Volume 3 Chapter 24

Volume 3 Chapter 24: True Colors I

Translator: “Pink Tea” Editor: ”Ryunakama”

As purple smoke enveloped surroundings following a large explosion, Moka shouted while looking forward.

「Be careful, Sidonius-san!」

「I know! Prepare for battle! ーThose, that can’t fight, fall back to the rear!」

Obeying his voice, knights that weren’t blown away by that explosion readied their weapons.

Hearing those sounds Sidonius shouted to me.

「Are you fine? Moka-dono?」

「Yes, somehow. Enough to fight……」

Though both of us guarded with magic and skills against that sudden attack, we still suffered some burns from that blast.

However, it’s not bad enough to incapacitate us.

Being careful we can still fight.

In such a state Moka kept looking forward.

Looking at a single silhouette flickering among those purple fumes.

「……【Transformation Cancel]」

With those words spoken by that figure the smoke dissipated.

What stood there wasn’t Bane in his white robeー

「Ah, it’s been a while since I last showed this appearance. I missed this feeling.」

Standing there is a humanoid with a tiger’s head and limbs.

He looked close to a tiger beastman.

However, he was giant, almost three meters in height.

In addition, the white robe that he was wearing was no more, turning into an extravagant black light armor. Another noteworthy part was a scorpion-like tail visible from behind his back.

A clearly inhuman tail. Waving that tail Bane stretched, looking drowsy.

「Setting off the trigger is all good, but there is a bit too much to do. Well, I’ll just do it one-by-one.」

Next to his head while he muttered soー

「――」

A penetration beetle appeared with a buzz, then stopped.

Looking at it Bane spoke.

「Ah, you guys should act according to plan and play with the guild on the treetop. ……Well, number-wise you might not be able to win by yourselves, but it will be all over when I come. Buy time until that moment.」

Moka frowned upon that sight.

「He is talking with monsters……? Bane, just what are you……!」

「That appearance, you are not a normal beastman…… Are you a magical beast…… No, Majin……?!」

In response to our words, Bane narrowed his eyes and looked our way.

「Whoa, Chief Moka. And Knight Captain. I’m insulted that you would mix me with a common monster or majin. I’m a true majin, one that gained the power of the ancients. I’m Majin Rakshasa, Bane.」

Bane announced as if he was incredibly proud of it.

「Majin……? Bane…… But we investigated your memories under medicine……」

Medication that allowed us to probe into memories was one of the secret drugs developed by the Magic Science Guild.

After ingesting the medicine one has to touch a special enchanted paper. By doing that, memories related to designated keywords will be written on that paper. That’s how it’s supposed to work.

This time, since we invited researchers from the outside we checked them for any memories concerning monsters and majin. Bane was among them. And yetー

「How did you managed to slip through without revealing your true nature……」

When I said so through gritted teeth, Bane only laughed scornfully.

「I went through the trouble of using some of my precious instruments and transferred my memories, this much is possible for me. ――Good grief, Chief Moka, you really put me through a lot of hardship. After all, you went and appointed your original staff members as observers to every researcher that came from outside.」

Hearing his words Moka furrowed her brows.

Yes, each outsider had one of her trusted aides assigned to them, with whom they acted together at all times.

Half of the reason for doing that was to make research go smoother. The other half was to keep an eye on them, just in case. As reluctant as she was about that, she had to do at least that much since the situation called for it.

And it seems that this man knew that.

「Without memories I still produced excellent results, and yet you wouldn’t cancel your surveillance and even called some fellows that I didn’t want you to call……If it wasn’t for your people, I would’ve had the tree destroyed two weeks ago. You just kept making the precise choices to prolong the life of the tree, allowing that hero of training to arrive in time. Not only that, you even managed to solve this whole situation in such a fashion. You people are disgustingly capable and lucky!」

Bane sighed after speaking for a while in a mocking tone.

「I really had a hard time with you lot… But thinking that I can finally personally repay you for those efforts and irritation, well, it doesn’t feel that bad anymore. Thus… Have another taste of my poison. 「【Black Tiger Summon]」

The instant Bane raised his hand chanting those wordsー

――*bubbling*

Then, a purple foam gushed from the ground.

The foam gradually bubbled into an even bigger mass

The shape of a giant tiger.

Two of them even. And now a light appeared in the eyes of purple tigers.

「Grrr……」

With a roar, they shifted to action.