70. The Defense of Niren and Battle Beneath the Rays of Light
"They must have come in through the hole up there. And then, empowered by the church's holy might, they underwent sublimation."
Myra said it. What's so holy about a power that sublimates monsters?
"No one comes here to pray but humans, right? I wish it'd limit its blessings to humans only..."
I didn't see the point in granting divine protection to some random monster that just showed up out of nowhere.
"The gods bestow their blessings equally upon all things in creation."
Myra said it with a smile that felt half like a joke.
"Got it. Next time I talk to Rakushel, I'll tell her to cherish her believers more."
"Is that okay? Wouldn't that weaken your power too?"
"Nah, it'll be fine. It can't get any weaker than it already is."
My arrows were running low, so I drew my knife.
In this space, the monsters probably couldn't fly freely.
"Think the priest made it out okay?"
It'd leave a bad taste if he'd gotten taken out while we were fighting outside.
"He should be fine—he probably ran. No bodies or bloodstains in here."
Cecily answered, raising her staff.
"Burn to ash!"
Cecily unleashed a fireball. The swarm of Big Hoppers scattered, dodging it. The battle had begun.
"Pink one's mine and Fam's. Mizuki, Myra—handle the small fry."
I charged at the pink Big Hopper, but Fam shot past me. Before she could close for a sword strike, the pink one leaped, evading and sticking to the ceiling.
"Chrysanthemum Ichimonji!"
Fam unleashed her vacuum wave, but the pink one leaped again, dodging. I fired a stone orb with earth magic at its landing spot.
It hit, but no visible damage. Fam switched to kunai and hurled them, but the pink one leaped once more, landing on the ground this time.
As I moved to slash, a normal one body-slammed me from the side.
"Damn it!"
The impact knocked me down hard, but I scrambled back up. Ira's healing washed over me right away.
A quick scan: Everyone was scattered, fighting solo. The pink one had dragged me and Fam out ahead. Fam kept chasing it, Mizuki and Myra had split left and right, while Cecily and Ira held the entrance for support. But normals had slipped into the gap, lunging at them.
The one that hit me loomed right in front of me.
"Fam, just harass the boss for now. Prioritize defense. Plan change—clear the small fry first."
"Yes, Shu-sama."
I heard Fam's reply. Worried about Cecily and the others getting swarmed, but I had to drop the guy in my face first.
Before I could take my stance, it body-slammed again. I met it with a diagonal kesa-giri slash.
I felt the blade bite. But its momentum didn't stop—I took the hit and went down again.
Less damage than the surprise one earlier. I jumped up fast.
The monster facing me vanished. Were there living ones mixed in with the monsters? I rushed to back up Cecily and Ira. Ira was fending off two with her mace. I slashed one from behind.
Spotting that, Ira smashed the other and dropped it. It vanished too.
"You okay?" I called.
"Not okay at all! I wanna torch that pink bastard—pin it down for me!"
Cecily was pissed.
Normals down to five. No more pouring in from the ceiling hole. Tricky if they stuck to it, but once the small fry were gone, all six of us could gang up on pinkie. Shouldn't be too hard.
Then the pink one slipped Fam's attack, spread its wings, and started that summoning wingbeat.
Space warped, and five more Big Hoppers popped out.
"What?!"
We—me, Cecily, Ira—shouted in unison. Nightmare fuel. They'd wear us down forever like this.
"Mash, get to Fam! I'll cover Cecily—but don't expect backup."
"Mash, just stop that pink one's movement, period."
A soft light enveloped me, erasing the body-slam damage. Urged on by Ira and Cecily, I headed for Fam.
But how?
I eyed the ceiling hole. Not even ten meters across. Couldn't let the pink one out—would rain more hell on the city.
Surveyed the space: Cylindrical chamber topped with a dome, maybe forty meters wide and tall.
Back home, these were plain concrete. Thick walls for strength. Probably the same here.
Needed to corner the pink one somewhere.
"Shu-sama, I've slashed it a few times, but it's harder than the normals. Blade won't go through."
Fam was breathing hard through her shoulder. Healing magic patched her, but the outdoor fight's fatigue was piling up. Still, her battle spirit burned strong.
"Fam, got a plan."
"Yes?"
"Have Cecily snipe it."
"From where? It's agile—any clear shot, it'll dodge."
As she spoke, Fam slashed at the pink one. It slipped the strike effortlessly. No counterattack—just pure defense, waiting us out.
To break that, had to stop its wings and legs. Easier said than done.
If Big Hoppers had compound eyes like regular grasshoppers, wide field of view, great at spotting motion. Even magic from behind a pillar might get sensed.
"The ceiling hole. Snipe from inside the light. Best when it pauses to summon. But to get there, gotta hit the roof—and risk outdoor Big Hoppers. Fam, protect her and escort her up."
Stairs inside led to the roof. Walled off, so safe climb. Risk was topside—had to cross the dome to the hole.
If it turned into a rooftop brawl, nimble Fam would shine.
"And meanwhile, who harasses the pink one?"
Fam slashed again. Pink leaped behind us.
"Me."
"..." Her silence screamed distrust.
"I get it. But once Cecily's covered, Ira's free to move. We adapt, drop the small fry faster. Quickest way—please."
"Understood."
"If too many enemies block you, don't push—come back. We'll replan."
Fam nodded and pulled back.
Me versus the pink Big Hopper.
Aimed a stone orb at its eyes. As it twitched to move, I lunged—but blade sliced air.
Fast. Same height as me, twice the length maybe? Double a normal's size, yet moved like it weighed nothing. Needed one solid hit, then Cecily's backup.
Then a normal body-slammed from the right.
Dodged while gutting it nukido-style. Smooth combo.
Cocky now, I closed on pinkie.
It leaped back. I pressed—then it vaulted over me, landing behind.
Swallowed my irritation, crept in. One step, one cut range. It leaped again. I matched, swung—air.
Glanced around: Mizuki solo, Myra and Ira paired up against normals. Down to four.
Pink leaped way back, wings out, summoning beat starting.
No signal from Fam and Cecily at the hole.
I leaped in, slashed. Its motion lagged a beat—blade grazed the head shield. Shallow.
Follow-up as it retreated—but it charged instead. Tried to block, too slow.
It mounted me as I fell.
"Shit!"
Thrashed, but front legs pinned me.
Immobilized, it thrust its jaws to crush my skull.
Barely tucked my head, dodged.
"Mash!"
Someone yelled. That instant, the monster pinning me vanished.
Not vanished—Mizuki saved me. It leaped to dodge her, clearing my front.
"Get it together already!"
I took her hand, stood.
Then—clink. A kunai hit the floor.
Mizuki thrust her blade at the pink one.
"Jeez, after fighting these things so much, you have to figure out how to kill 'em!"
"Huh?"
Looked around: Two normals left, Myra and Ira each on one. What was I, the guy who hadn't grown at all? No choice—hopped on Mizuki's bandwagon, faked growth, thrust at pinkie too.
Double slash—it leaped behind me.
Right under the light rays. Wings spread, summoning underway.
Mizuki lunged to interrupt, but I stopped her.
"Cecilyyy!"
My shout synced with a massive fireball crashing from above onto the pink Big Hopper.
"KIIISSHAAAHHHHH—!"
The monster's death screech echoed.
We—Mizuki and I—piled on the near-dead thing and finished it.
Myra and Ira dropped their last ones too.
The priest, Myra, and Ira purified the pink one. He'd popped out once our fight ended. Wanted to gripe, but hey, old guy.
I'd whipped my own old body into it too.
Fam and Cecily returned.
"Hmph, hnn!"
Cecily planted herself in front of me, smug grin full blast. Classic doya-face.
"How were the outdoor monsters?"
Deliberately sidetracked.
"Heyyy, that's not the point! C'mon!"
She planted hands on hips, leaned back dramatically.
I hugged her tight.
"Awesome as always. You're the best, Cecily! You and your magic—top-tier!"
"Gyah, s-stop! Embarrassing!"
She shoved me off with her arms and stormed away. Then what'd she want?
Ira paused purification, watched us. Caught my eye, resumed.
"So, what about outside?"
Still curious, asked again. Spotted four mana seeds—scooped 'em. Eye contact with the priest. Sigh, gave him one as offering. Yup, the ass-grabber from Momoka.
"Monsters around the church thinned out—moved elsewhere. Got a full view of the city from the roof. Whole place under attack. But the hot zone's the west wall."
Fam reported.
"Seem to be converging?"
"Not sure. But it's ongoing."
Nodded to Fam. Mateo Company, wanderers, Momoka's crew—hope they're okay.
Worried, but couldn't leave yet.
Thank you for reading.
Thanks to everyone who hit like, bookmarked, or rated.
It motivates me. I'll keep at it.
Thanks sincerely for typo reports.