Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (WN) Chapter 377

Arifureta After IV Demon King & Hero Arc VS Mother Last

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Author note: Very sorry for the wait!

Mother proclaimed checkmate.

Right after that a metal colored rain poured down. The enormous amount of liquid metal spray created pinball sized raindrops that poured down like a squall.

「I got nothing but bad premonition here!」

「It’s impossible to completely dodge this! Nagumo, get under me!」

Kouki lifted his great sword above his head and instantly rotated it in high speed. It was “Fortress Ring”, the guard skill of the kingdom’s knight order sword technique to form a huge round shield using sword.

Hajime slipped under that rotating shield Kouki formed while aiming Donner’s muzzle to above. His extreme focus raised the perception expansion ability from “Light Speed” to the maximum. The rotating shield looked like it was moving in slow motion to him.

He pulled the trigger with a speed that made it looked like his fingertip was blurring. He pulled the trigger six times. Every single shot instantaneously slipped through the rotating shield without exception toward the ceiling.

Each of the six bullets accurately hit a different rain drop. Six shockwaves surged right away.

Special bullet that emitted magic power shockwave――Burst Bullet.

Of course, he couldn’t expect a considerable destructive power in this world that rejected magic power. Even so, this bullet emitted shockwave that could turn even a giant rock into small pieces three times in succession. Although its range and power were weakened to a sad degree, it had no problem if it was just for shifting the trajectory of the surrounding rain drops.

Small crimson shockwaves billowed in radiating shape eighteen times in total. The squall that was in direct course to hit them was transformed into mere drizzle.

The metal colored rain drops were scattered by the sword shield and hit the surrounding.

Right after that, explosion that tore the eardrum and shockwave that gave a beating to their consciousness indiscriminately scattered to the surrounding.

「They’re cl.u.s.ter bomb huh-」

「Guhh」

Shockwave a.s.saulted from every direction other than from under their feet that was protected by the steel bridge. The might of a single explosion didn’t amount to much, but the quant.i.ty was beyond counting. It was the violence of number where they were crushed by literally countless shockwaves.

It wasn’t a direct hit so they weren’t fatally wounded. But, damage was steadily acc.u.mulated on their body. Above all else it was a grave danger for them to be pinned into one spot.

The sky flashed. The instant they sensed that,

「f.u.c.k!」

「Nagumo!?」

Hajime gritted his teeth and tripped Kouki who was defending against the explosive rain.

Kouki tumbled due to the complete surprise attack. With their position reversed, the lightning speed crushing blow hit Hajime who was now at the above.

「――tsu」

He couldn’t even scream. Although he raised Donner and Schlag above like a shield, he was. .h.i.t by a lightning drop directly. A normal person would die instantly unless a miracle happened.

Of course there was no way Hajime would accept death that obediently. Crimson spark coiled around his whole body.

It was “Lightning Clad”. By covering his body with lightning beforehand, the lightning strike slid off the surface of his body to flow toward the steel bridge.

Because of the magic power dispersion effect, he couldn’t completely redirect the lightning. The impact itself also wasn’t redirected. Hajime couldn’t avoid from stiffening and white smoke drifted off his body with a slightly burning smell of flesh.

He also couldn’t completely control the direction of the flow so Kouki was also slightly electrified, but the damage he got was nearly zero compared to Hajime.

Therefore he immediately jumped to his feet and moved his holy sword to lengthen it to pierce Mother but……

He caught sight of iron colored wall at the corner of his vision and gulped. Before he realized a liquid metal had approached until it covered his whole field of vision.

「s.h.i.t-」

The scale was too big. It couldn’t even be compared with the liquid metal dragon that was coiling around Mother until just now. This was almost the same like when that combined heaven soldier overflowed. He felt like he was facing a water current from a broken dam.

What Kouki could do immediately was only kicking away Hajime who was stuck on the spot due to his damage.

Hajime was dropped from the steel bridge and vanished from sight. Right after that a violent impact attacked Kouki who was using his great sword as shield.

「Guuuuh」

It was impossible to parry or deflect this attack. Kouki’s body was easily washed away and he also couldn’t escape before this powerful pressure. He simple endured while gritting his teeth.

「Die」

Mother’s voice intruded into his ears with disgusting smoothness. The hand that Mother thrust out was closed as though it was crushing something within its grasp. The instant Kouki caught sight of it at the corner of his eye, his instinct was loudly telling him of the approaching death.

「――Tsu, “Holy Severance”–!!」

His consciousness was shaken because his magic power was consumed drastically in an instant.

The highest cla.s.s of barrier that before could protect a whole city in the desert world was not unbelievably small. It only barely covered Kouki when he shrunk into himself. The effect was too weak and only lasted for an instant for a skill that was crowned with the name of absolute sanctuary.

However, that instantaneous defense allowed Kouki to escape death.

The moment the iron colored torrent that was trying to swallow Kouki spread out like a giant hand, cone shaped thorns were growing at its inside like iron maiden.

The shining barrier barely blocked the thorns, however, several pierced through and their tips pierced Kouki’s limbs.

Then, a black object came flying like a blazing fastball and it was swallowed by the liquid metal. Then right at the next instant, the liquid metal burst as though it was tore up from the inside.

Kouki was tossed to the air while blood was spraying from his body. He saw Hajime in a throwing posture above a different steel bridge. Most likely he threw a grenade to blow up the metal torrent temporarily.

Of course he couldn’t go as far as dispersing the immense kinetic energy that the torrent brought too. Kouki who was liberated from the torrent’s grasp was blown away following the law of inertia and his back crashed on the wall. The air inside his lung was driven out ‘kahah’ and the impact made his field of vision to flicker on and off.

「Amanogawa! Use the steel bridge skillfully!」

「Don’t say it like it’s so easy!」

Although he said that, the two of them leaped below the steel bridge at the same time. An instant later, the places where the two were at just a moment before were struck by lightning strikes that looked like thin spear. The pinpoint lightning attack that was like a sniping could be said as a silver lining in a sense.

The rain of cl.u.s.ter bomb that poured down like it was following them was generating bomb blasts, but the tough steel bridge itself became a shield that also protected the two from the lightning strikes. The two were somehow getting away from the violence of death.

Even so, it was completely meaningless for the torrent of liquid metal.

The torrent attacked Hajime from three directions. There was no place to escape. The high waves of great ma.s.s went to crush Hajime like stamping machines.

「OOOOOOOH!!」

It was Kouki who raised a war cry.

In order to save Hajime who was vomiting blood from the impact and pressure, his great sword struck one of the torrents and blew it away.

「Tsu, Amanogawa! Behind!」

「――d.a.m.n-」

The price of saving Hajime was having a railgun bullet piercing Kouki’s back. Although he was just barely twisting his body in midair, it gouged his side.

Kouki fell down while his body was spinning. He looked like a corpse.

「f.u.c.k-」

Hajime obeyed his instinct and jumped to right above Kouki. As expected, a lightning snipe struck Hajime. Although he redirected the electric current using “Lightning Clad” and wire anchor that was fixed to the steel bridge for grounding the electricity, it wasn’t fully effective. Combined with his magic power amount that was dropping into the red zone, his consciousness blacked out for a moment.

「Show, your-, guts, Amanogawa!」

「No need to tell me-」

Even so, Hajime forcefully pulled back his consciousness from the pain of biting his lips and caught Kouki with one hand. He threw away Kouki solely with his arm strength.

The target was Mother. Kouki controlled his posture midair and held his great sword at the ready beside his waist. Six bullets pa.s.sed right beside him.

The cl.u.s.ter bomb rain that was pouring down along his path was blown away using Hajime’s last Burst Bullets, clearing the way for him.

But, as expected,

「……Unsightly.」

The great sword was swung and extended. The giant sword that would make even zanbatou looked cute mowed horizontally. However, it didn’t reach Mother. A torrent swallowed Kouki before that.

At the same time, even Hajime who was swinging through air using wire and landed on a steel bridge was swallowed by a torrent that hung over him like an umbrella.

The torrent writhed like a dragon that was swinging around the prey it captured with its jaw. The two who were spat out flew due to the centrifugal force.

Hajime crashed on the energy tower at the center while Kouki crashed on a steel bridge. They fell face down on the ground.

They couldn’t approach.

Their firepower was also lacking.

They couldn’t reach Mother.

It was really like when a human was in the presence of G.o.d. They were helpless before the overwhelming violence.

「Even so, who the h.e.l.l is going to give up here-」

With the heart of a hero, he would stand back up no matter how many times. Kouki glared at Mother with a will of steel within his gaze while placing his great sword on his shoulder.

At the corner of his sight, he could see Hajime on all fours vomiting blood. Although he possessed a body that was far tougher than Kouki, he didn’t have a technique like magic power castWar Demon that allowed him to continue fighting even if his body was broken.

Then, he had to go to the front more. Kouki fired up himself.

He faced Mother’s mocking smile and condescending gaze that even seemed to be pitying them.

「As I thought, the creature called human is really a pitiful existence. They pointlessly protect each other without understanding how pointless it is. That action pattern is really easy to understand.」

「You can only act haughty like that for now.」

He would buy time until Hajime could stand up. Kouki stepped forward with that resolve.

Mother controlled the torrent to flatten him from both sides with a scoff――

「Aa~, this is just annoying.」

A crimson flash tore through the sky. From right behind Kouki.

「Ii!?」

It was Kouki who looked fl.u.s.tered. He let out a voice like Etemp & Netemp. The killing intent that he felt beforehand and his the alarm bell his instinct was ringing out made him twisted his body with all his strength.

An electromagnetically accelerated bullet grazed his side and,

「Tsu!?」

Grazed Mother’s cheek.

It was a small wound. It only slightly peeled off the outer liquid metal that covered her externally. It would immediately recover if it was resupplied with more liquid metal.

But, it was the first time an attack reached it. Reaching Mother who should have completely a.n.a.lyzed its opponent’s action pattern.

The reason was two. First was because the bullet curved midair.

――Special bullet Living Bullet

A bullet with its own will, that changed its trajectory with its own power, slipped through obstruction, and pierced the target. Mother had the liquid metal shield and force field barrier, but until now it never defended in wide area. All of its defense was blocking the attack with pinpoint accuracy as though to show off.

It came back to bite it in the a.s.s and its defense was unable to deal with an attack that came through a trajectory that surpa.s.sed Mother’s perception.

But, the surprise toward that special bullet was something trivial for Mother right now.

「You, just now, your comrade――」

「You-, just now, you tried to kill me along right!? What were you thinking!?」

The one who raised an angry yell that drowned Mother’s voice was Kouki who was making a face that said ‘Unbelievable!’. He was able to land on another steel bridge well, but cold sweat was pouring from his forehead.

Hajime spat blood ‘peh’ from his mouth while speaking with an irritated expression.

「Thinking carefully, why do I have to cover for you.」

「Th-this d.a.m.n demon king—–」

Hajime resumed shooting without giving a d.a.m.n to the hero’s protest.

Mother was wary toward the curving bullet and deployed an area defense. It also narrowed its eyes while sending out torrent.

Hajime jumped over the torrents that approached from both sides and landed on the upper part of the energy tower. He immediately leaped up and held the enemy in check with Schlag while charging his last railgun shot――

「Shih!!」

「Uoh!?」

He noticed the killing intent and hurriedly aborted. Using the recoil from the shotgun that was installed in his artificial arm’s elbow, he forcefully fell down.

An absurdly powerful slash pa.s.sed just right above his head.

「Tsu!! Even you-」

The one who let out a shocked voice was Mother. It took an evasive action for the first time since it entered its serious mode. Its body bent backward hurriedly like performing limbo dance.

Its defense was set to block bullet. The slash smoothly slipped through the opening which caused it to react lately. As the result a straight line was carved into Mother’s forehead along with its front hair.

「How dare――」

「Amanogawaaa-」

「You don’t have any ground to complain-」

This time it was Kouki who tried to bisect Hajime along with Mother.

「That ain’t how a hero should act!」

「It was you who started it! Don’t think you can use your demon king t.i.tle to justify everything!」

Of all thing, the falling Hajime and the jumping Kouki unleashed a fist of fury to each other just before they pa.s.sed each other midair. The two were sent flying from their cross counter.

An instant later, a lightning strike fell between the two. Originally that attack should hit them, but it only scorched empty air in vain.

「The hero will surely dodge it. I believed so when I pulled the trigger!」

「This big d.a.m.n liar-!」

「Oi oi, since when you became that distrustful toward other? You really have changed huuh」

「Which mouth is saying that-. You said clearly just now things like “annoying” or “why do I have to protect you”! This fiend!」

Kouki ran away from the cl.u.s.ter bombs. He casually moved below Hajime to use him as shield.

Hajime focused in dodging. He casually guided the torrent chasing after him toward Kouki.

Kouki was struck by lightning strike and his eyes rolled back. Hajime used his face as stepping stone to change his jumping direction and shot at Mother.

Right after that, Kouki who returned to his senses slashed at Hajime again with pulsing vein on his forehead. When Hajime parried that slash, the slash moved toward Mother with an unexpected trajectory.

Although it dodged just barely, the mechanical wings on its back couldn’t do the same and two of them were bisected at the same time.

「You two-, what are you――」

「Die-, Amanogawaaa-」

「You finally showed your true color huh-, Nagumooo-」

Finally Hajime didn’t aim at Mother but plainly aiming his gun at Kouki. Kouki yelled angrily and parried the fired bullets.

By doing that, several of the parried bullets attacked Mother. It would be able to calmly deal with it if all the bullets headed toward her, but this only looked like an accidental stray bullet.

As expected Mother didn’t commit a stupid mistake like getting hit, but its reaction was delayed by the absurdly incidental attacks that it couldn’t predict at all. More of its mechanical wings got destroyed.

「Unknown action pattern……rea.n.a.lyzing――」

「Five minutes-. I’ll deal with you first in five minutes!」

「Try it if you can――gyaaah—-!?」

Kouki was kicked toward the approaching torrent. He crashed on that torrent and bounced like pinball toward Mother.

Mother temporarily halted its a.n.a.lysis and shaped a torrent like a spear to first kill Kouki who was in a hopeless situation.

「W-who is going to die here—!!」

The thrust forward holy sword lengthened and stabbed the steel bridge strongly. Kouki used that like a pole vault and shifted his route.

Right after that, twelve bullets flew past while almost grazing his body. The bullets shifted their path subtly to skim the torrent while pa.s.sing through, then they clashed in front of the wide-eyed Mother so that their angle changed even more acutely.

Mother struck down more than half of them with force field and its outer liquid metal skin, but

「Guh!?」

It couldn’t deal with all the bullets that changed trajectory right before its eyes. The remaining bullets. .h.i.t its mechanical wings and also its body.

The damage wasn’t big. Setting aside the mechanical wings, Mother’s body was unharmed after it got resupplied with new liquid metal.

But, the two humans it was looking down at, the opponents it tried to subdue with overwhelming power successfully fought back not just once or twice but multiple times. That fact brought down an intense humiliation on it.

「You’re having a falling out……in front of this me? You’re ignoring me? Fufuh, as expected from human. How ugly and foolish.」

Resuming a.n.a.lysis. The humiliation from being ignored made Mother’s eyes to twitch like human. There was fury inside those mechanical eyes. And then,

「I won’t let you two die painlessly.」

It caught another stray bullet with its bare hand and this time its body sparked with electricity and it threw itself personally into the conflict.

.

And then, in less than five minutes, after enough time pa.s.sed for a round.

.

Just as Hajime declared, Kouki was lying on a steel bridge in a state that was on the verge of death.

However, it wasn’t Hajime who accomplished it. Hajime himself was also lying face down near Kouki. The cause of this was,

「……Truly, just how foolish you can be. To think that you two will run out of strength from fighting each other.」

Mother muttered in exasperation and irritation. Just as it said, the biggest reason of the two running out of strength was their magic power drying out.

Yes, they reached the time limit of their “Limit Break” in the end.

Of course, the torrents of liquid metal and lightning strike sniping, cl.u.s.ter bomb rain and Mother personally joining the close-range battle dealt a lot of damage to the two, but they managed to avoid any lethal wound just barely.

Mother’s exasperation and even more than that, its irritation from being unable to “finish off the two of them” could be said as reasonable.

Hajime groaned and somehow stood up while dripping blood. But, his legs were trembling from extreme exhaustion. His partner Donner & Schlag were also not in his hands because they had been blown away to somewhere.

Kouki still had his holy sword in his hand, but he couldn’t even stand up without the effect of “War Demon”. That holy sword was also flickering weakly right now. It seemed he was at least still conscious, but the best he could do was raising his head to glare.

In contrast Mother despite losing its mechanical wings, its torrent of liquid metal was still going strong. There was also no considerable wound on its form that was floating in the air while sparking. The thunders roaring in the sky were flashing without any sign of weakening.

「Well, it doesn’t matter. In the end you two are just human even with the peculiar power in your possession. This is your limit. Can you two accept that already? There is a gap between you two and me that cannot be possibly closed.」

The sneer that Mother’s face sported was clearly asking them 「Can you still joke around even now?」.

Indeed. Certainly the sight right now seemed to make it clear the gap that separated G.o.d and human.

The two’s magic power had hit rock bottom and their body was covered with wounds all over……

However,

「Hahaha-」

They still hadn’t run out of all means. Hajime’s laugh resounded as though to say that. Mother’s face twisted funnily.

「What is so funny?」

「No you see, I’m just thinking, all of you G.o.d pretenders spouted the same line. Your speech pattern is really easy to guess.」

「……」

「Nagumo, don’t say that. In the end they are just “pretender”. It can be helped that they’re all sn.o.b.」

The two of them still spoke frivolously even while they were vomiting blood. Furthermore their reply was making fun of Mother’s speech just now. It was like their act of trying to kill and dragging down each other just now was only a lie.

Hajime made a gun shape with his fingers in the place of Donner and pointed it at Mother. He laughed fearlessly while speaking.

「You only look like a human who is getting carried away you know?」

*Dan* The liquid metal formed a thin spear that thrust out into Hajime’s leg. It rotated like a drill to gouge the wound and magnified the pain. Blood spurted out and Hajime fell on one knee.

「Could it be you are still harboring hope?」

It was a monotone voice. Its face was also like a blank mask which was fitting for a mechanical creature like it. But both Hajime and Kouki could see through it that it was trying to keep its calm somehow, that was why the fearless expression didn’t vanish from their face.

「……You two sent someone to the summoning device. Perhaps you’re planning to summon another of your comrade here?」

「No? Why is it necessary to call our friend here? We said that we’re going to kill you.」

Hajime replied with easygoing tone even while drenched in cold sweat.

「Unfortunately it seems your friend is in a hard fight. Although he possess the superpower to control the strength of his presence, it’s impossible for him to get away from my detection while he is rampaging like that. And then he won’t be as threatening as you two when he is captured.」

Mother explained carefully and thoroughly to dampen their hope. It seemed that it really wanted to enjoy the moment when Hajime and Kouki’s hearts were crushed in despair.

「Aa, I got a good idea. I shall personally summon your compatriots here. Of course, this time I won’t try to trick them and shackle them with every available means in my possession from the start. Now then, with your compatriots under my control, the two of you――」

「You’re really talkative with someone you look down at. As I thought you’re really like human. A third rate villain at that.」

Mother shut up from Kouki’s words. Next it was Hajime who spoke confidently before it could open its mouth again.

「Endo isn’t as dangerous as us? Idiot. That guy is the worst in a sense you know?」

After all, he was a natural superpower owner, the right hand of the demon king, and a hero of earth who was nonchalantly one of mankind’s strongest.

In addition, he was also accompanied by two other subordinates of the demon king right now.

Then,

「Ain’t no way that guy gonna mess up the job I gave him.」

「Foolish. Right now he is――」

Mother immediately spoke to refute Hajime’s words that were filled with immense trust, however, it stopped its words again. It turned its gaze to empty air as though it was in astonishment.

The two could guess just from that. Surely Kousuke and others were completing their job right now.

「……Hm? Netemp’s presence……vanished?」

「Oi, Nagumo. Don’t say something ominous.」

「Endou’s presence also……vanished?」

「That’s just like usual.」

The thundercloud sitting at the sky flashed intensely in reaction to their frivolous words. The thundercloud itself was sparking fiercely. And yet, the thunderclap that was roaring so loudly inside the cloud was gradually vanishing.

「I see……you are deceiving this me. An inferior creature, dare to deceive a superior being like me.」

They could somehow guess that electric charge was acc.u.mulated in abnormal degree inside the pitch black cloud. This was like a s.p.a.ceship gathering energy in order to fire its main cannon, at the same time it was also like a moment before one would display their rage……

However, Hajime and Kouki still grinned fearlessly as usual before that finishing attack.

「Nope? You’re just stupid.」

「You forgot didn’t you? Of her existence.」

Mother narrowed its eyes. But it was already fed up with their frivolous words and joking words and shook its head to disregard what they said. It was like the dark cloud shined, and right after that it wordlessly swung down its hand to carry out the execution.

The view was dyed pure white. Sound also vanished. The sniping lightning strikes from before looked like mere kid stuff before this extremely thick lightning strike. There wasn’t any place to escape. This was truly the strike of a G.o.d……

But, Mother certainly heard it. Just before it swung down its hand, Hajime who was sporting an unbearably unpleasant fearless grin wasn’t despairing even at this point, far from that,

「It’s the time for counterattack. ――G10!!」

He yelled such thing.

The gigantic lightning strike swallowed Hajime and Kouki. With a slight delay, thunder roared so loudly it shook the whole Coltran. Most likely this roaring sound echoed to every corner even within the facility of the heaven that boasted complete soundproofing in order to keep the secrecy.

And so, the thunder left behind a buzzing sound in the ears while the flash was vanishing into empty air. There――

「Impossible……」

A mouth that split into an atrocious grin appeared.

In the middle of four crosses floating in the air.

――Cross Velt s.p.a.ce Isolating Four Point Barrier

In Hajime’s hand was a fiercely sparking orb――the “Elemagia”.

And ten floating beside him, even though its form was so shabby it could be mistaken as a junk, the shine residing in its single eye was overpoweringly radiant.

Yes,

「You-, ――G10!!」

「Yes Mother. The last soldier who will defeat you.」

G10 that should be dropped to the bottom by Hajime at the very beginning until now was there.

Kouki was able to dodge the attack at that time, so there was no way Hajime would fail to dodge it. G10 was dropped just as planned. It looked like it was unable to even float was also a bluff, its conversation with Mother was also G10 buying time to scan where the console for electricity supply was.

In addition, the whole fight until now was buying time for G10 to fill Elemagia.

The five minutes that Hajime declared meant “the estimated charging time will be over in five more minutes”.

「Good job G10.」

「I’m honored.」

Mother didn’t understand what happened.

There was no way it was aware of the ability to convert electricity into magic power, however, it at least understood that an enemy it was forced to designate as a “threat” had rapidly recovered strength, and that it was G10 who it thought as mere garbage who accomplished that.

「This piece of junk-」

A super lightning strike fell down again. *Zudon* it caused a thunderous roar like a cannon explosion or perhaps like a quake due to the destructiveness of the electric attack.

However,

「Here, Amanogawa. Stand up already.」

「……n.o.body will mind even if you treated me a bit kinder you know?」

A lightning strike was an attack that only lasted for an instant, so he only needed to activate the s.p.a.ce isolation barrier for an instant too. Therefore not even a jolt of static electricity pa.s.sed through.

Kouki got a hard orb grinded onto the back of his head and his face was grinded on the hard floor. Although there was a pulsing vein on his forehead, the vast amount of magic power flowing into his body activated “War Demon” once more. He suppressed the terrible fatigue that he felt until the core of his body due to Limit Break’s after effect with guts and stood up.

Extreme lightning strike fell one after another in mad frenzy. Coltran was shaking together with the atmosphere.

Perhaps the insulation of this facility was really well done because there wasn’t any damage caused by the lightning strikes, but surely all the residences of the upperworld were shivering because of the thunders that kept roaring and the intense flashes that kept appearing over the cloud that was covering the heaven.

「Barrier that interfere with s.p.a.ce-, where did something this powerful came from-」

Mother’s face warped. They never showed a s.p.a.ce interference technology this powerful even once except the s.p.a.ce distortion bomb that G10 possessed in very few amount, so it couldn’t be helped.

Kouki stood up in the defiance of the extreme lightning attack that was the embodiment of G.o.dly might.

Hajime also pulled out the spear that pierced his thigh and pinned him down on the steel bridge because it had been severed by the s.p.a.ce isolation barrier. He immediately stood up.

An indescribable uneasiness swelled up inside Mother’s chest for the first time.

It sent all the liquid metal it had like an ocean to attack from all directions. Although it was feeling uneasy, Mother’s a.n.a.lysis ability discovered the weak point of the Four Point Barrier in its durability. Endless pressure and a thrust to the inside would be effective.

「Scatter, you Grims.」

Hajime lifted his hand. The demon king’s treasure warehouse that was put on that finger shined brightly. The electricity that was acc.u.mulated after buying time for nearly ten minutes amounted to just as calculated. A vast amount of magic power was consumed and mechanized death G.o.ds were summoned.

「That ring-, wha-, that’s――machine soldier!?」

Mother raised a shocked voice. Ahead of its gaze, three large turtles appeared at three directions to protect Hajime’s group.

――Grim Reaper Model – Grim Turtle

This Grim Reaper model was mainly for base defense and fixed battery cannon. Inside its short and stout huge body was loaded with the most firepower among the Grim Reapers.

Therefore the great amount of rockets & missiles that appeared from each part of their sh.e.l.l could only make one laugh in fear. The surging liquid metal was blown away with overwhelming firepower.

A storm of flame blast and shockwave ran amok around Hajime and co.

Of course, the liquid metal was only blown away but it wasn’t annihilated. They gathered to protect Mother right after they were repelled away. They formed high waves once more to attack but……Hajime had bought enough time.

「Limit Break……」

「Limit Break……」

Two voices echoed disgustingly well between the thunderclaps and explosions. Mother gasped but it was already too late.

「――”Supreme Break”-」

「――”Supreme Break”!!」

The pressure it felt couldn’t be compared from before. Mother’s expression shuddered seeing that the output was still increasing.

That agitation created a fatal opening.

「――”Body Strengthening” “Light Element Strengthening” “Concentration Strengthening” “Light Blade”-」

Kouki’s eye glint that was filled with the tranquility of “Serene Mind” caught Mother.

He thrust out his left hand as though to fix his aim at Mother. The holy sword in katana mode was held up along that left hand. That stance was like he was drawing a bow. And what was fired from there was――

「――”Shin UgachiTrue Pierce”-」

There was a technique of three stage thrusts that made use of skill like distance perception manipulation from taijutsu――”Kasumi UgachiHaze Pierce”. The superior version of this technique was worthy to be a secret technique in itself, just a single “thrust” that had every kind of technique filled into it, because of that it was considered to be the “true” thrust in the katana art of Yaegashi-style, a sure-kill “thrust” that was said it would pierce the “heartshin” without fail. (TN: Some word play here. Heart can also be read as “shin” in j.a.pan)

If this secret technique that was difficult to perceive was combined with the skill of a sword saint whose specs were explosively increased and his partner’s ability to ignore distance, piercing Mother who was showing an opening while a.s.signing all of its defensive veil to offense was,

「Tsu!?」

Simple. The holy sword finally caught Mother fully. It gouged right in the middle of its stomach and penetrated through until its back. Mother immediately moved to pull out the blade from its body, but it wasn’t even allowed to do that.

「Holy sword! Please!!」

The holy sword shined in respond to its partner. It changed shape while still stuck inside Mother. Yes, countless thorns were produced from its blade as though taking revenge for skewering its partner. It was fixed in place inside Mother’s body now.

In a flash, a wire flew in that timing with weights that looked like crystal at both sides――it was the binding tool “Bola” that fixed itself in s.p.a.ce. Even if its power to be fixed in s.p.a.ce was dispersed in this world, if Mother was entwined by that tough wire, it would be enough to obstruct Mother’s movement for a short while.

「Mother, it’s the end. You have satisfied your desire to rule in these two hundred years haven’t you?」

「Don’t screw with me-, G10! This paradise won’t end! Everything belong to me for eternity!」

Its composed expression at the beginning was already gone without any trace. The ugly face of an extremely vulgar and ostentatious human could be found there. That was why it played an ugly hand until the end.

「Yes, everything belong to me! The people who you tried to protect also belong to me!」

A door ahead of a single steel bridge opened. The people who came out from there made Kouki who was focusing on restraining Mother with his holy sword to open wide in shock.

「Jasper-!! Everyone-」

「Everyone-」

Kouki and G10’s voice resounded. Jasper and others who were captured by liquid metal heaven soldier opened their eyes wide at the fierce scene that was going on here. It seemed that their hideout had been found out.

「You destroyed the summoning device-, because you are scared that your compatriot would be taken hostage right!? Now, choose! Let these people under your protection to die or kneel before me!!」

Listy who was restrained and gagged looked toward Hajime in surprise. Tears were pooling within her eyes.

Even though it should be extremely terrifying already by being captured like this, the little girl hadn’t cried until now. And yet she looked like she was going to cry because Hajime was in danger and it was her who caused it.

Good grief, she is really similar with my daughter……

Hajime muttered inside his heart, however, what came out from his mouth was a sneer toward Mother instead.

「This is why, you are just a “pretender” G.o.d in the end.」

Mother’s face twisted in fury. A liquid metal transformed into spear that pierced Listy……but just before that happened,

「Endou!!」

「Ou!」

「Ii!!」

A short sword stabbed the heaven soldier from the back.

A complete surprise attack. There was no defense that it could possibly take. The sword slid in without any resistance to the spot where the mechanical spider pointed with its leg accurately to the inch. It splendidly pierced the core with pinpoint accuracy and changed the heaven soldier to a mere sludge.

If scouting was his domain, then a.s.sa.s.sination was his specialty. Kousuke showed that by being there without anyone realizing it.

「I have arrived! Or something」

「Ii!」

「Wha-, since when the surveillance network was――」

It wasn’t given any time to hear the answer of that question.

*Gou-* Light surged.

It was the light of magic power that was kneaded over and over in order to display enough destructive power within this magic power dispersion effect.

The demon king’s crimson and the hero’s pure white pierced the sky in a spiral. A terrific pressure that generated countless error in Mother’s a.n.a.lysis ability was picking a fight to the world’s law head-on!

Amidst that, a voice that was filled with deluge of feeling resounded with dignity.

「Hajime-sama, Kouki-sama. Please, bring an end to this false paradise.」

The voices that responded were also,

「Eat this――」

「Here I come――」

Resounding with dignity.

「――”Burst”」

「――”Maximum”」

The demon king’s eyes gleamed fiendishly. It contained an overwhelming killing intent.

The hero’s eyes were filled with quiet tranquility. It contained an overwhelming determination.

「――”Hyperion”-」

「――”Heaven’s Might”!!」

The super large weapon that appeared from thin air――the sunlight convergence laser “Burst Hyperion” trampled the dark world with the sun’s flash.

The highest cla.s.s attack magic of light element “Heaven’s Might” repainted the two hundred years of despair with the radiance of fantasy.

The destructive two streaks of light swallowed Mother.

「How can this-, again you!! G10, you virus within my paradise-」

Liquid metal, force field, external armor, lightning, everything gathered to protect Mother. Amidst that, Mother’s deep resentment echoed brokenly.

「No, Mother. The virus here are us.」

「Such nonsense-」

The liquid metal scattered. The lower body that seemed to be outside the force field was annihilated. The lightning control became lost and the lightning strike stopped.

What could be in G10’s mind while it looked up at the destruction of Mother who brought tragedy into this world?

「We shouldn’t be born.」

There was no more reply,

In its place,

「aAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!」

「OoOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!」

「HAaAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!」

Mother’s last shriek of resistance and the war cry of the demon king and hero resounded. And then,

「With this-」

「It’s over-!!」

Two streaks of light pierced the sky.

Mother was annihilated. A hole was opened in the thunder cloud. A terrific shockwave undulated and spread open the hole in perfect circle.

Jasper and Mindy crouched down to protect the children. In front of them Kousuke grabbed Etemp on his shoulder while his other arm was covering his face.

And then, the dark clouds that had stolen the light for hundreds of years were now by the huge lights piercing Coltran’s sky――

「……Aa, how……how beautiful……」

「Fuwaa~」

Brushed away. The true light of the sun radiantly illuminated the world brilliantly.

A drop of tear silently trickled down from the eye of Jasper who was looking up to that. Listy let out a voice of astonishment from the breathtaking sight. Mindy and the other children were also in the same state.

Then, there was a thudding sound.

「Oo!? Nagumo! Amanogawa! You guys okay!?」

Both Hajime and Kouki fell face up. They were completely battered. They were the very picture of human who had used up all of their energy and willpower!

「Hajime-sama! Kouki-sama! Are you two alright!?」

「Do I look……alright?」

「I’m……not fine. I’m going to die.」

G10 also called at them in panic. Stifled voices came out from Hajime and Kouki. Blood was also leaking out in droves from their body.

Jasper and others also ran their way in hurry. While they were approaching, Hajime managed to summon the highest cla.s.s of recovery medicine from the treasure warehouse using all his effort somehow.

Actually he wanted to bring out the regeneration magic beam artifact “Bel Agharta”, but he didn’t have the willpower to knead magic power to that degree due to the after effect of “Limit Break” too.

After all even his hand failed to clench and the ampoule that contained the recovery medicine rolled away from his grasp.

Hajime’s hand reached toward that ampoule with a sluggish movement that normally he would never showed……

「……Aa?」

「……Hm?」

His hand hit Kouki’s hand. It seemed Kouki was also reaching toward the recovery medicine.

「E-err, Hajime-sama? Kouki-sama?」

Hajime and Kouki ignored even G10’s call and moved only their gaze to each other while still lying down on the floor. After a moment of pause, the two simultaneously clenched their fist and buried the back of their fist into each other’s face. And then veins also bulged on their forehead at the same time.

「Die-, Amanogawaaa-」

「Drop dead-, Nagumooo-」

The demon king and hero exchanged fist with wriggling and floundering while still lying down like baby. G10 was bobbing up and down helplessly above the two.

「You a.s.shole, it’s only right for me to drink first!」

「My injury is heavier! Can’t you see!? Or rather, bring out two right from the start!」

「That’s tiresome! Let me recover for a bit first!」

「You’re telling me to wait until then!? Look at my feet! They’re snapped all over you can tie a square knot with them right now see!? Isn’t it too savage to leave them as they are!?」

「Eh? What did you say? You don’t need any recovery medicine from a savage? I see, got it.」

「Don’t screw with meee! It really hurt! I’m going to cry here!」

「Aa, the place where your sword grazed me is really hurt――”I won’t stop punching until you cry and apologize!”」

「Don’t copy Shizuku’s line! Or rather how did you know thattt!?」

No, you two are in a really bad state so don’t fight and take a rest……even though G10 asked them so, the two only repeated their exchange of fists. They were unexpectedly energetic.

「Aah geez, don’t fight while you two are like this! Get along!」

「Who’s going to get along with this guy. I’ll kill you, Endou.」

「Who are you telling me to get along with? I’ll cut you down, Endou.」

「Annoying! Be quiet you two!」

Endou shoved the falling ampoule into Hajime’s mouth and just in case he shoved his own remaining recovery medicine into Kouki’s mouth.

The effect was extraordinary as to be expected from the highest cla.s.s of medicine. Their bleeding stopped immediately and the two’s complexion that had gone past being pale to pure white was also starting to regain its color.

「Oi you two. Are you two alright? Just what happened――」

「Otou-san!」

Jasper and others arrived. They gasped seeing the state Hajime and Kouki were in, but they also saw how the two were unexpectedly energetic. Jasper talked to them although he was feeling bewildered. But, Listy-chan rushed forward and interrupted him.

「No, who are you calling Otou-san? Also my wound will open again so stop sitting on me.」

「Uu」

It seemed she took advantage of the confusion to try calling Hajime that. Listy-chan’s tear duct opened once more seeing Hajime wounded all over. She rubbed Hajime’s body soothingly. Hajime also caressed Listy’s head.

「Don’t say anything like that, Hajime-otousan.」

「Okay, Amanogawa. Let’s take it outside. I’ll kick you down from the summit.」

「I’m saying stop fighting――ouch. Why did you hit me!? Ouch!」

Hajime and Kouki now could sit up somehow although they still couldn’t stand. The fists of the demon king and hero got lodged onto the cheeks of Kousuke who got between them. One mustn’t carelessly entered a dangerous zone.

Seeing them like that, it seemed they were really alright. Jasper and others let out a sigh of relieve. A beat later.

「Hajime-sama. Kouki-sama. Also Endou-sama too.」

The quiet voice attracted everyone’s attention.

G10 who was gently bobbing up and down made its eye shined slightly.

「Thank you, very much……Really, thank you very much……」

Aa, everyone thought. G10 was surely crying right now.

With its lone fight for two hundred years coming to an end and the role entrusted to him accomplished, it must be flooded with a deluge of feeling right now.

That was why, it could do nothing except expressing its grat.i.tude.

Actually, there was a lot more things it wanted to say and convey, and yet G10 could only say “thank you” right now.

However, that was exactly why the feeling that was residing inside that “thank you” was very deep……

For a while, everyone exchanged their feeling wordlessly within that silent place.

Like that, both Hajime and Kouki quietly held up their fist forward. Kousuke also held up his fist. G10’s eye blipblopped happily and it put out its cable in the place of fist――

Right at that instant.

A piercing alarm sound rang out.

「Tsu, what!?」

「Nagumo! The energy tower!」

「Oi oi, what is it this time!」

While the three each raised their voice, light was dispersing from the energy tower that was shining brightly. It didn’t stop there, the electric lights on the walls and steel bridges were also losing light one after another.

「G10!」

「Give me some time!」

G10 hurriedly headed toward the console at the center. It connected with its cable. It activated the air projection display that kept switching images with blinding fast speed.

And then G10’s shocked voice slipped out.

「Impossible……the power generation facility stop working!? No, this is a self-destruct program!?」

「Stop it G10!」

「I’m trying! But――」

All the artificial lights vanished. They weren’t locked in darkness because there was the sunlight, but the atmosphere felt like Coltran itself was dying.

Amidst that, an unpleasant sound of *gashari gashari* echoed.

When they looked around in surprise, they could see a metallic puppet coming out with extremely awkward movement from behind the door of a different steel bridge.

That body frame looked very familiar. After all it was the base body of the opponent they fought just now.

「I……told you. All of you, will never……win.」

「Mo, ther……don’t tell me, you’re……」

「Fufu, who……said that my core……is here?」

Hajime clicked his tongue. Kouki and Kousuke reached toward their respective weapon. Jasper was sweating coldly, even so he stepped forward to protect Mindy and the children.

But, it seemed the gong of the second round still carried over from earlier.

「Remote operation-, however, if it’s just cutting off the connection-」

「Yes……even though a piece of junk……you’re still a mechanical intelligence like me. I won’t have, any time……for reconnecting and readjustment.」

However,

「I’m……abandoning Coltran for now. I’m sending……my true army to trample all of you down. This time……for sure! I shall……remove you all from my paradise-!!」

Right after that, the metallic base body of Mother tumbled down like a doll with its string severed.

「G10, what’s the situation?」

「I cut off any connection from outside. However……」

G10’s voice was undoubtedly filled with despair. The feeling it felt just now vanished like it never existed.

「Coltran has lost 90% of its function. The energy generator was also destroyed internally.」

「……And?」

「An information package was sent as though to flaunt at us.」

G10’s heavy words made Jasper and others gulped. Kouki and Kousuke also turned their gaze to G10 gravely.

Urged by Hajime’s gaze, G10 told them a beat later with a voice that was filled with horrible noise.

「A huge army of heaven soldier is heading this way. Their number is a hundred thousand.」

Everyone was shaken. Among them Hajime asked quietly. Where is Mother’s location. If it was nearby then he intended to go beat it once more.

However, the answer of that question――was despairing.

「The holy land. The holy land Shaia. That place is Mother’s true sanctuary.」

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

The demon king & hero arc will continue for a bit more but, it will be hard to update next week……

But I should be able to update like usual again from April so, I hope everyone can wait patiently. Best regards.

※Holy Sword’s fourth form (Th.o.r.n.y sword)

I used Emmanuel’s sword as a bit of reference. The spikes here are even more horrible. The devoted holy sword-chan is working hard again.