Chapter 268

Chapter 268, Her Position, My Reserved Spot

I’m finally back into the fray, now with the Heavenly Beasts behind me.

“Master! Are you all right!?”

Pochi rushed over to me; for some reason, Ferris wasn’t on her back anymore.

“Why’re YOU back here? What about Ferris?”

“How could I NOT come back here after hearing those dangerous-sounding explosions!? And Chappie is taking care of Ferris for now! So there’s no need to worry– Hmm!? Master!? Who are those super scary people behind you!? Ah, I just remembered that I have urgent businesses to attend to! I’ll just head to Brunnera now–“

“–HEY! I’d get the hell outta here too, if I could!”

“Oh, don’t be a fool — of course you can’t! You’re absolutely needed to keep the situation under control, Master!”

“You’re one to talk, damn it! Go get Ferris and rejoin the formation, you furball!”

“Bah! Do you have any idea how worried I was, sir!? Ah, I mean, I wasn’t worried at all! And more importantly, who are THEY!? Look, Master, I know you’re no good at formal conversations, so leave them to me! Excuse me, you three!”

Looks like Pochi wants to tell the Heavenly Beasts something.

…But she immediately got intimidated once they looked back at her. Now she’s closing her eyes with her paws.

Now, don’t even think about competing against them, doggo — they’re way wiser than you.

“What is it, young lady? Do you need something from us?” Kokki replied.

“Eep–!”

“Do keep it brief. We don’t have all day — and the roles we play are quite vital,” Kohryu promptly added.

“Y-yes!”

“……What is your name?” Haiko asked out of the blue, dealing the finishing blow — now Pochi’s practically groveling.

“M-my name’s Shiro!”

Oh, now she’s getting up again… Not giving up just yet, huh?

“J-just so you all know, I’m my Master’s one and only Familiar! Please understand!”

………What the hell is she on about?

“There’s no longer position open, you see! That’s how it’s always worked — a mage can only have one Familiar! Break that rule, and God will be angry! Yes, I know, my Master is TOTALLY the kind of guy to do it without a second thought, but I’M responsible for keeping that from happening! With my GOD PAWS! Do you understand!?”

Kohryu and Kokki turned to look at each other, and seemed quite troubled as to how to react.

Man, my Familiar is so big of a troll, even the Heavenly Beasts are having a hard time with her… She’s totally going places — but I wonder, where and how?

“……She’s lovely.”

…? Did I hear Haiko say something strange just now?

Hmm… or was it just in my head?

“Be at ease, young lady. None of us has any intention of contracting ourselves o the youngling,” Kokki said.

“Yes, this is merely a temporary alliance. Now, let us make haste… to the battlefield, where there are creatures we must devour.”

With that, Kohryu went away toward the front lines, its long serpentine body slithering through the air.

“Hmm, I suppose I ought to bring that brat into the action, too…”

Kokki looked toward a certain clifftop in the distance — yeah, the one on which Shi’shichou had been starting at me from, all this time.

“GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE, YOU BRAT! OR ELSE!!”

GODDAMN, THE TURTLE’S LOUD!!

I thought my eardrums were gonna explode!

And in the distance, Shi’shichou is hiding its face with its wings. Is it… scared?

“What a disgrace of a Heavenly Beast… Now, perhaps you need some MOTIVATION…”

With that, Kokki… FLOATED AND FLEW AWAY!?

“IT CAN FLY!? Look, Master! A FLYING TORTOISE! And it’s even got some kinda sparkly aura!”

“R-right, I just remembered… All Heavenly Beasts are supposed to be able to fly… I mean, they were called that because they looked like beasts descending down from heaven… Haha… that’s awesome!”

“I wanna do that, too!”

Leaving that inconsequential matter aside, I looked at Weldhun, who’s currently in battle.

Excluding Pochi, who became a Heavenly Beast with the Archetype Changer… Is the Ox supposed to be able to fly, too?

Haiko, seemingly having guessed my thoughts, whispered to me,

“He’s still far too young. The ability will come with the maturity of the body.”

“I see… So that’s why Shi’shichou doesn’t glow, either…”

Wait a second… glow? Did the Shi’shichou I’d met in my era even do that?

Maybe it’s got some additional conditions that don’t apply to the rest of the beasts?

“And another thing, Wielder of a Thousand Tricks.”

“Hmm? What is it?”

“Once this conflict is over…”

What? The Tiger’s looking strangely serious here.

“…I’d like to be formally introduced to Shiro.”

This is awkward. Please, just fly away already…

…Oh, there it goes. That Tiger must’ve felt embarrassed to bring it up, too.

Still, once this conflict is over, huh…

We gotta make it end, and soon. Me and Pochi, we’ve got to fulfill our mission of returning to our era.

“Hoh! Dah! Hnggg… Hoh! Oof–!? I-I can’t fly…!?”

“C’mon, it’s not the end of the world.”

“Well, when will I be able to do it, Master?”

Uh, no answer’s gonna magically pop up even if you cry, doggo.

“Bah… Just go get Ferris already– ah.”

“Looks like she’s found herself a new friend, sir…”

She’s right. Now the eldest Adams girl is having the time of her life, riding around on Haiko.

Just how much pluck does she have, really?

“W-well! Looks like you’re stuck with me, Master!”

With that, Pochi hyped herself up and gigantified.

Now she’s telling me to get on. Well, I guess it is kind of like my reserves spot up there.

……All right, let’s go.

“Not like there’s much point in me standing here, what with the town being totally ruined already…”

“That’s right, that’s right! I knew you’d be no good without me, Master! Now, your orders, sir!”

“Be cooperative and listen to all of my instructions from now on.”

“That’s the one thing I won’t do, sir!”

……Is it just me, or is she even less cooperative than the other Heavenly Beasts?

“Your orders, sir!”

Now she’s pretending that she’d never said that last sentence of hers.

That’s worthy of respect… in a way.

“Gah…”

I rested the Drynium Rod on my shoulder, and took another look at everyone going wild on the front lines.

The adventurers are fighting with dauntless courage, as if this is their place to live and die.

Lylia and Giorno are fighting hard as well, trying to take out as many monsters as possible. So in Weldhun, plunging himself into the middle of the enemy formation.

Kohryu used its long body like a whip to blow the monster army away, staying right behind the reckless Weldhun to support him.

Kokki confronted Shi’shichou, jamming feathers into its mouth and throwing it toward the battlefield, forcing the Phoenix into the fight.

Ferris rode around on Haiko, occasionally giving it orders, and occasionally dismounting to fight with her metal rod on the ground.

Chappie, with the cooperation of Bright on his back, flew all over the place to disrupt and distract the enemy army.

I suppose it’s appropriate to say that our side is finally going strong.

“Huh, there’s not much I can do anymore.”

“Of course, sir.”

“But I’d be a real fool if I don’t do something I CAN.”

“Of course, sir.”

“You ready, Pochi?”

“Of course, sir.”

“Well, start running!”

“Of course, sir!”

In the blink of an eye, Pochi became one with the wind, streaking past the adventurers, the Heavenly Beasts, and even the Holy Warriors.

Using the monsters’ dead bodies as foothold, she dodged everything at a speed level I had never experienced before.

“PAWWWWWW STAMP!”

“PHILOSOPHER FULL SWING!”

“PRETTYYYYYY STAMP!”

“HOLY WARRIOR ATTACK!”

“HOLY WARRIOR’S FAMILIAR STAMP!”

“HEY! COME UP WITH A BETTER NAME! GRAND PHILOSOPHER PUNCH!”

“You’re one to talk, Master! That was just a normal punch! You’re showing off too much, I say! KAHHHHHH!!”

“Ooh, that was nice! I’ll praise you a bit later! Rise! Meteorain: Count 10!”

“NOW! Praise me NOW, you fool! Air Claw!”

“Well done!”

“Eh, it doesn’t sound like you’re praising me at all!”

You little shit!

“BREAKFAST! BRUNCH! LUNCH! LINNER! DINNER! SIU YEH! SNACKS! SNACKS!”

“GENIUS! TALENT! SUPREME! AWESOME! CALM! SERENE! PHILOSOPHER! GRAND PHILOSOPHER! HOLY WARRIOR!”

“”OOOOOOHHHHHHHHH!!””

“I’m surrounded by fools…”

Turning a deaf ear to Lylia’s words, we fought the Devil King’s army of monsters with all we had.

Apostles of Despair appeared from time to time, but each time, all three Holy Warriors banded together and instantly destroyed them.

I can’t even count how many support and healing spells I’ve cast for everyone — and the number of monsters we’ve blown away.

We’re smack dab in the middle of enemy territory — can’t be scared of getting blood on our clothes here.

The monsters that stiffened up under pressure, even for a moment, would lose their lives to the Heavenly Beasts’ fangs, claws… and the Dragon’s tail.

By the time Pochi and I slowed down, the monster army was thinned out quite a bit.

And once that thought came up in my mind, apparently the Hero had the same idea.

“Listen, Poer!”

“Giorno!”

“I think now is a good chance to go all in. What do you say?”

Yes, I DO think this is the right time… but what is it that we REALLY should do?

“I see only one option — GO!”

Yeah, even Lylia agrees — HOLY SHIT, I thought she was a monster for a moment there. She’s got so much blood on her, she’s practically all black and red! Even Pochi is spooked — I’m riding on her back, so I can tell.

“…So, who’s going?”

“Me, you, Poer–“

“Don’t forget me!”

“Hahaha! Yes, Shiro, you too.”

“What about Weldhun?”

I asked just to be sure, directing the question not to his Master Lylia, but to the guy in command, Giorno.

“His size alone helps tremendously with keeping the monster army at bay… so I’d like him to hold the line here. Any objections, Lylia?”

“Hmph.”

Lylia seems to understand, even if she’s not entirely happy with it.

“And boy, am I thankful that the Heavenly Beasts are in on this now. They really reduced our workload, on top of pushing back the enemy a great deal. You did great, Poer.”

Giorno said to me with a smile… albeit one that doesn’t feel as energetic as usual.

It hasn’t been too long since he last had some Pochibitan D. Looks like that’s not gonna help with all the doubts in his mind.

Right, mental exhaustion… I’ll need to do some research on that, too.

“So, who else will hold the line here?”

“…Well…”

Giorno pointed up to the sky…

“Chappie, evasive maneuvers! Cover Ferris! And Ferris, get down! Everyone, take cover behind Kokki! All right! Rise, A-rise, A-rise! Grand Inferno!”

…There’s my excellent apprentice, Bright.