Chapter 163: Hero’s sword
We´re flying in the sky on Maia. On the back are me, Neia, Irina and Aurora. Anzeros and the men are Catalina’s defense.
“Transition device……a relic that cannot be reproduced in modern times along with ancient barriers and Dragon Slayers”
“I thought it was an accessory to the ancient barrier, I”
“I mean, its different……strictly speaking, we haven’t grasped half of the structure. If we could grasp it, we could connect the continents”
“Is it useless even with the research power of the elves?”
“Don’t say that. The ruins of the ancient civilization are so isolated”
Irina has a bitter face. It’s not Irina’s fault, but did I hurt her pride that I said that even elves couldn’t do it?
“But I don’t think it’s possible to transfer a large amount of monsters without an activation spell. I don’t think there is a way for monsters to analyze and cast spells”
“It’s broken”
Neia says holding down her hat so as not to receive the wind during the flight.
“I don’t know what kind of structure the transition device itself is, but it sometimes starts up on its own……and it’s like being flown to a transition device in a destroyed labyrinth”
“……Indeed, part of the transition transportation network is broken. If so, there is a possibility that a outburst will occur depending on the Qi flow……”
“I’m not sure, but how do we stop the monsters?”
Neia blinks her eyes.
“Stop……isn’t it impossible? It’s a very violent explosion”
“Hey hey”
“It’s not unstoppable. If you put up a simple closing spell, you should be able to deny the transfer contact a little even though it’s running wildly”
“Simple closure?”
“It exists for the purpose of punishing the clans. It’s a clans patriarchal privilege. Of course, if you use it for mischief in the forest, you will be punished on the contrary”
“Hee……”
“……It’s very helpful”
“Did you think about anything, Neia?”
“……No, that……if the transfer device was activated, would we fight at the water’s edge?”
To what extent of a power player is she.
A mountainside, not far from Catalina. A ruined place in a seemingly deserted city that has collapsed intricately. It was a labyrinth ruin that was destroyed three hundred years ago.
In the demon territory, the labyrinth that once existed in the northern six countries at that time, was destroyed several times under the impetus to knock out monsters from the continent. At that time, the function of the labyrinth was not well understood and no one knew what would happen if it was destroyed. The theory that 「The majority is an adjustment mechanism of the calculated arranged Qi」 doesn’t come out of the hypothesis and it is limited to the northern six countries, while the theory 「Labyrinth which collects a lot of monsters was a mere monster manufacturing device and only harm」 seemed to have been strong. And the monsters are eradicated by being destroyed……the result is exactly the opposite. All the bad Qi that was supposed to be filtered out in the labyrinth leaked out, creating a large amount of monsters in various places and the northern six countries were destroyed. We landed on the ruins of a labyrinth that was completely destroyed.
“I had the image that there were more monsters. Even after subtracting the transition and so on”
“It’s originally a labyrinth……but it’s still quiet”
Aurora and I had the same feeling in the remains of the labyrinth with only the sound of the northern wind in late autumn.
“No……was it overkill?”
With one hand on the brim of the hat and one on the handle of the sword, Neia is running her eyes with a serious face at any time.
“What is?”
“No……that, monster”
“The transition effect doesn’t last so long and monsters are infinite in the short term”
“……I agree”
Naia pulls the brim of her hat and hides her expression.
“……Perhaps, it’s a 『Devil』”
“!?”
“Do you underestimate the senile old man who lived a hundred years? I’ll tell you what you’re trying to do”
“Eh, well……I just thought about it”
……I didn’t think of it.
“What do you mean, Neia? No way, a 『Devil』 is here……”
When asked, Neia smiles awkwardly.
“It’s just speculation. But I was brought to this area…… just after he and I had our biggest attack. If this transfer device went out of control again, he would be involved in it. Maybe……that’s all there is to it”
“Fuumu……”
“Either way, let the Catalina people realize the danger of Rock Turtle spawning from here. It’s unclear if Irina’s blockade spell will work perfectly”
“Well, it’s not the same. The response isn’t different. Maia, can you simultaneously support my spell? It’s enough to correct the disorder”
“I’ve heard about it from my uncle, but I’ve never done anything so difficult……”
“Trust me. It’s not that big of a deal”
“Then, let’s do it”
Irina and Maia descend into a distorted room (or rather a gap between the crumbling walls) that seems to be the transfer device, and two people start casting spells.
For the time being, I’m free, so I talk to Neia.
“Is that devil so strong?”
“Eh, well……to the extent that we fought for about two full days and failed to finish it”
“…………”
Fight for two full days……. Even the most energetic Anzeros won’t last half a day if she fights with all her might. Even Aurora has a lot more physical strength than us, but she doesn’t last an hour without rest. In the first place, Neia is an excellent warrior who greatly surpasses those two and can be said to be comparable to Dianne in actual fighting power. Fighting with it for two days and enduring……is it better than a dragon class?
“I’m often motivated to fight again”
“With it, the Kalwin Valley was dangerous at some point. Besides……”
“Did you want to remove the trouble?”
Suddenly a voice rang out of nowhere. Neia tightens her expression in an instant and looks around with her ears upright as if they bounce up from her hair.
“You!!”
Then, Neia set up a posture while drawing her sword and turning around.
It was a dreadful creature. Beyond the rubble, on the rock. A human with a pale face and no hair or eyebrows……no, the ears are like an elf. However, the silhouette of the whole body looks like a wolf with bat wings. However, the whole body is slippery and blackish. I can’t see well, but it seems that there are some arms under the wolf’s forefoot, which I can see here and it is unpleasant because they move.
“What is that……”
“Devil, orrn……!”
“Hihihihihihi, hihihihihihihihihihi!”
The devil makes a crisp laugh with the volume increasing rapidly from a little chuckle. However, contrary to its laughter, it didn’t smile at all. So I couldn’t judge that it was laughing and I couldn’t say anything.
“Fight a foe. Fight a foe. Hero, Neia. Your foe is me”
“…………”
Neia slowly moved her legs and casually stood in a position to cover me. The killing intent that is emitted from the whole body is comparable to Dianne who has already become serious. However, the fight didn’t start. Because I’m not taken hostage?
“Ku……Maia”
“I’m coming”
In response to my murmur, Chibi Maia instantly appears on my shoulder and whispers, but I deny it.
“No, protect Irina and Aurora”
“Why”
“……Aurora may not be able to compete with it”
My intuition tells me that the strangeness of the strange creature in front of me is not strange at any time.
“Dragon. I don’t know. Hero, let’s fight together. Dragon, which side are you on? Do you eat hero’s meat? It’s delicious”
“……”
“I assure you. Hero, is delicious. It went quite well. How about we fight together?”
The devil says so in a soft voice. And again, the volume suddenly rises and he laughs. Neia holds her sword in a horizontal position while fixing her hat……she had a hateful expression that I had never seen before.
“Shut up”
“Hihihihihihihihihihihihi”
Laughing voice without facial expressions. There are several icicles released by Chibi Maia, piercing the devil’s feet.
“!? Don’t you want to eat?”
“Human flesh is bad. ……devil’s meat is better”
“Maybe. Ah, surely. I’ve never eaten myself”
I don’t know what the devil mean, but its words are between madness and intelligence.
“I eat Hero. You eat me, good. Great!”
“What is with that guy?”
“Don’t be fooled. It’s cunning and brutal”
Nea says in a low voice.
“Don’t move or I can’t protect you”
“I, I understand”
Immediately after saying that, Neia shakes her sword. A big shock wave occurred.
“Hihihihihihihihihihibua!?”
The devil is blown away. It instantly turned itself in the air when it was taken aback.
“Let’s start the second round, Neia Grans. ……Continue, continue. It’s been a while since the last time!?”
“Shut up!! That mouth, that eye, that laughter! ……I’ll erase it!!”
Neia jumps. The devil flutters its wings and collides with Neia at a distorted acceleration. There is a horrifying sound echoes.
“Tsk”
Neia just frowned a little. She lands and looks up at the devil.
“Hihihihihihihihihihi! I wonder if there was still that scale!”
“Unfortunately!”
The armor worn under Neia’s clothes is destroyed by one plate. A palm-sized plate fell from the cloak. That armor technique is also a sufficient over-tech from the perspective of Celesta and Trot.
“Hihihihihihihihihihihi”
“Gaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”
Aerial and ground. Walls and walls. Two shadows intersect at super high speeds, kicking off various places. There are sparks in the immediate vicinity of me, so I’m scared, but I can’t move because Neia told me not to move.
“Andy-sama!!”
“Andy-san!”
Maia and Aurora try to run over to my side. However, at that moment, a light ball suddenly flies from the entanglement of the two.
“Kyaa!?”
Bang!! It hit Maia directly. Her small body is blown away and Aurora who catches her is also blown away for 10 meters.
“Maia!”
“I’m okay……it just hurt a little bit”
When I scream unintentionally, Chibi Maia informs me of her safety.
“Hihihihihihihi”
“You!!”
If you look closely, the devil’s light ball attack was intermittently exhaled from its mouth and prevented by Neia’s sword. If I were moving, maybe Neia couldn’t stop it. Once again, I realize the dreadful skill of Neia and the devil´s fighting ability.
After exchanging blows, Neia landed in front of me. The devil also returns to the original rock.
“Hihihihihihihi.hihihihihihihihihihihihihihihi! You’re not weak, Hero. But you didn’t get stronger”
“…………”
“No, you´re getting weaker. I will show you quickly, unlike that fellow”
“……You really want to die”
“I want to die? I want to die. No, I want to kill you. It’s fun. Death. You’re more fun than that fellow, Hero. It looks like you’ll die. No, I want to kill you”
Hihihihihihihihi, the devil laughs with its voice only. Neia gnashed her teeth.
“You’re the one who’s going to be……”
“Can’t you do it? Then die. That’s fun”
Basaa and the devil spread its wings. And then……suddenly it jumped up into the sky and plunged towards me.
“Be careful!!!”
Neia tackles me. Its so strong that I’m blown up to the wall. I was suffocating, but I was so grateful to see the trace of that devil’s sudden drop. Three secondary arms on the inside of the forefoot extend and the ground is crushed with a fist. Because it was a former labyrinth, it was a bedrock, but the fist stuck deeply and cracks were spread around. If it hits you directly, you´re definitely minced. I want to go home soon.
“Hihihihihihi. I wondered if I could hit him gently. So I tried to have fun”
“…………”
Chakin, Neia repositions her sword. Is there anything I can do? At least don’t be a shackle for Neia. Is there anything? While thinking so, I press my chest and cough. At that moment, I feel a stick in my chest pocket. ……It’s the crest engraving pen.
“!”
I can do anything with this. I am convinced without any grounds. I stand up. No, I pretended to stand up and fall down.
“Smithson-san!?”
“D, Don’t worry……”
Seriously. ……I draw a crest while pretending to be in agony. As soon as the crest is completed, I stand up.
“Eat this!”
Throw the belt.
“!?”
“Hihihihihihi!”
A belt sword inspired by the papyrus sword that Aurora made a long time ago. I know that it has no power at all. After all, I’m neither a swordsman nor I can do anything with a belt. However, Neia was surprised at the sudden counterattack and the devil laughed. And the devil jumped over Neia and attacked me again. I was waiting for it.
“Uoooooooooo!!”
I throw a cloak toward the devil and jump away while blocking the view. Get a moment of time. The devil gets caught, breaks through the cloak with its secondary arm and hits the ground. The fist sinks and the whole upper body of the devil drops on the ground. ……The engraved crest turns hard ground into mud. This is my favorite. Of course, the hardness of the ground will return to the original level when the markings are cut off, so the devil hardens when its body is sunk into the ground.
“Neia!!”
“Smithson-san, get away quickly!!”
Needless to say. I try to leave with a dash. However, the devil crushes the solid ground and raises itself. Then the ground sways and I roll terribly on the ground within a few meters. Neia immediately catches up with me and protects me, wielding her sword. The devil was staring at us and smiled with that face for the first time.
“It’s fun. Even such a tiny piece of garbage tried to kill me. That’s great. That’s great. Hihihihihihihihihihihihi!!!”
“Die, ohhh!!”
“Good! That’s why you’´ll die too!!”
Before Neia tries to swing her sword, the devil´s body flashes entirely.
“!!”
In a hurry, Neia changes her steps and stands in front of me. The next moment, the light exploded.
————————————
When I notice. It is snowing there. Me and Neia were buried in the snow.
“…………”
When I wake up, there is just a world of snow. Snowscape. Only the area around Neia is dyed red.
“!?”
When I hurriedly hugged Neia, her cloak was burnt, most of the armor of the special armor had fallen apart, and……blood was flowing out from her chest. This is where Neia first received the devil’s attack. There was not enough armor there and she was injured.
“Neiaa!!”
I don’t know what to do. Where is this place, how deep is Neia´s injury and what happens to that devil?
“……Da, Damn, can I just hold it down?”
If I know such a case would happen, I should have learned medical skills and first aid from Hilda.
“The wound is not deep. If you press the blood, it will stop soon. More than that, warm up your body. Give her a hug. If possible, it is desirable to take it to a place that can overcome snow”
I hear a voice from somewhere. I thought it was empty ear.
“……Is there anyone?”
I look around. Nobody is here. The area is a snowscape. Neia’s shed blood, the sword that stuck on the ground and the ups and downs of the mountains and cloudy weather were all I could see.
“Be quick. Hypothermia is serious”
“Who is it!?”
I’m scared by the words I’ve heard again.
“You don’t want to save Neia, qualified person”
“……Who is it!? Where!?”
“Are you timid or brave? I suppose you are brave because you are timid. Well, that’s fine”
At that moment, I saw light at the edge of my field of view. It is……the sword with an unnaturally thick blade that is beside Neia. A rainbow-colored light was coming from the blade.
“……Sword……”
“Is it the first time you see weapons talking, youth?”
“The sword is talking!?”
“My name is Flash Sword. A hero’s servant and guardian. I recognize your courage in what you do. That’s why I think it’s acceptable to talk to you”
The sword had the voice of a middle-aged man, speaking in a dull tone.
“Don’t let Neia die. Do as I say”
“……I, I understand!”