Capítulo 64: vol 17 PT 2
ARIFURETA SHOKUGYOU DE SEKAI SAIKYOU (WN)
C163
All credit goes to the original author (Chuuni Suki), who has posted the raw data here:
Thanks for your continued support. If you like my writing style, check out my original works at , or just leave a comment.
Bakapervert translated this chapter. Elementalcobalt did the edits.
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Peerless Outbreak of War Without Self-Restraint
The world was dyed reddish black.
It wasn't the orange color of the morning glow. It stirred up the people's unease further, a color that forced anybody to bear instinctive revulsion that was awfully eerie, fanning up one's fear. If it had to be said, it was the eye of a monster, as though the whole world was imprisoned inside the eyes of a monster. Even the beautiful sun that shined radiantly, right now it was merely a reddish black star floating in the east sky.
And then a strange sound was reverberating through the strange colored world. The world itself was rumbling. The ground too, the air too, the world was screaming while trembling with fear.
The people were made to understand that whether they wanted it or not, the end of the world was beginning. Amidst such an atmosphere, an even louder sound of destruction reverberated.
The soldiers, knights, mercenaries, demi-humans, everyone in the fortress trembled. Their gazes moved everywhere. Thereupon, on the sky above God Mountain something that looked like a line became visible. When the people focused their eyes in wonder, the line warped distortedly, then once again the line raised crackling sounds and spread in all directions.
"The sky… is splitting…"
Someone whispered that. It was truly a murmur that was right to the point. The distorted line occurring in the sky was a crack that ran right through space itself.
That crack fanned up the terror in people's heart, while the sound of destruction was played to the world, the crack was slowly spreading.
"-, All hands-! Prepare to fight-!"
A command mixed with scolding was handed down toward the soldiers who were dumbfoundedly mute. It was the angry roar of Gahard whose voice was amplified using an artifact. It seemed that he also got knocked out of his wits. But as expected from the representative of a military country, he was the first one who pulled himself back together among the top brasses.
That command released the soldier from their binding. They moved all at once in order to fulfill the role that was given to them.
Even as the crack above God Mountain was increasing in size, by the time the soldiers were deployed, the space was finally completely pulverized along with a thunderous roar.
Fragments of space were blown away everywhere and sparkled like glass. Like a chasm that was opened in the ground, the abyss was peeking from that thing that materialized in the sky. It was a deeply thick darkness that was the exact opposite of the golden whirl that made one feel its solemnity which Ehito and the others used to return to the Holy Precincts. In place of the whirl there was something viscous like miasma spurting out.
From there, black rain was pouring down. No, it only looked like rain――it was a great number of monsters. From the chasm in the space the monsters were raining down on the summit of God Mountain. The numbers already surpassed tens of thousands. At any rate, it was in the amount that the soldiers who looked up from the ground could see it as black rain. It was a terrific number that easily reached millions, or possibly even tens of millions.
The heavy rain of black monsters painted the summit of God Mountain black in the blink of an eye, and then the blackness began to descend down like an avalanche.
Furthermore, from the chasm of space that was covered in black miasma, this time white rain was released horizontally. At the reddish black sky the white――no, the silver rain was really visible.
"The number of the apostles is also not half-baked, huh."
The one who whispered with a grim look was Gahard. With his body wrapped in battle clothing, as the general of the allied force he came out to the front line together with the subordinates under his direct control. A 'telepathic communication' from the supreme commander of the allied force, Liliana reached his ear.
{Your majesty Gahard. Please don't go too far to the front. It's fine for you to die only after the battle is over.}
{Hah, you really said that. But, the strongest man in the allied force has to fight at the very front. If I die then I die, you just need to use my death to blaze up the soldiers. You supreme commander and that goddess are for that sake right.}
{Good grief… your majesty, 'goddess' and 'sword' are going out. Just as planned, please take care.}
{Yeah-, leave it to me!}
The general of the allied forces, in a manner of speaking, was the supreme commander in the field. Originally, Gahard who was the top of a military country should become the supreme commander, but giving a reason that there was no way the most skilled man could just shut in himself inside with a war going on outside, he stubbornly refused to be stopped from going out.
Although it wasn't like that, Liliana was unsuited to become the supreme commander. She was a royalty, in anticipation of the battle against the devil race in the future she learned tactic and strategy. Rather than Gahard whose character was for the front line, the girl who was extolled as the 'Kingdom's Prodigy' was more suited instead to take command of the whole from the rear with an overlooking view.
Other than possessing the courage to run away from the capital alone, she also knew the importance of making a clear decision calmly; furthermore, in regard of barrier magic, she was excelling in base defense as an expert. And if she was accompanied with the skilled aides of each country, then it could be said that she was more than suited as a supreme commander whether in the aspect of status or morale raising.
And then, other than the general and the supreme commander, there was one more person who was given an important role.
"Everyone of the allied forces-. All of you brave warriors that stand up against the crisis of the world! Please don't be scared! The divine protection of god is with us! We will be protected, all of us, from the evil god who tricked god and bared his fang against mankind right now-. In this point of time where everyone took up your weapon and stand in this place, all of you are already hero! Everyone of you are the warrior of god! Now-, let's yell together with this 'Apostle of God' the 'Goddess of Harvest'! We will not lose against evil no matter what-. What we are going to grasp is only 'victory-!!"
Immediately, the soldiers of the allied force who was making tragic expression from terror while desperately holding down their trembling body, like a traveler who found an oasis after wandering in the desert for many days, their eyes shined with hope.
The 'Goddess of Harvest' pouring down her voice from the summit of the fortress, the flag bearer of the leaders of the allied force――Aiko, the soldiers directed their gaze that had recovered their strength and determination to her and stamped their feet all at once.
*DON DON-, DON-. DON DON-, DON-* The fifty hundred thousand soldiers who shook the ground rhythmically at the next moment roared in unison even without practice beforehand.
" " " " " " " " " "VICTORY! VICTORY!! VICTORY!!!" " " " " " " " " "
"Ruin for the evil god! Glory for mankind!"
" " " " " " " " " "RUIN FOR THE EVIL GOD-!! GLORY FOR MANKIND-!!" " " " " " " " " "
Aiko was desperately recalling the content of 'You Can Do It, Agitator! Compilation of Lovely Speech Case by Case' given to her by Hajime while sending her voice that was amplified by an artifact to the battlefield.
"The servant of the evil god is not worthy to be feared! Oh 'my sword'! Show that proof right now!"
The instant Aiko yelled that, an amplified calm voice echoed through the whole battlefield.
"As you command, my goddess."
Right after that, the soldiers who looked up to Aiko saw the silhouette that leaped up from behind Aiko.
White haired eye-patched black coated young man――Hajime was standing still on air where there was nothing, and then he lifted above his head a jewel that looked like diamond that he took out from somewhere. Then, that jewel shined radiantly like sun and illuminated the soldiers. Looking from their point of view, it was as though a halo was shining behind Aiko. This too was Hajime's production.
Hajime floated a wide fearless grin.
A beat later, that happened.
A part of the reddish black sky momentarily flashed, instantly, a part of the mountain surface of God Mountain that was in the process of changing color from being covered by the avalanche of black monsters was entirely blown away along with tremendous thunderous roar.
Right after that, just when it seemed the sky flashed, many things were further raining down to the God Mountain, the mountain with a height of eight kilometer above the sea was crumbling just like a sand mountain created on the beach that got pushed down by a kid.
It was a bombing that poured down straight from heaven. But it wasn't by missiles packed with explosives. What Hajime was doing was simply raining down large mass of metal lumps to free fall on God Mountain.
So to speak, it was Meteor Impact.
As expected, if Hajime made it drop from space then the impact would reach even the fortress, so he dropped the mass from inside the stratosphere, but even so the energy from several ton of metal lump freefalling had the destructive force that average explosive couldn't match.
Furthermore, this attack was falling randomly in local area in the unit of few hundreds.
Along with thunderous roars that could rupture the ear drum, the highest peak of the sacred mountain that was a pride of the world was collapsing like a joke. Rain of monster? Rain of apostle? Then I'll make it rain meteors! It was as though such a thing was said. Of course, Hajime thought that the same golden whirl like before would manifest, so it was completely a coincidence that both sides were making rain.
However, as though to make the comparison between the strength of the two sides, the allied force's soldiers were shown the spectacle of the God Mountain crumbling before their eyes along with the extermination of several tens, hundreds of thousands of monsters, their reaction was…
" " " " " " " " " "――――" " " " " " " " " "
Trembling. Not from fear. From joy. And also from the fighting spirit welling up inside their chest.
Right after that, shouts that weren't even losing against the thunderous roar of the God Mountain along with the monsters' extermination were raised, it even felt like the shouts could drive away the fierce cloud of dust approaching them.
" " " " " " " " " "UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHH――――!!!!!! " " " " " " " " " "
From the bottom of their stomach, while their body trembling from the scene that came out exactly from legend, they roared from the bottom of their stomachs. They stamped their feet *DON DON*, heightening their fighting spirit without end!
" " " " " " " " " "AIKO-SAMA BANZAI! GODDESS-SAMA BANZAI!! " " " " " " " " " "
――God Mountain demolition right after the start of battle.
The enemy had purposefully taught them from where they were going to attack. Then, it was fine to just blow away the place where they were coming out from, that was how it went. Of course, Hajime had also prepared something else in case it was a lie, but from what he saw at Ehito's expression that was full of superiority complex in the end, Hajime presumed that the possibility that he was lying was low.
The destruction of the God Mountain made the movement of the apostles in the sky also stop as expected. However, in the next moment they approached the fortress with a fierce speed while matching their movements like a mass of flying birds without a single disorder.
The capital that was in a half-destroyed state due to the crumbling of the god mountain was further enveloped by the approaching cloud of dust, without stopping the dust approached the fortress like a sandstorm. To that, Hajime took out a different jewel and made it shine.
"We were thoroughly made a fool by you guys before. There is no way this is the end with just this much right? Just like Icarus, fall down with your wings burning, all of you puppets."
Right after that heavy rain of light that split apart the atmosphere poured down.
――Sunlight convergence laser Burst Hyperion
The restored annihilation weapon released light of ruin from the sky. Not just a single line, at the altitude of ten kilometers, a total of seven Burst Hyperions were floating, controlled by the jewel that Hajime was holding, with pillars of light piercing down.
Like the tower of Babel, seven pillars of light connecting heaven and earth were swallowing in one go the apostles who were drawing near to the allied forces in a straight line from the chasm in the space.
The apostles who were annihilated unaware were uncountable.
There were a lot of apostles who attempted to defend by deploying their silver wings clad in disintegration ability, but this improved version of Hyperion that had been explosively evolved in heat quantity, convergence rate, lasting time, and so on couldn't be compared with the previous Hyperion. Against this even the characteristic ability of the apostles were pierced and their god constructed bodies were turned into cinders.
The apostles who somehow escaped from the firing lines and the apostles who only now came out from the chasm in the space stopped still, but a moment later they soared to the sky with terrific momentum. They flapped their silver wings and flew along the pillars of light where ahead of them were the astonishing weapons that annihilated their fellow apostles in hundreds.
"Don't be reserved. There is still more to come, eat up to your heart's content. Stuff yourself until your whole body burst out yeahh-"
Using the 'distant viewing stone' loaded on Burst Hyperion, Hajime saw the figures of the ascending apostles, his lips warped ferociously while saying that. At the same time, the diamond jewel shined even further.
Then, from all the Burst Hyperion that had total length of around five meters, several small type bits――'Mirror Bits' were flying out, they went toward the surface or scattered to the surrounding. The bits with isosceles triangle shape and size around thirty centimeters had crimson gem installed on their surface.
The mirror bits scattered as though to evade the charging apostles, to that the apostles frowned suspiciously for a moment, but seemingly judging that it would suffice to destroy the Burst Hyperion where they bits were coming from first no matter what scheme the bits served, they ignored the bits and continued charging ahead.
And then, the apostles focused their silver magic power, and at that instant where they were going to attempt to destroy the seven weapons emplaced at the sky with disintegration bombing,
"-!? This is-――"
One of the apostles that leaked out that voice had her head erased before she could finish talking.
It was by the laser right from behind.
The firing of Burst Hyperion stopped just for a moment. Immediately after, the lasers split into branches like a scattered shot and rained down to the ground… was how it looked like but an instant later, lasers from all directions filled the whole sky to the brim.
That was a cage that was instantly created from laser. Countless lasers from directions that were totally different from Burst Hyperion's positions were expanding through the whole sky as though laying out three dimensional web.
"Kuh, so it's that small artifacts-"
One of the apostle who attempted to defend by deploying her maximum disintegration ability through her silver wings that wrapped around her body spoke out a conjecture that was nearly conviction as though spitting out, to that surely it was just auditory hallucination, but the words of the irregular that said "Correct" echoed in her ear with teasing tone.
Yes, the role of the mirror bits were to reflect the sunlight convergence laser of Burst Hyperion which was their mother machine. With that, they exterminated the enemy from every direction. The countless bits were constantly changing position and further reflected the reflected lasers, creating a cage of laser that covered the sky and realized a diversified random shooting that was hard to predict due to the irregularity.
By the way, the bits had the word 'mirror' attached to their name, but they weren't reflecting the laser using mirror but by making use of space distortion. Using that it was also possible to bend the laser in sharp angles. In a glance, it looked nothing more than a reflection, hence the naming.
"Well, that'll take care of that."
Due to the omni-directional laser attack without pause, the apostles reflexively deployed defense of silver wings and their charge slowed down, seeing that Hajime snorted while murmuring that.
And then, through the 'distant viewing stone' Hajime sent a fearless grin at the apostles whose expressions were somewhat visibly distorting hatefully. He then operated the jewel and dropped something shining the size of a fist from Burst Hyperion.
Like a morning dew that dripped down from a leaf, the seven shining tears were dropped right in the middle of great number of apostles who currently were beginning to move in the attempt to break through the cage of laser with their silver wings deployed in defense.
"Disappear all at once."
Right at that moment when Hajime whispered in small voice,
*DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON-!!!!*
Flowers of sun bloomed at the reddish black sky.
――Treasure Warehouse to exclusively store converged sunlight Rose Helios
What Hajime dropped were special treasure warehouses that stored sunlight which was focused until the limit. It was different with the treasure warehouse that was built internally to shot lasers, so to speak it was a large scale heat bomb that made use of the suns energy by self-destructing to release all the stored energy at once.
This artifact was a treasure where one Burst Hyperion could only have one of it loaded in them, but its power was guaranteed. The heat that was continuously converged was liberated and caused a large explosion like sun flare, the reddish black sky was painted like it was afternoon.
The radiance that made one thought that seven suns were appearing at the same time covered the sky, immediately after that, tremendously powerful shockwave and heat wave poured down.
With this, not only the apostles who aimed to destroy the Burst Hyperion, other apostles who were following behind and the apostles who just came out from the crack in the space were also blown away altogether like leaves. Not only that, but the enormous dust cloud which was approaching the fortress due to the God Mountain's collapse was also washed back.
Naturally that force also assaulted the fortress, but the force was barely blocked by the shining membrane that covered the whole fortress. It was thanks to the 'Great Barrier' that was relocated from the capital to here. The former great barrier would surely be unable to endure the annihilation grade artifact of Hajime, but the current great barrier that had been improved seemed to be able to endure if it was just the shockwave.
The Rose Helios that displayed sublime destruction which surpassed expectation actually made Hajime who was the creator himself to be the one who was sweating coldly the most but… the result was no harm reached his ally so it was alright.
"Uhaa, is has become something amazing isn't iit~"
"Hajime-kun who completely stopped restraining himself change even the topography isn't he…"
"… If an example is made with earth terminology, then it's like Everest got annihilated and nuclear bombs are fired wildly. When the fight is over, we have to make him have restraint with all of our strength."
"… Either way, Shizushizu is going to have hardships. Suzu will also cooperate as much as possible okay. It feels like Suzu can hear the crying of earth from here."
"This world is already teary eyed… When I reach the other side, I'm gonna punch Kouki flying right away. If I don't fight him first… if Kouki get into a fight with Nagumo, not even a dust will remain from him."
Shia and the others leaked out their impression. All of them threw their gaze at the beyond and their lips were half-smiling. They knew that Hajime planned to launch preemptive attacks at the start of the battle, they also knew that he would do that by using 'meteor impact' and 'converged sunlight laser', but never even in their wildest dream did they even imagined that the eight kilometer mountain would be annihilated and pseudo suns would materialize in the sky in multiple numbers even if only temporarily.
Furthermore, behind such Shia and the others…
"How's that, Jii-sama! That is my honored spouse! Isn't it amazing!"
"… aah, yep, I guess. That's really super awesome."
"Cl, Clan head. I understand your feeling, but your speech is… no, nothing, please pay it no heed."
Tio puffed up her chest proudly while Adol was opening his eyes wide looking like the shocked expression that came out in a shoujo manga of a long time ago. A close aide made a tsukkomi at the clan head's discomposed tone, but it seemed that he gave up in the middle. Ristas was extremely surprised that he was unable to stand up with his soul coming out from his mouth. (TN: Shoujo manga is a manga for girl)
Below the fortress was also noisy. Especially the rabbit ear group, they were making a hectic uproar.
"Hyahha-!! As expected bosss! He does impossible things so calmly!"
"Come on you trash! We are gonna break all of you into pieces yeah!!" "Aaaaaan, bosss! Please hold meeeeeee! It's unbearableee!"
"Red Flash Rondo!! Banzai!!" (TN: Akaki Senkyou no Rinbukyoku)
"Mad Whirlwind of White Fang!! Yiihaaa!!" (TN: Shiroki Souga no Kyouhyou)
"No, the nickname until now is not enough anymore! … Something, something that is more worthy for boss…"
"How about Demon King of White Night that Bring About Demise!" (TN: Shuuen Motarasu Byakuya no Maou)
"No, about that Ultimate Supreme Emperor of Death and Chaos is better!" (TN: Shi to Konton no Kyokuhatei)
"Why there is no crimson in there! It's Ultimate Destruction God of Deep Crimson Gleaming Sky!" (TN: Shinku Kouten no Kyokuhashin)
It seemed that when the battle was over Hajime nicknames would become jumbled all over.
Amidst such resounding yells, Aiko yelled with a voice that sounded somewhat cramped yet still powerful.
"Thi, this is, the strength of my sword! Victory is together with us!"
" " " " " " " " " " VICTORY! VICTORY! VICTORY! " " " " " " " " " "
Following that, Gahard somehow pulled himself together and took command with a faint smile. His loud voice resounded all over to the degree that made one think whether he really needed any artifact to amplify his voice.
"All hands, ready your weapon!! The target is above! Don't let the goddess's sword take all the glory! Exactly as the goddess said, every single one of us is a hero! Fight until the last moment! Destroy every single enemy! Proove the strength of us 'humans'!"
" " " " " " " " " "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-!!!" " " " " " " " " "
A tremendous yell was raised. At the same time, the soldiers aimed the heavy arms they were provided with each of their roles to the sky. Their morale was at the highest peak. There was nobody who was trembling in fear anymore; in exchange, their body was trembling with a warrior excitement.
Teeth were clenched tightly, light of determination shined inside those eyes.
At the sky, the apostles who barely avoided destruction arranged their formation, and then new apostles were overflowing further from the chasm in the space. Several hundred apostles were supposedly annihilated by the previous attack, but perhaps the apostle of god was in inexhaustible supply.
Therefore, exactly because of that from now on would be the authentic war between mankind and the pawn of god.
Looking at the state of the allied force, Aiko released a sigh that couldn't be noticed.
"Sensei, that was a splendid speech. As expected from the goddess of harvest."
"Nagumo-kun… I already, don't understand what I should say."
Aiko looked over her shoulder at the voice behind her while floating an exasperated smile. While shrugging to that, Hajime handed over the jewel to operate Burst Hyperion to Aiko.
It was the important jewel which brought about that large-scale destruction. Aiko accepted it timidly. From now on Burst Hyperion would be operated by Aiko's hand as much as possible. The one who was the worthiest to handle the sunlight was exactly the 'Goddess of Harvest'.
After glancing at Aiko who was trembling with fear, Hajime turned his gaze at Kaori.
"Your face is an apostle, but the color of your hair looks like Kaori huh. Yeah, as expected, black hair suited Kaori more."
"Ehehe, is that so? Then we have to finish this quickly so I can return to my former body."
Exactly as Hajime said, the current Kaori wasn't silver haired but she became black haired even with Nointo's body.
This was so that she wasn't mistaken with the apostles, the cause was the disguise artifact that Hajime prepared. The color of her magic power was also disguised, so currently when Kaori spread her wings what appeared would black silver wings. Her outfit also had black tone, so her appearance was just like a fallen angel. Perhaps it could be said to be a fitting look for an angel serving the demon king.
"I'm relying on you for the rest okay?"
"Yep. This side is fine. I will protect the place for Hajime-kun to come back here. I also won't let anyone to lay their hand on Myuu-chan and others anymore. That's why… please, save Yue."
"Yeah. Look forward to it. When we come back, I'll toy with you together with Yue."
"Geez-, Hajime-kun you meanie-!"
Kaori made an angry look at Hajime who was making fun of her. But, her gaze was strong, and also extraordinarily gentle. And it was also similar with Hajime, both of them understood well the immenseness of the trust that they directed at each other.
Behind Hajime, Shia, Tio, Shizuku, Suzu, and Ryuutaro walked closer. While Kaori and Shizuku took each other's hands with somewhat yuri-yuri atmosphere (TN: Lilies on their background), Hajime's gaze moved to the surroundings.
The people inside the fortress could observe the outer part really well while being inside the fortress itself due to the countless crystal displays installed. But right now, on the contrary, the displays were reflecting the interior of the fortress's command room and the people inside there like Liliana and the others, and then Kam and others who were the leaders of each force too.
"Princess. Use the anti-apostle artifact well okay. After all, I entrusted them believing in your competence you know?"
{Ple, please don't put pressure on me. Well, we are going to make it somehow. Nagumo-sa――no, Hajime-san, may luck be with you.}
Liliana at the other side of the display smiled while nodding at Hajime. Hajime nodded to that and then moved his gaze to Kam who was projected on the same display.
"Kam. There is no need for tedious talk after this far. … Go rampage."
{Ku-ku-ku-, an exciting order, thank you very much. I certainly acknowledge that. All of us Haulia will be waiting in anticipation for boss's god killing.}
Hajime and Kam exchanged fearless smiles at each other. And then, Hajime's gaze further moved to all the people who were visible in that place――Ranzi, Alfrerick, Iruwa, the top leaders from each country, then he lightly shrugged and declared.
"Then, I'll go for a bit."
Even though he was going to step into the territory of a god after this, those words were awfully light. But, mysterious strength could be felt from those words. It made them unconditionally believed, that if it was this man then he would be able to accomplish anything. It was that kind of words.
That was why nobody talked much. They nodded strongly in return and said just two words.
" " "See you." " "
Immediately after, Hajime and the others flew up together.
Under their feet were skyboards. They could also go using 'Air Force', but their destination――the chasm in space was at the altitude of eight kilometers. They had no intention to be pushed back by sheer number or spending more time. They were breaking through in one go stressing on the speed!
Looking at the six streaks of magic power light in six colors ascending to the sky, cheers were raised from the allied force. It was the sally of the 'Goddess's Sword". The hope of humanity! Like that, yells of hope tore their throats toward the sky.
There, the first wave of apostles appeared as though to block their route. Perhaps because right after the invasion start the actual first wave had been annihilated by impossible methods, the apostles didn't charge ahead recklessly. It was clear that they intended to fight while observing the situation.
"Hah, you all got really jittery, huuh. You think you can stop me with that kind of cold feet aa!?"
Already, there were around twenty apostles gathering ahead of them, regardless of the twin swords and their silver wings which were deployed fully, Hajime didn't slow down at all. Far from that, he accelerated the skyboard further. And then, while telling Shia and others to ready their weapons using 'Telepathy', Hajime took out a huge artifact from 'Treasure Warehouse II' and shouldered it.
"I'll turn you all into Swiss cheese!"
Immediately after, a crimson storm attacked the apostles.
The violence that could only be expressed like that pulverized the apostles blocking the path like a joke.
Of course, the apostles possessed disintegration ability, they had the silver wings of protection and huge swords that severed all thing with disintegration. Therefore, the apostles wordlessly and expressionlessly tried to resist using those. But, such things were easily smashed literally just like paper scraps.
*KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-!!*
Huge gun barrels that rotated in high speed while resounding particular sound. Brilliantly vivid magic power light sparked wildly. Extremely thick crimson flashes that might even pierce the sky surged.
――Gatling Pile Bunker
That was the true form of the weapon that scattered twenty apostles without difficulty. Different from the pile bunker until now, the loaded pile bunker was two sizes smaller. But, its might didn't decrease for even a bit, in a second twenty electromagnetically accelerated shots spiraled forward and the huge and super heavy black pike pulverized the target.
Right now, just by facing each other the apostles couldn't hope to stop Hajime's advance! Only by wringing out their intellect, piling up study, and resolve with a firm will like humans, they would be allowed to finally stand in front of this opponent for the first time. That was how wide the difference was!
The apostles who stiffened for a moment in amazement then decided, a pincer attack from left and right! Like that they circled while trailing afterimages behind.
"We cannot leave this only to Hajime-san!"
"Indeed!"
Shia and Tio readied themselves to deal with that.
But two apostles that brandished their large sword clad in silver magic power toward Shia and Tio. At the next moment, their heads were blown away by the flash that tore the sky before they were falling down spinning.
"Fue?"
"Wha, what?"
Shia and Tio stared in puzzlement with their spirit dampened. Not only the two, Hajime and the others also looked over their shoulder following the line of the flash. They had already reached the altitude of five kilometers so nobody understood other than Shia whose body was reinforced and Hajime who possessed 'Far Sight', those two perfectly saw it.
The fortress on the ground, at a corner of the rooftop, while holding a very long sniper that was fixed directly on the floor of the fortress, Pal-kun (ten years old), nickname 'Bardfelt of Certain Ruin' was sending them a thumbs up.
Not just Bardfelt-kun. The sniping experts even among the Haulia which was put together into a squad were readying the 'Electromagnetic Acceleration Super Long Range Anti-Material Rifle' that Hajime provided for each one of them while floating fearless smiles.
In the first place, these were the fellows who performed super accurate sniping even with just a crossbow. With scope that was enchanted with 'Far Sight' and 'Foresight', if they could see the future position of the apostles then a five-kilometer sniping was possible. Though honestly, Hajime was feeling a little unbelieving.
In Hajime and Shia's eyes, they could see the glint of Bardfelt-kun's eyes narrow across the scope. At the same time, they could somehow see what he was saying from the movement of his lips.
{Boss! Anego! Just leave clearing the path to us!} (TN: Anego=big sister, this way of calling usually used by delinquent or thug.)
Perhaps that was what he said. As though to proof that, the apostles who planned to pincer attack were shot through one after another by the flashes soaring from below.
As expected, one shot one kill was impossible after the apostle became on guard, but even so they ate considerable damage, they became unable to attack carelessly and somehow their face looked vexed.
Even if the apostles tried to use long range bombarding or large scale magic, Bardfelt-kun and others sensitively sensed it and they prioritized sniping at the apostle trying to do that. Their attack was interrupted, and even if they tried to attack forcefully regardless, Hajime and others would easily endure such attack.
"My clan is rapidly getting superhumanized desuu…"
"Perhaps, it's not only Shia anymore that can be called as special truly."
"Everyone that got involved with Hajime all become distanced from normal humans, isn't it…"
"He, hey, Shizushizu. Suzu is still a human, right? Right?"
"Perhaps it's already too late for me yeah~"
While riding their skyboard, the enemy at the front was dealt by Hajime's Gatling pile bunker, while the enemy to the left and right were dealt with a terrifying degree of accurate sniping, so Shia and the others who only needed to intercept, evade, and defend minimally had time to have somewhat distant looks while murmuring that kind of thing to each other.
While the apostles were unable to even hinder them properly; finally, Hajime and the others arrived at the chasm in space that spurted out the muddy black miasma.
"Chih, even though its appearance changed, the ability is still the same huh."
Hajime clicked his tongue. Exactly as he said, similar with the golden whirl, the black miasma was blocking Hajime and the others' progress.
"You guys, hold back the puppets behind! {Sensei, you can hear right? Send the mirror bits over here!}. Taniguchi, you put a barrier on me!"
{Ro, roger.}
"Go, got it."
Hajime was giving out instruction to Aiko on the surface and Suzu, and also at the other members while taking out a short sword from his breast pocket.
Although the item had the shape of a short sword but it didn't have any edge at all, rather it was made from a crystal that looked brittle.
It was 'Degraded Version Crystal Key'. Based on his experience when creating the real crystal key, Hajime produced with his all this short sword that possessed the effect to interfere with space. It didn't have the power to open a gate toward the Holy Precincts, but if it was just the power to lockpick a locked door then this item could do it.
Hajime's body became clad in vivid crimson. And then he poured the immense magic power of 'Limit Break' into the degraded version crystal key that used the very small amount of god crystal's fragment discovered at the abyss of Orcus, activating its ability.
"This time for sure, I'll pass through no matter what!"
Hajime yelled and stabbed that short sword at the miasma wall.
*Creak, creak* Such a sound came out, the degraded crystal key in trying to break the wall of miasma causing ripples. Hajime's crimson magic power also roared trying to blow away the miasma.
But, there a silver shining large sword thrust out from inside the miasma. The large sword of apostle.
Even while Hajime held his ground to break the miasma, naturally the swarm of apostles was still coming out from there. Hajime himself was pouring all his strength to break the miasma so he couldn't take any considerable action.
{I won't let you!!}
"Don't get in the way!"
That was why Aiko and Suzu were there.
The mirror bits deployed around Hajime and others were guiding the laser from Burst Hyperion and blocked the approach of the apostles like a barrier.
And then Suzu also waved her iron fans gently on her skyboard. Living up to her reputation of barrier master, a square shining shield thirty-centimeters large was invoked instantly, the barrier didn't block the large sword of the apostle that slipped through the laser net, but diverted the trajectory as though the barrier surface was slippery. This was because Suzu understood that defending the enemy's disintegration ability from the front was disadvantageous.
Behind Hajime, Shia and others were also buying time by putting importance on handling the enemy rather than defeating them. Apostles were overflowing from the miasma as though they were unlimited, if the scene was seen from slightly distant spot, surely it would look like Hajime and the others were enveloped in silver cocoon.
The great numbers of apostles attacked clad in silver magic power to remove the insolent people who were trying to step into the Holy Precincts. Shia and the other somehow held out right now, but with the current pace they would surely get swallowed by pure numbers in less than a minute.
For that reason, Hajime ignored all the attacks of the apostles. He entrusted his back, his life, everything to Shia and the others. He turned his whole mind only to advance forward.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-!!!"
A shout burst from Hajime's mouth. Hajime's magic power further increased. The degraded version crystal key condensed the vivid crimson and got dyed with deep crimson. At the same time, cracks ran creakingly as though the key was screaming unable to endure the large power.
The cracks on the degraded version crystal key was widening second by second as though giving the notification that its life span was up already. But, Hajime further poured his magic power. The apostles who were breaking through even with half their body erased by laser launched silver feathers that disintegrated even Suzu's barrier, cutting Hajime's cheek and gouging his limbs.
Shia and the others were also bearing wounds from the overwhelming amount of attacks and their limited battle scope.
As expected, were they really unable to break through. Was the power of god unmatched…
If the people here were 'average', surely such thinking would pass in their mind. But, if they were people with such good understanding, then in the first place they wouldn't be here. That was why, they yelled. Even while injured, even with enemies surrounding them from all sides.
(En: Battle scene pictured above)
"We can do this! If it's Hajime-san!"
"Exactly, Goshujin-sama!"
"It's fine! There is no such thing that can possibly stop you!"
"Gooo! Nagumo-kun!"
"Nagumooo! Smash it uuup!"
To those yells of Shia and others, Hajime was…
"Obviously-. Those guys that got in my way, I'll destroy them, anything and everythiiiiiiing!!"
Right after that…
*creak* A sound resounded.
But, that wasn't the sound of the degraded crystal key. It was from the invisible wall before his eyes, from the crack in space that spurted out miasma. The tip of the degraded crystal key plunged into the wall. With that spot as the center, ripples were spreading.
――Yue-
Following his desiring heart, Hajime twisted the crystal short sword.
Then, with the stabbed point as the center, space distorted flabbily, opening an ellipse hole.
The path to the Holy Precincts was opened.
"-, you guys! Here we go!"
"Yes desu!"
"Yes!"
"Roger!"
"Yep!"
"Ou-!"
The command that was given along with Hajime's fearless smile was affirmed by everyone with the same smile floating on their faces and a nod.
Right after that, the swarm of apostles descended on them.
But, the figure of Hajime and the others were already gone from between the apostles.
After that, there were only the sparkles emitted by the remain of the broken degraded crystal key and the gate that was closing even now.
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Soooo… giant hole in the sky. Disposable look-alike CGI army. Battle through the streets of a city. A team of assembled superpowered heros. Sounds like a Hollywood Blockbuster to me.
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ARIFURETA SHOKUGYOU DE SEKAI SAIKYOU (WN)
C164
All credit goes to the original author (Chuuni Suki), who has posted the raw data here:
Thanks for your continued support. If you like my writing style, check out my original works at , or just leave a comment.
Bakapervert is pushing to release faster, so he has taken over all editing. I don't have the time in my schedule to keep up, so my involvement for the moment is to just post bakapervert's chapters. No read over from me, no schedule. I'll release them as I get them until the end. On the upside, you won't be waiting long for the finale.
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Holy Precincts
A world that was richly colored.
That was the scenery that lept into the eyes of Hajime and the others who stepped in into the Holy Precincts.
There was no end that could be confirmed. Various colors mixed in this space. It was as though they were lost inside a world within a bubble.
In that mysteriously colorful space, there was a chalk white path stretching straight forward. No, rather than calling it a path, it was like the top of a dam wall, it was more correct to express their location as 'above a huge straight wall'.
Hajime and the others were taken aback for a moment. Despite so, they stored the skyboard that became ragged from the apostles' attack into 'Treasure Warehouse II' and stood on the chalk white path. They couldn't see any apostles even after looking around. It appeared the space that Hajime connected to using the degraded crystal key was a different place from the place that contained the apostles and monsters. They had resolved to clash with a great amount of apostles and monsters as far as their eye could see right after infiltrating, so this could be said as fortunate.
"What a mysterious space. I cannot grasp the sense of distance."
Shia gave her impression while peeking down from the edge of the path. Just as those words sounded, even as she peeked below, the ground or the bottom of the wall were unclearly being swallowed by the extremely colorful space. Even the path straight ahead, after a certain distance, became swallowed by the colorful space that made it hard to confirm the distance.
"I guess it won't end well if you fall down huh. Everyone, be careful okay."
Everyone nodded briskly at Hajime's warning. Like that they all began to run following after Hajime while staying vigilant of the surrounding.
They were traveling at high speed following the chalk white path in the atmosphere that was filled with uneasy silence. The 'Compass of Guidance' showed that Yue's whereabouts was ahead of the chalk white path. Therefore they dashed believing on that, although there was not a single thing they could use to confirm the distance so they became doubtful whether they were really advancing forward.
If not for the compass that was teaching Hajime that the distance to Yue was closing even for just a little, perhaps even he would also feel doubt.
They advanced the path for several dozen minutes where no end could be seen with few words.
Finally, a change happened.
"It's coming-. Bombardment!"
Shia's rabbit ears stood up straight all of a sudden, at the same time she gave a warning. Regardless of their vigilance, everyone other than Shia was completely taken by surprise. It was the proof that Shia's 'Future Sight' was activated, at the same time it also meant that the attack was a risky one that could possibly wipe them out.
Right after that, without any advance warning, silver radiant flashes attacked Hajime and the others from all directions. It was a meteor shower of death without a single gap, conveying clearly how no place of escape was left behind.
"Gather!"
Hajime's angry roar flew. Everyone reflexively approached Hajime's side. At the same time, Hajime took out a huge shield from 'Treasure Warehouse II'. And then that shield which was manifested in empty air pierced the ground while magic power was poured into it.
As the result, *Gashun! Gashun!* such sound was raised, metal plates were sliding from the inside of the large shield in great speed. In the blink of eye the plates formed a dome that covered Hajime and the others. Metal plates that looked like scales stretched, it was variable large shield 'Aidion'.
The moment the last metal plate slid into place and Hajime and co were completely covered, the flashes from all directions finally arrived. There was almost no impact. The attack was like a laser, the surface of Aidion was turning into dust. Obviously, the cause was the disintegration ability of the apostles.
But such thing was obvious the moment there was silver light. For that reason, Hajime chose the option of omni-direction defense with this Aidion.
"Hah, just try it if you think you can penetrate this."
Hajime whispered while smiling fearlessly inside Aidion where there was the illumination of green light stone installed. That was the expression of his confidence. An absolute confidence that the likes of the apostle wouldn't be able to penetrate his improved defense.
In front of the brutal characteristic ability of the apostles which was like a foul play, those words were something too insolent.
Normally.
Yes, even while Hajime was spouting out those insolent words, Aidion was completely blocking the disintegration bombardment. No, more accurately the shield's part that was disintegrated was regenerating. It went without saying that the cause was regeneration magic. 'Restoration Stone' that was enchanted with regeneration magic was continuously regenerating the part of Aidion that was turned to dust as though time was rolled back.
Of course, the disintegration ability of the apostles was at the level where a building would become dust in an instant, so no matter how much regeneration magic was enchanted the outcome would be that the item got blown away before it could show any effect.
However, this Aidion was similar with 'Sky Severance' where it was a composite shield made of several layers of adamantium inserted with restoration stone, furthermore, Hajime's 'Vajra' was also reinforcing it. In other words, even with one layer disintegrated, if the second, third, and fourth layer could buy time even for a second then the restoration stone could display its effect. Therefore, even with that disintegration ability, the apostles couldn't hope to penetrate it.
"You guys, save your strength for the time being. If it's just this many apostles then I'll deal with them."
"Eh? Deal with them…"
Shizuku was putting strength into the hand holding the black katana in the preparation of battle against apostle swarm once more, but Hajime's words resounded as though to dampen her spirit. Shizuku reflexively asked back, but inside the large shield that was illuminated faintly by green light stone, looking at Hajime's expression that supported the large shield――that look which looked like a wild beast made her words got caught up in her throat.
Right after that, the pressure that pushed on Aidion suddenly vanished. The all-out bombardment of the apostles was over.
Hajime transferred Aidion into 'Treasure Warehouse II', right after that the apostles showed their figure as though they were oozing out from the colorful space while making ripples. All of the apostles were clad in silver magic power, showing their seriousness right from the beginning. They sent narrowed gaze at Hajime who endured their all-out bombardment, in an instant…
――A curb stomp began.
*DOPAAAAAAN-*, at the same time when the familiar bursting sound roared, six apostles' head easily exploded like a joke.
"-!?"
It was a swift defeat unbecoming for god's apostle.
The apostles who lost six of their sister right at the moment when they made their entrance gulped audibly. The crimson flash that gouged the apostles' head certainly attacked faster than the gun sound, but it should be possible to evade if it was the apostle in full power state clad in silver light.
The cause that negated the apostles' evasion ability could be understood from the fact that all the six victims were all the people who blinked in that instant.
Hajime was taking the opening of the apostles' mind. The number of the apostles who appeared from the space was nearly fifty people. Hajime confirmed all of them instantly and aimed simultaneously only at the blinking apostles with pinpoint precision…
Hajime had survived many battles against the apostles, that was the reason this special move with difficulty level that was like threading the eye of a needle was working. There was no way the apostles could understand what happened.
Because of that, they were unable to understand the reason why their sisters were shot without being unable to do anything, this too caused their head to be soaked in confusion for an instant.
*DOPAAAN*
With that four more people died. Their head exploded and fell on the ground like an insect with their wings clipped.
"Kuh, three people are to chant-. The rest continue on!"
One of the apostles gave out instruction while grinding her teeth with the usual expressionless face crumbling. It appeared that she was the manager who handed down the command even among the apostles. The remaining apostles obeyed the instruction and moved all at once.
The apostle that gave instruction――Zekst swung her twin large swords once and then took flight instantly with her silver wings flapped. She charged at Hajime while leaving behind afterimages.
But, to such apostle, the small murmur of Hajime reached her clearly.
"…Hee, so you are the captain."
"――"
Amidst a large number of apostles flying around with countless afterimages filling the space to the limit, Hajime's eye glint accurately caught Zekst's figure.
And then, Hajime and Zekst's gaze entangled inside the world where the rich colors looked fading and dull, right after that, slowly, and even slower inside Zekst's mind, Hajime's mouth…split.
At that moment, Zekst realized. This world where the flow of time became slow right now, wasn't something produced because of her great speed, but it was the phenomenon of revolving lantern that someone watched at their dying moments. The reason of her realization was because, even while she was getting aware of the slowly approaching bullet clad in crimson toward her in the real world, the images of the many secret maneuverings 'the apostle of god' had carried out until now in all countries toward the people were also passing through her mind.
All apostles shared their memory with each other. Even if it wasn't something that Zekst personally did, but something that 'apostle' did was something that Zekst did. …Zekst thought. Were the apostles who were destroyed before she also saw the same scene like this? The scene, of the people who they had been toying with until now, were now looking down at them mockingly.
Zekst's body was accurately moving even while watching the revolving lantern. Her neck moved by itself trying to evade the flying bullet by twisting aside. But, mysteriously even with that Zekst was convinced that the approaching bullet would still pierce her.
And then, that conviction was proved right within an instant. The moment Zekst twisted her neck, of all thing, the bullet before her eyes shifted its trajectory slightly. Its path was accurately heading to Zekst's temple.
'Aa, really, what an irregular…'
After murmuring such thing inside her heart, in the end Zekst felt an impact, along with that her consciousness fell into darkness.
At the same time when Zekst fell, further seven apostles also fell on the ground with their head similarly blown away.
Hajime glanced at that scene while rotating Donner & Schlag in gun spin, then he scattered more bullets of death to all directions.
Although because Hajime's arms rotation and the reloading speed were too fast, an outsider looking would only be able to see acrobatic gun spins repeating all the time. The realization of Hajime's killing intent was displayed only by the fact that the scattered crimson flashes were shooting through the foreheads of the apostles without the slightest deviation.
"Wh, why-"
Unable to endure, one of the apostles who wasn't shot down yet spoke with rough voice and words that could be taken as a question or escaping reality.
It was natural for her to be like that. They were the 'apostle of god'. The sword of god that the likes of mankind had no hope to oppose. They were an existence that could trample the world equally like a natural disaster with just a single one of them! And yet, why, how they could be easily exterminated like this, dropping out just like flies…. Impossible. There was no way this kind of unrealistic sight could exist!
Right after that, a flash flew toward that apostle.
With an unknown emotion welling up inside her, that apostle drew a slash at the air trying to bisect that light with her shining large sword. The information that Hajime's bullet which generated impact could crack their large sword with one attack in the previous battle was naturally also shared with this apostle, therefore she decided not to 'make her large sword into shield' but to 'cut down the bullet'.
Like that, the beautiful silver trajectory split the crimson flash…was how it should be.
Instead, the result that came out was the explosion of the apostle's head. Just before the apostle's mind sunk into darkness, she whispered inside her stretched out perception.
'The light…slip through?...'
It wasn't unreasonable for her to have that misapprehension.
――Combined Metamorphosis-Creation Transmutation Special Bullet Living Bullet
That was the true form of the attack that slipped through the apostles' evasion and large swords.
This 'Living Bullet' was a special bullet enchanted with metamorphosis magic, the simple explanation was that the bullet could listen to the command of the user――it was literally a living bullet.
Hajime developed this bullet after understanding that the sealing stone and the pseudo scorpion in the abyss were created by blending organic matter and inorganic matter, so simply put the bullet was a living golem in bullet shape that executed a simple order.
This time the command that Hajime gave was just one. 'Hit the aimed place', that was all. It was a small bullet, so even though they listened to order but they had no ego. So to speak it was like a program. Evade if there was an obstacle in front of the target, chase if the target moved. That was all they could do. The bullet couldn't make U-turn if they passed the target and chased endlessly, it was also unable to circle around if a wall was made with silver wings to shot the apostle at the back of their head.
But, even so, the electromagnetically accelerated flash that reached the target within an instant corrected its trajectory just a few meters before it reached the target. No matter how unfair the perception ability and reaction speed the apostle had, there was no way they could evade or anything.
If the apostle tried to cut the bullet using their large sword but the bullet changed trajectory smoothly, it wasn't unreasonable for the apostle to mistake that the bullet 'slipped through'.
"Before, you guys said this right. That 'the analysis about you is finished'. Just what time are you talking about I wonder. By the time you failed to kill me for the second time, the scythe of death god has already lined up on the neck of you guys."
The gun spin moved at too high of rotation speed that it looked like a round shield. Hajime's figure that moved with sliding feet turning over and over while firing flashes in radial direction looked like he was dancing.
And then as long as that dance of death was continuing, one by one the apostles had their forehead pierced, their head exploded, and fell like a puppet with their string cut.
If they tried using their large sword as a shield, then an attack with three impacts compressed into it would assault and with just a single shot, a fatal damage would be inflicted on the large sword, in a hairbreadth the second shot would pierce the forehead altogether with the sword. Even when they tried long range attack or magic, their breathing at the instant they were going to attack was perfectly read, so they were only exposing their opening instead, but if they attempted close range combat then they would be intercepted by a bullet with bending trajectory.
When they attempted to overlap their twin large swords and silver wings as a shield to charge through, six shots would burst with pin point accuracy at the same time, the tremendous shockwave was generated while smashing the iron wall, or possibly the apostle would run out of strength and got blown away. And then, that impact would spontaneously make them relaxed the guard of their large sword and wing, the curving bullet would attack weaving through that opening.
"While I was thinking of the ways to kill you guys, what were you guys doing? Did you analyze my fighting style? Hah, that won't cut it at all. You got to train yourself, change your weapon, polish your tactic, heighten your proficiency, put double and triple layer of traps, and mass produce trump cards."
The apostles' worn-out remain vanished from the sky toward the ground like a cookie's crumbling that spilled from a mouth.
"Shut up-"
Right after that, along with an angry voice that sounded like it was desperately repressing something that welled up inside the speaker, a silver sun materialized. The sun that brilliantly shined was something made from focused magic power of apostle enchanted with disintegration ability. Looking closer, under the silver sun there were three apostles raising their large sword piled into one. Most likely this was a large bombardment executed by multiple apostles.
Looking at that, Hajime was…snorting in exasperation.
"Is that your trump card! Fine, bring it on."
"-…Vanish without any trace behind! Irregular!"
The three apostles swung down their sword in unison. The silver sun that was a compression of energy until the critical state radiated its light of ruin just like prominence. A super thick laser with diameter reaching ten meters approached Hajime in order to make everything of him into dust.
From 'Treasure Warehouse II', Hajime too out two pieces of disk――he took out two chakrams and threw them forward. One of the chakrams rotated in the air, when its flat part faced the approaching thick bombardment, at the next moment it divided into three parts.
The chakram was divided into three parts with equal distance between them, however, they didn't scatter into pieces, the parts were connected by thin wire, the parts spread widely in an instant and created large circle before Hajime's eyes.
At that moment, the silver huge laser reached Hajime…not, it was completely swallowed into the circle made by the divided chakram and the wire. And then, that swallowed silver light jumped out from the other chakram that also parted and created a similar large circle at a slightly separated place.
――Variable Chakram Orestes
The chakram up to now could only create a gate at the small inside of the chakram, but this new type chakram 'Orestes' that had improvement applied in it could separate and with the built-in wire inside, a gate that could be freely changed in size would be made. Depending on the situation, it could also be used as a guillotine by making something passed halfway into the gate and then decreasing the size.
The apostles never even dreamed that the focused bombardment by three apostles which could be said as a trump card would be returned back to them as it was, perhaps they were unable to move while performing the firing, their reaction was dull and they got swallowed into the light that they fired themselves, they were annihilated literally without leaving even dust behind.
"You guys don't evolve. You cannot struggle to the death for the sake of living, for the sake of your wish, for the sake of what's 'important'. That's why, I told you right from the beginning didn't I? You all just wooden doll."
"Irregular! No, you are truly, a true monste――"
A gunshot echoed. The bullet that curved in trajectory approached easily like a joke and pierced the forehead of the last apostle.
While silver feathers and apostle remains were falling like an illusion, Hajime spun the smoking Donner & Schlag and finished reloading, then he silently stored them in their holsters.
Looking at the result, he was uninjured from a fight against the fifty apostles of god. Completely. It was truly overwhelming.
That fact made Shia, Tio, and Shizuku's expression to turn a bit into ecstasy. Suzu and Ryutaro leaked out a dry laugh.
'Meteor Impact' that destroyed the God Mountain, sunlight convergence laser 'Burst Hyperion', gatling pile bunker and living bullet…when Hajime was given time, that many absurd weapons were produced one after another.
What did it mean by a non-combat job. What did it mean by mundane occupation. Indeed Hajime's body itself boasted monstrous spec due to an irregular event, but Hajime's true weapon was no other than that power of development. And then, in every age what became a threat to humanity was always 'something' that was newly created. In a sense, perhaps it could be said that Hajime was in possession of the most terrifying talent.
While it had been too late at this point of time, whether they wanted it or not Shizuku and the others were made to understand that.
"It's going to be troublesome if they come in succession. Let's go ahead right away."
Hearing Hajime who started running while giving out the order as though nothing happened, Shizuku and the others came back to their senses and chased behind him.
"Aaa. I wanted to show Hajime-san just now to Yue-san desuuu"
"Fufu, I thought that there might be this kind of thing. So I bring the image recording artifact. When everything is over, let art we hold a video appreciation meeting!"
"Tio-san, nice desu! As expected from the extraordinary pervert that might even leave her name in the history!"
"Fuhahaha, don't praise me, don't praise me! I would become shy thou know?"
Shia and Tio laughed with each other in composure while being inside the enemy base that was the Holy Precincts. Their feeling was loosening up with that while they dashed forward for a while.
Hajime and the others finally ran into a richly colored wall. When his hand touched the rippling wall, the hand easily sunk into the other side. They nodded at each other and the whole group leaped into the other side of the ripple.
If Nakamura Eri was asked what was her first memory that was the most intense, surely she would answer like this.
――The scene of Otou-san's death.
It was when Eri was five years old. She went with her father to a public park with just the two of them, there the high-spirited Eri jumped on the roadway carelessly and with a devilish timing a car came charging forward, then her father died protecting Eri. In a sense, it was the result of a mundane traffic accident.
But, there was one result that wasn't mundane. That was the state of her mother after that. Eri's mother was a daughter from a slightly high-class family, but it seemed that she went against her family and married with Eri's father, she was clinging all over the father to the degree that even Eri's childish heart got embarrassed.
That wasn't only because the mother merely loved the father, if someone took a step back and looked at it closer, perhaps it was on the level that could be said as dependence. For that reason, Eri's mother that from the start wasn't mentally strong was unable to endure the death of the beloved husband that supported her heart.
Because she was unable to endure, she bared her fang to the cause of death. Yes, her target was her own young daughter――Eri. Normally, a mother would swallow her tears while supporting her daughter who should be hurt because she witnessed with her own eyes the death of her father, that would be the correct way of living as a mother. But, as expected, although Eri's mother held back in front of other people, when they returned home and there were only the two of them, she would direct her hatred at Eri without sugarcoating it at all.
For Eri's mother, if her daughter and her husband were weighed on the scales, the scale would tilt to the latter, she loved her daughter was also only because Eri was her husband's daughter.
At the time, the five years old Eri earnestly endured the violence that was carried out almost every day and the abusive language spewed out to her. That was because Eri who was smart for five years old was completely accepting the words of her mother that said "because of your fault" to her. Her carelessness killed her father――the one who believed that more than anyone else was no other than Eri herself.
It was only natural for her mother to be angry at her who stole the father that her mother loved. It was only natural that she who made her father died was given punishment to both her heart and body. Eri believed that from the bottom of her heart.
At the same time, Eri also believed that when this punishment was over, than her mother who looked like a demon would return to the gentle mother in the past who always smiled kindly.
Her mother's abuse was ingenious, she had never done anything that might leave any mark on Eri's body. Eri too had also never revealed anything for the sake of her mother, and also for the sake of the punishment to her. Because of that, such situation continued for a few years, but there was no one that could notice what happened.
However, for a child there was no way she would be able to always be smiling in such environment. As a child clad in gloomy atmosphere Eri practically didn't have any friend at school. Her lone quiet self that looked like someone bracing herself waiting for the storm to pass was surely eerie for the children of the same age.
Isolation and self-condemnation and the pain of her heart, her feeling that was thinking of her mother, and loneliness…Eri's heart was nearing its limit from all those. Like that she endured such situation for several years, but in a sense it also could be said as astounding how she endured that long.
A change happened at such gloomy days.
Nine years old――when she was in third-year elementary school. Her mother brought home an unknown male into their home. He was an adult male with an arrogant attitude and bad character. Her mother was making sickly-sweet coaxing voice at that man while clinging coquettishly all over him.
Eri couldn't believe it. Didn't her mother throw that much anger and hatred to herself exactly because she loved the father from the bottom of her heart, Eri thought.
That thinking wasn't mistaken. But, the heart of Eri's mother was far weaker than even Eri thought. To the degree that if she wasn't supported by someone, then she wouldn't be able to live properly.
From that day, Eri's house was lived by that man.
The way the man acted in the house was exactly like a typical trash that often came out in a cheap novel. And then in addition, as though to follow the clichéd story of such novel, the gaze of that man toward Eri wasn't something that was usually directed to a little girl.
The disgusting feeling that felt like it was crawling all over her body caused Eri to pass her time inside the house holding her breath even more than before. Even so, the act and speech of the man were gradually escalating, before long Eri called herself with 'boku' (TN: This way of calling oneself was usually used by a boy, a girl usually used 'watashi') and she kept her hair in rough short-cut style. That was the meager measure of the small Eri to defend herself from the thinking that 'if he is not seeing me as a girl then'.
At school, Eri who even at normal time was already seen as gloomy and somewhat eerie, one day she suddenly changed the way she called herself and came with short hair like a boy, that caused the few children who even though they weren't her friend but they still conversed daily with Eri, even those children distanced themselves from Eri. Eri became isolated further and further.
Even so, even if she felt that her mother betrayed her father, Eri still believed. That her mother would surely return to the gentle mother in the past. She pretended to not notice that such thinking was only a type of escape that averted her eyes from reality.
That hope of Eri that was like grasping at straw, was destroyed by an event that made her realize that the hope was really just a fragile straw. Finally the man bared his fang of desire at Eri. It was while Eri's mother was going out for her night work.
Fortunately, though it was unclear if it could really be called fortunate, the neighbors who heard Eri's scream notified the police, thanks to that Eri's chastity wasn't scattered. Eri herself was thinking that perhaps this kind of day would come, so she had prepared every day by opening the window so her scream could easily reach, that was also the reason she was saved.
And so being attacked wasn't something shocking for Eri. Rather, she even thought that it was a chance. With this her mother should finally open her eyes. Her mother would cut the connection with a man that attacked her own daughter and she would remember Eri's father. In any case, the man was caught by police, so their connection was severed. With this the livelihood of Eri and her mother would be improved slightly, she thought.
Yes, she thought like that.
Only until her mother directed a hatred that was even more than until now to her.
After finishing with the questioning from the police and she returned together with Eri back to their home, what came flying the very first to Eri was the mother's slap. And then, the mother said this to Eri. "How dare you seduce that person."
It seemed, for her mother, the incident where Eri was attacked by the man wasn't an impetus for her to realize the trashiness of the man, but it was perceived by the mother as Eri stealing her mother's man once more. Rather than about her daughter receiving assault, the matter of how the man was separated from her and how the man's desire was directed at Eri were the matters that the mother couldn't stomach.
A mother that betrayed her father, a mother that hurt her, a mother that was sad because the man was gone rather than about her daughter got assaulted…at this time, Eri finally realized. No, perhaps it should be said that she finally looked straight at something that she had actually understood but she averted her eyes from.
That was, that her mother didn't love her. That her mother of the past wouldn't return anymore. That the real nature of her mother wasn't the gentle figure in the past, but the figure overflowing with ugliness in front of her eyes right now.
She realized those.
That was why――Eri broke.
Everything that she believed was an illusion. Her enduring was meaningless. And then, there was no hope for the future ahead. Those factors were far than enough to break the very young Eri.
When she woke up the next day not from her sleep but rather from her fainting, it was early morning when the sun still hadn't even risen, there Eri slipped out from the home. This wasn't an act of testing affection that children tended to do, to see if her mother would worry and came to search for her. It was for the sake of ending herself――in other words, for suicide.
She got out of the home was because she didn't want to die near her mother for some reason.
Like that, Eri wandered unsteadily without any particular destination, and what she discovered was a river. A large river at a place slightly distanced from home. The well-maintained river plain became a good place for children to play. With this Eri who stared vacantly at the river flowing below from the iron bridge spanning above got a thought, let's do it here.
It was a river with quite the amount of water, but the flow wasn't particularly fast, and it wasn't like the water level rose due to rain. For suicide by drowning, this place could honestly be said as unsuited. Rather than drowning, there was more danger from jumping down from the bridge and landed wrongly. Although even that risk would be lessened by the river water and wouldn't cause death in many cases.
Eri's body somehow climbed up with her thin arms, her upper body jutted out a lot outside the handrail. Like that as though being sucked in, Eri's body was almost falling toward under the bridge…exactly at that time, suddenly a voice called at her.
――What are you doing? The voice said.
What entered into Eri's vacant eyes that looked back was a young boy around the same age of her, he was wearing a jersey and was obviously jogging. Eri also knew well about this boy, he was someone at the same school with her who gathered all the popularity into himself, a shining bright boy――yes, it was Amanogawa Kouki.
Seeing the dark expression of the looking back Eri, Kouki guessed that she wasn't in a normal state of mind, he pulled back Eri forcefully from the handrail and displayed his sense of justice in full.
To Kouki who persistently asked her situation, Eri explained with a lot of things omitted. She did that because if she didn't then it didn't seem like Kouki would let her go. Kouki who listened to the really shortened explanation of Eri then comprehended it like this.
Eri who was isolated in school was disciplined strictly by her father because of that. When she asked for help from her mother, even her mother than scolded her together with her father. Eri didn't have any ally and feeling sad, she tried to suicide.
That conclusion couldn't be said as mistaken from hearing only that fragmentary information. For Kouki who was still immature and fiercely under the impression that human nature was fundamentally good as his thinking foundation, thing like the principle behind the act of Eri's mother was beyond his understanding, he was unable to even imagine that an adult male would make a girl the same age as him into the man's outlet for desire, furthermore, the mother would instead blame her daughter for that. And so, the conclusion became like that within Kouki's sphere of understanding.
Understanding it like that, with a smile and strength that made the girls in school into his captive even in that age, Kouki put his hands on Eri's cheeks while declared from point-blank range.
――You are not alone anymore. I will protect Eri.
He said that. The word 'protect' was told to her, into the heart of a broken girl, right after she comprehended that she was worthless for everyone. It was said so surely without a doubt. From the most famous boy in the school that was like a prince, in a situation that could be said as dramatic in a sense, that kind of thing was said to Eri.
In the bottom of her heart, for the little girl who had been continuously searching for affection from someone all this time, that word was extremely intense.
Furthermore, at that day, Eri who somehow given up suicide was driven out by her mother to go to school, there at the school she was surprised because the girls in the class came to talk to her brightly one after another, furthermore when she knew that this situation was because of a word from Kaori…to say it frankly, her heart fell to him right there.
After that, the staffs of child consultation center suspected mistreatment from the behavior of Eri's mother and they visited to investigate several times. However, even though she was young, she knew that if she was separated from her mother here then at the same time she had to move to another place, in other words, she would be separated from Kouki, Eri who sensed that then acted a 'girl who loved her mother' with all her might.
She felt like she was going to vomit, but in front of the staffs she embraced her mother with a full smile and acted the scene of a close mother and daughter. Even now Eri still remembered the expression of her mother at that time. Her expression that changed from shock into a cramped face, and then it vividly changed into definite fear.
Looking at her mother like that, what Eri thought was, "Aah, so it's like that." Just by changing the method, something like position or emotion could be overturned easily. Just by her smiling cheerfully as though her gloominess until now was just a lie, her mother immediately averted her eyes and shut up. When later she whispered "Next, what do you want me to steal?" jokingly, her mother went pale and she screamed while rushing out from the home.
Eri was convinced, that all of these were thanks to Kouki――the prince who suddenly appeared and swore to protect her. That in that day her prince saved and changed her. That she was reborn due to Kouki. That was why, her life from now on would be together with him who was like a radiant light and she would live similarly within the light.
She indirectly threatened her mother, and then she induced so her mother only delivered the living cost to the home, she arranged the environment so she could be at Kouki's side…she was convinced that she was someone special that was chosen by the prince…
But, Eri was in a misunderstanding. For Kouki, Eri was nothing more than one person who should be saved by the hero of justice. After calling out to his classmates and asked them to be friendly to the isolated Eri, Kouki's rescue was over with that. Similar with how in anime the people that were saved by the hero didn't come out anymore at all in the next episode, for Kouki the matter of Eri was 'a story that was already over'.
That was why Eri thought strangely of Kouki who only came in contact with her as though she was the same like 'that other crowd', why the other girls were unable to understand that she was Kouki's 'special one' for some reason. 'Because, that spot is the spot where I belong right?' she wondered.
Due to that, Eri who was unable to approach Kouki in mind and body and could do nothing else except continuing to stare at Kouki began to notice various things.
The girls in the class who talked to her intimately did that only 'because that was Kouki's request'.
That at Kouki's side, there was already 'special one' who accompanied him from even far earlier than the time when they exchanged words at the bridge in the early morning, that there was no place for her to belong or anything there.
That For Kouki, she was a someone whose story with him was already over.
The moment she realized that, it was as though she was going mad, no, she was literally going mad while thinking about the same thing continuously every day.
――You said that I'm not alone anymore right?
――You said that you will protect me right?
――I am special for you right?
――Heey, why, are you saying the same words to another person I wonder?
――Heey, why, are you not looking at just me I wonder?
――Heey, why, right now, you are not rescuing me even though I'm in this much pain I wonder?
――Heey, why, are you showing that kind of face to another woman I wonder?
――Heey, why, are the eyes you are looking me with is the same like with 'that other crowd' I wonder?
――Heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, heey, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why...
Like that Eri understood.
About the human named Kouki.
And then Eri remembered.
What she learned from her mother, how the emotion and act of someone could be changed so easily just by one act.
That was why,
"Like this I was able to obtain Kouki-kun into my hand isn't it. Well, there were too many irregular things like another world summoning and so on though…"
"Hm? Eri, did you say something?"
In a certain place at the Holy Precincts, Eri who stared at a wasteland while whispering to herself caused Kouki to turn to her and he asked while tilting his head. To such Kouki, Eri smiled cheerfully while approaching him, and then she snuggled at his back. She was clinging coquettishly just like how once her mother did to that man. She did that unconsciously.
"Nope, it is nothing at all you knooow. I was just thinking that it will be great if we quickly defeat that demon, and then take back your childhood friends won't iiit, that's all you knooow"
"I see…. You're right. I also feel the same. We have to quickly release Shizuku, Kaori, and Ryutaro, also our classmates from the brainwashing. Nagumo too, he is unmistakably a classmate but…that guy has done too much evil. Even if I have to turn my heart into a demon, I have to defeat that guy. Even if I have to bear the stigma as a classmate killer, but I have to save everyone, isn't that right?"
"It's going to be okay you knooow, Kouki-kun. Because I'm right at your side seee? I will help you every time. It is me, only me, that will be Kouki's ally no matter what happened you knooow?"
"Eri…thank you. I can become strong like this, how I can fight that guy too, everything is thanks to Eri. Eri is my…"
"My? My what I wondeeer?"
Eri whispered into Kouki's ear and deliberately pressing him to speak out the obvious answer. Against that, Kouki's cheeks reddened slightly yet his words were firm.
"You are my…'special one'. No matter what happened, 'I won't let you be alone' from here on. 'I will protect Eri'."
"Fuh, fufu, kuh, fuufufu…"
"Eri? ――Nmu-"
Eri who leaked out a chuckle from being unable to endure it caused Kouki to look across his shoulder with a worried gaze at her. While showing an expression of ecstasy, Eri piled up her lips on Kouki's lips. And then, their lips separated with a silver string stretched between them. While staring back at Kouki's eyes that looked empty somehow, Eri murmured smilingly.
"Yes, it's fine like this. Kouki-kun, we are going to be together forever aren't weee"
Dry wind blew.
――in the world where there is nooo one other than the two of us
The last words whispered inside Eri's heart didn't enter Kouki's heart. In exchange of that, from a slightly distance place there was a sound echoing. Kouki's expression warped into an ugly look. His eyes contained flame of hatred.
It was the footsteps of the hated enemy, and his childhood friends.
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