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The severe battle between dark guilds in the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine had drawn the attention of all kinds of people, with the exception of organizations such as 【Black Prophets】 and 【Pivot Council of Darkness】.
The group of crows led by a white dove was indeed part of the Valmask family’s reconnaissance. The crows were circling far up in the skies above the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine. It was well known that they wouldn’t really enter the center stage, but only today, things proved to be different.
The vampires, the warriors of the divine domain, the ancient wolves, those related to the other 12 vampire families, and the vampire hunters - all of them scouted the situation, resolved to take the risk of being pursued.
In a section of the sky avoided by the vampires…the soldiers of Divine Domain Seuros peered down at the situation in the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine while dancing through the sky.
On the left side of the sky floated demonoids fused with huge, mite-like bugs. Their lower halves possessed many legs like a caterpillar. Those bugs had yellow-green flame balls floating around their head and legs.
In a place, exactly opposite of the bug demonoids…were two spectators, happily watching the fight on the roof. One was a boyish woman with silver hair, thin eyebrows, and sharp eyes. She made a swarm of white moths, which contained mana, fly around her. Another woman had violet-red butterflies flutter around her.
Both women released many butterflies from within their bodies, and kept flying by manipulating those butterflies. Even their gorgeous dresses used butterflies as fabric.
The woman, formed by violet-red butterflies and reminding one of a magical fairy, spoke up, “Hey, Jody, it’s quite an unexpected outcome, isn’t it? It looks like the torn space has returned to normal, too.”
“I’m curious about that war sword used by the beastman. But the key player was the spearmaster who defeated someone capable of interfering with other worlds. I wonder, whose apostle that black-haired boy is? Ufu?”
Jody’s appearance was different to that of her butterfly companion. She was humanoid, but wore a hood containing a huge amount of mana. Her whole body consisted of white moths. A huge scythe clad in mana, like those carried by death gods, rested in her right hand.
If the spearmaster saw Jody’s appearance, he’d scream out, thinking she was a moth monster. No, a white moth beauty, most likely. At least that’s what he should suspect, while, err, staring at her tits.
Thereupon, the woman consisting of violet-red butterflies answered to Jody, “Going by him using spears as foundation, a Spirit World Knight like Boshiado would want to have him in his ranks?”
“Ciel, I highly doubt that. This place has no proper Tear that would allow someone to cross the interstice. The possibility is low.” Jody said while brandishing her scythe.
Moths became speckled like getting frozen over, and scattered in its wake. Ciel clad herself in butterflies while flying as if to chase after Jody’s moths, asking, “In that case ― someone related to the Temple of Shafa? A rebirth of the famous Sage Labius by the War God faith of War God Vice? Or someone from a church looking for hidden skills in savage lands?”
“There’s no way that he’s Labius, is there? If you’re so curious about that spearmaster, why don’t you get in touch with him?”
“No, I’m also interested in his black eyes, but I don’t want to increase the number of our enemies unnecessarily.”
Jodiy nodded at Ciel’s remark. While allowing small moths to fly out of her two hollowed eye-sockets, she answered, “You’re right…the troops of the Tree King of Wonders, crows and bats, ancient wolves, the War God faith, the Aria Faith of Love, and countless adventurers are crossing the Light Cross Forest, and annoyingly even stray into our forest’s domain.”
“Yep.” Ciel nodded.
Continuing with a forward somersault in the air, the hue of the violet butterflies born from her body…transformed into a glossy blue while she pulled off a handstand.
“――But, except for the monsters, it’s not so bad since they turn into nourishment for us, right?” Ciel kept doing her weird forward somersaults.
Jody swung her scythe as if to stop Ciel. The scythe’s blade hit several violet-red butterflies, causing them to disperse.
“――Jody, you’re scary…did you get influenced by the Tree King of Wonders?”
“What are you talking about? I’d never join with such a monster king. Besides, who was the one that lured human men into our forest by charming them with her butterflies?”
“Uh…”
“And then you stabbed Kunnary’s blade into their heads, sucked out their intestines, and caused the men’s bodies to completely dry up in an ugly way. And yet you think you can speak like that to me…?” Jody pointed out while pouting.
All of the demonoids, who had been watching the butterfly women from a distance, hurriedly took some further distance from them.
“…No, that wasn’t the real me, so it’s fine.”
“Who was it that went like Oops I sucked out a bit too much??”
Disconnected from their discussion which didn’t seem like it’d engender a grand atmosphere, another battle took place at the roadside trees on the right side of the inn.
Someone famous in certain areas for his mask was being chased. However, that masked person stopped moving and looked at the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine. The ones following the masked guy judged this to be their chance. They readied their weapons while cladding their bodies with their respective Magic Combat Style techniques.
A scaled man transformed foam into a blade. A woman summoned a small magic beast from an eyeball. A woman got ready while juggling many beautiful daggers treated with Damascus steel.
The pursuers closed their distance to the masked guy in an instant. The scaled man thrust out his watery blade.
The masked guy dodged the thrust by bending down beneath the watery blade. The scaled man targeted his return slash at the masked guy’s neck, but this got dodged as well.
The magic beast aimed at the flank of the masked guy. But, he parried the magic beast’s fangs with a crimson, gleaming hand strike. In the meantime, he still kept avoiding the scaled man’s attacks with light and nimble body movements. The masked guy even dodged the Damascus sword blade lunged out at him with a little delay.
By holding up his hand with mana amassing in his palm, the masked man confused the magic beast that had leaped at him. The masked man, who obviously possessed outstanding abilities in offense and defense, had the hilt of a blood-smeared katana peeking out from behind him. However, for some odd reason, the masked man didn’t try to even touch that hilt. Apparently he had no will to fight his pursuers at present.
The masked man continued to evade even while receiving that magnificent onslaught by the group of his pursuers.
At that moment, black wings grew at the feet of the masked man, causing his pursuers to fall back in alertness. The masked guy kicked off the ground, and jumped, quickly landing on a roof. There he briskly walked along the eaves. Then he stopped once more, and looked at the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine.
“You think we’re letting you get away!?”
It was the voice of one of his pursuers. He had jumped and followed the masked man onto the roof. After landing, he sidled up to the masked man.
“Zarlp, are you on some field trip?” The scaled man asked while readying his weapon.
He wasn’t an ordinary scaled man. His weapon was something transformed into its current shape from foam, but…even his entire body, covered by a black martial arts attire, released water foam.
“…”
“Some things draw my attention, too.”
“Yours? How unusual. But, such a relaxed attitude when taking on Silkworm…”
The scaled man produced more foam. Even as he was speaking, the 【Silkworm】 woman behind him slowly walked sideways while deploying several Demonic Eyes, which were connected with strings to the five fingers of her left hand, into the vicinity. She was a Demonic Eye User who summoned magic beast monsters close in shape to dogs from her eyes. Probably because her normal eyes were hidden beneath bandages, her movements seemed sluggish. She wore a collared, black protective leather clothing.
While Kilbisua, the 【Silkworm】 woman who had visited Shuuya’s mansion in the past, also sharpened her look…she threw a dagger with a sturdy, very thick blade, using . However, the Damascus steel dagger, which looked like it had hundreds of layers, didn’t hit Demonoid Zarlp.
Among the roadside trees lining up close to the area where that skirmish took place, a woman, who wore a Japanese-styled mantle, looked at the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine while leaning her back against one of the big trees. Both her eyes were covered by a special, red cloth, and she held a sword stick in an underhand grip. Mana circulated through the sword stick with its Chinese-styled hilt.
“Force, force, aim is but a moment. Be that as it may, time is not yet ripe.” She muttered repeatedly.
The giant next to her reacted to her mysterious words. He carried a round, metallic, tank-like magic tool on his back. That plump man, who held a huge bow gun connected through a tube to the tank in his thick arms, commenting, “Ako, it looks like you can feel the force, but the opponents are exceedingly dangerous, including the Eight Lights guys. We should stay out of their way.”
“I know.”
“We’re withdrawing.”
The two left the scene, but a small figure had been watching them from the shade of the nearby trees. That person clearly looked like a soldier. And, their body was wrapped up by a costume unknown to the inhabitants of this planet.
The appearance of that person, who had a Kaleidoscope operating in one of her eyes, was that of a female dwarf.
Furthermore, there was an assassin-like person looking up to the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine while holding onto the eaves of a building with one hand.
Such were the scenes taking place all around the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine.
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After the battle in the inn ended, Viine descends the stairs a short distance away. Soon her model-like back with its swaying silver hair disappears.
At that moment, I look up to the sky, stretching out infinitely above me. I catch a fleeting glance of a white dove, and many crows following that dove. I don’t know whether it’s due to the sunlight, or me looking at them, but the vampires, who had been watching the fight from their exclusive position, flutter in-between the clouds, slowly distancing themselves…
It’s pretty obvious that they’ve been scouting us.
“Shuuya, is there something bothering you about those crows?” Hankay gets ready to throw his ax up to the sky while asking.
The yellow gem embedded on the surface of his right arm protector glitters.
“A little something, but you don’t need to throw your weapon at them.”
“I got it, but…have the eyes of those escaping crows been shining? Are they possibly some kind of scouting familiars?”
The one-eyed elf, who stands close to Lezalaysa, responds to Hankay’s question. He steps forward with his long, blond hair swaying. A handsome elven male whom the eyepatch suits well.
“I think it’s only natural for others to scout out the situation. It’s an attack right after the Underground Auction ended. And we’re Eight Lights. There exist other dark organizations, religious organizations, and organizations possessing many bonds with evil spirits, so…” He calmly recounts.
He has a long scar starting from his forehead, all the way down to his jaw. I’m pretty sure that sword cut was responsible for him losing one of his eyes. He wears a refined attire based on deep blue and white colors. The area from his round, turtlenecked collar to both his shoulders exposed bare skin, but otherwise his upper body was covered by special fiber clothes similar to innerwear, perfectly sticking to his six-pack. A small circular decoration bordered by a white line was visible on his right chest. In the middle of that circle a white whale had been elaborately woven in. His forearm protectors had the same hue as the material of that innerwear. Two broad leather belts were wrapped around his waist. Huge buckles, and things clad in mana and attached to metal fixtures with fine designs through strings were part of those belts. Since the hilt of a sword was peeking out from behind his waist, he must have a sword belt at the back as well.
Back when he received Lalay’s attacks, he caused a transparent sword to appear in his hand. So, going by the hilt visible at his back, he must actually be a dual-wielder? The front cover also has a white whale mark.
Answering that elf, “I agree. This is a labyrinth city. You never know who might be lurking in here,” was a slender elf with a head like a teruterubouzo. 1
Since he’s looking my way, it might be sarcasm.
He lost one ear. The broad sword, which he holds as if propping it up with his shoulder, is closely glued to his head as if to cover his missing ear. The part of him having lost that ear…might be inevitable, seeing from how he holds his sword… Or maybe he possesses ear abilities like that Shadow Wing member with the big earlobes?
“Just as Ledond and Misev say, Shadow Wing has violated the unwritten rules of the Underground Auction by attacking this inn. You could only call it natural for other organizations to send scouts.”
So that one-eyed elf is called Ledond, huh? And the elf with the broad sword is Misev. Lezalaysa, who informs me of the names of her two leaders, seems dazzled by the morning sunlight, and thus shades her eyes with a hand.
Unintentionally I’m drawn to look at Lezalaysa’s sun-bathed body. She’s wearing an imposing armor based on white and a different deep blue color than Ledond. Its luster is beautiful. A white whale mark decorates her right chest as if devoting to aesthetics. Moreover, pretty drain lines run from her womanly breastplate down to her flanks. They look as if they’re emphasizing Lezalaysa’s tight waist line.
I guess that’s completely custom-made for her.
While Hankay nods at her words politely, a ferocious, daring gleam burns deep in his eyes, making it clear that he won’t ever let his guard down. As we’re watching while talking…the dove and crows eventually disappear. I think that those crows had been vampires, though.
“You could say so, but…”
It’s not said that they hail from the Valmask family.
“Rather than that, Shuuya, those were some very decent spear techniques. They looked even more refined than back when we escaped the demonic labyrinth.”
“I’m happy to hear that. It means it was worthwhile to pile up training as an adventurer and martial artist.”
“Nn, nyao.” Rollo repeatedly taps my shoulder as if saying 『That’s only nyatural』.
“Hmm, the divine beast’s fighting style was also amazing to watch. I mean, she defeated Sevicekel, the pet of Galroh, who continued to slaughter the four-headed dragons, who control the three-headed dragons flowing in from Baldok Mountain.”
“Nnn, nya.”
Rollo looks triumphant. It lures Hankay into laughter.
“Fuhahaha, you’re an interesting divine cat beast, even capable of answering. However, this will cause a huge shift in Tandarl’s underworld, I think.”
“Hankay, have you been active in Tandarl?”
“No, I moved from one place to another while always targeting the ancient elves. Though there was a time I went to Tandarl to take up Shadow Wing on their invitation.”
“So you had that kind of connection.” Clydossus eyebrows twitch, and her look becomes stabbing as she adds, “Then it also touches on the matter in Hekatrail.”
Did she happen to fight Hankay in the past?
“I know that you can’t stand me, but for me it was a matter of accomplishing my duty.”
Even after listening to Hankay’s reply, the members of Bloody Long Ears, including Clydossus, don’t look overly satisfied. And because they had lost friends in the battle just now, all of them look rather depressed and sad…
Next to Clydossus, Lezalaysa keeps a brazen, cool attitude, “Clydossus, everyone, let bygones be bygones.”
Her words are short, stylish and very fitting for a guildmaster.
“Okaaay.” Clydossus answers with a response that keeps it unclear whether she agrees with Lezalaysa or not.
Lezalaysa closes one eye and sighs as if saying, “Girl, you’re really incorrigible,” and then faces me.
“…So, spearmaster, do you intend to talk here while gazing at the morning sun?”
“I don’t care where we talk.”
“Okay, then let’s meet up at another inn, a high-class inn that’s run by an enterprise, located along the Heim River.”
“Sure.”
I wasn’t aware that such an inn existed close-by, but I confirmed her request anyway. All of us head towards the stairs.
When I head down from the second to the first floor, I catch sight of a largely-built person’s corpse clad in red scale armor, but then I notice that the corpse of the earlobe guy is gone. Don’t tell me…is he alive? Or maybe the members of another dark guild have picked up his corpse?
Ah, it’s because the earlobe swordsman has slaughtered the members of another dark guild, right? Or maybe he has naturally evaporated after dying due to some racial trait? I’ve really got no clue.
As I ponder about all that, we continue going downstairs in groups. While casting a glance at the blood-smeared flower pots on the first floor, I leave the inn together with my friends and all Bloody Long Ears members.
The members of Remains of the Moon are bustling around, doing their work in the inn’s vicinity. The Massacre Sisters are playing something similar to karuta by slapping cards on the ground. Robalt is talking to those two girls, obviously babysitting them.
Paulsen and Angie are chatting with each other while holding the vials in their hands against the light of the sphere tossed into the air by Benett. Zeeta hands jars filled with liquids to Paulsen and Angie.
Kazun is talking to a weasel beastman who seems to be a member of another dark guild.
All those leaders of Remains of the Moon gather up once they notice us leaving the inn.
“See you later, spearmaster.”
“Aye.”
Lezalaysa and her group leave with her farewell.
“Guildmaster, what about the Shadow Wing folks?” Paulsen asks after staring at the leaving Bloody Long Ears members.
As always, his mustache is curled.
“I killed the leader called Galroh. Several of their leaders died as well, but I predict that some have survived. Also, I can’t tell whether it’s the inn’s owner, but there’s a corpse of a guy in a red scale armor that might be him on the first floor. I think most of the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine’s guards have died as well.”
“I see. The people hired by the Asura Religious Organization…”
On the other hand, Angie doesn’t listen to the exchange between Paulsen and me. She’s glaring at Clydossus. Clydossus answers Angie’s stabbing look by lifting one cheek for a second, but still leaves the area obediently.
Swaying her blue hair, Angie puts on her usual thorny, composed expression. And just like that, she throws a cold gaze in my direction, and cries out, “Hmm? Oh! It’s the onion head.”
She has apparently noticed Hankai behind me.
“Y-You’re Hankay!” Paulsen also notices him.
“Oh? Isn’t that Baron Mustache and his blue daughter? Long time no see. You were also part of Remains of the Moon?”
Hankay swiftly walks up to them. The way he walks has that characteristic cuteness of dwarves.
“Yes, we were accepted into 【Remains of the Moon】 thanks to our connection with Veronica-san.”
“Indeed. Now we’re leaders who’ve been entrusted with our own turf.”
“Hoh, I feel like you also mentioned something along those lines in Hekatrail, though.”
“Onion Heady, my Papa’s name is Paulsen. Don’t call him Baron Mustache or something like that! I’m not his blue daughter either.”
“Gahaha, you’re a spunky girl as usual.”
The three of them get all fired up talking about the past, and separate from us.
At that point, Veronica and Mel approach. Magit greets Rollo by rubbing cheeks. Then both of them start to circle each other, sniffing each other’s butt. *censored cat porn*
As I’m watching the two cats frolicking around, Veronica speaks up, “…Guildmaster, I let the leader, whom I fought in the basement, get away.”
“It was a leader called Kary.”
So that’s why I haven’t found him. He was in the basement, eh? But, he was able to escape from Veronica and Mel? He seems to have become stronger. Moreover, Mel’s eyes are tinged red? Moreover, she has the same blood scent.
I’m curious about this, but I also worry about the looks of the other dark guilds. There’s many unknown, strong people around us…
“…I see. Well, I don’t really care even if he got away. I’ve got the motivation to go all the way if we fight, but it’s not like we’ve got a reason to completely eradicate the Shadow Wing Brigade.”
“Yeah, but…” Veronica looks unhappy.
Well, I’ll try to ask her about the details later.
At that moment, I meet eyes with one of the surrounding spectators. He’s staring at me while hanging from the roof of a building by holding onto its eave with one hand. A ninja-styled man in black clothes with a hood covering his head…?
Looking closely, he’s got dark brown eyes, and a big hook nose. He’s holding a pipe in his mouth. He’s equipped with a mantle spilling down his back from the shoulders, and I can see a great number of throwing knives at his chest. The buckle of his belt looks classy with its design of using a golden wing as motif. *censored cat porn*
Pulling my eyes off him, I survey the vicinity.
“…This place is full of people I’ve never seen before. There are even some charion monster-like folks floating up in the air.”
It looks like they can separate from their caterpillar parts.
“Yes, they might be interpreting this as a festival.”
“Figures, seeing how the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine got destroyed so flashily.”
“Yep. Besides, going by your words, guildmaster, the inn’s owner got killed as well, right? Embodiment of Iron Briant was a former S-Rank adventurer. He should have had plenty of connections. That’s why some of the unfamiliar organizations and individuals out here might misunderstand us as their enemies.” Benett turns her face left and right, looking nervous.
“The scaredy-cat Bene-ane has made her appearance!”
“Rather than that, I’ve heard there was a skirmish on the left side. We still don’t have all the details, but the early reports state that it’s possibly Demonoid Zarlp.”
Demonoid…
Since Mel is serious, and adding her crimson eyes into the mix now, she’s a bit scary. Well, he’s someone who caused her to worry about him possibly being her father for a long time, so I can fully understand her feelings.
“Then let’s head over there? We’re done with this place for the time being.”
“”Okay.””
“A demonoid as an opponent? I guess it’s going to be a turn for my axes?”
“No, I don’t plan to fight him.”
“Yaaay, Spirit-sama’s water feels so nice.”
“Okay, Lala, now leave Spirit-sama alone.”
Lulu and Lala play around by deliberately letting themselves showered by the water released from Helme’s legs.
“Roger, please leave this place to us, guildmaster.” Robalt says in his usual, collected tone.
“Given that the guys from 【Feathers of Large Bird】 might be there as well, we’ll accompany you as well.”
“Yep, Together with Papa.”
“Sure. Mel, we’re running.”
“Ah, okay.”
Placing Rollo on my shoulder, I run to the left of the inn. Yui, Helme, Veronica, Magit, Hankay and Mel follow. So do Paulsen and Angie.
“That person is Demonoid Zarlp.”
He’s really wearing a mask. He’s got swords equipped on his back and at his waist, but he hasn’t drawn them. Even while being attacked, he doesn’t strike back. As he keeps escaping, he occasionally throws a look at the inn and his vicinity.
The way he keeps giving his attackers the slip goes beyond the boundaries of a top-notch martial artist. Or rather, since he’s flying through the air, I perceive him as an outlandish opponent.
“Look! There’s also the Silkworm member who’s visited your home, guildmaster!”
Just as Veronica points out, she’s present here as well. She should be called Kilb-something, similar to a country name. Does this fall into the range of her work? She’s pursuing the demonoid.
“Guildmaster…” Mel grows black wings out at her ankles while muttering that.
It looks like she’s going to join the fray. Hmm? Her black wings have a trace of crimson. When I reflexively shift my eyes towards Veronica, she looks into my eyes and winks instead of words. In short, she has turned Mel into her bloodkin, I suppose. Since I’ve promised her to not comment on that, I answer her gaze by nodding silently.
“…Got it. I’ll deal with the demonoid. Please take care of the surroundings. Also, Silkworm belongs to the Martial Arts Federation. For better or worse, I’ve talked with their president, and I’ve also got a connection with the Divine Spear King Ranker Riko. Therefore I hope we can turn this into a direction that avoids killing each other. Got it?”
“Understood.”
“Got it.”
“Okay.”
Yui and Helme look at each other, nodding. Mel’s eyes return to their usual color, and she shrinks the winks at her ankles. It looks like she’s going to follow my instructions.
“A demonoid who manipulates blood, eh? That got me slightly interested, but I’ll follow orders and take care of 【Silkworm】 or whatever they’re called.” Hankay places his hands on the hilts of his axes.
It’s probably so that he can switch into a combat stance at any moment.
“Silkworm, huh? They’re hostile to the Underground Martial Arts Association, aren’t they? They look strong. It wakes the urge in me to suck their blood, but I’ll hold back on that.” Veronica looks somewhat bored.
“Affirmative. Angie, we’ll take up position so that we don’t get in the way of the others.”
“Oki, Papa. I’m slightly nervous.”
Paulsen and Angie nod at each other, drawing their respective weapons. Paulsen manifests a bloodstained ax and stake in his hands. Those are Paulsen’s weapons? Kinda cool.
Angie clasps the magic sword that causes the bell-like ringing.
Leading everyone, we barge into the fighting scene between Zarlp and Silkworm. I immediately shoot at Zarlp. However, he dodges the chain.
His eyes gleam up beneath his mask. He raises his speed even further, and continues to evade my chain’s tip by repeatedly backward somersaulting and barrel rolling.
“What, it’s a group of people.”
“You are the spearmaster!”
“Hoh, this guy…”
The Silkworm members become alert because of our sudden appearance, turning their weapons at us. Just as I had told my friends before, I leave Silkworm to them, focusing on Zarlp alone.
Zarlp’s movements are surprisingly fast. I think I’ve got to give up on the idea of entangling his body with my chain.
While deciding so, I have stab the ground, using it as an anchor instead. While retracting the chain into my left wrist’s mark, I summon Baldok into my right hand, and just when I’ve closed the distance to Zarlp at a terrifying speed, I swing Baldok’s ax blade low, trying to sweep Zarlp’s legs.
A red line is created in the air as trail of Baldok, but Zarlp handles the approaching ax blade while saying with a sombre tone, “Quite fast――”
While bending down as if folding his body, he turns a blood-stained hand downwards, blocking Baldok’s blade by directly grabbing it.
“Moreover, a weapon capable of breaking through my , huh… How terrifying――”
With those words, he kicks the red ax blade, gaining some distance.
“You see me surprised. That bloodstained hand is a weapon? As mana is amassing in it as well, it should be related somehow.”
“It’s as you say.”
“Zarlp! Answer a question.” Mel yells from the side.
Oh right, I got too absorbed in my excitement as a martial artist.
“Hmm? You’re…”
Once Zarlp notices Mel, he drops his shoulders and gets so flustered that it’s even obvious through his mask. While tears well up in her eyes, Mel shifts her gaze away from Zarlp, feebly looking at me, as if she’s asking for my opinion. That’s not the usual, mature Mel there. It’s the face of a daughter who’s confronting her father who’s made her worry all the time.
After gently smiling at her as encouragement, I nod with the intent of telling her to go on. Mel nods deeply, and turns her eyes back to Zarlp again.
“…Are you my Dad?”
“…What are you going to do after knowing it?”
“Answer me!” Mel shouts with her honey-colored hair swaying.
Hearing Mel’s tone, Zarlp’s body twitches with a start for an instant.
“…Going by…those wings at your feet…you’re definitely my daughter.”
“As I thought, you’re my Dad. So, why didn’t you ever come to meet with Mum?”
Mel’s emotions explode as large tears run down her cheeks. As if responding to her feelings, the wings at her feet flap energetically. Accelerating like a gust of wind, Mel closes the distance to Zarlp in an instant, and drives her right fist against his chest just like that.
“Guuoooh, you should be famous for your kicks, but I didn’t know that your fist is also so strong…”
A sound as if bones got broken can be heard from Zarlp’s chest.
“Eh? Why didn’t you dodge…?”
“I’ve cast my family away. Mel Socyutus, it’d only be reasonable for you to resent me…”
“I don’t resent you. It never troubled me in my life, and even Mum always kept saying that she wanted to meet you with a smile on her lips, right until she died, so…at that time, I understood…that she had loved you even after you left her.” Mel says with a tear-choked voice.
“I see. Ayla has…”
Just as Mel and Zarlp have their reunion, the members of Silkworm and Remains of the Moon + my bloodkin start a quarrel.
“You guys, do you plan to start a fight with the Martial Arts Federation?”
“That guy is a wanted man searched for by the authorities.”
“Leaders of Remains of the Moon, Demonoid Zarlp is our target. Tell us your intent.”
It looks like the scaled man, who manipulates watery foam, has some complaints.
“I’m sorry for disturbing your work as 【Silkworm】, but…if you intend to get in the way of a family reunion, I’ll personally take you on.” I turn the red spear of Baldok straight in the direction of the scaled man.
I glare at him with a force clearly telling him that it’s no bluff and that I’ll seriously stab him.
“…”
“Ferreira, he’s out of your league. The likes of Demonoid Zarlp will be your least worry.”
The scaled man’s name is Ferreira? Kilb-something, who stands behind Ferreira, cautions him.
“Ferreira-san, I think it’d be better to listen to the woman behind you. Many of our leaders are thirsting for blood, too.”
Ferreira lets his eyes wander across Yui, Veronica, Magit, Hankay, Paulsen, and Angie. And lastly his eyes stop at Helme. He seems to manipulate water, and thus he’s apparently curious about her. Wait, did he fall in love with her?
“…If you plan to pick a fight with His Excellency, you need to have the resolve to have your butt split apart, okay?”
I feel like it’s split apart anyway, but I won’t point it out.
“…I got it.”
It looks like he doesn’t want to have his butt split apart. No, it must be something else. Anyway, it seems he agreed. He turns his face towards the other Silkworm members, and nods.
After all of them exchange some ciphered signs, they put their weapons away, and leave. In that case, we’ll also…
“…Mel, enjoy your time now with a conversation as family rather than worrying about your job as a member of Remains of the Moon. It’s okay to give me your regular report later. We’re going to head to the inn where Bloody Long Ears stays, okay?”
“Guildmaster… Okay, thank you.”
Zarlp and Mel remain behind.
“See you, Mel. We’re going ahead.” With Veronica’s words being the last, we turn around and leave as well. Afterwards, I have Paulsen and Angie guide us to the high-class inn.
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◇◆◇◆
The severe battle between dark guilds in the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine had drawn the attention of all kinds of people, with the exception of organizations such as 【Black Prophets】 and 【Pivot Council of Darkness】.
The group of crows led by a white dove was indeed part of the Valmask family’s reconnaissance. The crows were circling far up in the skies above the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine. It was well known that they wouldn’t really enter the center stage, but only today, things proved to be different.
The vampires, the warriors of the divine domain, the ancient wolves, those related to the other 12 vampire families, and the vampire hunters - all of them scouted the situation, resolved to take the risk of being pursued.
In a section of the sky avoided by the vampires…the soldiers of Divine Domain Seuros peered down at the situation in the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine while dancing through the sky.
On the left side of the sky floated demonoids fused with huge, mite-like bugs. Their lower halves possessed many legs like a caterpillar. Those bugs had yellow-green flame balls floating around their head and legs.
In a place, exactly opposite of the bug demonoids…were two spectators, happily watching the fight on the roof. One was a boyish woman with silver hair, thin eyebrows, and sharp eyes. She made a swarm of white moths, which contained mana, fly around her. Another woman had violet-red butterflies flutter around her.
Both women released many butterflies from within their bodies, and kept flying by manipulating those butterflies. Even their gorgeous dresses used butterflies as fabric.
The woman, formed by violet-red butterflies and reminding one of a magical fairy, spoke up, “Hey, Jody, it’s quite an unexpected outcome, isn’t it? It looks like the torn space has returned to normal, too.”
“I’m curious about that war sword used by the beastman. But the key player was the spearmaster who defeated someone capable of interfering with other worlds. I wonder, whose apostle that black-haired boy is? Ufu?”
Jody’s appearance was different to that of her butterfly companion. She was humanoid, but wore a hood containing a huge amount of mana. Her whole body consisted of white moths. A huge scythe clad in mana, like those carried by death gods, rested in her right hand.
If the spearmaster saw Jody’s appearance, he’d scream out, thinking she was a moth monster. No, a white moth beauty, most likely. At least that’s what he should suspect, while, err, staring at her tits.
Thereupon, the woman consisting of violet-red butterflies answered to Jody, “Going by him using spears as foundation, a Spirit World Knight like Boshiado would want to have him in his ranks?”
“Ciel, I highly doubt that. This place has no proper Tear that would allow someone to cross the interstice. The possibility is low.” Jody said while brandishing her scythe.
Moths became speckled like getting frozen over, and scattered in its wake. Ciel clad herself in butterflies while flying as if to chase after Jody’s moths, asking, “In that case ― someone related to the Temple of Shafa? A rebirth of the famous Sage Labius by the War God faith of War God Vice? Or someone from a church looking for hidden skills in savage lands?”
“There’s no way that he’s Labius, is there? If you’re so curious about that spearmaster, why don’t you get in touch with him?”
“No, I’m also interested in his black eyes, but I don’t want to increase the number of our enemies unnecessarily.”
Jodiy nodded at Ciel’s remark. While allowing small moths to fly out of her two hollowed eye-sockets, she answered, “You’re right…the troops of the Tree King of Wonders, crows and bats, ancient wolves, the War God faith, the Aria Faith of Love, and countless adventurers are crossing the Light Cross Forest, and annoyingly even stray into our forest’s domain.”
“Yep.” Ciel nodded.
Continuing with a forward somersault in the air, the hue of the violet butterflies born from her body…transformed into a glossy blue while she pulled off a handstand.
“――But, except for the monsters, it’s not so bad since they turn into nourishment for us, right?” Ciel kept doing her weird forward somersaults.
Jody swung her scythe as if to stop Ciel. The scythe’s blade hit several violet-red butterflies, causing them to disperse.
“――Jody, you’re scary…did you get influenced by the Tree King of Wonders?”
“What are you talking about? I’d never join with such a monster king. Besides, who was the one that lured human men into our forest by charming them with her butterflies?”
“Uh…”
“And then you stabbed Kunnary’s blade into their heads, sucked out their intestines, and caused the men’s bodies to completely dry up in an ugly way. And yet you think you can speak like that to me…?” Jody pointed out while pouting.
All of the demonoids, who had been watching the butterfly women from a distance, hurriedly took some further distance from them.
“…No, that wasn’t the real me, so it’s fine.”
“Who was it that went like Oops I sucked out a bit too much??”
Disconnected from their discussion which didn’t seem like it’d engender a grand atmosphere, another battle took place at the roadside trees on the right side of the inn.
Someone famous in certain areas for his mask was being chased. However, that masked person stopped moving and looked at the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine. The ones following the masked guy judged this to be their chance. They readied their weapons while cladding their bodies with their respective Magic Combat Style techniques.
A scaled man transformed foam into a blade. A woman summoned a small magic beast from an eyeball. A woman got ready while juggling many beautiful daggers treated with Damascus steel.
The pursuers closed their distance to the masked guy in an instant. The scaled man thrust out his watery blade.
The masked guy dodged the thrust by bending down beneath the watery blade. The scaled man targeted his return slash at the masked guy’s neck, but this got dodged as well.
The magic beast aimed at the flank of the masked guy. But, he parried the magic beast’s fangs with a crimson, gleaming hand strike. In the meantime, he still kept avoiding the scaled man’s attacks with light and nimble body movements. The masked guy even dodged the Damascus sword blade lunged out at him with a little delay.
By holding up his hand with mana amassing in his palm, the masked man confused the magic beast that had leaped at him. The masked man, who obviously possessed outstanding abilities in offense and defense, had the hilt of a blood-smeared katana peeking out from behind him. However, for some odd reason, the masked man didn’t try to even touch that hilt. Apparently he had no will to fight his pursuers at present.
The masked man continued to evade even while receiving that magnificent onslaught by the group of his pursuers.
At that moment, black wings grew at the feet of the masked man, causing his pursuers to fall back in alertness. The masked guy kicked off the ground, and jumped, quickly landing on a roof. There he briskly walked along the eaves. Then he stopped once more, and looked at the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine.
“You think we’re letting you get away!?”
It was the voice of one of his pursuers. He had jumped and followed the masked man onto the roof. After landing, he sidled up to the masked man.
“Zarlp, are you on some field trip?” The scaled man asked while readying his weapon.
He wasn’t an ordinary scaled man. His weapon was something transformed into its current shape from foam, but…even his entire body, covered by a black martial arts attire, released water foam.
“…”
“Some things draw my attention, too.”
“Yours? How unusual. But, such a relaxed attitude when taking on Silkworm…”
The scaled man produced more foam. Even as he was speaking, the 【Silkworm】 woman behind him slowly walked sideways while deploying several Demonic Eyes, which were connected with strings to the five fingers of her left hand, into the vicinity. She was a Demonic Eye User who summoned magic beast monsters close in shape to dogs from her eyes. Probably because her normal eyes were hidden beneath bandages, her movements seemed sluggish. She wore a collared, black protective leather clothing.
While Kilbisua, the 【Silkworm】 woman who had visited Shuuya’s mansion in the past, also sharpened her look…she threw a dagger with a sturdy, very thick blade, using . However, the Damascus steel dagger, which looked like it had hundreds of layers, didn’t hit Demonoid Zarlp.
Among the roadside trees lining up close to the area where that skirmish took place, a woman, who wore a Japanese-styled mantle, looked at the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine while leaning her back against one of the big trees. Both her eyes were covered by a special, red cloth, and she held a sword stick in an underhand grip. Mana circulated through the sword stick with its Chinese-styled hilt.
“Force, force, aim is but a moment. Be that as it may, time is not yet ripe.” She muttered repeatedly.
The giant next to her reacted to her mysterious words. He carried a round, metallic, tank-like magic tool on his back. That plump man, who held a huge bow gun connected through a tube to the tank in his thick arms, commenting, “Ako, it looks like you can feel the force, but the opponents are exceedingly dangerous, including the Eight Lights guys. We should stay out of their way.”
“I know.”
“We’re withdrawing.”
The two left the scene, but a small figure had been watching them from the shade of the nearby trees. That person clearly looked like a soldier. And, their body was wrapped up by a costume unknown to the inhabitants of this planet.
The appearance of that person, who had a Kaleidoscope operating in one of her eyes, was that of a female dwarf.
Furthermore, there was an assassin-like person looking up to the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine while holding onto the eaves of a building with one hand.
Such were the scenes taking place all around the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine.
◇◆◇◆
After the battle in the inn ended, Viine descends the stairs a short distance away. Soon her model-like back with its swaying silver hair disappears.
At that moment, I look up to the sky, stretching out infinitely above me. I catch a fleeting glance of a white dove, and many crows following that dove. I don’t know whether it’s due to the sunlight, or me looking at them, but the vampires, who had been watching the fight from their exclusive position, flutter in-between the clouds, slowly distancing themselves…
It’s pretty obvious that they’ve been scouting us.
“Shuuya, is there something bothering you about those crows?” Hankay gets ready to throw his ax up to the sky while asking.
The yellow gem embedded on the surface of his right arm protector glitters.
“A little something, but you don’t need to throw your weapon at them.”
“I got it, but…have the eyes of those escaping crows been shining? Are they possibly some kind of scouting familiars?”
The one-eyed elf, who stands close to Lezalaysa, responds to Hankay’s question. He steps forward with his long, blond hair swaying. A handsome elven male whom the eyepatch suits well.
“I think it’s only natural for others to scout out the situation. It’s an attack right after the Underground Auction ended. And we’re Eight Lights. There exist other dark organizations, religious organizations, and organizations possessing many bonds with evil spirits, so…” He calmly recounts.
He has a long scar starting from his forehead, all the way down to his jaw. I’m pretty sure that sword cut was responsible for him losing one of his eyes. He wears a refined attire based on deep blue and white colors. The area from his round, turtlenecked collar to both his shoulders exposed bare skin, but otherwise his upper body was covered by special fiber clothes similar to innerwear, perfectly sticking to his six-pack. A small circular decoration bordered by a white line was visible on his right chest. In the middle of that circle a white whale had been elaborately woven in. His forearm protectors had the same hue as the material of that innerwear. Two broad leather belts were wrapped around his waist. Huge buckles, and things clad in mana and attached to metal fixtures with fine designs through strings were part of those belts. Since the hilt of a sword was peeking out from behind his waist, he must have a sword belt at the back as well.
Back when he received Lalay’s attacks, he caused a transparent sword to appear in his hand. So, going by the hilt visible at his back, he must actually be a dual-wielder? The front cover also has a white whale mark.
Answering that elf, “I agree. This is a labyrinth city. You never know who might be lurking in here,” was a slender elf with a head like a teruterubouzo. 1
Since he’s looking my way, it might be sarcasm.
He lost one ear. The broad sword, which he holds as if propping it up with his shoulder, is closely glued to his head as if to cover his missing ear. The part of him having lost that ear…might be inevitable, seeing from how he holds his sword… Or maybe he possesses ear abilities like that Shadow Wing member with the big earlobes?
“Just as Ledond and Misev say, Shadow Wing has violated the unwritten rules of the Underground Auction by attacking this inn. You could only call it natural for other organizations to send scouts.”
So that one-eyed elf is called Ledond, huh? And the elf with the broad sword is Misev. Lezalaysa, who informs me of the names of her two leaders, seems dazzled by the morning sunlight, and thus shades her eyes with a hand.
Unintentionally I’m drawn to look at Lezalaysa’s sun-bathed body. She’s wearing an imposing armor based on white and a different deep blue color than Ledond. Its luster is beautiful. A white whale mark decorates her right chest as if devoting to aesthetics. Moreover, pretty drain lines run from her womanly breastplate down to her flanks. They look as if they’re emphasizing Lezalaysa’s tight waist line.
I guess that’s completely custom-made for her.
While Hankay nods at her words politely, a ferocious, daring gleam burns deep in his eyes, making it clear that he won’t ever let his guard down. As we’re watching while talking…the dove and crows eventually disappear. I think that those crows had been vampires, though.
“You could say so, but…”
It’s not said that they hail from the Valmask family.
“Rather than that, Shuuya, those were some very decent spear techniques. They looked even more refined than back when we escaped the demonic labyrinth.”
“I’m happy to hear that. It means it was worthwhile to pile up training as an adventurer and martial artist.”
“Nn, nyao.” Rollo repeatedly taps my shoulder as if saying 『That’s only nyatural』.
“Hmm, the divine beast’s fighting style was also amazing to watch. I mean, she defeated Sevicekel, the pet of Galroh, who continued to slaughter the four-headed dragons, who control the three-headed dragons flowing in from Baldok Mountain.”
“Nnn, nya.”
Rollo looks triumphant. It lures Hankay into laughter.
“Fuhahaha, you’re an interesting divine cat beast, even capable of answering. However, this will cause a huge shift in Tandarl’s underworld, I think.”
“Hankay, have you been active in Tandarl?”
“No, I moved from one place to another while always targeting the ancient elves. Though there was a time I went to Tandarl to take up Shadow Wing on their invitation.”
“So you had that kind of connection.” Clydossus eyebrows twitch, and her look becomes stabbing as she adds, “Then it also touches on the matter in Hekatrail.”
Did she happen to fight Hankay in the past?
“I know that you can’t stand me, but for me it was a matter of accomplishing my duty.”
Even after listening to Hankay’s reply, the members of Bloody Long Ears, including Clydossus, don’t look overly satisfied. And because they had lost friends in the battle just now, all of them look rather depressed and sad…
Next to Clydossus, Lezalaysa keeps a brazen, cool attitude, “Clydossus, everyone, let bygones be bygones.”
Her words are short, stylish and very fitting for a guildmaster.
“Okaaay.” Clydossus answers with a response that keeps it unclear whether she agrees with Lezalaysa or not.
Lezalaysa closes one eye and sighs as if saying, “Girl, you’re really incorrigible,” and then faces me.
“…So, spearmaster, do you intend to talk here while gazing at the morning sun?”
“I don’t care where we talk.”
“Okay, then let’s meet up at another inn, a high-class inn that’s run by an enterprise, located along the Heim River.”
“Sure.”
I wasn’t aware that such an inn existed close-by, but I confirmed her request anyway. All of us head towards the stairs.
When I head down from the second to the first floor, I catch sight of a largely-built person’s corpse clad in red scale armor, but then I notice that the corpse of the earlobe guy is gone. Don’t tell me…is he alive? Or maybe the members of another dark guild have picked up his corpse?
Ah, it’s because the earlobe swordsman has slaughtered the members of another dark guild, right? Or maybe he has naturally evaporated after dying due to some racial trait? I’ve really got no clue.
As I ponder about all that, we continue going downstairs in groups. While casting a glance at the blood-smeared flower pots on the first floor, I leave the inn together with my friends and all Bloody Long Ears members.
The members of Remains of the Moon are bustling around, doing their work in the inn’s vicinity. The Massacre Sisters are playing something similar to karuta by slapping cards on the ground. Robalt is talking to those two girls, obviously babysitting them.
Paulsen and Angie are chatting with each other while holding the vials in their hands against the light of the sphere tossed into the air by Benett. Zeeta hands jars filled with liquids to Paulsen and Angie.
Kazun is talking to a weasel beastman who seems to be a member of another dark guild.
All those leaders of Remains of the Moon gather up once they notice us leaving the inn.
“See you later, spearmaster.”
“Aye.”
Lezalaysa and her group leave with her farewell.
“Guildmaster, what about the Shadow Wing folks?” Paulsen asks after staring at the leaving Bloody Long Ears members.
As always, his mustache is curled.
“I killed the leader called Galroh. Several of their leaders died as well, but I predict that some have survived. Also, I can’t tell whether it’s the inn’s owner, but there’s a corpse of a guy in a red scale armor that might be him on the first floor. I think most of the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine’s guards have died as well.”
“I see. The people hired by the Asura Religious Organization…”
On the other hand, Angie doesn’t listen to the exchange between Paulsen and me. She’s glaring at Clydossus. Clydossus answers Angie’s stabbing look by lifting one cheek for a second, but still leaves the area obediently.
Swaying her blue hair, Angie puts on her usual thorny, composed expression. And just like that, she throws a cold gaze in my direction, and cries out, “Hmm? Oh! It’s the onion head.”
She has apparently noticed Hankai behind me.
“Y-You’re Hankay!” Paulsen also notices him.
“Oh? Isn’t that Baron Mustache and his blue daughter? Long time no see. You were also part of Remains of the Moon?”
Hankay swiftly walks up to them. The way he walks has that characteristic cuteness of dwarves.
“Yes, we were accepted into 【Remains of the Moon】 thanks to our connection with Veronica-san.”
“Indeed. Now we’re leaders who’ve been entrusted with our own turf.”
“Hoh, I feel like you also mentioned something along those lines in Hekatrail, though.”
“Onion Heady, my Papa’s name is Paulsen. Don’t call him Baron Mustache or something like that! I’m not his blue daughter either.”
“Gahaha, you’re a spunky girl as usual.”
The three of them get all fired up talking about the past, and separate from us.
At that point, Veronica and Mel approach. Magit greets Rollo by rubbing cheeks. Then both of them start to circle each other, sniffing each other’s butt. *censored cat porn*
As I’m watching the two cats frolicking around, Veronica speaks up, “…Guildmaster, I let the leader, whom I fought in the basement, get away.”
“It was a leader called Kary.”
So that’s why I haven’t found him. He was in the basement, eh? But, he was able to escape from Veronica and Mel? He seems to have become stronger. Moreover, Mel’s eyes are tinged red? Moreover, she has the same blood scent.
I’m curious about this, but I also worry about the looks of the other dark guilds. There’s many unknown, strong people around us…
“…I see. Well, I don’t really care even if he got away. I’ve got the motivation to go all the way if we fight, but it’s not like we’ve got a reason to completely eradicate the Shadow Wing Brigade.”
“Yeah, but…” Veronica looks unhappy.
Well, I’ll try to ask her about the details later.
At that moment, I meet eyes with one of the surrounding spectators. He’s staring at me while hanging from the roof of a building by holding onto its eave with one hand. A ninja-styled man in black clothes with a hood covering his head…?
Looking closely, he’s got dark brown eyes, and a big hook nose. He’s holding a pipe in his mouth. He’s equipped with a mantle spilling down his back from the shoulders, and I can see a great number of throwing knives at his chest. The buckle of his belt looks classy with its design of using a golden wing as motif. *censored cat porn*
Pulling my eyes off him, I survey the vicinity.
“…This place is full of people I’ve never seen before. There are even some charion monster-like folks floating up in the air.”
It looks like they can separate from their caterpillar parts.
“Yes, they might be interpreting this as a festival.”
“Figures, seeing how the Dignified Heaven’s Shrine got destroyed so flashily.”
“Yep. Besides, going by your words, guildmaster, the inn’s owner got killed as well, right? Embodiment of Iron Briant was a former S-Rank adventurer. He should have had plenty of connections. That’s why some of the unfamiliar organizations and individuals out here might misunderstand us as their enemies.” Benett turns her face left and right, looking nervous.
“The scaredy-cat Bene-ane has made her appearance!”
“Rather than that, I’ve heard there was a skirmish on the left side. We still don’t have all the details, but the early reports state that it’s possibly Demonoid Zarlp.”
Demonoid…
Since Mel is serious, and adding her crimson eyes into the mix now, she’s a bit scary. Well, he’s someone who caused her to worry about him possibly being her father for a long time, so I can fully understand her feelings.
“Then let’s head over there? We’re done with this place for the time being.”
“”Okay.””
“A demonoid as an opponent? I guess it’s going to be a turn for my axes?”
“No, I don’t plan to fight him.”
“Yaaay, Spirit-sama’s water feels so nice.”
“Okay, Lala, now leave Spirit-sama alone.”
Lulu and Lala play around by deliberately letting themselves showered by the water released from Helme’s legs.
“Roger, please leave this place to us, guildmaster.” Robalt says in his usual, collected tone.
“Given that the guys from 【Feathers of Large Bird】 might be there as well, we’ll accompany you as well.”
“Yep, Together with Papa.”
“Sure. Mel, we’re running.”
“Ah, okay.”
Placing Rollo on my shoulder, I run to the left of the inn. Yui, Helme, Veronica, Magit, Hankay and Mel follow. So do Paulsen and Angie.
“That person is Demonoid Zarlp.”
He’s really wearing a mask. He’s got swords equipped on his back and at his waist, but he hasn’t drawn them. Even while being attacked, he doesn’t strike back. As he keeps escaping, he occasionally throws a look at the inn and his vicinity.
The way he keeps giving his attackers the slip goes beyond the boundaries of a top-notch martial artist. Or rather, since he’s flying through the air, I perceive him as an outlandish opponent.
“Look! There’s also the Silkworm member who’s visited your home, guildmaster!”
Just as Veronica points out, she’s present here as well. She should be called Kilb-something, similar to a country name. Does this fall into the range of her work? She’s pursuing the demonoid.
“Guildmaster…” Mel grows black wings out at her ankles while muttering that.
It looks like she’s going to join the fray. Hmm? Her black wings have a trace of crimson. When I reflexively shift my eyes towards Veronica, she looks into my eyes and winks instead of words. In short, she has turned Mel into her bloodkin, I suppose. Since I’ve promised her to not comment on that, I answer her gaze by nodding silently.
“…Got it. I’ll deal with the demonoid. Please take care of the surroundings. Also, Silkworm belongs to the Martial Arts Federation. For better or worse, I’ve talked with their president, and I’ve also got a connection with the Divine Spear King Ranker Riko. Therefore I hope we can turn this into a direction that avoids killing each other. Got it?”
“Understood.”
“Got it.”
“Okay.”
Yui and Helme look at each other, nodding. Mel’s eyes return to their usual color, and she shrinks the winks at her ankles. It looks like she’s going to follow my instructions.
“A demonoid who manipulates blood, eh? That got me slightly interested, but I’ll follow orders and take care of 【Silkworm】 or whatever they’re called.” Hankay places his hands on the hilts of his axes.
It’s probably so that he can switch into a combat stance at any moment.
“Silkworm, huh? They’re hostile to the Underground Martial Arts Association, aren’t they? They look strong. It wakes the urge in me to suck their blood, but I’ll hold back on that.” Veronica looks somewhat bored.
“Affirmative. Angie, we’ll take up position so that we don’t get in the way of the others.”
“Oki, Papa. I’m slightly nervous.”
Paulsen and Angie nod at each other, drawing their respective weapons. Paulsen manifests a bloodstained ax and stake in his hands. Those are Paulsen’s weapons? Kinda cool.
Angie clasps the magic sword that causes the bell-like ringing.
Leading everyone, we barge into the fighting scene between Zarlp and Silkworm. I immediately shoot at Zarlp. However, he dodges the chain.
His eyes gleam up beneath his mask. He raises his speed even further, and continues to evade my chain’s tip by repeatedly backward somersaulting and barrel rolling.
“What, it’s a group of people.”
“You are the spearmaster!”
“Hoh, this guy…”
The Silkworm members become alert because of our sudden appearance, turning their weapons at us. Just as I had told my friends before, I leave Silkworm to them, focusing on Zarlp alone.
Zarlp’s movements are surprisingly fast. I think I’ve got to give up on the idea of entangling his body with my chain.
While deciding so, I have stab the ground, using it as an anchor instead. While retracting the chain into my left wrist’s mark, I summon Baldok into my right hand, and just when I’ve closed the distance to Zarlp at a terrifying speed, I swing Baldok’s ax blade low, trying to sweep Zarlp’s legs.
A red line is created in the air as trail of Baldok, but Zarlp handles the approaching ax blade while saying with a sombre tone, “Quite fast――”
While bending down as if folding his body, he turns a blood-stained hand downwards, blocking Baldok’s blade by directly grabbing it.
“Moreover, a weapon capable of breaking through my , huh… How terrifying――”
With those words, he kicks the red ax blade, gaining some distance.
“You see me surprised. That bloodstained hand is a weapon? As mana is amassing in it as well, it should be related somehow.”
“It’s as you say.”
“Zarlp! Answer a question.” Mel yells from the side.
Oh right, I got too absorbed in my excitement as a martial artist.
“Hmm? You’re…”
Once Zarlp notices Mel, he drops his shoulders and gets so flustered that it’s even obvious through his mask. While tears well up in her eyes, Mel shifts her gaze away from Zarlp, feebly looking at me, as if she’s asking for my opinion. That’s not the usual, mature Mel there. It’s the face of a daughter who’s confronting her father who’s made her worry all the time.
After gently smiling at her as encouragement, I nod with the intent of telling her to go on. Mel nods deeply, and turns her eyes back to Zarlp again.
“…Are you my Dad?”
“…What are you going to do after knowing it?”
“Answer me!” Mel shouts with her honey-colored hair swaying.
Hearing Mel’s tone, Zarlp’s body twitches with a start for an instant.
“…Going by…those wings at your feet…you’re definitely my daughter.”
“As I thought, you’re my Dad. So, why didn’t you ever come to meet with Mum?”
Mel’s emotions explode as large tears run down her cheeks. As if responding to her feelings, the wings at her feet flap energetically. Accelerating like a gust of wind, Mel closes the distance to Zarlp in an instant, and drives her right fist against his chest just like that.
“Guuoooh, you should be famous for your kicks, but I didn’t know that your fist is also so strong…”
A sound as if bones got broken can be heard from Zarlp’s chest.
“Eh? Why didn’t you dodge…?”
“I’ve cast my family away. Mel Socyutus, it’d only be reasonable for you to resent me…”
“I don’t resent you. It never troubled me in my life, and even Mum always kept saying that she wanted to meet you with a smile on her lips, right until she died, so…at that time, I understood…that she had loved you even after you left her.” Mel says with a tear-choked voice.
“I see. Ayla has…”
Just as Mel and Zarlp have their reunion, the members of Silkworm and Remains of the Moon + my bloodkin start a quarrel.
“You guys, do you plan to start a fight with the Martial Arts Federation?”
“That guy is a wanted man searched for by the authorities.”
“Leaders of Remains of the Moon, Demonoid Zarlp is our target. Tell us your intent.”
It looks like the scaled man, who manipulates watery foam, has some complaints.
“I’m sorry for disturbing your work as 【Silkworm】, but…if you intend to get in the way of a family reunion, I’ll personally take you on.” I turn the red spear of Baldok straight in the direction of the scaled man.
I glare at him with a force clearly telling him that it’s no bluff and that I’ll seriously stab him.
“…”
“Ferreira, he’s out of your league. The likes of Demonoid Zarlp will be your least worry.”
The scaled man’s name is Ferreira? Kilb-something, who stands behind Ferreira, cautions him.
“Ferreira-san, I think it’d be better to listen to the woman behind you. Many of our leaders are thirsting for blood, too.”
Ferreira lets his eyes wander across Yui, Veronica, Magit, Hankay, Paulsen, and Angie. And lastly his eyes stop at Helme. He seems to manipulate water, and thus he’s apparently curious about her. Wait, did he fall in love with her?
“…If you plan to pick a fight with His Excellency, you need to have the resolve to have your butt split apart, okay?”
I feel like it’s split apart anyway, but I won’t point it out.
“…I got it.”
It looks like he doesn’t want to have his butt split apart. No, it must be something else. Anyway, it seems he agreed. He turns his face towards the other Silkworm members, and nods.
After all of them exchange some ciphered signs, they put their weapons away, and leave. In that case, we’ll also…
“…Mel, enjoy your time now with a conversation as family rather than worrying about your job as a member of Remains of the Moon. It’s okay to give me your regular report later. We’re going to head to the inn where Bloody Long Ears stays, okay?”
“Guildmaster… Okay, thank you.”
Zarlp and Mel remain behind.
“See you, Mel. We’re going ahead.” With Veronica’s words being the last, we turn around and leave as well. Afterwards, I have Paulsen and Angie guide us to the high-class inn.
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