Vs Dagruel Part 4
The battle between Albert and Grasword grew more intense.
Because each of the commanders were fighting, the chain of command ceased in it’s functioning, as such, the troops fell into disorder.
However, such a matter was a trifling issue for the commanders in question――
Both of them had recognized the other as a worthy opponent and were enjoying the battle.
「Kakakakakaka! Quite the skill you have there, you amazed me.
To have a chance to cross swords with a person like you, it is a great honor as a warrior!」
「This is not by my skill.
Only by these, the equipment which was given to me by my master Rimuru, that have granted me such strength.
If it was with my former equipment, I would already be defeated without being able to so much as endure the pressure of your sword.」
Albert calmly turned aside Grasword’s praise.
It was true, however it was only by Albert’s ability that the power of the G.o.d grade equipment was drawn out.
「Ha! No need to be humble. Amongst the Giants, there are only a few who can fight me.
Although we were going to do a pincer attack on Demon Lord Ruminas’ army with the angels ――the situation is now beyond our control.
However, defeating one of the enemy generals is also an important duty. Since there is no lack of opponents!!
Yet…… still, my younger brother Fenn really picked the short straw.
Even though he was this precious opportunity where he can rampage as much as he wants, he received a weak magician as his opponent.
Certainly knowledge is wonderful, as a person that man may have a favorable impression, however……
Because we have『Magic Nullity』, a magician is utterly useless.」
He exclaimed so whilst brandis.h.i.+ng his Great Sword.
He planned to make Albert, who was worried about his master, become agitated by his words. A small mistake would lead to death. It was an excellent tactic to induce unrest to the mind of his opponent.
On the other hand, Albert, without changing his expression――
「It seems you are clearly misunderstanding something.
Certainly, I, as the guard of Adalman-sama, am the one in charge of the vanguard.
However, I would like to ask you to not forget this――
Adalman-sama, as one of the 12 Guardian Lords of Rimuru-sama, is far stronger than me!
You understand what that means, right?」
He said that and denied Grasword’s words.
Grasword muttered “Ho?”, and raised one of his eyebrows.
Then he suddenly raise his sword over his head without speaking further.
His strategy to provoke his opponent seemed to have failed, then, in that case he will just beat him from the front. Grasword decided on such a plain and simple tactic.
「Fufufu, is that so? In that case it’s good that Fenn will truly enjoy his battle.
Oh well. Then I shall accomplish my duty!」
And so the intense sword fight restarted.
Their clash reached the climax, before long the two payed no attention to their surroundings, focusing their minds only on their swords.
Being thrown to the ground, Adalman felt that his consciousness was about to disappear for an instant.
He could understand exactly what had occurred. He was able to see the moment the enemy had jumped, matching the timing of the activation of his magic.
Adalman prioritized the incantation of the great magic in order to overturn the situation of the battle.
Even though he could invoke the magic without the chant, it was limited to the image of what he had experienced before.
As for the great magic that he was about to use, He considered that chanting was necessary in order to invoke it successfully, once he had ascertained the situation.
This reasoning came about because he wanted to use his recovered energy effectively. Especially since, after he had invoked the great magic at the beginning, he had kept on invoking spells one after the other.
That was why he thought that it wouldn’t be amusing if the magic incantation that he had been working on, was interrupted part-way, so he focused his concentration on the invocation of said spell.
He had decided such only because he was confident with his defenses against physical attacks, yet......
The enemy’s ability seemed to have surpa.s.sed what Adalman had expected.
His multiple barriers were all broken through, hardly even one of his defensive measures showed any effect. If not for that one defensive measure, there was a possibility that Adalman would have received a fatal blow at that moment.
Though, it’s kind of strange to say that he, who is already dead, would receive a fatal wound again.
(How!? For him to penetrate my magic barriers as if he was ignoring them, does that mean that this guy’s ability is actually『Magic Nullity』!?)
Adalman had arrived to the correct answer instantly.
It was fortunate that what Gadra had hinted at before came into his mind.
If that’s the case, he was correct in preparing a defensive measure other than magic.
(Oh well. After all, this magic will have exhausted my magic power.
Whether it’s『Magic Nullity』or anything else, it already doesn’t matter! Rather it’s convenient for me.)
Though he can’t be said to be unharmed, his plan had succeeded.
The great magic that Adalman had chanted activated without any problems.
The invoked magic was called Immortal Legion.[1]
One of the ultimate magics that have a wide area of effect.
Just like the word “Legion” in the spell name suggests, it was the highest level forbidden spell of Undead Magic which uses and turns the dead into soldiers.
The magic transforms and turns the dead in this battle, regardless whether they were allies or enemies, into soldiers faithful to his command.
Giants have a high regeneration power and don’t die easily.
Because superficial injuries would be restored by themselves, it was necessary to destroy them completely.
Therefore there was the need to wait for corpses to build up in the battlefield…… Watching the state of the battlefield, Adalman had decided that it was the time to use the spell.
For that reason he had concentrated in order to chant the magic.
The bodies of the giants scattered on the ground were combined by the huge magic formation that appeared in the sky and on the ground into several lumps of flesh.
Then limbs appeared from the lumps of flesh, and 4m tall giants were born.
Death Giants, that were one size larger than the Death Knights.
Their fighting power greatly surpa.s.sed the power they had whilst alive. Not only from their body’s own properties, they also had enormous energy as the souls of the death giants gathered as one.
Originally, they would lose their regeneration ability when they become zombie, but this trait is kept as is.
They were reborn as monsters with fighting power Over A rank which surpa.s.ses even the Death Knights.
Though, since there were many bodies which weren’t completely usable, the number of the created Death Giants were only about 1.000, but it was plenty sufficient.
The created Death Giants attacked the other giants who were their former comrades.
Even though Adalman’s magic power had run out after using Healing Rain, he already stood up as if there was no problem.
Once he had glanced around for an instant and made sure that the Death Giant had begun to rampage, he turned his eyes to Fenn who was trampling upon his army.
「Wenti, are you okay?」
「Yes, I have been careless――」
Wenti who quietly turned into her human form, answered Adalman’s question.
Although it was true that she had received severe damage, her recovery finished at the same time she transformed herself into human form.
It was only usable once a day, but the super recovery is activated due to the change of her body const.i.tution.
「No, no, you’re not careless, it’s just that that small stature giant is strong.
You’re being alright is more important.
From what I see, that giant has a body with unbelievably dense energy.
Looks like he has holy attribute, magic won’t work on him.
Had we not change our attribute into holy attribute, we would have been purified.」
Adalman spoke of the facts plainly.
Like a magician, Adalman’s eyes, which looked at Fenn, were like those of a researcher.
(Even so―― That giant is too strong)
Combat Speed, destructive power, and defense power.
Looking from many aspects, he‘s top cla.s.s, if you only see the amount of his energy, he’s equal to a True Dragon.
Even if Adalman sent Giant Skeletons (Big Skeleton Knight) against him, they would only be smashed up.
「Good grief. It seems that it’s time for my long trained body.」
「Ha?」
At Adalman’s confusing words, the Death Dragon Wenti, who had pledged her loyalty to Adalman, let out a questioning voice.
Not to mention body, Adalman doesn’t even have flesh. He can only be the so-called ‘skeleton’.
Answering Wenti’s question,
「It seems that I haven’t told you about it. When I took the position of ‘great priest’, my job was different.
Originally, I was a high-ranking cla.s.s of priest and martial artist which was called Holy Fist Monk[2].
Because there was Albert, who is an excellent vanguard, I didn’t need to perform close range combat.
When I fought against you before, I didn’t think that it would be effective against you who had no human form, so there were no opportunities to show my skills, you see.」
「E, well. But that…… you don’t say, you intend to fight against that giant barehanded?」
「What, is there a problem?」
“Errr, aren’t there various problems though?”
Or so Wenti thought, but she couldn’t say it strongly.
She was his long time acquaintance, but she had never seen Adalman’s figure as that of someone who had trained his body.
“Well, is there any meaning to train as a skeleton?” so, she was troubled whether to even ask about it.
「No, there’s……」
Wenti couldn’t answer.
(For Adalman-sama who seems to be an intellectual, unexpectedly――）
She stopped thinking further about it and turned her eyes towards the rampaging Fenn.
「All right. Then, I will tell you the strategy.
As magic doesn’t work, hit with physical attacks. It’s just that.
Even your breath, which could cause magic essence diversion, would be treated as magic.
Therefore, you and me, who have no means with which to attack, our compatibility with him is horrible.
So, here’s a suggestion.」
Saying so, Adalman began to talk about his plan, it was something outside of Wenti’s imagination.
However, Wenti, who believes in Adalman, agreed without any hesitation.
「I leave the rest to you, Adalman-sama. May fortune be with you!」
So she replied with that answer as she relaxed her body.
The plan that Adalman proposed was, a.s.similation with possession.
Originally, Adalman, as a ghost, is more like a spiritual lifeform.
It could be said that his current state is merely him possessing his dead body (skeleton). The reason is because he needs a temporary body in order to have influence in the physical world.
Therefore, he can easily perform possession. If Wenti doesn’t resist him, it would certainly succeed.
The problem was, it was unknown whether they could separate or not.
「Be relieved. Even if I possess you, it doesn’t mean your consciousness will disappear.
In the worst case, we’ll ask Rimuru-sama to prepare you a new body!]
And so, Adalman possessed Wenti.
A Death Dragon has a strong body, high magical power, and energy. In addition to that, is Adalman’s own magic power.
The possession succeeded, a young man with black hair, clad in jet-black priest clothes, made his appearance.
「Fumu, it was a success.」
(As expected of Adalman-sama!)
The two became one in mind and body.
With a strong body and possessing enormous magic power, it was the youth figure of “Gehenna Lord” Adalman―― though there were some differences such as the hair color being different and etc.
(Fufu, I’m excited after a long time. If it’s in this state, I might have a good fight against Zegion-dono.
I seem to have become an equal with Ultima-jou[3].)
In his skeleton state, he recalled that he couldn’t have an exchange of fists with his friend.
And so, a fearless smile floated on his face as he flew towards the rampaging giant.
He didn’t believe that he could beat the giant as it was now. But he could buy some time.
Besides, though the giant in front of him is an incarnation of violence, it doesn’t seem that he has high skills like the one fighting against Albert.
Although the giant has energy comparable to a True Dragon, he can only rampaging without reason.
For him to aim at Adalaman first may have been because he had reacted towards the one having the highest energy in the army.
(In that case, we might just defeat him if we perform well.)
(It will naturally be possible, if it’s Adalaman-sama!)
Reacting to Wenti’s thought in his mind, though Adalman was slightly surprised, he nodded frankly.
(That’s so, that’s right! Because I am one of Rimuru-sama’s strongest subordinates.)
And so he charged towards Fenn while laughing happily.
The “Seven Celestial Sages” had finished the reconnaissance mission and reported it to Demon Lord Ruminas.
Afterwards, they followed Ruminas who came to the outer district area in order to confront the giants.
And so they would encounter a surprising situation.
There exists a knight who can fight Grasword, who has been called the strongest ‘Sword King’ that ever existed, on equal terms.
The attack of Ruminas, who is their master whom they adore and respect, hadn’t worked against Demon Lord Dagruel.
And the last thing, a person, with a nostalgic face that they remember seeing somewhere, having started a battle against a rampaging giant who was like a berserker, on equal terms.
These three events were things that happened almost at the same time.
「What, what the heck is this!」
「To be fighting evenly against the Sword King, who is that knight?」
「This bad, this is bad! As it is now, Ruminas-sama will lose!!」
「Hey, wait. That person, surely――」
「Adalman, isn’t he Adalman!!」
「Really!? Then, that knight is Albert!!」
「Those two are Demon Lord Rimuru’s subordinates!? What the heck is this joke!?」
Thinking at the same time, the “Seven Celestial Sages” exchanged the information each of them found.
And sharing all of the information at once, they were wrapped in surprise.
Adalman and Albert were famous in the past.
Adalman who was the Great Priest was a talented master of Holy Magic.
Then, Albert was the strongest Holy Knight of the previous generation.
The two were people who had the qualifications to become the Hero. But the Hero’s egg hadn’t dwelled inside either of them.
Normally, they’d become sages. And, as it was, they’d eventually become saints.
If they couldn’t be the Hero, they only became unnecessary people for the “Seven Celestial Sages”. Furthermore, they were both too much of geniuses.
They hadn’t accepted Ruminas’s Mind Rule, as they were affiliated to the church of Ingrasia Kingdom without staying in the Holy Capital.
In other words, according to the “Seven Celestial Sages” the two had been a two-edged sword.
In ability, the two could become strong individuals which could threaten them, or worst, the two could become existences that would even jeopardize their position.
Although the two hadn’t seemed to notice the existence of Demon Lord Ruminas, it was certain that the two had some kind of doubts about it.
Whilst admitting the ability of those two, to they who wouldn’t become their comrades ――
The “Seven Celestial Sages” had manipulated the Pope and ordered for them to do the purification of a large-scale undead disaster.
It was officially announced as an indirect subjugation request, but the two people had strong senses of justice and bit the bait splendidly.
The two willingly went to Great Jura Forest.
And there, the two would perish while bringing down the Dragon Zombie together as the “Seven Celestial Sages” had planned, or it should have been.
「It can’t be, for him to be alive……」
It was the same thought for all of the “Seven Celestial Sages”.
「Well, what should we do? That’s the question.」
「Right now, it’s almost impossible to defeat Adalman and Albert.」
「Besides, in this situation we don’t have such free time as to have internal conflict.」
「That is so……」
「It would be excellent if the two beat both of the giants. If they lose, we won’t be safe.」
「That’s right. We are to only help the princess.」
「I agree. About those two, let’s think about it after they survive.」
The “Seven Celestial Sages” decided on their plan.
Without using any underhanded plans as the situation was a pressing one.
They threw away their wicked thoughts and moved to attack the enemy as according to the initial plan.
They had, in their own ways, began their action in order to help Demon Lord Ruminas who is their respected and adored master.
[1] 不死者軍団創造 (イモータルレギオン)。Fus.h.i.+sha Gundan Souzou (Imoutaru region) Fus.h.i.+nsha=Immortal, Undead, Gundan=Army, Souzou=creation. Undead Army Creation.
[2] 聖拳導師 Seiken Dous.h.i.+, Sei=Holy Ken/Kobus.h.i.+= Fist, Dous.h.i.+= Monk.
[3] Jou = Miss, la.s.s.