Death Mage Side Chapter 34 â Everyoneâs battles â shape-s.h.i.+fting, transformation, and great transformation
There were two soldiers left behind on one of the watchtowers built along Morksiâs outer wall just in case, and their attention was on the battle between Vandalieuâs side and Hajime Fitunâs side.
âItâs so far away that I canât see properly, but isnât that some really crazy battle?â one of them said.
The soldiers had relatively good eyesight but ordinary in every other way, so they were unable to keep up with weapon swings that were too fast. On top of that, they didnât have any deep knowledge when it came to magic.
As Vandalieuâs âHollow Bulletsâ were small and his extended tongue simply looked like a whip-shaped object, they couldnât confirm much at all. And as Vandalieuâs back was towards the tower, they couldnât see the Demon Kingâs eyeball on his forehead.
Thus, they were unable to notice the strangeness of the way Vandalieu and Hajime Fitun were fighting each other, and could only vaguely tell that it was an incredible battle.
âYeah. The bandits didnât run away even when a Thunder Dragon charged in⦠Those bandits might be as strong as B-cla.s.s adventurers or even better,â said the other soldier.
âWhat the h.e.l.l do you mean, bandits that are as strong as B-cla.s.s adventurers?! Why the h.e.l.l are they bandits if theyâre so strong?!â the first soldier shouted.
It was commonly considered that no bandit would be as powerful as a B-cla.s.s adventurer. Someone with that level of strength would be able to live a luxurious life by hunting monsters that were just weak enough for them to hunt with ease.
But it wasnât that people with the strength of a B-cla.s.s adventurer would never do bandit-like things.
âArenât those guys from another Duchy⦠No, maybe even from Duke Alcremâs special forces?â
âY-you fool! You canât just speculate about things like that!â
âNo, I mean, according to the rumors ââ
âShut up!â
Vandalieu had a familiar that looked exactly like the dukeâs missing younger sister, and he and Darcia were spreading Vidaâs teachings, taking a negative stance against the Church of Alda. There were rumors among some that the current Duke Alcrem did not think well of them.
One of the soldiers seemed to suspect that those rumors might be true, but his companion was quick to stop him.
âThey could be Alda extremists who refuse to accept the peaceful faction or a.s.sa.s.sins sent by Vampires who wors.h.i.+p an evil G.o.d, couldnât they! And thereâs no point in us trying to use our brains here! Our job is to keep a lookout! Now that Iâve made that clear, shut your mouth and ââ
âHey, look over there!â
âI said, shut your⦠What the h.e.l.l is that?!â
The soldiersâ eyes opened wide in shock as they saw mysterious flashes of light appearing in a part of the Devilâs Nest forest on the other side of the field where Vandalieu and Fitun were fighting. Trees were falling and a large amount of dirt and smoke was rising into the sky.
On top of that, the Mountain Giant that had been thrown in Kanako and Melissaâs direction got onto its feet, as if new life had been breathed into it.
âM-monsters fighting each other? But weâd be able to see them from here if they were Dragons or Giants⦠I-in any case, we need to report that thereâs something fighting inside the forest!â
âWhat about the Giant that got back up?!â
âWeâre reporting that too!â
And so, the soldiersâ attention was drawn away from Vandalieuâs battle with Fitun and divided.
Meanwhile, Miles and the âRapid Wind Demon Cutterâ Kizelbyne were battling in the forest, the shockwaves from their attacks causing flashes of light to s.h.i.+ne towards the sky and numerous trees to be felled.
ââStardust Blow!ââ Kizelbyne shouted, his martial skill unleas.h.i.+ng a series of rapid stabs with his dagger that had been enchanted with light-attribute magic.
It had been said that his movements were so fast that his arm was impossible to see, and he looked like nothing more than stardust falling from the night sky.
The battle had already dragged out too long, so Milesâ âFamiliar Spirit Demonfallâ had expired. With a grunt, he tried to defend himself with his extended claws, but he could not block all of Kizelbyneâs dagger attacks. Blood sprayed out from across his entire body.
He staggered backwards a few steps and fell onto his knees.
Miles gave a deep sigh that expelled as much blood as air. â⦠Impressive. To be honest, I didnât expect that youâd be this powerful. It seems that I have underestimated you.â
He had transformed partially into a beast with âBeast Transformation.â And yet, even after being forced into a state where anyone would immediately notice he wasnât a human with one glance, he had been cornered by this foe.
The effects of both his âFamiliar Spirit Demonfallâ and âTranscend Limitsâ had expired. His entire body had sustained deep wounds, and his âRapid Regenerationâ was no longer keeping up.
Up until now, that is.
âSo, shall we begin round 3?â Miles said, his tone of speech somehow full of life as he returned an empty porcelain bottle to his pocket.
â⦠Are you immortal?â Kizelbyne muttered, his expression stiffening.
The wounds inflicted by his Orichalc.u.m-coated dagger were deep, but they were healing before his very eyes.
He emptied his 3rd-grade Potion and threw away the empty bottle.
His hair, soaked in sweat, was stuck onto his forehead, and he had several not-so-shallow wounds on his body as well. Though Miles had put some distance between the two, fatigue had acc.u.mulated in Kizelbyneâs entire body to the point where he couldnât give chase and deal a finis.h.i.+ng blow.
Like Miles, he needed time to recover as well.
Kizelbyne was far more powerful than Mortor, the confidant of the Pure-breed Vampire Birkyne whom Miles had defeated previously. On top of that, he was a user of light-attribute magic, with experience from his mortal life in hunting not only Kijin and Majin, but Vampires as well.
Using this strength, he had already driven Miles into a corner twice, but⦠each time, Miles had consumed something that healed his wounds and restored his lost stamina, putting Kizelbyne back at square one.
Kizelbyne was the only one who had acc.u.mulated damage and fatigue.
âHow many of those advanced Potions has the Demon King given you? Iâve slain countless Vampires before you, and yet you survive my deadly attacks, recover and continue fighting. Youâre like an Undead!â he exclaimed.
âPotions? What Boss gave me is something far better than that,â said Miles.
The substance that he had been consuming repeatedly⦠was Vandalieuâs blood, the main const.i.tuent of Blood Potion.
It was no ordinary blood; it was the blood of a Demon King who had become a demi-G.o.d. Such blood had even greater restorative properties than if it were turned into Blood Potion, especially for an Abyssal Vampire.
With the âBloodworkâ Skill, it boosted the Attribute Values and stimulated the âRapid Regenerationâ Skill. On top of that, it made the bodyâs fatigue vanish as if it had never existed at all.
ââFamiliar Spirit Demonfall!â Third timeâs the charm! Die, Vampire hunter!â Miles shouted.
âI donât recommend that you do this repeatedly within a short period of time though,â chimed in the clone of Vandalieu that had descended upon Miles.
Kizelbyne could no longer conceal his fatigued state.
Fully recovered and with a black light enveloping him for the third time, Miles threw himself at Kizelbyne once more.
The cityâs back gate, on the opposite side of the gate that the monsters were advancing upon. The evacuating citizens gathered on the inside were waiting for the evacuation order. This was because if they were to leave too early, it was possible that the monsters would detect the presence of this large number of humans and make a detour to attack them directly rather than go through the cityâs front gate.
Considering that the presence of large numbers of Thunder Dragons and other flying monsters had been confirmed, the plan was for the evacuation to begin once the battle at the front gate was well underway.
It was easy to imagine that this would be the plan, a.s.suming that Earl Morksi and his va.s.sals were not incredibly incompetent.
That was why Hajime Fitun had ordered the âTempest Strike Mageâ Matilda, Shestun and the other heroic spirits to attack the evacuating citizens. He had thought that they would be able to create large numbers of casualties and shake Vandalieu mentally.
But Legionâs members had been stationed here and there, like the strangely loud-voiced old woman who had saved those who had been late to escape. Thanks to them, most of the heroic spirits had been dragged into the Dungeon.
But several of them had slipped past Legionâs traps and reached the city. However, they were unable to successfully execute Hajime Fitunâs plan.
âJYUOOOH!â Bone Man roared, swinging his magic sword that was made of fragments of the Demon King.
Having been fooled into thinking that Bone Man was a mere Skeleton, the heroic spirit that Bone Man swung his weapon upon screamed as he was butchered before he could even activate âHeroic Spirit Transformation.â He would later be put in the records as one of the people who were late to escape and killed by a Skeleton.
One of the heroic spirits tried to cut across the forest, but by the time he realized that he was in a feeding ground created by the branches growing from Eisenâs back, he was already in a situation that he could not escape from.
âTake this until you dieâ¦â muttered Eisen, who had become a SkogsrÃ¥ High Empress after her last Rank increase.
âD-d.a.m.n it, thereâs no end to this! How do I kill this woman?! Even if I stab her chest or put a hole in her head, she regenerates right away⦠She has no vital spots?!â he screamed in frustration.
He could not defeat Eisen, who appeared to be a demi-human but was actually a plant-type monster with âSuper Rapid Regeneration,â the superior version of the âRapid Regenerationâ Skill. Thus, he ended up fighting a fruitless battle until his body collapsed.
But there were other heroic spirits who had managed to overcome the obstructions and reach the cityâs walls.
âAre we the only ones who made it here?!â one of them shouted in shock, looking around to see that there were only four of them, including himself.
âImpossible⦠There were more than twenty of us,â another murmured. âBut less than half of us were able to make it hereâ¦â
The majority of Fitunâs heroic spirits had belonged to the mercenary band led by Fitun himself when they were mortals. It was an unusually large number of individuals to become heroic spirits of the same G.o.d all around the same time.
This meant that less of his believers had become heroic spirits later on, but even so, Fitun commanded more heroic spirits than most G.o.ds.
The majority of those heroic spirits were taking part in this plan, having been incarnated in physical bodies by the âMarionetteâ ability. However, their numbers had dropped harshly.
âHey, if things keep going at this rate, is there even any point for us to continue with the plan? Isnât it better to go and join the commanderâ¦?â one of the heroic spirits muttered.
âDonât be stupid!â another said. âThereâs no way weâd reach him in one piece from here. Are you trying to get even more of us killed?!â
âB-but thereâs no sign of Shestun, Matilda and the others returning to their Divine Realms. They should still be fighting. If we can join up with themâ¦â
âJust because they havenât returned to their Divine Realms doesnât mean theyâre unharmed! Theyâve either been teleported somewhere far away⦠or they might have already been defeated and sealed away or eaten. Weâre up against the Demon King, you know?!â
âY-yeah.â
The bear-type Beast-kin s.h.i.+eld-bearer, the human mage, the Dwarf axe-wielder and half-Elf archer were finally at the cityâs walls, but they were unsure what to do.
The initial plan had been to use martial skills and spells to destroy the walls in a spectacular fas.h.i.+on, then enter the city and kill everyone save a decent number to use as hostages. And once Vandalieuâs companions arrived, they were supposed to use âHeroic Spirit Transformation.â
But this was clearly not the situation that they had envisioned when the plan was created.
âs.h.i.+t! Weâre doing this. If we run away here, weâre just going to end up in the same way as the others!â
âEveryone, each of you make your own holes in the wall and go in! Weâll be less likely to be caught in traps if we donât all enter from the same place!â
âIf you donât like it, then kill yourself right now, return to your Divine Realms and receive the punishment of the ones we left behind!â
âMmm⦠We have no other choice!â
The four heroic spirits, who had undergone âHeroic Spirit Transformation,â dispersed and went to each make their own hole in the wall to enter the city through. The soldiers on the watchtower closest to them realized what was happening and warned their comrades on the ground, but it was too late.
A shockwave produced by a s.h.i.+eld, an axe swing, an arrow that was enchanted to explode on impact â these crashed into the wall, creating holes with a thunderous noise.
The guards on the other side of the holes in the wall screamed in panic. Behind them, a plump man who appeared to be a merchant and a well-dressed man with a beard were frozen in fear; they had been too late to escape. The female adventurer who looked like their bodyguard had been injured by the broken fragments of the wall, or perhaps she was simply terrified â she made no move to draw her weapon.
Several female screams came from somewhere in the distance.
âIâll kill you to begin with! âLightning Barrage!ââ shouted the mage, unleas.h.i.+ng lightning projectiles that swept the guards away.
âYou people will die first!â shouted the Dwarf axe-user.
He and the female archer leapt into the city through their own holes. The bear-type Beast-kin s.h.i.+eld-bearer began following them⦠but suddenly had the feeling that something was wrong.
Somethingâs strange⦠Yeah, those guards, didnât their faces look a bit too similar?
he thought to himself, thinking of the five guards who had been defeated by the mage before they even had the time to scream.
Alarm bells began ringing in his head. His intuition was screaming at him that this was a trap.
But the Dwarf and the female archer had already entered the city.
âW-weâre going to be fine, right?!â the well-dressed man said, trembling.
âGet behind me!â the female swordsman told him, raising her sword courageously. âCome,â she said to the enemy in front of her.
The Dwarf gave a delighted laugh. âAs you wis.h.!.+ I will keep you company!â he said as he approached her.
âW-wait! Iâll give you money, please donât kill me!â the merchant-like man screamed in tears.
The female archer pulled back the string of her bow, taking aim at him. âMoney? I donât need that. I just need your life!â
With that, she released her arrow.
At that moment, the Beast-kin s.h.i.+eld-bearer tried to warn his companions. âWait, this is a trap! Get outside, right now ââ
But before he could finish his sentence, a thin thread wrapped around his body and dug into the gaps in his armor.
The slaughtered soldiers made a bubbling noise, turning into a viscous, blood-crimson-colored liquid⦠Kühl, who had split into multiple parts and changed his appearance, returned to his original form.
The mage, taking notice of his companionâs warning, hastily recited an incantation. ââWind G.o.d Beast a.s.sault!ââ
Enormous, wolf-like beasts of the wind attribute let out howls as they materialized.
By the time the Dwarf realized that his companions were in trouble and came back to his senses, he was already within the female swordsmanâs range.
âS-âSingle Flas.h.!.+ââ he shouted hastily as he swung his axe.
This was a basic martial skill, but now he had undergone âHeroic Spirit Transformation.â Even this attack would be enough to dispose of most foes.
But the Dwarfâs axe did not cut straight through the female swordsmanâs weapon and into her body.
âIt seems like youâve fallen for the âTemptationâ that I learned from Great Grandmother!â the female swordsman said.
Though she had appeared to be a beautiful human woman, she rapidly transformed into a blue-skinned Obscene Majin with two horns on her head and membranous wings protruding from her back.
The sword that stopped the Dwarfâs axe also transformed, turning into a magical holy sword radiating a sinister aura.
âSplendid⦠You have succeeded. Ah, Iris, the time of you tempting a man has arrivedâ¦â murmured the sword⦠Nemesis George.
âGeorge-dono, I understand how you must feel, but I am feeling relieved,â said the well-dressed man⦠Luciliano.
He had cast a spell on Nemesis George to make him appear to be an ordinary sword.
ââLife Terror Beast a.s.sault!ââ Luciliano recited, conjuring a beast that resembled a carnivorous dinosaur.
âYou donât need money? That is most convenient!â said the man who appeared to be a merchant, producing a sword from somewhere and striking down the arrow that was traveling towards him. âI didnât have any on me, you see.â
The man transformed into a beautiful Vampire Zombie who appeared to be in her thirties, with cloudy crimson eyes, fangs and a ferocious smile⦠Isla.
ââTerneciaâs Hound?!â d.a.m.n it! So, you were disguised with âTransformation!ââ the female archer muttered.
âA magical sword that resembles the holy sword Nemesis Bell⦠and although your appearance has changed completely, that face is the âLiberating Princess Knight!â To think that you still lived, as a Succubus!â said the Dwarf.
âThe guards are a Slime! A Mimic Slime was disguised as the guards!â the mage shouted in warning.
Meanwhile, the Beast-kin s.h.i.+eld-bearer who had been caught by a thread screamed as he was pulled deeper into the city.
âWelcome, dear guests. I apologize for being abrupt, but do you have any final words?â Bellmond said to the heroic spirits as she appeared at the scene.
Standing beside her was Eleanora, with her sword drawn. On the corner of the building was the source of the female screams⦠Yamata, the remodeled Hydra Zombie whose nine heads had been replaced by the upper body halves of beautiful women of different races. And next to her were Pauvina and Rapiéçage.
â⦠Why have I even been brought here? Though they are heroic spirits that are in quite the pitiful state, I would not be able to face them!â said Luvesfol, who was hiding in the shadow of a building.
âI do agree. Though they certainly are fascinating specimens⦠I will be quite satisfied with their corpses being brought back,â said Luciliano with a stiff expression, still hiding behind Iris.
âLuves, that kind of att.i.tude is exactly why your Rank wonât increase,â said Pauvina.
âYou are His Majesty the Emperorâs top disciple, and capable of clearing B-cla.s.s Dungeons, are you not?â Iris said to Luciliano.
Watching this scene unfold, the heroic spirits understood that they were completely defeated.
They immediately looked behind them towards the holes that they had made in the wall, but⦠they had already been repaired and sealed.
Vandalieu had previously turned the protective walls around the city of Morksi into Golems and placed disguised Demon King Familiars all over it. These would notify Gufadgarn of the heroic spiritsâ presence, and in response, she would create teleportation gates so that the heroic spirits would be sent into her Dungeon if they leapt over the walls or pa.s.sed through any holes created in them.
To ensure that the heroic spirits entered the Dungeon, Kühl had disguised himself as five city guards with the âLong-distance Controlâ Skill. Iris Bearheart had disguised herself as a human swordsman with a spell, and Isla had disguised herself as a fat merchant with âTransformation.â
Iris, who had become an Obscene Succubus, had learned a Succubus technique from the grandmother of the Majin king G.o.dwin who had awakened in Vidaâs Resting Grounds. With this technique, she had charmed and drawn the Dwarf inside.
Charming the enemy and drawing them closer to defeat them was known as âTemptation.â It was said that according to Zakkart, it had originated from Hillwillowâs knowledge of Kunoichis.
âWe have been thoroughly trapped,â muttered the mage. âBut⦠âShort-range Teleportation!ââ
While his own divine beast fought against Lucilianoâs terror beast, he teleported the bear-type Beast-kin s.h.i.+eld-bearer a tiny distance, freeing him from the metal thread that was binding him.
âYou saved me! Letâs restore our formation! Now that things have come to this, we wonât be able to attack the city, but weâve succeeded in our original objective of drawing the Demon Kingâs subordinates to us! All thatâs left to do now is fight until we die!â the s.h.i.+eld-bearer told his companions.
The Dwarf and the archer gave a spirited shout in response as they prepared themselves for battle. They had been capable mercenaries as mortals. They had overcome a disadvantage in numbers with sheer strength numerous times.
Knowing what they were thinking, Eleanora smiled. âIt is true that you are strong⦠but there is less of a difference than you may think.â
There was a tiny amount of blood on the blade of her magic sword.
The battle at the cityâs front gate had intensified greatly. The earl had placed his soldiers outside the gate rather than inside, prepared to die in order to buy the time that the citizens needed to evacuate the city. Thus, Gufadgarn was unable to teleport the monsters, and they were able to charge straight towards the city.
âTh-this is my first time in a battle like this! E-everything is so strange!â shouted the former B-cla.s.s adventurer Rodriguez as he shuddered.
The battle was very one-sided.
ââThundering Ogre Slas.h.!.+ââ shouted Basdia, who was wearing what appeared to be a combination of a suit of armor and a swimsuit with a skirt-like decoration.
She swung her axe down upon the Troll Tyrant that was leading the Trolls, splitting its skull in two.
ââChaotic Light Circle Blade Dance!ââ cried Zadiris, who was wearing something resembling a miniskirt with frills and ribbons.
Her spell released seven s.h.i.+ning, disc-shaped blades that danced into the sky, slicing through the necks of the Venom Wyverns.
The monsters let out dying screams as they were slaughtered, unable to put up even the smallest amount of resistance.
Troll Tyrants were powerful Rank 8 monsters; defeating one would require multiple B-cla.s.s adventurers. Venom Wyverns were Rank 6, but they were troublesome foes that were difficult to defeat due to the fact that they were airborne, with fangs, claws and deadly venom in the spear-like tips of their tails.
Such monsters were being disposed of with ease.
I knew that Darcia-dono was more powerful than me. I knew that, but⦠I didnât expect for these two Ghouls to be far more powerful than me as well!
Rodriguez thought to himself.
When the battle with the monsters started, Darcia had used âFamiliar Spirit Descent,â and Basdia and Zadiris had shouted âTransform!â while holding their weapons in the air.
Bewildered, Rodriguez had watched as a portion of the decorations on Basdiaâs axe and Zadirisâs staff split away from the weapons and wrapped around their bodies to form defensive equipment.
It seemed that this boosted their strength tremendously; the two of them were now defeating powerful monsters one after another.
But Rodriguez had noticed that the transformation had not simply made them powerful. The two of them had already been powerful before the transformation.
There was no doubt that the transformation had boosted their power by increasing their Attribute Values, improving their spells and raising their defensive power. But there was also no doubt that both of them were already more powerful than Rodriguez even without it.
The merchant who employed Rodriguez had once thought of using the Ghoul women as sacred prost.i.tutes at a brothel disguised as a church; Rodriguez was really glad that he had been able to put a stop to that.
The plan may have worked for ordinary Ghouls, but there was no way that Ghouls as powerful as this could have been made to do such work. If their strength had been discovered, the merchant may have been arrested upon suspicion of crime â not for operating an illegal brothel, but for smuggling a great amount of military forces into the city and plotting a coup dâétat.
Guild Master Berard of the Adventurersâ Guild, the Guild Master of the Magesâ Guild and Earl Morksi were surely on the verge of fainting in shock right about now.
Guild Master Bachem of the Tamersâ Guild was currently engaged in airborne combat on his Huge Wyvern, so he seemed to be fine.
Incidentally, Darcia was leading the battle, in front of the knights and adventurers. After activating âFamiliar Spirit Descent,â she had cast basic enchantments on everyone on the battlefield and engaged in battle on the frontline.
She had swept away a Minotaur that charged excitedly towards her, Basdia and Zadiris, blocked the concentrated magical attacks of the Ogre Mages who had deemed her a dangerous foe and was now engaged in one-on-one direct combat with a Mountain Giant Chief.
Indeed, a Rank 9 Mountain Giant Chief that was over ten meters tall.
The Mountain Giant Chief let out a noise that was half-battle-cry and half-scream as it charged with its stone axe raised towards Darcia, who was floating in the air with a spell.
âMuscular Strength Super Enhancement!â Darcia shouted.
She held her staff with both hands and used it to block the Mountain Giant Chiefâs attack. Considering the difference in their sizes, one might worry that her staff would break⦠but it was the stone axe in which a crack appeared.
Incidentally, Darcia had shouted âMuscular Strength Super Enhancement,â but she had not actually cast a spell. She was simply pretending to have strengthened her physical strength with magic to block the Giantâs attack, putting on a show for those around her.
But the Mountain Giant Chief seemed to have instinctively sensed this. It was clearly fighting a battle against fear itself.
However, Darcia did not attempt any counter-attack and instead turned towards Rodriguez. âNow, Rodriguez-san! Strike, while I am holding the Mountain Giant back!â
âHuh? O-of course!â Rodriguez said hastily, swinging his weapon at the Giantâs legs.
âNow! Follow after Rodriguez-san!â one of Earl Morksiâs knights shouted.
âWe canât allow the holy lady to push herself!â said another.
The knights and adventurers charged in after Rodriguez, while the guards fired their arrows.
Meanwhile, Kest was firing arrows at the monsters rapidly, and each of his arrows had power behind them.
âKest, your pace is pretty fast. Are you going to be alright?!â asked the senior guard, seemingly worried that Kest might exhaust himself.
âItâs not a problem, Senpai!â Kest shouted back.
âWeâre the ones in control of the battle. You donât have to be thinking that you need to fire all your arrows before you die!â
âIâm fine! I donât know why, but I feel strength just rising up in me and Iâm not feeling tired at all!â
âMaybe you were particularly compatible with the holy ladyâs enchantment? No, maybe the enchantmentâs effect changes depending on the compatibility to begin with? ⦠Whatever!â the senior guard muttered. âYou lot, Kest is going to take all of the guardsâ glory at this rate! If you want a pay rise, donât slack off and aim your arrows well!â he shouted at the others.
Though everyone had been prepared to die at this place, they were now fighting hard towards victory after seeing Darcia and the others in action.
But naturally, they were sustaining injuries. Adventurers were suffering burns after being hit directly by spells, and knights who were swept away by Ogresâ clubs had their arms broken along with their s.h.i.+elds.
However, healing spells immediately flew towards them from Darcia, Zadiris and even Priestess Paula at the others at the backlines, ensuring that these injuries were not fatal.
âDonât let your guard down! Seal those holes and donât let the monsters inside!â Basdia ordered the soldiers.
âMake sure to engage with a number advantage of at least three to one! While those at the front hold the line, those at the back must support them and create openings to attack,â Zadiris added. âLike this!â she said, showing the soldiers an example.
As for why they were commanding the soldiers rather than simply facing the monsters on their own⦠That was because they would defeat the monsters far too easily if they did that.
The three of them were not skilled enough to fight while putting on an act to conceal their true abilities. They couldnât afford to put on any poor acts, especially with people like Rodriguez around who would be able to see through them.
âWhat are you afraid of?! Are you really the knights of Morksi who are renowned for your strength?! Have you not spent every day of your life training for this very day?!â Basdia shouted fiercely at the knights.
âNo, there isnât anyone who thinks that our men are strong. In fact, as a city of commerce, we are very far from any battlefields, so most would actually think that our men are weakâ¦â Earl Morksi muttered to himself under his breath.
âNow is the time to earn your keep, adventurers! Thunder Dragons, Mountain Giants and superior forms of Ogres and Trolls! Their materials and Magic Stones will be yours for the taking! Show me your strength!â Zadiris shouted at the adventurers, pointing her staff towards the horde of monsters with a movement that looked like a part of a dance.
âIndeed, everyone would earn quite the sum even if all of the rewards were divided evenly⦠but you are the ones who have defeated the most enemies,â Berard murmured with a strained smile.
âNow is the time to show your pride as knights! Prove that there are no cowards who hide behind their wivesâ skirts in our Knightsâ Order!â one of the knights shouted.
âItâs just as that lady says! Letâs get rich and show off our strength!â one of the adventurers cheered.
The knights and adventurersâ morale had reached a climax, having seen hope for victory despite having been prepared to die. Their voices were so spirited that the monsters, whose aggressive instincts had been stimulated by the Dungeon rampage, stepped back a little.
This left an opening, but it was Fang and the rats who charged onto the frontline before the soldiers and adventurers.
With the âSurpa.s.s Limitsâ Skill active and enveloped in the âAura of Fear,â Fang roared, leapt in and sank his teeth into the leg of a Hill Giant⦠a Giant that was about half the size of a Mountain Giant.
Maroru and Urumi, who were covered in flames and cold air, leapt onto the Hill Giant as it toppled over. Another Hill Giant threw its fist towards them to help its companion, but⦠Suruga leapt in front of its fist.
The Hill Giant let out a scream of pain as its punch collided with her steel-like fur, causing multiple strands of needle-like fur to become embedded in its hand.
And as Surugaâs tail came striking like a whip as the Hill Giant staggered, it wasnât even given a chance to recover.
ââFlowing Cut!ââ
ââBoulder Rend!ââ
The Hill Giantâs abdomen was sliced from both sides by Simonâs sword and Nataniaâs claws.
âM-my sword really cut through! To think that my sword would work against a Giant! As expected of Master!â Simon said in awe.
âThese things cut so well that itâs almost scary!â Natania murmured as she watched blood pour from the Hill Giantâs mouth and wounds.
Simon and Natania had equipped and transformed the artificial limbs that they had received from Vandalieu.
Simonâs artificial arm had produced a helmet that protected his head and other parts that reinforced his armor, and another part of his arm had transformed into the sword that he was using as his weapon now.
Nataniaâs four artificial limbs had produced an armor that protected her torso, as well as claws on her hands and feet.
However, both of their armor had less decorative parts than Zadiris and Basdia, and it was mainly black in color, so they looked completely different.
If Zadiris and Basdia were magical girls, Simon and Natania were like mysterious characters from old television shows or villainous bosses.
But their artificial limbs performed greatly; the liquid metal blades were sharper than even Mythril or Adamant.i.te, never mind iron. If their weapons were made of iron, it would have been difficult for them to inflict fatal wounds upon a Rank 6 Hill Giant even with Vandalieuâs divine protection and guidance.
Though Simon and Natania were likely not the cause, the monsters began letting out screams rather than intimidating roars.
Their instincts had made them more ferocious due to the Dungeon rampage, but having their numbers reduced so one-sidedly had forced them to remember the fear that they had forgotten.
The final Mountain Giant let out a scream and began to run away. As if this was a signal, the other monsters all turned their backs on the city and fled as well.
They looked utterly defeated as they ran for their lives towards the forest, abandoning their wounded brethren.
âTheyâre running away!â one of the knights murmured.
âWeâve won⦠Weâve won!â shouted an adventurer.
The knights and adventurers celebrated their victory, not giving chase to the monsters. They did fire some arrows and spells at the monstersâ backs, but they feared sustaining unexpected injuries if they chased too far.
Earl Morksi breathed a sigh of relief. âWe can rest easy for the time being.â
He had no intention of ordering the men to pursue the monsters. The Knightsâ Order and the adventurers were likely exhausted, and the monsters would have the advantage in a battle inside the forest, as tactical formations would be impossible to maintain.
Monsters that awakened from a rampage became just like any other monsters and almost never left their Devilsâ Nests, so the cityâs existence was no longer under threat.
In this particular case, the monsters were high-Rank monsters that hadnât existed in the Devilsâ Nests around the city so far, so the chaos would likely continue for some time as they stamped out the weaker monsters, but⦠that situation would be solved by the Adventurersâ Guild posting commissions and hiring adventurers of B-cla.s.s or above to exterminate them.
The Devilsâ Nest would be closed off until the situation was resolved, so adventurers would have less hunting grounds to acquire monster materials and other resources found in Devilsâ Nests. This would indeed be quite a problem. But there was no need to recklessly attempt to solve that problem right now.
That was what the earl thought. Berard and Bachem likely held similar views.
But the circ.u.mstances were different for Darcia⦠At this rate, the battle would be over before Vandalieu defeated the reincarnated individuals.
âW-what should we do? I thought we could make it last longer⦠Sh-should we be giving chase?!â she wondered. âGufadgarn-san seems busy, and Iâm not a knight or adventurer, so itâll be fine for me to leave this place for a while, wonât it?!â
âCalm down, Darcia. I donât think thereâs much point in just us giving chase,â said Basdia. âVan and the others are fighting on a gra.s.sland that isnât too far away from the city, arenât they?â
âWe have finished exterminating the monsters, so if the boy and the others are still fighting against mysterious bandits, someone will go to support him. They are fighting in a place that is visible from the city, after all,â said Zadiris. âThe knights and adventurers are already equipped for battle right now⦠Those who have sustained less injuries and fatigue would be able to make it there very quickly on horses.â
And then they would become caught up in the battle between Vandalieu and Hajime Fitun. Those of ordinary strength would likely die upon being hit by a single shockwave from an attack; they would become burdens, not reinforcements, for Vandalieu.
The same was true even if they headed for Kanako and the others as well.
And the same was also true if Darcia asked them to head for the forest in which Miles was fighting. In fact, Miles was fighting a closer battle than Vandalieu was, so it was likely that the result would be even more terrible if she did that.
This needed to be prevented. Just as Darcia, Basdia and Zadiris were wondering what to do â
âMaybe you should just go and support him yourself, Darcia-san?â Natania suggested. âYouâre his mother, so n.o.body will stop you. If you head over quickly and fight the guy Vandalieu is fighting two-on-one, youâll probably be finished before anyone else arrives.â
âSheâs right,â Simon agreed. âThere isnât anyone whoâs really severely wounded, so I donât think thereâll be any problems⦠Maybe you should get over there before the earl and the others remember that Master is engaged in a battle against bandits?â he said, looking at the expression of relief on the earlâs face.
âThatâs true!â said Darcia, her eyes lighting up. âThen Iâll quickly â huh?â
At that moment, the fleeing monsters had turned around once more and began heading back towards the city.
Their eyes were bloodshot; it was clear at a glance that they were even more aggressive than they had been during the rampage.
Behind the monsters were a woman holding a Tamer-like whip and a young man who appeared to be a mage.
âItâs just as Fitun-sama feared! Monsters, pin that Dark Elf and those Ghouls down at this city!â the woman shouted, commanding the horde.
âTo think that we were forced to come out as well⦠What is Commander having such trouble with?â the mage murmured.
These two were heroic spirits that had been positioned here just in case, to ensure that the monster rampage was not suppressed before the battle between Vandalieu and Fitun reached its conclusion.
They had been positioned very far back, flying through the sky with magic, so they had not been caught in Legionâs traps.
Seeing the monster horde returning, the knights and adventurers hastily scrambled to rebuild their formations.
Darcia and the Ghouls raised their weapons once more, their gazes fixed upon the two heroic spirits behind the monsters.
âWeâll have to go more serious against those two, wonât we?â Darcia murmured, raising her staff. âTransform!â
Name
: Iris Bearheart
Race
: Obscene-Majin â Succubus Princess Knight (Human)
Age:
21 years old (Physical age 19)
t.i.tle
: Liberating Princess Knight, Majin Princess
Rank:
11
Level:
61
Job:
Obscene Demon Sword Princess
Job Level:
80
Job History:
Apprentice Knight, Lesser Knight, Warrior, Swordsman, Cursed Spirit Swordsman, Apprentice Mage, Mage, Tamer, Majin Knight, Demon Tamer, Demon Rider, Fire-Attribute Mage, Magic Swordsman
Pa.s.sive skills
:
Super Strengthened Attack Power when equipped with a Sword: Medium (Awakened from Strengthened Attack Power when equipped with a Sword!)
Strengthened Attribute Values: Loyalty: Level 10 (LEVEL UP!)
Super Strengthened Agility: Level 1 (Awakened from Strengthened Agility!)
Strengthen Subordinates: Level 8 (LEVEL UP!)
Super Strengthened Attack Power when equipped with a Cursed Spirit Sword: Large (Awakened from Strengthened Attack Power when equipped with a Cursed Spirit Sword!)
Dark Vision
Allure: Level 7 (LEVEL UP!)
Endless s.e.xual Stamina: Level 5 (LEVEL UP!)
Mana Enlargement: Level 4 (LEVEL UP!)
Vitality Enlargement: Level 7 (LEVEL UP!)
Mental Fort.i.tude: Level 8 (LEVEL UP!)
Self-Enhancement: Guidance: Level 6 (LEVEL UP!)
Self-Enhancement: Mounted: Level 4 (NEW!)
Rapid Regeneration: Level 3 (NEW!)
Magic Resistance: Level 5 (NEW!)
Active skills
:
Demon Combat Swordsmans.h.i.+p: Level 1 (Awakened from Swordsmans.h.i.+p!)
s.h.i.+eld Technique: Level 8 (LEVEL UP!)
Armor Technique: Level 10 (LEVEL UP!)
Archery: Level 7 (LEVEL UP!)
Mount: Level 5 (LEVEL UP!)
Housework: Level 3
Silent Steps: Level 5 (LEVEL UP!)
Coordination: Level 10 (LEVEL UP!)
Transcend Limits: Level 1 (Awakened from Surpa.s.s Limits!)
Surpa.s.s Limits â Cursed Spirit Sword: Level 8 (LEVEL UP!)
Commanding: Level 5 (LEVEL UP!)
Illusory Transformation: Level 7 (LEVEL UP!)
Drain Vitality: Level 7 (LEVEL UP!)
Etiquette: Level 2 (LEVEL UP!)
High-speed Flight: Level 4 (LEVEL UP!)
No-Attribute Magic: Level 3 (LEVEL UP!)
Fire-Attribute Magic: Level 7 (LEVEL UP!)
Water-Attribute Magic: Level 4 (LEVEL UP!)
Mana Control: Level 3 (NEW!)
Unarmed Fighting Technique: Level 4 (NEW!)
Cooking: Level 1 (NEW!)
Familiar Spirit Demonfall: Level 1 (NEW!)
Unique Skills:
Xerxâs Divine Blessing
Vandalieuâs Divine Protection
The pioneer of princesses who werenât born into the status (with parents of high n.o.bility). For the past year, she has been receiving instruction not only from G.o.dwin himself, but his grandmother, who awakened in Vidaâs Resting Grounds along with the Pure-breed Vampires. Thanks to that, the Levels of her âAllureâ and âIllusory Transformationâ Skills have increased. G.o.dwinâs grandmother is also the one who taught her the âCookingâ Skill and the âtemptation techniquesâ from the championsâ knowledge.
However, she has not learned Skills such as âBedroom Technique.â G.o.dwinâs grandmother says: âThere are experienced individuals all around, and it is better for you to use your inexperience as a weapon rather than learn some poor techniques.â
She deliberately declined to specify what kind of experienced individuals were around who.
Name
: Nemesis George
Rank:
9
Race
: Dark Demon Cursed Holy Sword
Level:
80
Pa.s.sive skills
:
Special Five Senses
Mental Corruption: Level 4
Physical Resistance: Level 10
Magic Resistance: Level 10
Strengthened Attribute Values: Iris: Level 10
Self-Enhancement: Subordination: Level 10
Strengthened Attribute Values: Guidance: Level 10
Murder Healing: Level 5
Active skills
:
Swordsmans.h.i.+p: Level 9
Armor Technique: Level 7
s.h.i.+eld Technique: Level 4
Mount: Level 4
Archery: Level 4
Unarmed Fighting Technique: Level 3
Etiquette: Level 3
Coordination: Level 6
Commanding: Level 4
Spirit Form: Level 10
Materialization: Level 3
Familiar Spirit Demonfall: Level 1
Unique Skills:
Vandalieuâs Divine Protection