Chapter 42

Bab 9: Jaldabaoth

Bagian 1

Lower Fire Bulan (Bulan ke-9) Hari ke-4 21:10

Merasa haus, wanita itu bergerak malas dari tidurnya.

Dia menggeliat perlahan di tempat tidur ganda berukuran king dan meraih kendi air di samping tempat tidur, tetapi jari-jari hanya menemukan udara.

Saat itulah dia ingat bahwa dia belum mengeluarkan kendi air, dan dia mendecakkan lidahnya.

"Huwaaaah .."

Dia tidak bisa menahan menguapnya. Dia tidur seperti orang tua, lebih awal tidur dan bangun pagi, tetapi dia baru tidur satu jam yang lalu. Dia belum tidur sampai kenyang.

Wanita itu menelan dan meletakkan tangan di tenggorokannya. Ada sensasi kering dan lengket di sana, dan dia turun dari tempat tidur untuk minum air. Dia mengenakan jubah panjang dan tebal untuk menutupi tubuh telanjangnya, menyelipkan kakinya ke sepasang sandal, dan keluar dari kamar.

Ini dia— Hilma, kepala markas Divisi Perdagangan Obat-obatan terlarang – di Royal Capital. Berbicara secara logis, seharusnya ada lusinan antek yang sibuk, tetapi interior sekarang mati diam, seperti itu kosong.

Terkejut, Hima berjalan ke koridor. Rumah besar ini selalu sunyi ketika tidak ada bangsawan di sekitarnya, tetapi ini terlalu sunyi.

Dia mengundang para bangsawan ke tempat ini untuk membangun koneksi dan hubungan.

Di antara bangsawan, bahkan ahli waris yang sah pun harus menunggu lama sebelum mereka bisa berhasil di tanah keluarga. Itu cukup umum bagi mereka untuk hanya melakukannya setelah usia 30 tahun.

Selama periode ini, mereka hanya bisa meminta kepala rumah – artinya, ayah mereka – untuk mengeluarkan uang. Hal yang sama berlaku bahkan jika mereka adalah orang dewasa dewasa yang menikah dengan anak-anak. Inilah sebabnya Hilma mengundang orang-orang ini ke pesta di rumah mewah ini.

Hilma menyediakan minuman, wanita, dan obat-obatan terlarang, sambil membisikkan hal-hal manis ke telinga mereka yang dirancang untuk mempermainkan kebanggaan mereka. Dia membiarkan mereka bertemu orang lain dalam situasi yang sama seperti diri mereka sendiri untuk membangun rasa kedekatan. Hilma akan menghibur mereka dan membangun hubungan persahabatan dengan mereka.

Begitu para bangsawan ini mewarisi harta warisan, sudah waktunya baginya untuk menuai panen. Jika mereka berani memutuskan hubungan dengannya, dia akan memastikan mereka menderita karenanya. Jika mereka membantunya, dia akan menghadiahi mereka. Dengan cara ini, dia membuat terobosan lebih jauh ke dalam masyarakat yang mulia.

Dia berjalan di sepanjang lorong yang tenang, mencari air untuk diminum.

Diam bukan hal yang buruk. Dia lebih suka ketenangan daripada kebisingan orang. Meskipun dia tidak menunjukkannya di wajahnya, dia sebenarnya sangat kesal ketika dia harus minum dan bermain-main dengan para bangsawan. Namun, keadaan saat ini terlalu abnormal. Keheningan yang mematikan ini membuat rambutnya berdiri tegak, dan itu bahkan membuatnya merasa bahwa dia adalah satu-satunya orang di mansion ini.

"…Apa yang sedang terjadi?"

Mustahil bahkan para penjaga meninggalkan pos mereka tanpa memberi tahu Hilma. Dia ingin berteriak untuk seseorang, tetapi jika sesuatu yang abnormal terjadi, itu akan menjadi ide yang sangat buruk untuk membiarkan musuh tahu di mana dia berada. Dia juga mempertimbangkan untuk kembali ke kamarnya dan bersembunyi di balik selimutnya, tetapi dia mungkin sedang menunggu eksekusi.

Orang yang tidak bergerak ketika mereka harus menjadi makanan untuk orang lain. Ini adalah kepercayaan yang dia ikuti, dan dengan berpegang pada prinsip itu, dia telah bangkit dari seorang pelacur kelas atas ke tempat dia sekarang.

Dia memeriksa kedua sisi koridor kosong beberapa kali dan hanya bergerak ke depan setelah memverifikasi bahwa benar-benar tidak ada orang di sana.

Percaya pada indra keenamnya, dia menuju ke ruang rahasia yang hanya dia dan beberapa lainnya yang tahu. Ada beberapa item sihir dan permata di sana, serta terowongan pelarian. Ini mungkin markasnya di Ibukota Kerajaan, tetapi dia memiliki beberapa rumah perlindungan lain di kota itu sendiri. Mungkin dia harus melarikan diri ke sana.

Ketika dia berjingkat-jingkat di sepanjang lorong, Hilma menyadari ada sesuatu yang salah.

"Apa ini?"

Bisikan itu keluar dari mulutnya tanpa diminta. Hilma menemukan keanehan di luar jendela.

Jendela itu, terbuat dari lembaran-lembaran kaca tipis, ditutupi beberapa lapisan tanaman merambat. Akibatnya, hampir tidak ada cahaya yang bisa masuk. Dia mencoba membuka jendela tetapi tidak mau bergerak.

Dia buru-buru mempelajari jendela lain di sepanjang lorong. Masing-masing tersedak anggur.

"Apa yang terjadi? Siapa yang bisa … "

Jendela-jendelanya jelas tidak seperti ini sebelum dia pergi tidur. Ini tidak mungkin terjadi secara alami dalam waktu satu jam. Karena itu, mungkin itu adalah karya sihir.

Siapa yang bisa melakukan ini, dan apa tujuan mereka?

Dia tidak tahu tentang poin-poin itu. Meski begitu, dia mengerti bahwa situasinya sangat mengerikan.

"Sialan!"

Dia mengutuk, dan kemudian dia berlari ke depan. Dia tidak lagi peduli bagaimana jubahnya bergoyang di sana-sini. Yang ia inginkan hanyalah masuk ke kamar rahasianya.

Dia mencapai tangga dan melihat ke bawah. Itu masih diam.

Menavigasi oleh sedikit cahaya yang berhasil disaring melalui tanaman merambat, ia dengan hati-hati menuruni tangga. Pada saat yang sama, dia berterima kasih kepada karpet tebal karena menutupi langkah kakinya.

"-!"

Ketika dia sampai di lantai pertama, dia sangat terkejut sehingga tiba-tiba dia menghirup udara dingin.

Ada seseorang di lorong menatapnya. Orang itu tampaknya berbaur dengan bayang-bayang ketika berdiri di sana, tapi itu bukan karena mereka memiliki kemampuan memadukan bayangan seperti pencuri atau pekerjaan terkait lainnya. Sebaliknya rasanya seperti itu karena kulit gelap mereka, yang memberi kesan yang salah. Itu adalah Elf Kegelapan, dan mata mereka yang tidak cocok tampak berkilau pada kain hitam yang membungkus mereka.

The Dark Elf membiarkan kain hitam yang membungkus mereka jatuh ke tanah. Di bawahnya ada pakaian anak perempuan. Dia memegang tongkat sihir berwarna hitam, dan dia memandang ke arah Hilma.

Ruang rahasia ada di belakang gadis misterius ini.

Ketika dia mengingat tata letak bagian dalam mansion, Hilma menguatkan dirinya dan dengan gugup mendekatinya.

Kalau saja dia teman bermain yang dibawa oleh beberapa bangsawan.

Namun, Hilma segera membuang dugaan naifnya.

Ketika dia mendengar bahwa Cocco Doll telah ditangkap, dia bersiap untuk melarikan diri ke tempat yang aman untuk bersembunyi karena dia tidak tahu bagaimana para atasan akan bereaksi. Dalam keadaan seperti ini, tidak mungkin warganya akan membawa masuk orang luar, atau gagal melaporkan hal seperti itu kepadanya.

"Katakan, gadis kecil …"

Setelah memanggil, Hilma mengerutkan alisnya dengan curiga.

Dia telah melihat semua jenis orang dalam profesi masa lalunya sebagai pelacur kelas atas. Pengalamannya mengatakan kepadanya bahwa ini bukan perempuan, tetapi laki-laki.

Pakaiannya sangat indah dan bukan jenis yang bisa dibeli orang awam. Yang diketahui Hilma, bahkan dia mungkin tidak memiliki sesuatu dengan kualitas seperti itu.

Elf Kegelapan pernah hidup di Hutan Hebat Tob, dan mereka praktis tidak ada di Kerajaan. Namun sekarang ada satu, mengenakan pakaian mahal yang diperuntukkan bagi jenis kelamin lain.

Jika bukan karena atmosfer yang menyeramkan, Hilma akan menyimpulkan bahwa anak ini adalah seorang budak untuk memuaskan nafsu birahi bangsawan.

"… Hei nak, apa yang kamu lakukan di sini?"

Dia mendekat perlahan dan hati-hati, berusaha untuk tidak membangkitkan kecurigaannya.

"A-bibi, apakah Anda orang yang paling penting di tempat ini?"

Dia tidak senang disebut bibi. Bagi Elf Kegelapan muda seperti dia, wanita seusianya mungkin semua adalah bibi.

"Tidak-"

Dia berhenti di tengah jalan. Dia punya firasat buruk tentang ini.

Sampai saat ini, dia mengandalkan instingnya lebih dari apa pun. Dia selalu percaya bahwa instingnya lebih unggul daripada akal sehat. Di mana akal sehat mungkin telah mengkhianatinya, hanya intuisinya yang tidak pernah mengecewakannya.

"Iya! Tepat sekali! Saya orang terpenting di mansion ini. "

"Apakah, begitu ya, itu bagus kalau begitu."

Bocah itu tersenyum. Senyumnya begitu murni sehingga bahkan dalam keadaan sekarang, hampir berhasil memicu keinginan untuk menajiskan kemurniannya di dalam hati Hilma.

"Ah, well, er, aku bertanya pada orang-orang itu, dan mereka juga mengatakan itu padaku."

Seolah menanggapi bocah itu, pintu di dekatnya terbuka. Seorang gadis perlahan keluar dari dalam. Dia tampak seperti seorang gadis yang mengenakan semacam seragam pelayan yang aneh, tetapi yang mengelilinginya bukanlah aroma parfum tetapi bau darah dan darah kental.

Hilma menutup mulutnya dan menelan teriakan.

Tangan kecil pelayan yang cantik itu mencengkeram lengan pria. Sepertinya dia telah merobeknya dari soket bahunya, mengingat serat otot yang robek.

"Apa, apa dia …"

“Er, um, ah, sepertinya seseorang ingin menyerang rumah besar ini, jadi kami memutuskan untuk menyelesaikan beberapa hal sebelum orang-orang itu datang. Karena itu, eh, saya memintanya untuk ikut. ”

"Tolong, tolong jangan pedulikan aku. Sudah begitu lama sejak saya makan kenyang, dan saya sangat puas. "

Dia bisa mengatasi Hilma tanpa menggerakkan mulutnya. Itu sangat aneh, tetapi ada pertanyaan yang lebih mendesak dari itu. Apa yang membuat Hilma gemetar adalah pertanyaan tentang apa sebenarnya yang dia makan untuk mengisi dirinya sendiri. Dia bisa menebak, tetapi dia tidak mau percaya. Dengan pemikiran itu di dalam hatinya, dia bertanya kepada mereka.

“Lalu, lalu bagaimana, bagaimana denganku? Apa kamu akan memakanku juga? ”

"Eh? Ah, er, tidak. Anda memiliki kegunaan lain, bibi. "

Dia tidak bisa santai. Itu karena intuisinya memberitahunya bahwa nasib yang lebih mengerikan menantinya.

“—Lalu, lalu bagaimana dengan ini, anakku. Ingin bersenang-senang dengan saya? "

Dia membiarkan pakaian yang menutupi tubuhnya meluncur dari bahunya.

Ini adalah tubuhnya, kebanggaan dan kegembiraannya. Ketika dia masih menjadi pelacur, itu akan menghabiskan banyak uang hanya untuk menghabiskan malam bersamanya. Setelah itu, dia menyimpan lemak berlebih dari tubuhnya dan mempertahankan bentuk sensualnya. Dia yakin bahwa dia bisa mengisi siapa pun dengan nafsu makan untuknya, bahkan jika targetnya adalah anak-anak.

Namun, tampaknya tidak ada emosi yang tidak biasa di mata bocah itu.

Dia bisa mengakui bahwa pesonanya lebih rendah daripada pelayan di sana. Meski begitu, dia telah menjadi pro, terlepas dari kenyataan bahwa dia sudah pensiun. Bahkan jika dia tidak berayun seperti itu, dia masih bisa membangkitkannya—

Dia dengan elegan menggerakkan tubuhnya seperti ular dan perlahan mendekat, berhati-hati agar tidak membuatnya khawatir.

Dia tidak bisa merasakan apa pun seperti keinginan dari bocah itu,

Karena itu, ia memilih tindakan lain. Dia perlahan mengulurkan tangan dan meletakkannya di leher anak laki-laki itu – dan mengaktifkan item sihir.

Itu adalah Viper Tattoo.

Ular tato di kedua tangannya menjadi hidup, mengangkat kepala, dan melompat keluar untuk menggigit tubuh bocah itu. Siapa pun yang digigit ular dan racun neurotoksiknya yang kuat akan mati berkedut kejang. Ini adalah kartu as di dalam lubang untuk Hilma, orang tidak memiliki cara lain untuk bertarung.

Namun, bocah itu dengan gesit mengulurkan tangan dan menangkap ular yang seperti cambuk ketika menyerang, kemudian melanjutkan untuk menghancurkan kehidupan itu tanpa ragu-ragu.

Viper Tattoo berseru kembali ke lengan Hilma. Karena ular yang dipanggil telah dibunuh, tato itu tidak dapat diaktifkan kembali selama satu hari penuh sampai sembuh.

Hilma sekarang berada dalam skenario terburuk yaitu memprakarsai permusuhan dan tidak menunjukkan apa-apa untuk itu, jadi dia tersandung kembali dengan goyah. Namun, yang paling menakutkannya adalah kenyataan bahwa ekspresi bocah itu tidak berubah sama sekali selama rangkaian peristiwa ini. Dia tidak khawatir diserang, dan dia juga tidak menunjukkan permusuhan.

"B-kalau begitu, er, ayo pergi."

Pergi ke mana? Ketika Hilma mulai bertanya-tanya tentang kata-katanya, rasa sakit yang hebat melanda tempurung lututnya pada saat yang sama. Rasa sakit yang tak tertahankan membuatnya tidak bisa berdiri dan dia jatuh ke tanah.

"Abbbbaahhhhh!"

Dia meratap dengan sedih, berkeringat dingin karena rasa sakit, dan kemudian dia menatap lututnya. Dia kemudian menyesal melakukannya.

"Ya ampun, ampunku!"

Tempurung lutut kaki kirinya diputar ke arah lain, dan tulangnya menonjol keluar dari darah merahnya – dari dagingnya.

Hilma menangis dan berusaha meremas kakinya, yang merupakan penderitaan yang luar biasa. Namun, dia ragu-ragu. Dia tidak berani menyentuhnya.

Bocah itu menjambak rambut Hilma dan kemudian berjalan keluar.

Hilma diseret oleh kekuatan lengan yang tidak pernah bisa dia tebak dari cara dia memandang. Lusinan helai rambut disapu dengan suara gertakan yang pelan, tetapi bocah itu tampaknya tidak peduli.

"Itu menyakitkan! Itu sangat menyakitkan! Jangan lakukan ini! "

Menanggapi ratapan Hilma, bocah itu hanya meliriknya, tetapi tidak menghentikan langkahnya.

"Aku, aku harus bergegas dan sampai di sana!"

Bagian 2

Lower Fire Bulan (Bulan ke-9) Hari ke-4 22:20

Setelah menyelesaikan serangan terhadap mansion, Entoma Vasilisa Zeta menuju ke luar.

Dia mengupas selembar kertas dari kakinya, menggumpalnya dan melemparkannya ke kedalaman bangunan.

Rencana semula adalah untuk menghapus semua manusia di dalam mansion, memulihkan semua dokumen penting dan barang berharga, dan kemudian mundur. Jika mungkin, mereka harus mencoba menghindari meninggalkan jejak, tetapi mereka tidak punya waktu untuk memilah informasi yang dikumpulkan, jadi mereka akhirnya mengambil apa pun yang mereka lihat, dan sepertinya mereka selesai merampok sebuah rumah kosong.

Namun, itu sendiri bukan masalah. Itu karena Demiurge – yang telah mengirim Entoma dan Mare ke sini – telah mengindikasikan bahwa pengembangan seperti ini adalah suatu kemungkinan. Masalahnya lebih karena mereka telah melampaui waktu yang ditentukan terlalu banyak.

Mare dan iblis-iblis yang menemaninya sudah tidak ada lagi di sini. Mare telah membawa orang yang paling penting di rumah ini ke titik pertemuan. Setan pengikut telah meninggalkan tempat ini dengan alasan mereka telah melampaui waktu mereka – tumpukan barang.

Memang. Alasan mengapa waktu mereka benar-benar mati adalah karena mereka telah menemukan ruang bawah tanah saat mereka mundur. Dan ruang bawah tanah itu penuh dengan barang-barang selundupan dan obat terlarang.

Tugas pemulihan berjalan lambat.

Pada awalnya, ada beberapa kamar bawah tanah yang ditumpuk tinggi dengan barang-barang lain-lain, dan barang-barang bernilai tinggi itu diasinkan dan disembunyikan di antara sampah. Seperti kata pepatah, tempat terbaik untuk menyembunyikan pohon adalah di hutan. Bahkan Entoma dan iblis-iblis tidak mungkin membawa semua barang pergi bersama mereka, sehingga mereka harus menyaring hutan tersebut untuk mencari pohon-pohon yang dimaksud.

Mungkin itu bisa diselesaikan lebih cepat jika manusia yang diambil Mare masih ada. Namun, sudah terlambat untuk mengatakan itu sekarang.

Entoma dan iblis-iblis memutuskan untuk memeriksa setiap item, dan mereka melemparkan semua yang mereka nilai tidak berharga ke dalam ruangan. Ini adalah tugas yang membosankan untuk pesta pengumpulan, yang kekuatannya jauh melebihi kekuatan manusia. Namun, kerja keras mereka membuahkan hasil, dan mereka telah memulihkan segala sesuatu yang berharga dari ruang bawah tanah.

Sebagai penanggung jawab, Entoma tetap tinggal sampai akhir. Dengan sikap yang hanya ditemukan pada mereka yang telah menyelesaikan pekerjaan besar, dia menatap langit malam dan membuat untuk menghapus keringat dari alisnya. Sebenarnya, dia tidak berkeringat sama sekali; dia hanya merasa seperti itu.

"Baiklah ~ Lalu, cepatlah dan gerakkan semuanya, semuanya."

Sesuai dengan perintah Entoma, serangga yang lebih besar dari manusia membawa sayap ke langit malam, membawa sejumlah besar muatan. Kumbang Raksasa ini telah dipanggil oleh kemampuan entomancer Entoma.

Serangga terbang langsung ke titik pertemuan yang telah diatur sebelumnya, sayap mereka membuat suara bass yang dalam ketika mereka mengepakkan sayap.

Entoma menyaksikan serangga memindahkan kargo, dan dia ingat bahwa dia masih memegang sesuatu.

"Ah, aku belum memakannya. Betapa bodohnya saya, betapa bodohnya. ”

Dia main-main mengetuk kepalanya sendiri, dan kemudian membawa lengan pria yang terputus itu di bawah rahangnya. Ada suara shakashaka ketika daging lengan pria itu terkoyak. Tenggorokan Entoma bergerak seiring waktu dengan suara. Kemudian, dengan urp yang lucu, bau darah menyebar di udara.

"Sementara lemak daging wanita membuatnya empuk dan daging anak-anak rasanya enak meskipun memiliki lebih sedikit lemak, makan daging pria berotot adalah yang terbaik ketika mencoba menurunkan berat badan."

Dengan cekatan ia menghindari tulang-tulang itu, dan begitu selesai, ia melemparkan sisa lengannya ke mansion.

"Terima kasih sudah menerima saya."

Dia membungkuk ke gedung, dan akhirnya pergi ke titik yang diperintahkan atasannya untuk dia kunjungi. Namun, dia hanya mengambil beberapa langkah ketika seseorang memanggilnya dan menghentikannya.

"Yo, ini malam yang sangat menyenangkan."

"…Apakah itu? Aku sama sekali tidak berpikir itu baik untukmu, kan? "

Entoma kesulitan mengatakan apakah manusia yang perlahan-lahan muncul adalah laki-laki atau perempuan. Tampaknya perempuan, tetapi dilihat dari kerangka berototnya, itu juga tampak laki-laki.

"Apa yang kamu lakukan di tempat seperti ini?"

"Jalan-jalan."

"… Apa yang baru saja kamu makan dengan bahagia?"

"Daging."

"…Daging manusia?"

"Ya. Daging manusia."

Nada bicara pria wanita itu sedingin es, tapi itu tidak mengganggu Entoma sama sekali. Dia sama sekali tidak peduli bagaimana perasaan manusia. Jika mereka menghalangi, dia akan menginjak-injak mereka. Jika mereka menyingkir, dia akan mengabaikan mereka. Jika dia lapar, dia akan menangkap dan memakannya. Akan aneh jika dia benar-benar peduli tentang makhluk seperti itu.

"Saya melihat. Jadi monster itu muncul. Saya tidak berharap Eight Fingers mendukung monster seperti itu. Tetapi dari penampilan, mereka tidak melatih Anda dengan benar. "

Pria wanita itu perlahan mengangkat palu perang yang berduri. Saat Entoma melihat ini, kegusaran merayap ke nadanya untuk pertama kalinya.

"Aku berkata. Bisakah kita berpura-pura tidak bertemu satu sama lain? "

Ekspresi aneh muncul di wajah pria wanita itu. Mungkin tidak menyangka orang di seberangnya mengatakan sesuatu seperti itu.

“Kau tahu, aku datang ke sini untuk bekerja juga, dan berurusan denganmu akan sangat menyebalkan. Yang paling penting adalah saat ini, perutku yang pas untuk meledak. "

"… Maaf, tapi aku salah satu petualang top di Kerajaan. Saya tidak bisa membiarkan monster pemakan manusia pergi begitu saja. Selain itu, meninggalkan sesuatu seperti Anda di dunia akan menyebabkan saya banyak masalah. "

"Sungguh menyakitkan. Tetap saja, Anda mengatakan Anda kuat, ya? Kalau begitu, saya akan menggunakan Anda sebagai ransum darurat, kalau begitu. "

Entoma menatap langsung wanita pria itu untuk pertama kalinya.

Tampaknya menjadi prajurit murni.

Mm – itu seharusnya cukup kuat.

Entoma bukan prajurit murni, jadi dia tidak bisa memperkirakan kekuatan lawannya. Namun, dia tidak merasa bahwa lawannya lebih kuat darinya.

"Yeeart!"

Pria wanita itu berlari ke arah Entoma. Kemudian ia mengangkat palu perang berduri tinggi dan menubruknya.

Entoma dengan anggun menghindari pukulan itu. Namun, lawannya menolak untuk berhenti dan tiba-tiba mengubah arah ayunannya, membawa panglima perang itu dalam pukulan mematikan. Itu bukan gerakan anggun memanfaatkan kekuatan sentrifugal, tetapi menggunakan kekuatan otot kasar untuk secara paksa mengubah arah serangan.

Entoma menghindar sekali lagi, dan kemudian mengaktifkan skill.

"Ah? Apakah menjalankan semua yang dapat Anda lakukan ?! ”

Pria wanita itu mengayunkan panglima perangnya ke Entoma, dan angin kencang setelah pukulannya melecut melewati kepalanya, menggerakkan helai rambut palsu itu.

"Mm – kamu benar-benar suka berayun dengan liar, bukan?"

Ejekannya dipenuhi oleh mengklik lidah. Entoma menggunakan skillnya sekali lagi, dan pada saat yang sama dia dengan mudah menghindari tabrakan dari palu yang berduri. Setelah kehilangan target, palu menabrak tanah dengan semua kekuatan yang dimaksudkan untuknya.

Entoma mencibir serangan lawannya yang sederhana dan berulang-ulang. Wajahnya tidak berubah sama sekali. Namun, lawannya sangat bisa merasakan ejekan yang datang darinya saat mereka bertarung.

Namun, Entoma kemudian menyadari pada saat berikutnya bahwa lawannya sedang menunggu ini – untuk keangkuhan yang hanya dimiliki oleh yang sangat kuat.

"Istirahat!"

Bumi hancur di mana penghancur perang berduri telah menabraknya. Tidak, lantai batu telah hancur. Itu seperti gempa lokal. Untuk pertama kalinya, Entoma kehilangan pijakan. Sebaliknya, lawannya telah menggunakan beberapa jenis item sihir untuk tetap setinggi gunung.

Entoma menyaksikan lawannya mengangkat palu perang lagi, kepalanya ternoda oleh kotoran dan puing-puing.

Saya meremehkan lawan saya.

Entoma memarahi dirinya sendiri.

Menghindari langkah itu cukup mudah. Memang, jika dia adalah manusia, dia akan kehilangan keseimbangan ketika pijakannya hancur, dan gelombang kejut dari tanah yang terfragmentasi di bawah kakinya akan mencapai kakinya dan bertindak sebagai satu set belenggu lain untuk mengikatnya di tempat, membuat pelarian sangat sulit. Namun, Entoma adalah salah satu Pembantu Pertempuran Pleiades, dan item sihir yang dipakainya semuanya berkualitas superior. Kondisi seperti itu sama sekali tidak mengganggunya.

Hanya ada satu masalah.

Dia harus melompat untuk menghindari, tapi itu akan mengotori seragam pelayan yang dia kenakan.

Apakah hal seperti itu diizinkan? Ini adalah harta langka dan berharga yang diserahkan kepada Entoma dari Makhluk Tertinggi.

Sudah cukup – tidak ada lagi bermain-main.

Untuk pertama kalinya, ada permusuhan asli di wajah Entoma di bawah topeng.

Tidak ada lagi bermain-main.

—Aku akan membunuhnya.

Entoma berbalik menghadapi palu perang yang jatuh dan mengangkat lengan kirinya. Dia tidak lagi merasa seperti manusia menjentik serangga, tetapi keinginan sebenarnya untuk membunuh. Mungkin akan berbeda jika dia adalah Floor Guardian, tetapi bagi seseorang setingkat Entoma, akan sangat sulit untuk bertahan tanpa cedera jika dia memblokir serangan itu dengan lengan kirinya yang tak berdaya.

Pada saat berikutnya, yang terdengar bukanlah suara daging baja yang berdenyut, tetapi dua benda keras bertabrakan.

Pada saat ini, perisai menempel di lengan kiri Entoma. "Clung" bukan istilah metaforis – serangga dengan lebih dari delapan kaki mencengkeram lengan Entoma dengan erat dan menolak untuk melepaskannya.

"Apa, apa itu?"

"Kau tahu, aku seorang entomancer. Jadi saya bisa memanggil bug seperti ini dan memerintahkannya sesuka saya. "

Dia melambaikan tangan kanannya dan keluar malam itu menerbangkan serangga panjang yang berbentuk seperti pedang, yang menempel di punggung tangan kanannya.

"Ini adalah Sword Sword dan ini adalah Shield Shield. Saya telah memutuskan bahwa saya akan membunuhmu. Saya tidak bermaksud untuk mengambil hidup Anda pada awalnya, tetapi sekarang Anda tidak bisa selamat. "

Entoma maju pada lawannya dan menebasnya.

Dia merobek dada wanita itu dan darah segar keluar. Namun, itu bukan pukulan fatal. Lawannya tidak bisa menghindari serangan serius dari Entoma, tapi dia hanya terluka ringan.

Tampaknya menyebut dirinya salah satu petualang top di Kerajaan itu bukan kesombongan atau berlebihan. Namun, jika hanya itu yang dia miliki, dia tidak layak menjadi lawan Entoma.

Dia bukan pejuang murni seperti Yuri Alpha, tetapi Entoma Vasilisa Zeta masih menjadi anggota Pleiades, dan dia memiliki kekuatan yang sama sekali tidak ada bandingannya dengan umat manusia.

Dia mengayunkannya lagi, dan darah muncrat sekali lagi, menyiram wajahnya.

Berkat luka yang dia ambil tadi, luka ini lebih dalam dari yang terakhir, dan itu tidak bisa lagi dianggap ringan.

“Kamu benar-benar mengubah gerakanmu padaku! Apakah kamu serius ?! "

Warhammer berduri jatuh pada Entoma dengan tangisan marah, dan Entoma membelokkannya dengan Bug Perisai. Dia merasakan dampak yang luar biasa berpacu melalui dirinya, tetapi dia berdiri teguh, bertekad untuk tidak bergerak sebanyak langkah. Sebenarnya, tidak ada yang akan terjadi jika dia benar-benar bergerak, tetapi ini adalah ekspresi kesombongannya, dan tekadnya untuk tidak bergerak hanya untuk manusia biasa.

Pria wanita itu menunggang arus pertempuran, melanjutkan kombinasi serangannya yang lancar. Serangannya yang cepat dan geram kemungkinan besar ditambah oleh "Seni Bela Diri" yang unik untuk dunia ini. Namun, Entoma dengan terampil menggunakan Bug Perisai dan Pedang Bugnya untuk memblokir serangkaian lima belas serangan berkelanjutan tanpa banyak goresan

Entoma tidak tahu bahwa ini adalah kartu truf Gagaran Blue Rose, kombo supernya dibuat dengan secara bersamaan mengaktifkan banyak seni bela diri. Setiap serangan dari gelombang serangan yang menabrak itu dibuat dengan semua kekuatan yang bisa dihasilkan oleh lengan bajunya, dan mereka bahkan bisa menembus seni bela diri (Benteng). Hanya teknik pertahanan yang dikenal sebagai (Invulnerable Fortress) – yang hanya bisa dikuasai oleh beberapa orang jenius – yang bisa berharap untuk sepenuhnya mempertahankannya. Namun, kekuatan otot bawaan Entoma telah memblokir setiap serangan.

Ini adalah perbedaan di tingkat mereka, perbedaan besar dalam kemampuan fisik masing-masing spesies.

Awal keputusasaan mulai muncul di mata lawannya, tetapi Entoma tidak merasakan apa-apa untuk itu. Yang ia inginkan hanyalah membunuh musuhnya.

"—Puhah!"

Dia mendengar apa yang terdengar seperti perenang yang terengah-engah ketika kepala mereka menyentuh permukaan air. Serangan kombinasi juga berhenti. Entoma memiringkan tangan kanannya – yang dengan Pedang Bug – kembali seperti dia sedang menggambar busur, dan kemudian menusuk ke depan seperti kehilangan panah. Dia mengincar dada pria wanita itu.

Musuhnya mengangkat pemain perangnya, tetapi itu terlalu lambat. Serangan Entoma lebih cepat dari itu, dan menusuknya ke dada –

—Atau setidaknya, seharusnya begitu.

Dorongan terjawab. Bilah serangga tidak mengenai apa pun kecuali udara malam.

Kepala Entoma berputar. Dia ingin melihat siapa yang telah mengganggu serangannya.

Ada seorang wanita berpakaian hitam beberapa meter jauhnya. Di belakangnya adalah wanita yang terengah-engah.

“Maaf tentang itu, Tia. Saya pikir saya sudah mati. ”

"Jadi darahmu juga merah, Gagaran."

“Apa yang kamu lakukan semua terkejut? Tidak seperti ini adalah pertama kalinya Anda melihat saya terluka. "

"Aku pikir kamu sudah mulai kehabisan darah sekarang. Seperti kekuatan. "

"Itu bukan power-up, itu menjadi balapan lain sepenuhnya!"

"Perubahan kelas, kalau begitu."

Saat dia mendengar mereka berdua bercanda, Entoma menjadi marah. Dia yang kuat di sini. Hanya dia yang diizinkan bertingkah begitu santai. Mereka perlu tahu di mana mereka berdiri.

“—Apakah kamu sudah selesai? Sudahkah Anda mengucapkan selamat tinggal pada satu sama lain? "

Entoma menjadi berhati-hati untuk pertama kalinya. Wanita itu – Gagaran – tidak perlu takut. Masalahnya adalah pendatang baru – Tia. Jika pakaiannya bukan hanya untuk penampilan, maka dia harus menjadi seorang ninja. Itu adalah kelas pekerjaan yang membutuhkan level karakter minimum 60 untuk mengambil.

Jika itu masalahnya, maka teknik teleportasi yang memungkinkan Gagaran untuk melarikan diri dari serangan Entoma adalah ninjutsu.

Jika dia benar-benar seorang ninja, maka bahkan Entoma tidak akan bisa menang dengan mudah. Dia telah berpikir untuk melestarikan kekuatannya dan melenyapkan lawannya, tetapi dengan keadaan seperti itu, dia tidak bisa lagi menahan diri.

"(Jimat Shikigumo)!"

Sebelum lawannya bisa bertindak, Entoma sudah membuang empat jimat dari tangan kanannya.

Jimat itu mendarat di tanah, dan langsung berubah menjadi laba-laba besar.

Laba-laba ini sebanding dengan monster yang disihir oleh (Summon Monster 3), dan mereka adalah makhluk yang hampir tidak kuat, tetapi mereka seharusnya cukup untuk mengukur kekuatan lawannya. Mereka juga akan membeli waktu untuk mempersiapkan diri.

Entoma melakukan ini karena senjata serangga pemohon sangat kuat, tetapi mereka memiliki beberapa kelemahan. Salah satunya adalah fakta bahwa memanggil serangga yang dipermasalahkan membutuhkan waktu.

"(Kage Bunshin no Jutsu)."

Saat Tia mengaktifkan ninjutsu-nya, bayangannya menggeliat dan melahirkan Tia lain.

Entoma tidak memperhatikannya. Klon yang dihasilkan oleh (Kage Bunshin no Jutsu) hanya seperempat sekuat pencipta mereka. Kemampuan mengelak mereka bervariasi sesuai dengan seberapa banyak mana pencipta mereka telah dialokasikan untuk mereka, tapi itu saja. Mungkin mereka mungkin dianggap lawan yang tangguh untuk Shikigumo, tetapi mereka hampir tidak menjadi tantangan bagi Entoma.

Alih-alih, yang lebih penting adalah seberapa mahir aslinya. Entoma memanggil kartu trufnya; Bug Peluru dan sejenis serangga lainnya. Pada saat yang sama, dia menempelkan jimat pada dirinya sendiri untuk lebih memperkuat kemampuannya.

Sekelompok Peluru Bug berkumpul entah dari mana dan menutupi lengan kirinya.

Serangga tiga sentimeter panjang berkilau dengan cahaya baja, dan bagian depan tubuh berbentuk V mereka tajam, memiliki kemiripan yang kuat dengan peluru senapan. Tidak, kemiripan itu hanya diharapkan, karena serangga ini digunakan persis seperti peluru senapan.

Klon bayangan itu berjalan compang-camping hanya berusaha menghindari serangan satu Shikigumo, sementara yang asli berurusan dengan dua dari mereka. Fakta bahwa dia hanya membunuh satu setelah sekian lama menunjukkan bahwa musuh-musuhnya jelas tidak berlevel tinggi. Karena itu, kemenangan seharusnya mudah bahkan jika seseorang memperhitungkan kekuatan bertarung Gagaran.

—Kalau, aku tidak akan berpikir seperti itu.

Dia tidak akan menunjukkan belas kasihan pada mereka. Dia akan dengan cepat mengakhiri pertempuran dengan kekuatan yang luar biasa.

Berat di lengan kirinya menyenangkan Entoma, dan dia mengulurkan jari tangan kirinya ke Tia.

Serangga-serangga itu telah mengepalkan lengan Entoma sampai mereka praktis menggandakan diameternya. Sebagai satu, mereka merangkak ke bagian depan lengannya dan kemudian mengambil sayap dari jarinya yang panjang, satu demi satu. Dengung sayap yang tak henti-hentinya mengingatkan akan citra senapan Gatling. Jalur Bug Peluru berarti mereka menembus Shikigumo-nya sendiri, tetapi secara total, 150 dari mereka terbang ke hilir di Tia.

Serangga-serangga ini dapat melubangi baja, dan bahkan sebuah pohon besar akan penuh dengan lubang dan digergaji menjadi dua jika ditabrak oleh 150 dari mereka. Namun, dalam menghadapi proyektil yang fatal, Tia menggunakan teknik ninjutsu lain.

"(Fudou Kongou Tate no Jutsu)!"

Sebuah perisai berwarna pelangi yang gemerlap muncul di depan Tia. Serangga itu menghantam dinding cahaya raksasa yang menembus kegelapan, yang berbentuk seperti bintang berujung enam. Dalam beberapa detik, perisai itu hancur dengan suara keras kaca pecah. Namun, rentetan serangga telah berhenti ketika perisai itu pecah, mengungkapkan Tia yang tidak terluka di belakangnya.

Entoma tidak punya lidah, tapi dia tetap mengkliknya. Namun, fakta bahwa dia bisa memaksa musuhnya untuk menggunakan satu kartu as di lubang demi lubang seperti menyalakan jalan menuju kemenangannya. Sejauh ini lawannya dapat menahan serangan Entoma, tetapi begitu pelanggaran Entoma melampaui pertahanan lawannya, banjir yang menyapu perlindungan mereka pasti akan memakannya juga.

Entoma membelokkan kunai yang terbang dari depan dengan Sword Bug – lalu dia memblokir serangan udara Gagaran yang jatuh dengan serangga Shield-nya. Dia pasti telah melompat turun dari tempat yang cukup tinggi, karena Bug Perisai harus mengambil banyak tekanan, dan itu berdecit seperti meratap kesakitan.

Jika cahaya mempesona dari (Fudou Kongou Tate) telah mempengaruhi penglihatan Entoma, dia tidak akan bisa menghalangi serangan melompat Gagaran dari kegelapan. Namun, visi Entoma tidak terpengaruh oleh tipu daya kecil seperti itu. Selain itu, bidang penglihatannya jauh lebih besar daripada manusia, bahkan ketika dia mengenakan "itu".

Mungkin dia merasa bahwa menindaklanjuti serangan itu akan berbahaya, tetapi Gagaran meluncur pergi – kakinya tetap diam, tetapi jarak di antara mereka terbuka. Fakta bahwa dia bergerak dengan gesit meskipun tubuhnya yang besar membuktikan bahwa lukanya benar-benar sembuh. Dia mengambil tempat di samping Tia dan menghancurkan mayat Bullet Bugs, membuat suara pachipachi yang jelas.

"Ini mengerikan, aku tidak merasa kita bisa menang sama sekali. Bagaimana dia melakukan itu, waktunya terlalu baik, kan? Dia bahkan nyaris tidak melihat saya tetapi dia tetap menghalangi saya. ”

“Maybe she has a wide field of vision?”

“It should be something else. I think it’s more likely that it’s an entomancer ability, or some kind of magical sense… that said, everything’s in her favor, so why didn’t she attack while we were talking?”

“A beast will size up its prey’s strength, and then strike at its vitals.”

"Saya melihat. In other words, she’s studying all our moves. That’s completely unlike our shorty, these careful types are really hard to deal with.”

“It wouldn’t be good to look down on you because you’re humans, no? Ah, although there was another reason… there we are, it’s here. Now then, I won’t need this any more.”

The insect clinging to Entoma’s right arm fell to the ground and vanished into the night with a scrabbling noise.

“And in its place… come here.”

Another insect crawled onto the now-vacant arm. It resembled a centipede. No, it practically was a centipede, if one disregarded the fact that it was ten meters long and the sharp fangs at what passed for its face in front.

This was the most powerful insect her entomancer abilities could summon, the Thousand Lash Bug.

Entoma began channelling her strength into her legs.

She had learned the attack speed, destructive power, defensive strength, evasive ability and movement abilities of the two humans before her. The only unknown variable was Tia’s adaptability, but there was no need to worry about that.

“Oops.”

Entoma touched her chin. Her fingers made contact with a clear, sticky fluid.

“I just ate my fill, but after a bit of exercise I’m hungry again.”

She had touched her saliva. It was the expression of her desire for humans as food.

Although her favorite food was humans, until now she had only been able to sate her cravings using green biscuits as a substitute. Of course, she did not resent the Supreme Beings because of that. In fact, Entoma felt that the Supreme Beings were quite generous for allowing her to eat the arms which had been severed during the experiments on the humans captured from a certain village,

Even so, she had still been repressing herself, and now that there were two excellent specimens of humanity — the highest-grade of cuisine — before her, she could not bear to dispose of them without taking a single bite.

The two of them shuddered, exposed as they were before Entoma’s hungry gaze. They were not afraid of the killing intent she emitted, but this was a trembling born of the revulsion any living being had when a carnivore set its sights on them.

“Kiiiiiyeeeeeart!”

This was the first time Entoma had gone on the offensive in the battle, and her attack was accompanied by a shrill cry that sounded like two pieces of foam rubbing against each other. Predators pounced their prey in a straight line, and at very high speeds.

By the time she had deflected the six consecutive kunai coming at her, she had covered the distance between both parties.

Seeing Gagaran the frontliner raise her weapon, Entoma decided on the first person she would incapacitate, and she swung the whip in her right hand.

The longer the whip, the slower its tip would move. The same applied even to Entoma, who possessed superhuman muscle power. However, that was only true if the whip in question was a normal one.

Entoma was now using the most powerful insect that she, as an entomancer, could summon —

The whip which should have followed the motion of Entoma’s arm in a lazy arc moved in a completely impossible fashion. It launched out like an extension of Entoma’s arm at Gagaran, its razor-sharp horns and teeth leading the way at lightning speed.

This movement was only possible from a creature that was a fusion of weapon and lifeform. Even a veteran of a thousand bizarre encounters like Gagaran had probably never seen or experienced this sort of thing before. It was only natural that she would be surprised by witnessing something like that for the first time.

The fact that she could avoid such a strange attack was why she was called an adamantite-ranked adventurer — the highest-ranked of all adventurers.

Gagaran evaded the attack by the narrowest of margins, and as the insect-whip flew past her face —

"Awas!"

—Following Tia’s cry, Gagaran’s body was blown away. This was Tia’s ninjutsu — (Bakuenjin). the suicidal explosion enveloped the two of them, the Thousand Lash Bug passed through the place where Gagaran’s head had been, having turned a full 180 degrees to attack from behind.

If not for that suicidal explosion, the Thousand Lash Bug would have pierced her skull. It had been well-dodged. However, Entoma’s attack did not stop there. The Thousand Lash Bug suddenly turned as though it was on strings, heading at Gagaran’s blackened body.

At the same time, Entoma cast a talisman at Tia.

—It was a Thunderbird Talisman.

The talisman transformed into several birds of bluish-white electricity in mid-air, and winged towards Tia.

If there were two opponents, then all she had to do was let her bug deal with one of them. One could say that was an advantage that entomancers possessed.

The lightning strike exploded, and actinic blue-white light burst out to cover the surroundings, illuminating Tia — who was trying to withstand the pain — and Gagaran — who was trying to fend off the Thousand Lash Bug.

“Motherfucker! I hate these squirmy things!”

Gagaran weighed down the head of the Thousand Lash Bug with her spiked warhammer and gripped it under her left armpit, trying to keep it from moving. However, the insect used its ten meter-long body to coil loop after loop of itself around her body.

Tia stepped forward and threw a dagger, which struck Entoma’s Shield Bug with a metallic sound.

“(Thunderbird Flurry Talisman).”

Entoma cast out many talismans with her left hand. They transformed into birds that were slightly smaller than before and converged on Tia. However, Tia vanished, and bereft of a target, the thunderbirds flew on.

Tia emerged from the darkness behind Entoma, where she should have been outside of her field of vision. This was a short-ranged teleport through the medium of shadows. However, Entoma had long since spotted her. Much like certain insects had antennae, Entoma could sense movements in the air currents through a similar organ, which was another facet of Entoma’s sensory abilities.

The few remaining Bullet Bugs shot out at Tia as she stepped out of the shadows.

“Guwaaargh!”

The stink of fresh blood accompanied a cry of pain, but Entoma sensed that her opponent was still able to fight, and so she followed up on her attack.

“(Explosive Talisman).”

An explosion more intense than the one Tia had previously made shattered the nighttime silence. Tia was blown away, rolling along the ground, and more talismans continued flying after her. They were Keen Slice Talismans and Buffeting Gale Talismans. Tia could not find a chance to get to her feet, and she left a trail of bloodstains in her wake as she rolled further and further away, all the while being slashed and blasted.

“Tia! You insect bitch!”

The insect whip had already wrapped up Gagaran, who was cursing from inside the spherical mass.

They had probably planned to have Gagaran weigh down the Thousand Lash Bug while Tia attacked Entoma herself.

Entoma chuckled under her mask.

All she could say was that they were utterly foolish. Entoma was one of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick’s Pleiades battle maids. Humans of their level could not possibly hope to defeat her. The wisest course of action would have been to ignore the fact that Entoma had eaten someone and run with all their might. They had chosen poorly, and these were the consequences of that choice.

“…The sequence of events is kind of wrong, but oh well, I guess I can’t do anything about that. In any case, I’ll probably be able to eat my fill since there are so many muscles, and it looks tasty too.”

Entoma summoned more insects. These ones did not possess any fearsome fighting ability. They resembled syringes, which injected a paralytic venom.

Entoma grabbed the bugs and stepped lightly towards Tia.

This was a nice souvenir. Many creatures in the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick ate human beings. They would surely be very happy to receive a present like this.

"Hm? Apa itu?"

Entoma’s exceptional senses warned her of a long, cold object plunging down on her from above, and she leapt away. At that moment, a long lance stabbed into the ground where Entoma had just been standing.

It looked like a cavalry lance made of crystal. However, that was no ordinary lance. That was because the cavalry lance which had pierced the stone floor was made of fragile crystal, yet it did not have a single crack on it.

“Is that a spell…?”

As a spiritual magic caster, Entoma could sense certain common qualities which all magic-using careers shared from the cavalry lance.

"Memang. This is a 4th-tier arcane spell, (Crystal Lance).”

The person who answered her descended slowly upon the butt of the cavalry lance. She was a dimunitive, masked girl in a robe with a childish voice.

More helpers? Even Entoma was starting to get annoyed. She had thought she was about to enjoy a tasty meal, but then she had been surprised by an unexpected development. Her frustration was only to be expected.

“That’s enough from you for now.”

“…From whoi? I can still let you off now, so could you please leave? Children’s meat is tender and I like it very much, but the portions are just too small. I’ll play with you after I’ve eaten the two of them.”

“I see, so you’re a man-eater. And you’re dressed up like a maid, are you kidding me? Who the hell would want a monster who reeks of blood attending them?”

“WHaT dId YoU saY, YOu LItTLe bITcH?!”

Entoma had accidentally spoken in her true voice, and she hurriedly clamped her hand down on her throat.

She could not tolerate what this new enemy had said and her agitation had overcome her. She wanted to tear apart the woman in front of her, not because it was the principle of the strong preying upon the weak, but because that woman had upset her.

What did this woman just say to me? Me, a Pleiades Battle Maid of the Great Underground Tomb of Nazarick, one who serves the Supreme Beings?

The fires of hell itself blazed brightly within Entoma’s body.

“I’lL kILl You!”

She could no longer control her voice. However, she desperately struggled to keep her back from swelling up.

“Evileye!”

Tia called out to the masked woman, and Entoma now knew the name of the person she was going to slaughter with all her strength.

“I was wondering what you were trying to do… ahhh, honestly. Lesson One; always consider the relative strength and weakness of yourself and your opponent. She’s stronger than you… and weaker than me.”

Evileye swept her arm and set her cape aflutter, and then she shouted:

“How dare you bully my comrades, you monster! Now I’ll teach you what it feels like to be bullied in turn! You can thank me for it later!”

Furious anger exploded from beneath that mask, but Entoma did not care.

Entoma was radiating murderous intent of her own from every pore of her body, and she broke into a sprint. In Entoma’s hate-filled mind, the other two were nothing more than bothersome pebbles.

—Did she say nobody would want me attending them?!

Those words echoed through her mind, again and again.

Entoma swung the Thousand Lash Bug. There was only about a meter or so left for her to grip; the rest had already formed into a huge sphere. Naturally, Gagaran was at the heart of it.

“I’ll squash you flat with your friend! Damn woman!”

She smashed the Thousand Lash Bug down on her opponent, like she was wielding a flail.

“Hmph, what a boring attack.”

However, Evileye was unmoved.

“(Reverse Gravity).”

Entoma resisted the spell, but the Thousand Lash Bug turned weightless and floated up leisurely.

As long as the wearer successfully resisted a spell, their equipment would also resist it. However, insect weapons did not use their wielders’ resistance, but had to resist spells and effects on their own.

Therefore, even if a spell did not affect Entoma herself, it could affect her insect weapons, as shown by the current situation. This was a demerit of insect weapons, which could prosecute independent attacks.

However powerful Entoma was, she could only give up her original plan in the face of this magic.

The Thousand Lash Bug sensed what Entoma was thinking and released Gagaran. It unrolled like a tape measure and instantly became a ten meter-long insect whip. As Gagaran collapsed to the ground, Evileye barked orders at her.

“Gagaran! You’re in the way! Go heal up Tia! If your gloves are used up, feed her potions!”

The injured humans were going to heal themselves. That alone was not a problem, because neither of them was a worthy opponent for Entoma. However, the magic caster in front of her was a different matter entirely, considering her abilities.

Evileye was on Entoma’s level. If she had help, the tide might quickly turn against her.

Thus, while Entoma was unwilling to deploy it, she decided to reveal her true ace in the hole.

She had already used it once to exterminate everyone within the mansion in one fell swoop, but she could still use it two more times.

It was the ability to exhale a cloud of carnivorous flies — (Fly Breath).

The flies expelled by the breath were like cattle flies. They did not eat flesh in and of themselves, but they laid flesh-burrowing grubs. The grubs would burrow into their victims’ bodies and cause damage over time to them. Worse, once the larvae sprouted wings, they would become a choking swarm that would attack anyone who entered their area of effect save certain individuals.

Entoma bared her throat, exposing her true face from where a human’s chin would be. To an outsider, it would look like her jaw had split open,

With an awwwwrblargh, she vomited a mass of swarming flies.

"Kamu! Is that power connected to the Demon Gods? In that case—”

White vapor spread from Evileye, as though to meet the attack.

Ice-type attacks were a good response, but they could not completely neutralize the swarm. The ideal method would be spells that created blasts or explosions to disperse the fly swarms.

She had made a mistake.

Entoma imagined how Evileye would look when the maggots ripped her to shreds, but the spell she had used as a counterattack exceeded her predictions.

As they touched the vapors, the flies fell to the ground one by one. Said vapors then enveloped Entoma’s body. At that moment, Entoma was wracked by incredible agony.

♦ ♦ ♦

“Abbbaahhhhh!”

The entomancer’s face emitted a cloud of steam and deformed, as though someone had poured acid on it.

Evileye’s objective had been to negate her opponent’s breath attack, but she had not expected it to reveal her enemy’s true face.

“Oi, oi, did it work?”

Gagaran had her spiked warhammer raised and she was looking for a chance to approach her opponent. As expected of an excellent warrior, she had probably sensed that this was the deciding moment of the battle. In truth, given their opponent’s fighting power, they had to follow up on this attack and finish the fight quickly.

Gagaran could not approach the enemy because the ten meter-long insect was thrashing about wildly, preventing her from getting close. However, it felt like futile resistance from a defeated enemy.

“What on earth was that spell?”

Evileye answered Tia’s question:

“It’s an insect-killing spell, (Verminbane). There was an insectile Demon God among the Demon Gods 200 years ago. So I invented this spell to wipe out the insects it summoned. Ah, well, it’s something like a unique creation.”

“Oi! Will this spell harm us?”

“It won’t. It’s especially effective against vermin, but it’s non-toxic towards other living creatures.”

“…Her face melted.”

“Tia, that’s because her true identity is… erk! No, that’s not a face!”

As though waiting for Evileye to exclaim just that, the maid’s pretty face slid stickily down and thudded to the ground. It looked like the skin had been peeled off her face, but that was not the case. The back of the face which had fallen onto the ground was covered in insectile legs.

“To think it was an insect shaped like a mask…”

“Orrgguooowh!”

The maid’s throat was exposed. There was a slit in that abnormally hard-looking throat, and a big chunk of something slime-covered fell out of it.

It resembled a wad of vomitus, but the deciding difference was the fact that it was still writhing on the ground.

"Apa yang …"

Evileye could not help but hold her breath in the face of this chain of bizarre events. This was the first time she had experienced something like this in her long life.

“—A Lip Bug.”

That was the name Tia used to address the slime-covered, leech-like creature that had fallen to the stony ground.

“This insect devours the vocal cords of humanoids and uses them to produce the voices of its victims.”

The front of this pinkish leech-like creature creature resembled a pair of human lips, and it was gasping in the sweet voice which the maid had been using until just now.

As everyone stared at her, the maid slowly removed the hands covering her face. The visage thus revealed resembled that of an insect’s.

The members of Blue Rose could not help but back off as they saw that startling face of hers. While they had guessed at it once the Mask Bug fell off and the (Verminbane) had been visibly effective, the horrific sight before them still engendered fear in their hearts.

The fact that an inhuman monster like this had actually set foot into the world of humans made them all feel like they had been violated.

“YoU dARe… YOu DarE…”

That voice was cold, stiff and difficult to understand.

“Now that’s a cute voice. I prefer it when you sound like that!”

Gagaran’s words were practically dripping with hostility. She was the most compassionate of all of Blue Rose’s members. In all likelihood, she was thinking of all the victims of this girl. The grip on her weapon grew tighter.

“Pu, puUuNy hUmANsSs!”

During the previous battle, their opponent had always striven to present a calm, composed front. However, that composure was nowhere to be seen now.

That being the case, she was probably not going to hold back any more, and she would launch a furious onslaught.

“The real battle’s about to begin! Don’t slack off, you two! What’s in store for us is an attack even fiercer than the last!”

Evileye shouted a warning to the two of them. However, since it was them, they already understood even without the need for Evileye to say so. They had been prepared to lose their lives ever since the battle had begun.

The insect maid’s back swelled up, and four long legs — like those of a spider — sprouted from under her clothes. It looked like she was wearing insect legs as a backpack.

She used the legs she had sprouted to leap forward. It was so startling that one might think she had used a flying spell.

Now that she had a height advantage from overhead, the monster spewed its (Fly Breath), seeking to engulf everyone in it.

Evileye clicked her tongue and cast (Verminbane) once more.

“ONlY yOu! yOU’rE tHe OnLy ONe I haVe tO feAR! ONCe You’Re deAd EvErYTHIng elSE WIll bE SimPLe! WhY aRE YOu sO hARD To DeAl wiTH?!”

The flesh-eating flies were wiped out, and the insect maid fell back to earth, her compound eyes glaring at Evileye. Indeed only Evileye could fight evenly with this monster. If Evileye were defeated, the battle would be decided, and there was no doubt that Gagaran and Tia would die horribly. That said, focusing entirely on one person was a mistake.

“Take this!”

Gagaran smashed in from the side with her spiked warhammer.

Evileye might have the advantage, but Gagaran was not willing to dump everything on her. She stepped up beside her comrades to challenge this formidable foe. Evileye smiled at her from under her mask. If she had not been wearing, she might have have been too shy to do so.

The monster made to evade Gagaran’s hit, but it froze briefly in place. That was because of Tia’s ninjutsu, (Fudou Kanashibari no Jutsu). Her foe was not so much resistant to it as she was immune to it, so it could not stop her from moving. Even so, the fact that it had created a brief opening for Gagaran was a tremendous help.

In response to the (Smash)-enhanced strike, the monster spat a mouthful of spider silk. There was so much of it that painted the upper half of Gagaran’s body white.

The sticky and resilient silk was difficult to break even for Gagaran’s arm-strength. She stopped her attack and stumbled backwards. Instead, the monster stepped forward.

“(Crystal Lance).”

A cavalryman’s lance of crystal shot out at the monster.

It hit Entoma and penetrated deep into her body, but it did not seem to hurt her at all. Worse, she seemed strong enough to summon more insects from the night, causing her left arm to swell up.

“(Verminbane)!”

The white vapors caused the insects swarming on Entoma’s left arm to fall off, and the monster moaned in pain.

The portion of her body that corresponded to a human’s jaw turned to face Evileye, and it spewed a stream of silk at her, the same as what it had spat at Gagaran.

Defending with magic would be a waste of mana. I’m immune to binding anyway, so I should just take — no!

Evileye hurriedly cast a spell. It was true that Entoma had spat silk at her, but the light from its strands was colder and harder than what she had hit Gagaran with.

“(Crystal Barrier)!”

The crystal wall before her eyes was cut to pieces and vanished before her eyes.

“Was that razor webbing?!”

"Untukmu!"

The net of woven black thread which Tia cast out expanded in mid-air. However, that net could not find purchase on the monster’s body. The net passed through the monster’s body like an illusion and fell to the ground.

“To think she’s completely immune to movement restriction!”

“Cheh! Time out!”

Gagaran’s indignant retort was accompanied by a kick at the maid, who was seeking to close into melee combat. That kick was also intended to create some space between them.

The startling thing was that when the greave made contact with the maid uniform, there was a sound of metallic collision.

Gagaran backed off, and the other two members of Blue Rose kept their distance from the maid, forming up while staying wary of area attacks.

“POkiNg hERe anD PoKInG theRE… wHaT a PAiN!”

As Gagaran inspected the maid’s buzzing jaws, her low voice filtered into Evileye’s ears.

“Did you hear that? That maid uniform’s as hard as my weapon, what a joke.”

“It’s woven from a very hard metal. Given its thickness, I’d say her clothes are much harder than your weapon.”

“Adamantite… no, that’s not it.”

“I don’t think that’s all, no? She’s got gear so good that it doesn’t even make sense… My earth-elemental spells aren’t too effective against her. In other words, her items must include something with the effect of reducing magical damage. Simply put, finding her weakness and taking her unawares isn’t going to be too effective.”

“Which means?”

In response to Tia’s question, Evileye smiled thinly under her mask.

“We need to attack head on and hit her with everything we have to drain her health.”

“Easier said than done. What should we do? If we don’t hurry up, she’s going to finish powering herself up with her talismans.”

“We’ll just use our strongest moves. For me, it’ll be (Verminbane).”

“…Sounds simple enough. Alright, let’s finish this.”

However, depleting the health of one’s foe with high firepower was not as simple as it sounded.

Under normal circumstances, she could use (Sand Field – One) or (Region Petrification) to seal off her opponent’s movements and support the warriors, but those moves were useless against that maid.

If damage had to be done, then Gagaran could take care of that with physical attacks. Evileye’s role was to prepare countermeasures for when physical attacks were ineffective, and not to focus on attack magic. That was what she had always believed. However, given the present circumstances, she could not longer say that.

I’ve always insisted that magic casters who rely on attack spells are second-rate, but I guess I have to eat my words now.

Evileye considered the spell she ought to use.

Her most effective spell was a maximized (Shard Buckshot), but that would hit her comrades as well. The high-tier spell (Verminbane) which she had innovated consumed a lot of mana, so it was best saved for when her opponent summoned bugs. That being the case, the most suitable spell would be of the acid element, which she did not like much.

The three of them looked at each other, and they attacked at once.

Evileye used (Acid Splash) as their main attack method, while Tia — whose offensive power was comparatively weaker — supported them from behind with items. Gagaran activated her martial arts in between a series of repeated combination attacks.

♦ ♦ ♦

Before long, the battle began favoring one side.

It was true that their foe was very powerful. She could spit all kinds of spiderwebs, launch magical attacks with talismans, and summon insects to attack. In addition, she possessed powerful magic items, beyond those of Blue Rose.

However, even as the group’s recovery items and other resources dwindled, the insect maid was slowly being forced to retreat further and further back.

If she were asked what had determined the course of the battle, Evileye would puff up her chest and proudly say, “my friends.”

Indeed, Gagaran and Tia were far weaker than Evileye or the monster facing them. But numbers were a significant advantage. Being able to attack and heal at the same time had a big effect on the battle.

In particular, the side that could have others heal them when they could not heal themselves had an advantage. That point had been the decisive factor between victory and defeat.

“Don’t make simple mistakes, keep forcing her back!”

Part 3

Lower Fire Month (9th Month) 4th Day 22:27

It had been a fierce battle.

The insect maid finally collapsed, like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

Evileye’s mana was heavily depleted, and her expendable items were almost gone. The cost of this battle had been ruinous.

“We won.”

Gagaran, covered in wounds as she was, announced their victory in a panting voice. While she was completely out of healing items, she had not lost as much health as her external injuries would indicate.

“Finish her off.”

"Mengerti."

Evileye approved of Tia’s suggestion. The insect maid was on her last legs, but she was not dead yet. The fact that she was still making chirping noises was the best proof of that.

Now that she lacked the ability to fight, it would be best to take her life without hesitation.

Tia stepped forward, sword in hand, and then her body froze in place. Evileye knew the reason for that without having to ask her why.

“I believe that will be all for now.”

Unbelievably enough, a man had appeared in front of the insect maid at some point to block her.

He was dressed in strange clothes which they had never seen before in this region. From what Evileye knew, this was a type of clothing worn in the south, known as a “suit”. The man wore a mask, and they could not see his face.

However, he was most definitely not human. That was because he sprouted a tail from his waist.

“Oi, you a friend of Evileye’s?”

Nonsense, Evileye wanted to say, but she could not speak. She felt like she had been struck by lightning. She glanced at her right hand and saw that it was covered in sweat.

“—Are you alright? Allow me to take care of things from now on. You should go back and rest.:”

The man did not seem to care at all about the armed and battle-ready members of Blue Rose, but spoke kindly to the insect maid. Though he was an enemy, that act of his seemed quite endearing. However, Evileye did not think so.

The fear she felt from the top of her head to the ends of her toes refused to vanish.

Evileye’s survival instincts responded. She held her breath and desperately whispered to Gagaran and Tia beside her.

“…Run away… idiot, don’t look at me. Shut up and listen. That… he’s too powerful. He’s a monster among monsters. Don’t look back, just run with all your might.”

“…What about you?”

Gagaran’s face was bitter as she asked that question.

“Don’t mind me. Once I’ve bought enough time for you to flee, I’ll escape with teleportation magic.”

And then, somehow, the insect maid — who should have been rendered immobile by her injuries — rose shakily to her feet. She did not seem to have used any healing magic, nor did she seem to have drunk anything.

An insect flew out of nowhere and clung to her back, and then the maid soared into the night sky. She left only the sound of her going “giii giiii” behind as she flew into the distance.

Although their enemy was getting away before their eyes, Evileye did not care. She could not tear her eyes away from the man in front of her. The other two were like her, covered in sweat and frozen in place.

After watching the maid leave, the man turned back to face Evileye and the others.

In the 250-plus years of her life, Evileye had seen powerful beings of all shapes and sizes. However, the man before them had a unique aura about him. No, it was more that the nauseating malice he emanated had no equal in all her experience.

Someone like him ought to be on the level of the Platinum Dragon Lord. He was too powerful for her to make an accurate judgement.

“I apologize for keeping you waiting. Now then, since we do not have much time for this, let us begin right away.”

"Lari!"

Evileye’s voice was more of a wail.

The two of them turned like they had been electrically shocked. It was not as though they did not feel guilty for leaving their comrade behind. This was best shown by the fact that they did not retreat right away when Evileye told them to flee. What they felt was trust — trust that Evileye would find a way to deal with this, or that Evileye could find a way to escape.

However, those thoughts were immediately overruled.

“For starters, parting right after meeting is most saddening. Therefore, please permit me to interdict your teleportation. (Dimensional Lock). One ought to say one’s farewells before departure; certainly that would be pleasing from both an emotional and an etiquettical point of view, do you not agree?”

Certain extremely high-level demons and angels could use skills that could prevent the use of teleportation in their vicinity. Evileye had now lost her means of retreat.

However, that was not a problem. She had known that from the beginning. The last person to remain here — the one covering everyone else’s retreat — would not make it back alive.

“Death ought to come in the appropriate order. The young should live, while the most aged should die first. I believe that is proper.”

After bidding farewell to the vanishing presences behind her, the woman who had lived over 250 years turned to face the enemy before her eyes, though she had no chance of victory.

“Now then, after you. Of course, if you will not do anything, then I shall make the first move.”

Unlike his gentle tone, the explosion of compressed bloodlust was truly terrifying. Evileye focused the full extent of her will to disperse the malice before her.

I am Evileye. I am a woman of legend. No matter how powerful my enemy is — I must fight!

“Then don’t mind if I do! Ambil ini! (Maximize Magic – Shard Buckshot)!”

Her opening move was her most favored spell. Shards of crystal, each slightly smaller than a fist, scattered forth.

The crystal shards had pointed tips, and originally, they should have been fired into her enemy’s body at close range to increase their power. However, she dared not approach the fiend before her too closely.

She had resigned herself to death, and yet she dared not advance. Evileye could not help but mock herself for that. However, she ought to fight carefully when she did not know how powerful her opponent was.

The masked demon spread his arms, as though in welcome. The shower of crystal flechettes hit him — no, they vanished before they did. So complete and sudden was the disappearance that it seemed as though they had never existed.

Is this the spell resistance which only certain species  possess? He’s that much more powerful than me?!

The greater the difference in their power, the more easily spells could be resisted.

Ignoring Evileye, who had misplayed her opening move, the man grandly swept his hand. He looked like the conductor of an invisible orchestra.

“(Hellfire Wall).”

A wave of heat crashed into her back. Evileye could not believe it, and hurriedly turned back to look.

There was a foom, and then it seemed as though the night itself had caught fire. Unnatural black flames surged into the sky.

The fleeing Gagaran and Tia were enveloped by the black fire. Their limbs twitched like puppets, and then they fell to the ground like so much rubbish. When the fire had vanished like it had never been, the two of them remained motionless. Evileye fought the impulse to rush to their side. She could hardly believe it, but she had no choice but to do so. Evileye knew those had been fatal injuries. With just a single blow, the comrades with whom she had shared her joy and sorrow had lost their lives.

She clenched her teeth to keep herself from screaming.

“I had hoped to stop just short of killing them, but they were weaker than I had expected. To think they could not even take flames of that magnitude. You have my sincerest condolences.”

The man bowed, as though his regret were sincere. Evileye could no longer hold her feelings back after witnessing his fake attitude.

He had ignored Evileye before him — the one who had actually attacked him — but had instead attacked the two people behind her. Why was that? Obviously it was because they were fleeing, but there was another, greater reason beyond that.

Evileye fully understood the disparity in their respective fighting strengths, and she knew that she had not been perceived as a threat. However, the truth was worse than what she had thought — her opponent did not even see her as an enemy.

The person before him would not flee. So he would kill the people who did flee. That was probably what he was thinking.

“Striking while sparing your lives is hardly an easy task. And I cannot use you as a reference either… why did you team up with them despite the vast gulf in your respective abilities. If you had not, I might have been able to make a better estimate.”

“—-You have no right! To say that! Uwaaaaaahhhh!”

This was not a wail of despair, but a cry of anger. Evileye’s howl was full of hatred as she broke into a sprint. No, it would be better to say she flew on wings of magic. She focused her mana into her fist, preparing a touch spell that would be difficult to nullify or resist.

The demon raised his fist and prepared to meet her.

“(Aspect of the Devil — Giant Arm of the Demon).”

The demon’s arm swelled up to several times its original size, and it was so long that it dragged upon the ground. This was not pneumatic inflation, but a sturdy arm of muscle and bone that was a weapon in its own right.

Anyone would take a step back just looking at that weapon. Indeed, Evileye had cowered for a moment. But she had resolved herself for this, and she decided to evade the attack of that arm and attack her foe.

The gigantic arm closed in on Evileye. It moved much faster than she had imagined, filling up her field of vision like a gigantic wall. Evileye sensed that she would have a hard time evading and cast a defense spell.

“(Damage Translocation).”

Her vision turned black, and at the same time she felt a massive impact, as well as her body being savagely hurled through the air. Her line of sight spun round and round, and she had no idea where she was. When she hit the floor, the impact was such that she bounced lightly off, like a ball. Then she hit the ground again this time sliding to a halt.

However — she was unhurt.

Evileye used (Fly) to get back up in a way that defied common sense.

She was unhurt. However, had she not used a spell which converted physical damage to mana depletion, she would probably be dying by now.

“(Penetrate Maximize Magic – Crystal Dagger).”

She created a crystal dagger that was bigger than usual. This spell caused pure physical damage, which was not easily resisted. In addition, she had used a skill to allow it to breach spell resistance more easily.

The demon did not dodge, but took it on his body. The spell’s damage potential had been maximized, yet it did not seem to have affected the demon at all.

“…I couldn’t hurt him even with a spell enhanced with Penetrate Magic…? This high-level demon is beyond my expectations, no, he might be beyond the Demon Gods! Could he be the King of the Demon Gods?!”

Just adding the word “Lord” to a name did not make a monster stronger, but the more powerful members of a species often called themselves “Lords” or “Kings”. That was common knowledge in this world. Frankly speaking, humans were the only species who would crown their weaker members as kings.

“(Aspect of the Devil: Scything Claws.”

The demon’s fingernails grew to a length of over 80 centimeters long. Evileye’s instincts told her that they were sharp enough to cut through anything.

I can’t escape with their bodies. Even if the others came, they’d only get in the way against this guy. At the very least, I need to change the battlefield and make it easier for the other two to find the corpses.

Evileye quirked up the corner of her mouth.

The worst-case scenario would be having Lakyus — who possessed resurrection magic — encounter this demon. She had to avoid that at all costs.

“Here I come!”

In the moment that Evileye was about to challenge him, something fell between them with a thunderous crash.

Unable to bear that weight, the stone slabs shattered, and dust flew everywhere.

Before her stood a warrior, still kneeling from the force of his landing.

His jet-black armor reflected the calm light of the moon, making for an oddly beautiful sight. His crimson cape fluttered like a roaring blaze, with the night sky as a backdrop. Each of his hands held an extraordinary greatsword, gleaming with the light of judgement.

The dark warrior slowly rose to his feet. He was truly massive. By height alone, he ought to be about as tall as that demon. However, just like fiends would recoil from holy light, Evileye sensed a hint of fear from that powerful demon as he gazed upon that dark warrior. It was as though he had seen something unbelievable.

Evileye heard the sound of swallowing in the silence. It had come from the demon. That unfathomably powerful demon, whose strength even Evileye could not accurately judge, did not dare breathe loudly in the presence of this imposing warrior.

She heard a cold voice shatter the night.

“Now then… which of you is my enemy?”