so different from Palmyra who seemed to be loved by everyone, I averted my eyes to the truth, but in the end, I realized that I was just dreaming.
I had foolishly believed that my Aneesama would come to rescue me after I got captured, but I was completely wrong.
That’s why I…..I’ve had enough. I don’t care what happens anymore.
I mean, even if I lived from now on……..n.o.body would ever need me again…….!
「Is that what you think? But let me tell you that you are wrong, I need you!」
「Eh…….? Onii…….san?」
「Ahh, Have you finally regained your consciousness? you sleepyhead?」
Since a while ago, I had to expend a vast amount of my magical energy to distribute to the girls and also in order to renew the devil’s contract with Flamia, therefore my body was covered in sweat.
Flamia was beginning to open up her eyes slightly and she was greeted by my grinning face. The shape of her demonic pledge which was on her forehead, slowly changed to the same design which was on my hand……….At the same time, the destructive airs.p.a.ce started to shrink rapidly.
「Wh……yy……?」
「What do you mean why? The fact is you were defeated by us, right? Therefore, I need you to obediently obey me, okay? Now then, my first order to you is to become our comrade, and my second order is for you to become my younger sister」
Kirika whispered in a really low voice “loli – con”……..But I pretended not to hear it.
「D-does that mean that……You want me to be together with you? Oniisan actually……needs me?」
「Yeah, that’s right」
「But, but is it……Also because Oniisan is after my power? Because I am strong?」
Palmyra was walking directly towards us, as she let out a breath, *Humph* she was snorting at Flamia.
「Ha, which part of you is strong right now nojya? Listen up, because our demonic pledge currently exceeds Tooru’s capacity, the power we can exert is greatly limited. You are completely deprived of your former power jya, serves you right jya, take that jya」
「Well, that may be true. However, unlike you, Flamia is really obedient and she’s really cute」
「Wh…..what did you say!? I-I am also cute aren’t I!?」
「Palmyra, Since a long time ago, you’ve always had a much higher pride than me….」
Palmyra’s face swelled up into a pout and Kirika was just amazed at the scene of the two demoness’s quarrelling. Seeing such a comical dialogue between the two, Kirika was just looking at Flamia in blank surprise.
「B….But wasn’t I your enemy just a little while ago!? I was trying to crush everyone, and even Palmyra’s home, I…….In truth, I bet everyone is really afraid of me and hates me, right!?」
「No. That isn’t true」
The person who approached us with a smile was Princess Sistina who was carrying a big pan in her hands.
「Ah……..! That smell, by any chance, could it be……?」
「Yes, this is the second serving of your favourite soup. There is so much that’s been made just for you, Fla-chansan」(TL: I have no idea what chan and san combined means, LOL)
「In this kind of situation!? Just when I was thinking about where you were, it turns out you were doing things at you own pace, Princess」
「Oh, that’s because I believed in Tooru-sama’s ability to make everything work out 」
Turning her face slightly, the Princess laughed elegantly. *ufufu* Was I mistaken, could she actually be the strongest person in our group?
Alternating her looks between the warm soup in front of her and my face………..Flamia’s childlike appearance broke down into tears.
「Uu…….ueeeee……..Ueeeeeeehhhhnn……..!! Onii, sann…..!」
「Ohh, Ohhh, it’s alright, it’s fine now」
Her purplish hair was dishevelled and she tightly hugged my chest as she broke down in tears, the Mad Princess…..No, there is no longer anyone going by that name.
Along with a slight sense of pain, the Demonic Pledge which was carved into my hand had new strokes and symbols added to it evolving its shape slightly. This was the proof that my contract between Flamia had succeeded.
「Humph, even though hundreds of years have pa.s.sed, you are still acting like a spoilt child jyano……..what a disappointment jya」
「If you were jealous of Flamia…….all you had to do was tell Master, you know……?」
「Uu, I’m not jealous of her, how could such a thing happen!?」
I patted her exposed back gently and as she calmed down and I finally had a bit of time to think……..Now that you mention it, how was Iblis able to instantly figure out that Flamia had been under my subjugation magic?
If I thought about it simply, then considering that she was in the Devil Kingdom, there must have been someone else giving her these pieces of information——.
「What’s wrong, Master?」(Nana speaking)
The mysterious figure that supported Celesta behind the scenes… The many strange situations which seem to crop up one after another: The battle with Flamia, Celesta’s invasion and this sudden rampage by Flamia.
All of these things seem to be connected……..A cold s.h.i.+ver was going up along my spine and I had a bad premonition about all this. If every single development was being guided by this “Mysterious” fellow, then are we just walking into a trap?
「Everyone! Listen ——」
——Zunn!
「What…….!?」
I, no everyone was staring at the scene before us in utter amazement.
All of a sudden, Nana’s chest was pierced by a black colored blade. The person holding the blade was wearing a polished silver mask across their face, and was in a white robe.
「Ahh, we are finally able to meet aren’t we? Odamori Tooru-kun」
【Skill Explanation】
《Volaris Alkanshel》：Holy Sword Technique LV 5 Skill
Destructive Power: S
Accuracy: A
Preparation Phase: B
Vulnerability after use: C
Energy Consumption: E
Range: Very near ~Approximately 5 m.
Pouring all the user’s magical energy into the holy sword Alkanshel, this was a special ability that pushed the user’s ability to its utmost limits. The Alkanshel was a seven colored blade, with the ability to nullify spatial related attacks by cutting a path through s.p.a.ce itself.
In theory, it is able to penetrate through all defenses including armor that is able to bend s.p.a.ce itself such as the Dislocate Armor worn my Groom, however using this sword is really taxing as it requires a huge amount of magical energy expenditure.
Furthermore, Alkanshel’s true form is precisely when it glowed with the magnificence of seven colors of the rainbow, however the current Kirika is only able to activate this state for a little while before running out of steam.