Chapter 435: Strange (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 435: Strange (6)
Of course, Alon had a plan for how to deal with the Father of Maggots.
He wasn't powerful enough to handle a Divine Blood entity without a plan, after all.
He had been mentally reviewing that plan over and over again.
…Well, at least until a moment ago.
“….”
He stared blankly into the distance.
There, a battle between giant monsters, the kind that only appeared in myths, was unfolding.
A Divine Blood entity, draped in what looked like a black robe and festooned with grotesque masks, swung a chilling sword at the Father of Maggots, who was swimming through the air.
The dragon-like creature navigating the sky desperately dodged the blade, while the countless mouths lining its torso incessantly spewed something toward the ground.
Rumble—!
The earth shattered, sending massive tremors that Alon could feel even from his distance.
Unfortunately, the Father of Maggots couldn't sustain its assault.
Another Divine Blood entity, its body covered in unsettling arms, dragged the creature down from the sky.
With a thunderous crash, the Father of Maggots slammed into the ground and began to endure a one-sided beating.
Watching the scene, Alon finally managed to speak.
“…What on earth is happening over there?”
“It looks like they’re fighting all over the place.”
“Yes, it certainly does.”
Evan and Penia replied, their voices dazed.
“…It looks that way to me too…?”
Yutia also expressed her confusion, sounding as if she couldn't quite grasp the situation.
Alon thought to himself.
Is this… good luck?
Naturally, it was. If the Divine Blood entities killed the Father of Maggots for him, Alon could reap the rewards without shedding a drop of blood.
Yet, at the same time, a strange sense of unease washed over him.
Even if this was purely a stroke of good fortune, his life experience told him that his luck was never this good.
Just as his internal conflict deepened—
“Ah…!”
“Oh no—”
“….”
Alon, Evan, and Penia let out a collective gasp.
One of the Divine Blood entities beating the Father of Maggots in the distance had spotted them.
Though they were far away, the gaze directed unmistakably toward them made Alon scowl behind his expressionless mask.
I knew it. Things were never going to be that simple…!
With that thought, he discreetly began forming a seal with his hand behind his back.
“….”
Yutia also seemed to be contemplating something, but she soon began quietly gathering her divine power.
However, the Divine Blood entity that had clearly made eye contact with them…
Vroooom—!!
Turned its head away as if it hadn't seen them at all and began to pummel the Father of Maggots even more violently than before.
“…?”
Alon’s party was bewildered.
In the midst of this, the Divine Blood entities began to thrash the Father of Maggots in increasingly brutal and… diverse(?) ways, almost as if they were putting on a show.
A giant hand forcibly hoisted the Father of Maggots from the ground back into the air, only to slam it down again.
Meanwhile, a skeleton with an eerie glint in its eyes, which had been fighting with a single sword until now, suddenly drew a second blade and began erupting with pitch-black divine power in all directions.
Techniques that looked like ultimate trump cards used only when pushed to the brink were being unleashed by the Divine Blood entities when they had clearly already won.
“Oh….”
Watching the flashy explosions filling his vision, Evan let out an involuntary exclamation of awe.
Considering the flow of the battle until now, it had been a genuine fight—
…Is this… the WWE?
—but now, they were spamming all sorts of flashy, yet seemingly unnecessary, techniques as if they were performing.
Alon and his companions, all harboring similar thoughts, continued to watch.
“…Oh.”
“Wow….”
They continued to let out dazed murmurs of admiration as they watched the Divine Blood entities mercilessly beat the Father of Maggots.
Finally—
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■—!!!
With a horrific shriek, the Father of Maggots was decapitated and died.
Shortly after.
Alon realized the Divine Blood entities were looking at them once again.
They stared intently, as if making it clear they were fully aware of the party's presence.
Alon debated whether it would be better to run, but he soon shook his head.
If they truly intended to catch them, they would do so easily regardless.
…Five of them.
Instead, Alon avoided their gaze and prepared to trigger the magic he had subtly readied at any moment.
He weighed his chances if they all attacked at once.
And then.
“….”
Just as Yutia was about to raise her index finger as if she had no choice—
Thump—
The Divine Blood entities that had been watching Alon’s group all turned around and began walking away.
“…?”
Yutia also wore a look of utter bewilderment, but the entities didn't look back at Alon’s side even once as they moved further away.
Before long, they had completely vanished from sight.
* * *
After the Divine Blood entities disappeared.
Just in case it was a trap, Alon’s party waited a considerable amount of time before heading toward the spot where the Father of Maggots lay.
“…They really left.”
“Indeed.”
They realized the other Divine Blood entities were truly gone.
Everyone’s expression became complicated.
It was obviously a good thing. They had avoided a battle with the Divine Blood and still gained the objective.
But it felt surreal. The fact that the matter had been settled in this(?) manner.
After standing there in a daze for a moment, Penia broke the silence.
“Lord Alon, so what exactly are we looking for here?”
Snapping out of it, Alon recalled what the Seeker had told him, but then he tilted his head in confusion.
Come to think of it, the Seeker had said there was something useful here, but he hadn't specified what it was.
“…What are we supposed to find?”
“Pardon? Didn't you come here to find something specific?”
“That is true, but—”
As he was wondering what to look for, something moved.
Slither—!
Blackie, who hadn't emerged from Alon’s chest for an entire month since they started the journey—except for mealtimes—stealthily crawled out.
[….]
Blackie froze for a moment upon spotting Yutia standing naturally by Alon’s side.
However, as if having made up its mind, Blackie dropped to the ground and waddled toward the remains of the Father of Maggots.
And then.
─────────!!
With a strange sound, the corpse of the Father of Maggots began to be absorbed into Blackie’s body.
It was a sight similar to when it had absorbed Kraksha.
Alon set aside his fascination for a moment and took action.
“Let’s spread out and search for now.”
He thought there might be something else to find within the Father of Maggots' territory in the meantime.
“Understood.”
“I’ll look around as well…. Though I’m not sure if we’ll find anything here.”
“….”
Alon scanned the surroundings.
Evan was right. Finding anything specific in this area seemed impossible.
To be more precise, nothing looked intact.
This place where he stood—which had likely been a proper estate before the Father of Maggots took over—had been reduced to nothing more than desolate ruins.
“…Let’s move.”
Since they couldn't just stand there, the party members split up to search the ruins.
Alon also stepped into the debris, looking through the wreckage just in case.
After some time had passed.
“Whew.”
Alon let out a small sigh.
As expected, there was absolutely nothing to be found.
…Did it perhaps get destroyed during the fight with the Divine Blood?
Just as he was entertaining that unpleasant worst-case scenario—
“…Hm?”
He saw a strange sight on the plains visible through a gap in the ruins.
To be more precise, he saw the Divine Blood entities standing far off in the distance—
“Master?”
While he was staring at the inexplicable afterimage, Yutia’s voice broke his train of thought.
Before he knew it, Yutia was looking at him with a smile on her face.
“…Yutia?”
“What were you looking at?”
At Yutia’s question, Alon belatedly remembered what he had just seen and turned his gaze back.
“…Huh?”
The afterimage was gone.
There was only the vast, empty plain.
Alon looked puzzled for a moment, then realized Yutia was waiting and answered.
“No, I think I was seeing things.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. More importantly, what brings you here?”
Yutia took a step closer.
“It’s nothing else, but I think I found something.”
She handed Alon an object she had found in the ruins.
“…This is?”
A faint glint of interest appeared in Alon’s eyes.
* * *
Around the time Alon received the item from Yutia.
The Divine Blood entities, who had left the scene without a word after disposing of the Father of Maggots, walked across the plains in silence for a long time.
They walked until they had left the territory of the Father of Maggots behind. And finally, when they were clear of the area.
[…Did everyone confirm it?]
One of the Divine Blood entities finally spoke.
[Yes.]
[I saw it too.]
[Confirmed.]
[That person was undoubtedly the Star Eater.]
The Divine Blood entities all nodded in unison.
And then.
[Did you see? I said, did you see?! He saw me grab the Father of Maggots and slam him into the dirt!]
[Hmph. That was just a simple slam. He saw me pin the wretch to the ground and trample him!]
[No! The one he was watching wasn't you lot, it was me! The Star Eater saw clearly as my black flames incinerated that thing!]
[Ha! It was me!]
[No, it was me!]
[I’m telling you, it was me!!]
In an instant, a heated argument broke out among the Divine Blood entities.
But it didn't last long.
[Everyone, stop!]
At the shout of the Darkness-Eating Sword, everyone’s eyes turned toward him.
Silencing the dispute and looking around at the group, the Darkness-Eating Sword spoke.
[The Star Eater was watching me as I finished off the Father of Maggots.]
He gave a smirk, recalling the moment he had killed the Father of Maggots earlier.
[I shredded him.]
He left them with that single, smug remark.