CH 98

(Ryo POV)

“Our name is the ‘Mercenary of the Fog’. We are not interested in the Holy Land, nor in you. So could you please let us through?”

I say to the men who are gradually encircling us.

“‘Mercenary of the Fog’? Ah, I see, a group of mercenaries under the leadership of a ruler who is in league with our bitter enemy, the Demon King. If that’s the story, we should kill you all before we even trust your words.”

The men take heed of my words and commence to arm themselves. We, on the other hand, do not even take a fighting stance.

“So, are you proposing that we shall become the rust of justice’s blade with grace? If that is the way it is, even the devil’s pawns will not suffer…”

“What a shocking thing to say.”

Interrupting the men’s representative with my head in my hands, I say, “It is not too late. Draw your swords and let us through peacefully, or you will be punished.”

The men laugh vulgarly in response and shoot us looks that indicate, “What the hell are you even talking about?”

But we cannot afford to fight them here.

“The devil’s pawns are talking about divine punishment, what a joke! Death to you!”

The man charges at me with his sword lifted. However, just before the sword lands on me, several bolts of lightning strike, utterly destroying the sword and charring the man in a split second.

And if anyone checks their surroundings, they will discover that majority of the men are lying on the ground convulsing, and none of them are unharmed.

“Oh, I knew it would end up this way.”

“Indeed.”

“Just as I expected.”

“They reap what they sow…”

“It can’t be helped.”

“Self defenseーself defenseー”

[[Yeah.]]

With puzzled expressions on their faces, the entire “Mercenary of the Fog” exchanges their impressions of the scene around them.

Well, you’re wondering how did this happen?

As a matter of fact, the mechanism is simple: the “Priest of Absolute Peace” has deployed a mobile dungeon area around the “Magic Holy Land,” and we, the “Mercenary of the Fog,” have been moving around, trying to stay inside the perimeter of the dungeon territory as much as possible. The men attacked us in the midst of this, resulting in divine punishment. That’s all there is to it.

Though it was unexpected that the men were extinguished by a single infliction of divine punishment.

Now that we’re moving again, there is one drawback to this method of transportation.

“Oh, the territory we are in now is moving to the north. I guess the next stop will be that way…”

The speed and direction of movement are dependent on the territory, and since we are inside the dungeon, communication with the outside world is not possible. As a result, I haven’t been able to get in touch with Kurokiri for the past few days.

Plus, only Shigan, who possesses ≪Special Area Vision≫, can determine where a dungeon is located and the extent of a dungeon.

Even so, Shigan carries a number of unusual skills, including ≪Automatic Escape≫ and ≪Special Area Vision≫. They are, nonetheless, useful.

“Ah…”

As we move to the next dungeon territory following Shigan’s guidance, Izumi notices something and raises her voice.

When I look at it, something is approaching us with a cloud of dust and smoke.

“Oh, is it happening again?”

“What a hassleー”

While Shigan and I are saying this, the thing that is emitting a cloud of smoke is advancing towards our direction.

Well, since we are now unfortunately outside of the “Magic Holy Land,” we must deal with it.

“Wait… that’s…”

Izumi restrains us with her hand.

If Izumi is restraining us in this way, then perhaps it means that…

“Ichiko nee-chan!!”

I can see the person who is sending up a cloud of smoke.

I knew it…

“Get away from Lady Ryo! You monsterrrrrr!”

“Oops.”

Eh?

That figure slashes at Shigan, who is standing next to me, in a straight line with a long sword in her hand.

In response, Shigan leaps to the side with ≪Automatic Escape≫ and flees.

I try to grasp the situation in a panic.

Ichiko is most likely the one who just assailed Shigan, based on Izumi’s reaction and my faint impression of her.

But why would she assault Shigan?

And why did she call Shigan a monster…

I hurriedly look at their faces.

The expression on the face of the attacker, presumably Ichiko, is one of wrath and fear.

“Oh well, it’s been a long time since we met, but you greeted me in a very rough manner. Specimen number 667?”

In contrast, the expression on Shigan’s visage, who is speaking in a totally different manner than before, carries a… smile…?

(Ichiko POV)

As I continue running from Cairo, I begin to spot figures in front of me.

With the distance drawing closer, it becomes clear to me from the contours of each face to the modeling.

Izumi is there. Mugi is there. Even Houki-san is present. There are people I don’t recognize… but they seem to be good people. Then there is Lady Ryo, who has become so strong that there is no comparison to what she was a decade ago.

However, I have heard from Kurokiri that “she” might be there.

But I have been hoping, if at all possible, that Kurokiri was mistaken, and that my fears would be unwarranted.

Yet…

“Get away from Lady Ryo! You monsterrrrrr!”

“Oops.”

That one is also there, just as Kurokiri said. She’s also standing close to Lady Ryo.

An involuntary shriek escapes me with rage seeping into my head. I forcibly suppress my quivering that had once been induced by fear as I attempt to slash at her. But that blow is effortlessly evaded by her.

While keeping Lady Ryo behind my back, I face that thing… the God of Calamity.

“Oh well, it’s been a long time since we met, but you greeted me in a very rough manner. Specimen number 667?”

“Don’t call me by that name!”

The appearance of the God of Calamity has not changed in the slightest since that day ten years ago. As always, her eyes still eloquently convey that humans are mere guinea pigs… no, mere humans are nothing more than a speck of dust, and that we Demon Kings are simply experimental animals.

“Hahaha. Well, forget it, now that all the performers are here, let’s get started.”

“Begin, you say…?”

I question back, tensing up unconsciously.

Perhaps it is due to the threatening atmosphere that I am exuding and the demeanor of the God of Calamity, which has shifted drastically from how she would normally portray her attitude. The ordinary humans around us hastily move away, following the directions of Mugi and a woman I did not recognize. Izumi has generated a weapon and is readying it, while Houki-san is taken aback by the situation and Lady Ryo seems to be frantically trying to grasp the circumstances.

“Oh, yes.”

The God of Calamity disappears in a heartbeat, and I search for her whereabouts in a panic.

“Agghh!? W-why…”

And within the following second, there is the God of Calamity, who is piercing Houki-san’s abdomen with her hand.

“Houki!?”

“Lady Ryo, no!”

At the sight of this, Lady Ryo unconsciously tries to rush to her, but I pull her hand away and compel her to step back behind me.

“P-please let go of my hand!”

“No, I can’t let Lady Ryo near that thing. Izumi!”

“Nn…”

I beckon Izumi close to me, keeping a watchful eye on the God of Calamity.

“Take care of Lady Ryo.”

“Okay…”

“W-wait!”

Izumi takes Lady Ryo and leads her away.

While Izumi is leaving, Houki-san’s overall body is still trembling, but with greasy perspiration, she is struggling to resist the God of Calamity, who is muttering… something.

I, on the other hand, am unable to approach the God of Calamity. Approaching her recklessly right now would lead to disastrous consequences.

“Well, let’s have an interim report, shall we? Show me the fruits of your ten years of endeavors.”

After saying this, the God of Calamity withdraws her bloody hand from Houki-san’s abdomen and her figure dissolves into the void.

And the moment the God of Calamity disappears utterly, Houki-san, who has been crawling on the ground from pain without support, rises up as if something leaps up from the ground with blood flowing from her abdomen.

“Aa… ah… aaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!”

At the same time as she screams out, Houki-san’s figure expands and distorts wildly, then contracts from there to adopt a single form.

It’s a woman dressed in an inverted black and white maid’s uniform. Her visage is equal to Houki- san’s, and she wields a massive bamboo broom that is as tall as she is.

Despite not being as intimidating as a Demon King, her entire body radiates an overwhelming sense of domination, signifying that this monster is unlike any other demonic entity.

And I can tell by her stance that she has hostile intentions as soon as it notices me. Yet, her eyes are telling me something.

I understand that Houki-san’s mind is deliberately retained in this monster while maintaining a normal state of being.

That her body is now under the absolute control of the God of Calamity.

And that there is only one other thing that can be done to save Houki-san.

“Now, fight to your heart’s content. This guy is rather formidable. Hahahaha…”

Then, out of nowhere, the voice of the God of Calamity is heard, simultaneously with which Houki-san begins to take action.