Chapter 94
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 94
Reinforcements arrived—an overwhelming force.
“I am Atenbail of the Ursus Red Snake Subjugation Squad. We’ll handle this side. Prioritize the wounded and reform your lines.”
Maybe… maybe we can make it through this.
Looking at their saviors, Birkus couldn’t help but feel a surge of hope.
Having spent nearly a decade in dungeon subjugation, he naturally knew the names of all the promising squads. The Ursus Red Snake Subjugation Squad was, without a doubt, an A-rank team. The only issue was their numbers. The squad was supposed to have twelve members, but under the current circumstances, it seemed only five of them were in Knecht.
Yet even five was enough. Each one of them had earned the badge of an A-rank subjugation squad member.
Intermediate Magic, <Egoist's Land>.
Intermediate Magic, <Extension of Area>.
Atenbail raised her staff, murmuring an incantation. The moment her casting finished, a massive barrier materialized, preventing any monster from approaching within a radius of dozens of meters. The intermediate magic that followed pierced the hearts of the homunculi with pinpoint accuracy.
The lightly armored swordsman of the Ursus Red Snake Subjugation Squad swung his claymore as if it were a mere one-handed sword. The massive bursts of sword energy he occasionally unleashed were from a realm of skill Birkus couldn't even dream of reaching.
Every one of them was a powerhouse, a match for a thousand soldiers.
Though there were only five of them, they completely seized control of the battlefield.
For ten minutes, Birkus could only watch, dazed, as the battle unfolded. Only after they had completely annihilated the surrounding homunculi did the survivors finally have a chance to catch their breath.
Birkus, who had been watching the fight in a stupor, remained frozen for a long moment before silently walking toward the corpse of one of the monsters.
The creature’s limbs were disproportionate. Wings were attached to some parts of its body, but even their placement was unnatural. Though he had never seen a monster like it before, an unsettling doubt crept into his mind the longer he looked.
This is…
“Doesn’t it look like a human?”
The swordsman from the Ursus Red Snake Subjugation Squad approached from a distance. The man, who had reached the level of projecting sword energy, looked at least a decade younger than the middle-aged Birkus. After a slight bow of mutual respect, Birkus spoke first.
“…I’ve seen and studied countless monsters, but I’ve never even heard of one like this.”
Listening to Birkus, the swordsman crushed the homunculus’s corpse underfoot. His boots must have been enchanted, as the blood scattered in all directions, repelled from the soles.
“It looks like an artificially created lifeform.”
“Artificially created? Could it be…”
“I’ve never seen a creature like this, either. The only homunculi that come to mind are the Heavenly Wings, and they look nothing like this, do they?”
Birkus couldn’t answer. Knowing nothing, he couldn’t offer an opinion.
The Ursus swordsman didn’t speculate further. It was just a guess, a thought that offered no help in resolving the current crisis.
“The important thing is probably that fellow over there.”
The swordsman’s thoughts aligned with his own. Both men were acutely aware of the monster looming in the distance.
That monster wasn’t attacking the humans; it seemed to have absolutely no interest in them. But it wasn’t leading the other monsters, either.
And yet, its mere presence filled them with an ominous dread.
“I suppose we have to go over there,” the swordsman said.
Birkus immediately replied, “I’ll go with you.”
“No. If you go, you’ll die.”
There was no pretense in the swordsman’s reply. Birkus, who had been about to follow, froze in his tracks.
“Of course, I might die, too.”
Just because the monster was staying still didn’t mean it was safe. They had to subjugate it, one way or another. It wouldn’t just take their attacks lying down; if they struck, it would surely retaliate. Its presence was anxiety-inducing, and its true power was a complete mystery.
In a situation where even an A-rank subjugation squad member couldn’t guarantee his own survival, what difference would Birkus make? The probability of dying was far higher than the probability of surviving.
“Besides, there are people who’ve been looking for you. You should cherish those around you more.”
Saying so, the swordsman placed a hand on Birkus’s shoulder. The hand was trembling violently.
Birkus looked down at himself.
Only then did he realize.
It wasn’t the swordsman who was shaking. It was him.
“You’ve been pushing yourself too hard.”
Birkus collapsed. The priestess and his companions, who had been watching from afar with worried eyes, rushed toward him.
* * *
By the time the Ursus Red Snake Subjugation Squad reached the giant monster’s location, numerous other subjugation squads had already gathered.
A quick headcount revealed over thirty people. Every one of them was either a renowned powerhouse or an expert supremely confident in their abilities.
“…How annoying.”
The moment they drew near, all the squad members grimaced. Just getting close to the monster made their ears ring, as if someone were grabbing their heads and shaking them.
The monster wasn’t idle. The creature, dozens of times larger than the rest, was endlessly casting detection magic as if searching for something.
“This is nothing to scoff at,” Atenbail said, gritting her teeth.
A mage who had arrived before her replied, “I tried to read that monster’s magic before you got here. The amount of mana it holds is no joke.”
“…Have you figured out a way to deal with it?”
“Not a single person here knows what this thing is. How can we come up with a plan when we don’t even know what we’re fighting?”
As they spoke, the giant monster squirmed and took a step forward.
Its appearance was indescribably hideous. The closest comparison would be the chimeras they had encountered in the past. Its body emitted an unidentifiable stench, somewhere between burning and rotting fish, that permeated the air.
“If we have to kill it, we might as well do it in one decisive strike.”
One of the warriors surrounding the monster suggested a coordinated volley. With no better strategy, it was the most standard approach.
Soon, everyone surrounding the monster prepared the strongest single attack they could muster.
Countless magic circles rose into the air simultaneously, spinning in unison like interlocking gears. Among the intermediate spells were a few high-level ones, and some of the weapon wielders prepared their slashes while receiving the blessings of spirits.
The monster still didn’t move. If it wasn’t going to, their best bet was to land a stable, concentrated blow and obliterate it instantly.
It was just as everyone was preparing their final strike.
“Ga… Gaaak.”
The monster, which had been perfectly still, suddenly let out a bizarre, groaning cry.
“Everyone, hurry!” someone shouted, startled.
In that instant, the monster tore its mouth wide open. Chunks of flesh around its maw ripped away as if being forcibly torn apart.
“Gagagagaak. Gak. Geuaak.”
It let out another bizarre cry, sounding as if it were screaming in pain. Hearing that sound, everyone realized how dangerous this was. Truly dangerous. Even the mages, who had been meticulously weaving high-level spells, rushed to finish their casting.
The swordsmen, feeling they couldn’t wait for the mages, charged toward the monster first.
And then.
Before the tips of their blades could touch its hideous skin, the monster roared.
It was an unbelievably loud, bizarre cry that echoed across the entirety of Knecht.
The charging swordsmen lost their balance and stumbled. Unable to withstand the shockwave, everyone nearby began to bleed from their ears.
They were deafened. No, it was more than that—the very earth shook, throwing off their balance.
The subjugation squad members who had been charging with swords stumbled and collapsed. Among them was the swordsman of the Ursus Red Snake Subjugation Squad who had shown Birkus kindness.
“Cough, cough.”
Rolling on the ground, the swordsman coughed up blood. His head was ringing so violently he couldn't think. He pushed himself up with indomitable will, but his body swayed and he slumped back down. Forcing his eyes open, he raised his head.
That monster… that monster…
Only then did it seem to recognize the humans as enemies.
A heavy arm swung toward him.
The shadow it cast blotted out the world.
Without being able to offer even a shred of resistance, the swordsman’s vision was engulfed in darkness.
A wet, bursting sound echoed.
*
“…Lord Swallow, that wave just now.”
“Yeah, I felt it.”
Swallow, who was resting on the ground after finishing the subjugation of the remaining monsters, replied. The wave they just felt was laced with a massive amount of demonic energy. To be precise, it was mana released as a shockwave.
Simply put, it was a deliberate act to draw attention.
The demonic energy had emanated from the direction of Knecht.
Swallow frowned, displeased. Rene also stared toward Knecht with sharp eyes.
And Melju de Limp Agrea muttered, looking dazed.
“…Marmolia?”
*
From the fifth floor of the Magic Tower Polaris, Marmolia was clearly visible. The sight of the subjugation squad members fighting a desperate battle against the giant homunculus—Marmolia—was also in plain view.
Most of the hundreds of homunculi released alongside Marmolia had already been cleared out. There was no need to look elsewhere. Watching only Marmolia on the main street, Ar thought:
—Only a Demon King can summon a Demon King.
Everything was going exactly as Ar had anticipated.
*
“May I go to Knecht first to check on the situation?”
Melju glanced at Swallow and Rene, then cautiously volunteered to scout ahead.
“Go ahead.”
“Be careful, Miss Melju.”
Swallow had no reason to object and agreed without hesitation. Rene, sensing a grim resolve in Melju’s eyes, simply nodded.
As soon as she received their permission, Melju shot straight toward Knecht.
She was certain.
That demonic energy just now was definitely…
It belonged to Marmolia.
Judeca had been dealt with days ago. Marmolia's Demon King Castle should have been far from Knecht. Although she didn't care what had happened to Marmolia after her punishment, as far as Melju knew, there was no reason for Marmolia to be in Knecht.
No matter how she analyzed it, Marmolia being here made no sense.
…And yet, it was unmistakably Marmolia’s demonic energy.
Flying at her maximum speed with flight magic, Melju soared toward Knecht.
To put it bluntly, releasing demonic energy as a wave was a complete waste of mana. Since it was essentially scattering one’s internal reserves into the air, most would never do such a thing unless it was for intimidation or to show off.
But what about the wave from earlier? It had radiated mana so far it had reached them, well beyond the city's borders.
There was only one reason to release mana in such a way.
When you want to make your presence and location known far and wide.
“…She is calling for me.”
If anyone asked for her reasoning, she would call it a Demon King's intuition. A judgment based on pure instinct. And she was certain she was right.
Turning the situation over in her mind, Melju pushed herself to go faster.
*
By the time she reached Knecht, a bloody storm had already passed.
The guards who had been stationed at the entrance were gone. She had only taken a few steps before the corpses of humans strewn across the street came into view. Every single one had been pierced or slaughtered by something sharp.
There is no fire or smoke, which means Marmolia's Demon King's Army hasn't invaded.
As she examined the clean cuts on the corpses to understand the situation, sounds echoed from all around her. Melju swept the area with detection magic. Humans were clustered in various parts of the city with an abnormal density, something unthinkable for a normal town.
There was no need to wonder why. The corpses scattered on the ground were not just those of humans.
“…This is…”
It was a monster that even she, a Demon King who had seen countless races, had never encountered before.
Its appearance could only be described as bizarrely twisted. Even its bilateral symmetry was off. Furthermore, while living creatures of the same species have individual differences, these monsters were strangely identical, as if stamped from a single mold.
“…”
What on earth had happened here?
Why was Marmolia here, why had she sought Melju out, and what was her connection to these monsters?
The questions had barely formed in her mind when the same roar from before echoed through the city once more.