Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Crushing - 2
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A few minutes ago, on the surface.
Crunch.
The Arc Thread spell binding Helneim shattered.
Neril swiftly formed hand seals like lightning, preparing her Decomposition magic.
But Helneim, as if venting its grudge for being restrained all this time, leaped into the sky like a flea.
"Damn it. How high is that thing jumping!"
Offense aimed his neurotoxin-coated dagger at it.
But the creature kept hopping from rooftop to rooftop, constantly changing position.
-Kueeeek.
And every time it briefly landed on a roof, it spat some green liquid from its mouth.
Whatever it was, one thing was clear—it wouldn't end well if it hit.
"Senib. Mebenari!"
Risel shouted then.
The green liquid collided repeatedly with something.
Splash. Splash.
Water sprayed in all directions each time.
"What did you do?"
"The water spirits blocked it."
"Oh... they're dead. Sorry."
"No. Why would you kill them like that? I just changed their form back to water."
Neril had no idea what that meant, but she pretended to understand.
She nodded and said,
"Anyway, with it darting around like that, can you hit it? With the dagger."
She was asking Offense, but he didn't answer.
A white incantation glowed from Adwin's arm.
It had boosted Offense's concentration to its limit.
'That bug closes the distance to us briefly when it attacks.'
The green liquid must have a range.
In that case, the rooftop it would choose next for its attack would be... probably.
His eyes locked onto a red rooftop two blocks away.
It was the closest to them and offered the best angle for attack.
The bug leaped up.
Its size was roughly that of a three-story building...
'That should do it. If only I had this level of focus normally.'
Thwip!
Offense hurled the dagger from his hand.
Helneim reflexively shut its eyelids.
But.
"Benatel!"
At Risel's cry, its eyes were forcibly pried open.
Stab.
-Kweeeeeek!
It tried to thrash about.
But its body went numb and wouldn't obey.
Agony like thousands of needles piercing its innards.
While Helneim wailed in that pain for a long while, Neril shouted,
"Decomposition!"
An intangible spear flew toward Helneim.
Paralyzed by the secret neurotoxin, Helneim couldn't dodge the spear of Decomposition.
-Shwaaaaa!
From where the spear embedded, the bug began decomposing in all directions.
Normally, Helneim's final resort would be to explode.
But Decomposition didn't even give it time for that, annihilating everything.
Helneim vanished with a death screech like its last gasp.
As if it had never existed from the start.
"Whew. Ended better than expected."
"Impressive as always."
"You're surprisingly good yourself."
"Not sure if I should say thanks or not."
Adwin and Risel approached as well.
Risel wiped her forehead once and said,
"Offense, you were surprisingly good."
"You guys planned this?"
"But why does it suddenly feel so dark?"
Adwin looked up at the sky.
Something was definitely blocking the sun.
More precisely, some massive giant.
"Wh-what is that? I was too focused on Helneim to notice."
"Maide."
"I asked what that giant is."
"You can only see the giant and not Maide? He's over there fighting it alone."
"Sis, I know your eyesight isn't great—how'd you see that?"
Risel spoke up.
"Shouldn't we go help?"
"No need. Look at that."
Maide was using some outlandish technique.
Actually, it wasn't one Neril was unfamiliar with.
Curtain of Swords.
But the speed and volume were on another level from what she'd seen.
"Maide really is insanely strong. Hits me anew every time."
"Feels like he gets stronger every time I see him."
"Cool."
"Huh?"
"What'd I say?"
Just then, Maide pulverized the giant's hammer with a technique that would shock anyone.
The giant clutched its chest.
From this angle, it wasn't clear, but Maide seemed to sheath his sword and engage in some conversation.
Neril tilted her head.
"Looks kinda flustered?"
"That's what you're seeing? Amazing."
"No choice. Gotta go check..."
That was when it happened.
Jenia and Serein's voices rang out simultaneously.
"Thus I beseech Thee. Manifest Thy divine providence upon this land, returning all to their rightful places! Except for Ophelia and Maide!"
"If you touch those two, you're really dead."
What kind of prayer is that?
I couldn't hide the smile tugging at my lips as I gazed at the grand purification ritual.
The one actually startled was Lepia.
[That's the Grand Purification Ritual. Someone's casting purification over this territory!]
'Not someone—my comrades. Jenia and Serein.'
[Oh... That's unfortunate.]
I tilted my head.
'Unfortunate how?'
[I know Grand Purification always exacts a price. Even Ort, who was in my party, couldn't cast it lightly.]
'It's fine. We've prepared for it.'
[What?]
'Neril improved the Withering Demon King's Jewel. We call it the Branch of Corruption now.'
The Branch of Corruption, born from Neril's research tussles with Biond.
It alters all properties.
It can even change a ritual that demands a price into one that demands none.
'Couldn't watch it during the Hasfil territory fight because of Kaild.'
So purification could be this beautiful.
[You're amazing, Maide.]
'Huh?'
[You had them create that wondrous item to keep your comrades from paying a price to the Heavenly God. I never went that far for Ort.]
'There was no Withering Demon King back in Lady Lepia's time. Besides, Neril came up with the idea and made it. I just watched.'
[Hehe. Neril stepped up like that because you wanted it, ultimately. You're already a far superior hero than me, Maide.]
I scratched my head.
The light of purification touched the giant.
Just like that, the giant began to fade away.
-Kweeeek. Kwek...
It toppled forward.
But before it hit the ground, it dissolved into black smoke and vanished.
'Wait, hold on. That light can't touch Ophelia.'
The worry was unfounded.
As if knowing my concern, the purification light artfully skirted around Ophelia.
It skirted around me too.
Probably worried my Fake Hero's Sword would melt in the purification.
'Neril... you're incredible. You're the best.'
Handling it beforehand without me even telling her.
She must've come up with the Grand Purification plan too.
[How are you so sure?]
'Who else is this meticulous and wise? Obviously Neril. The Saintess of Coercion, as expected.'
[Heh. You've grown a lot. Used to call her old lady.]
'Who said that crap?'
I looked at Ophelia.
Purification hadn't touched her, so she still had the old woman's face.
But her wide-open eyes faintly retained traces of her original self.
"Wh-what?"
"Are you back to your senses? The Grand Purification severed your link to the Demon King."
Of course, once purification ended, Idria could tamper with Ophelia's body again.
The bug massacre would repeat.
'No helping it, huh. Guess we'll have to tuck her away in another space for a while.'
No need for gloomy talk here, though.
Ophelia asked,
"What the hell happened?"
"Your friend seems to have put in some effort."
"Jenia?"
"Yeah."
I easily ignored the hallucination of Serein shouting I was here too.
"I'd love to say it's all over now, but it's not."
"Seeing my wrinkled hands, yeah."
"Don't worry too much. I plan to slay the Demon King and restore your soul to its original body. Lucky for us, we have an excellent necromancer."
Her eyes wavered.
"Will it really be that easy?"
"Impossible alone. But with my party members who busted their asses down there? What's impossible?"
"...Yeah. You're right. If it's you guys."
"Then mind passing out for a bit?"
Ophelia smiled softly and closed her eyes.
I lightly struck the back of her neck.
Tap.
She collapsed into my arms like a puppet with cut strings.
I carried her down to the surface.
Everything was already over there.
Traces of Helneim's rampage remained here and there, injured people dotted about, but Idria's promised carnage hadn't happened.
[The territory folk look fine too.]
'Yeah. Grand Purification killed the bugs in their heads too.'
Our party is incredible.
In my past life, we'd struggled plenty against not just Teranem but Helneim too.
But seeing my party members waving cheerfully from below, it didn't seem they'd suffered much this time.
Compared to before regression, they'd all grown leaps and bounds.
Then Lepia said,
[What a great party. I can see they trust you, and you trust them.]
'Isn't that standard for a hero party? Same in Lady Lepia's time, right?'
[Hehe. Yeah. I won't yield on that front, even if not on skill.]
'Your skill holds up too.'
[You joke well.]
Lephia's voice lowered slightly.
[I heard everything the Demon King said. From the Heavenly God not issuing an oracle, to the identity of the soul with you.]
'......'
[Can I call you Biond?]
Trail answered instantly.
[Call me Trail. And the Heavenly God will issue an oracle. To Maide.]
[Maide doesn't seem to think so, senior.]
[......]
[Sorry. No intent to upset you. Just... right now, listen more to your partner's words than the Heavenly God.]
Trail was silent for a long time.
My heart pounded wildly.
I hadn't been this tense facing the Demon King.
That's how much I wanted it.
This guy's approval. Trail's.
At last, Trail spoke.
[Sigh. Well, if it's Maide saying it, I have no choice but to believe. Damn it.]
I usually kept a straight face, but now my lips twitched.
Lephia said in a gentle voice,
[Feeling good, huh? Maide.]
'N-no. Ahem.'
[This world seems full of secrets I couldn't imagine. The path ahead looks rough.]
'Fine with my party. And this guy too.'
This time, Trail let out an ahem.
Lephia spoke in a soft, warm tone.
[I should ask Adwin to send me back. Suddenly miss my comrades.]
Lephia's voice faded.
And in contrast, cheers that shook the ears erupted from the territory.
"Wooooah! It's the hero!"
"The hero beat that giant!"
"The hero over Kaild..."
"Shut it. Can't read the room?"
"Sob sob. Hero. Thank you so much."
Such talk.
Tap.
After landing, I first handed Ophelia to Jenia.
Jenia hugged her, eyes brimming with tears.
"Sob sob. Ophelia."
"It's just a faint. Worry about yourself first."
Their faces were flushed—probably a bad fever from the ritual.
The Branch of Corruption spared them the price, but it was still a heavy burden on the body.
But Jenia shook her head vigorously.
"We're fine. Second time's the charm, I guess."
"I'm not fine."
"Serein says she's fine too. Maide, what now?"
"This must be how Offense felt. Gotta reflect."
I pondered briefly before answering.
"Stick to the plan. Head back to the count's residence first. We need to meet David."
Jenia shook her head and said,
"There's something before that."
"Hm?"
"Go to them quick. Time to build your fame."
"Hey. In this situation..."
"Maide."
Jenia continued firmly.
"I must see you become the hero."
"......"
"Only then can we slay the Demon King and free Ophelia from that power, right?"
My nose stung.
Tap.
Neril patted my back and said,
"Yeah, go on."
"...No. I'm not going."
"Maide."
"I'm not going alone. Everyone comes with."
My party members' eyes widened.
I dragged them toward the territory folk.
As I approached, the cheers swelled to pierce the heavens.
"It's the hero!"
"Hero, we're truly sorry!"
"What Maide did is a miracle. Better than Kaild!"
I raised my hand.
All noise vanished like a lie.
In that silence, I shouted,
"Everyone. Dronoel territory has seen many nightmares."
"......"
"But worry no more. The nightmares are over, and you've welcomed a new dawn."
"Ooh."
"I'm off to slay the Demon King so this never happens again."
Murmurs rippled as the folk exchanged glances.
I watched them, quietly organizing my thoughts.
I'd learned something from this.
'No oracle.'
More precisely, a 'fake oracle' would come.
Tailored to Idria's taste, riddled with lies.
So my tasks were two.
First, expose the Demon King's name and that Kaild is her pawn.
Erect barriers before Idria's fake oracle.
'And the other...'
I need an oracle too.
Even if I have to grab the Heavenly God by the collar.