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Arifureta Chapter 551
🕑 Added 2025-12-22 14:15:05 +0000 UTCToday, I Told a Joke
Author’s note: Sorry that it’s a bit late. The end of the year is really hectic. There’s no time to write leisurely.
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The only building in the calamity world. Right now a gate of light was whirling at the top of it. Black haze was eroding it. Right beside it,
「……At, this rate……tsu」
A pained voice could be heard.
Loose and disorganized hair that looked really striking, pallid face, hook nose, distinctive gloomy atmosphere. A man with such characteristics wearing white military uniform. His cheekbones were standing out. His body was clearly thin even over his outfit. He looked to be around forty.
He looked like a ghost of a soldier who appeared in a former site of a battlefield. He was also floating with hunchback posture so he looked even more so like a ghost.
He totally gave off the impression of “the villain who came to attack mankind’s last bastion”. Such mas was,
「――I want to sleep for eternity……」
Letting out such gloomy voice spilling out from his mouth to say such ominous line. Even so he thrust both his hands forward with a snappy movement. His index fingers and middle fingers were pressed together beautifully like the sword handseal that that onmyouji often used. Each of the pressed fingers were pointed to different direction.
There was no chanting. Magic power was gathering at his fingertips instantly. Blue that was tinged with murky grey――indigo-tinged grey magic power was condensed to become small bullets of light and they were fired.
They were heading toward humanoid monsters that were approaching exactly at that moment. Four of the class 3.
The four evaded the indigo grey light bullets with agile movements, but the hook-nosed man adroitly pointed his fingertips up. As soon as he did that, each of the bullets split. They became four light bullets in total and also performed reverse V-turn to hit the four from behind.
The class 3 monsters twitched and convulsed while freezing in place. Even though there wasn’t even ten meters until the hook-nosed man, they didn’t show any sign of moving.
The man muttered 「”Seize” “Dismantle”」 with a low voice, but it was questionable whether the four monsters even heard him at the end.
Even though there wasn’t any external wound that could be seen, their grotesque bodies were crumbling to pieces. Based on that most likely something had been done to them.
The hook-nosed man instantly slaughtered four class 3 altogether, however, the next moment,
「Uuh!?」
His heart was stabbed from behind and he let out a choked voice.
A pitch black great sword that felt like it was sucking in all light was sticking out almost all the way through from his chest. Such sight was more than enough to convey that this was the demise of the hook-nosed man.
But,
「I still can’t die……」
The man spilled out a melancholic voice while his limply dangling down right hand’s fingers pointed to his back. Light bullet was instantly condensed at his fingertips just like before and shot the class 2.
「――”Seiz”……tsk. “Shock Bind”」
The class 2 seemed to plan to move the great sword that was still stabbing into the chest to below to cut apart the man, but the movement stopped just when it had only cut slightly below. The class 2 twitched and convulsed just like the class 3 monsters before.
However, there was no sign of its body crumbling like the class 3. It was continuing to convulse like it was being bathed in electricity. Perhaps it was resisting something.
Meanwhile, the hook-nosed man smoothly slid to the side. It was like the great sword piercing his body didn’t exist.
The hook-nosed man slipped off the lynchpin of huge blade like in comedy. He turned around and thrust the sword handseals of his two hands toward the class 2.
Light bullets from the fingertips fired in succession. There might be ten of them firing from the left and right hands.
「――”Seize”. “Dismantle”-」
A faint fighting spirit was mixed in the gloomy voice. The hands glowing in indigo grey color were thrust forward with the back of the hands touching before the man spread out his arms.
It looked like he was putting all his strength into it. Like he was trying to wrench open a closed sliding double-leaf door forcefully.
Then, strange occurrence happened to the class 2 too.
The convulsing became harder. Its jaw that was covered with tentacles were opening widely as though it was letting out a voiceless shriek. Its two hands were desperately trying to grasp toward the hook-nosed man.
「Guuh, SHIIIII!!」
The hook-nosed man groaned before loudly yelling and spreading out his arms powerfully. Right after that, the class 2’s body split vertically into two parts. And then it was falling down without regenerating.
「Haa haa……how……many, more? More than three……is, impossible, I guess?」
The hook-nosed man groaned painfully once more. Even so he immediately turned around. He placed the teleportation gate behind him to defend it while turning his focus toward the fierce battlefield.
There were approximately forty men and women, young and old wearing similar white military uniform like the hook-nosed man. If using clock to describe the direction with the building as the center, then the deathly battle against the humanoid monsters were currently taking place from the direction of nine o’clock to five o’clock.
Most of the monsters were class 3 and below. Half of the battles were going evenly while the remaining half were barely even with multiple fighters facing just one. Few were able to win overwhelmingly. No, far from that they were being pushed back.
「Everyone too……is at their limit.」
In order to reinforce them, the hook-nosed man formed the sword handseal with both his hands and thrust them forward to fire his light bullets rapidly.
Each time the indigo grey bullets hit, the target would be forced to freeze for a few moments at the very least. That opening was like a merciful rain that was invaluable for the fighters that were barely holding on against their opponent.
「Ghost-dono, are you alright ssu?」
Coming beside the hook-nosed man, was an exotic beauty with beautiful brown skin while her maid uniform’s sleeves fluttered softly――it was Kara.
「Magic power……is nearing the limit……」
「No, I’m asking about your wound ssu……」
The hook-nosed man, aka “Ghost” answered in a subdued voice without meeting Kara’s eyes. Apparently it was just a nickname. Everyone called him like that and the person himself seemed to have a fixation for that name. He didn’t introduce himself with his actual name.
Kara who was looking over the battlefield sent a brief glance toward Ghost’s chest.
Ghost was one of the cornerstones propping up the battlefield. Ghost seemed to think that it might be worrying for someone like him to be seen getting hit with a fatal attack, so he turned his body slightly to show his chest.
「No……problem」
There was no wound there. Let alone bloodstain, not even the fabric was sliced. It was like nothing had happened at all.
This was the reason why he was called Ghost. Presently he was ranked among the strongest in the calamity world. It was the reason he was the current commanding officer of the guards protecting the survivors in this destroyed world.
He was taking position in front of the teleportation gate was also because he could act as the last defense for preventing anymore humanoid monster from going to other world. It was also because this position allowed him to take an overhead view of the battlefield as the field commander.
「Hm~m, that’s a convenient technique ssu. In summary it’s clone created using soul magic ssu, but in exchange of only able to create one the clone can perform with a spec that surpass even the original body……it’s like that thing master like ssu isn’t it?」
“That thing” referred to the avatar of the completely immersive magical VR game. Naturally, there the user could also become another character and fiddled with its specs.
Yes, Ghost here wasn’t the actual person. His real body was at the deepest part of the building even now. From there, he was controlling his indestructible clone as long as his magic power hadn’t run out.
Of course, the clone’s spec couldn’t be too deviating from the real body like in a game. The clone also couldn’t use magic that the real body hadn’t learned. But, in case where it was something that he had the foundation to do but his technique couldn’t keep up, he was able to perform the ideal movement based on his imagination.
And the greatest aspect of this clone body was that regardless of it merely being a clone, it wouldn’t vanish even after receiving lethal attack and could be repaired immediately. It wasn’t a real body, so if he felt like it the clone was able to pass through attack to some degree.
The real body was sharing its five senses with the clone body so he was still feeling pain and impact, but the damage itself wasn’t transmitted back to the real body. Even if the clone was completely destroyed, it could be revived as many as times as he liked as long as the main body wasn’t defeated.
And, what was nasty here was being a master of soul magic, it became difficult to detect him down to the soul level if he seriously erased his presence.
The most difficult man to kill in the calamity world. That was Ghost.
「What’s more you can also directly affect the target’s soul whether it’s to destroy, tear apart, etc……even in the hell world you have enough strength to call yourself a demon king ssu.」
Originally, it was difficult to forcefully destroy the target’s soul even if one could use soul magic.
Because as it were “soul” was like “water” that was poured into the “vessel” called flesh body to the brim.
Even if the soul magic user could deal impact to cause ripple, turn the vessel inside out to make the content leak, or perhaps pouring water of different color to muddy the water, destroying or splitting the water itself couldn’t be done. Even if the water was blown away or temporarily split apart, it wouldn’t vanish to nothing.
That was the image of soul magic.
The exception was when the flesh body died. When soul lost its connection with the flesh body it became unable to maintain its shape. Like liquid becoming vapor and dispersed.
Conversely speaking, while soul was connected to flesh body, in short while the flesh body was alive, soul was originally just that flexible and tough.
And yet, Ghost directly destroyed soul while it was still residing inside flesh body.
That was none other than the proof that he was at a level that had reached the essence of soul magic.
「Although, it looks like you can’t do it unless you hit the target with magic power that contain your duplicated soul and make it seep inside first ssu. It looks like it also won’t work unless you increase the amount you shot in proportion to the energy the target contain ssu, and the time required for the seeping in will also increase in proportion to that isn’t it ssu? Furthermore, you’re defenseless in the meanwhile ssu. In other words, it’s a technique that is best used against lower ranked opponent isn’t it ssu?」
「I-is it fun……p-poking at……my pathetic, ness?」
It felt like the gloomy eyes were enveloped in even more gloominess. Because he knew already even without her telling him.
「That’s right……I, the like of me being the guard commander……is too much of a joke……」
The people who could use age of god magic in the calamity world were called “law technique user” but, there were also rank among them depending on their strength.
The lowest rank was the third rank, then the second rank, the first rank, and then the top was the special rank technique user.
The third rank was those who could use even one age of god magic. It was the line when someone got recognized as a law technique user.
From there they became second rank when they could use multiple age of god magic, first rank if they could reach even one of the essences of age of god magic, and special rank if they could deepen the essence even further, or perhaps being able to use multiple.
Of course, in the end it was just approximation. Even if they didn’t fulfill the criterion, there were cases where their promotion was accepted by taking into consideration other factors like achievement. Rather, those were the main basis for the judgment.
Ghost too was naturally a “special rank”.
But, he wasn’t the only special rank by all means. There was a genuine special rank law technique user who was far beyond even Ghost. It was the previous guard commander.
That person had continued to protect this land for nearly a hundred years. Ghost deeply respected them, and then, they passed away in the fighting against a swarm of class 1 the other day.
Together with the other people who he recognized to be leadership material who surpassed him even though they were just first rank.
「I who was recognized as special rank based only on my hardiness succeeding that great guard commander, even a joke has――」
「Is that story going to be long ssu?」
「!!?」
Ghost-san met Kara’s eyes for the first time at this point. But, Kara herself wasn’t looking at Ghost’s direction. As expected, her gaze was moving around to this and that way.
It was like she was making it clear to him that she wasn’t interested, so Ghost’s eyes were filled with disbelief.
Those eyes were just as eloquent as mouth could be. This is the topic that you brought up isn’t it!? Is a way to pull the rug beneath so cleanly like this really exist!?
「I’m supporting two theaters ssu you know? While fighting against class 1. Don’t ask me to listen to such grumbling ssu.」
「Guh……that’s, true. Your illusion……are truly, a great help.」
The emotion of wanting to deny it was welling up but he also couldn’t do anything but accept what she said. It was excessively aggravating but Ghost-san shoved down the emotion tightly inside.
In fact, the battlefield would be collapsing without Kara. Especially at the theaters that were outside Kouki’s area.
Yes, even now Kara was fighting. When he glanced at the sky above, blinding flashes were flickering there fiercely. Four silhouettes were flying around to every direction.
One was a humanoid monster――class 1.
Two were law technique users.
And then the fourth was Kara. Her hand was holding a chakram as big as a hula hoop. Her maid uniform was fluttering while she was fighting like she was dancing.
By the way, far away in the past her specialty was bow and arrow, but due to a certain circumstance that weapon was wrecked by a god of the same mythology and trauma was even planted inside her from that, so she got flashback of the trauma and hyperventilated when she held bow and arrow. It seemed she changed to another weapon because of such malady.
What a human life, no, demon life that was rife with trauma. That was Kara-san.
Getting back on topic.(This isn’t the time for that k)
In other words, what was in front of him was an illusion. To be more accurate, it wasn’t a sight that was shown to Ghost alone, but something closer to a clone that was projected to the space in reality. It was that kind of “illusion”.
What was the “phantom Kara” coming to tell Ghost here while she was fighting a class 1? It didn’t look like the actual demon had that much leeway with the battle that she was in……
「Yes, yes, that’s right ssu. Who knows what would happen without this Kara here. I hope you guard commander-san can be fully aware of that ssu. And so, please convey your praise about me pro~~~perly to my master who will soon arrive here ssu.」
「Y-you’re going out of your way to come here……just to say that?」
Ghost’s magic was unsuitable to fight against class 1.
Because against class 1 monster, it would take him a lot of time to perform “Seize” where he made his soul infused magic power seeped in, and also to do “Dismantle” or “Cleave” where he collapsed or split the soul.
Furthermore, unlike the class 2 monster and below, class 1 monster could still move even while under his “Seize”. He couldn’t completely stop them. In other word, he would get hit by the opponent’s attack while defenseless. It was just a clone so he wouldn’t die, but at that stage an endurance battle would begin until one side perished.
Naturally, the battlefield would continue to progress even while that happened.
In that case, he should focus on dealing with the class 2 monsters that were coming intermittently, backing up the rank 2 and below technique users who were fighting class 3 monsters, and focusing on taking command as the guard commander. That was the rational decision.
But, even that was nearing the limit.
He was firing light bullets like meteor shower even while talking like this but, his magic power was already dropping to thirty percent. Most likely it was also the same with his subordinates. They were really at their limit.
And yet, why was it? This difference in seriousness.
「Just that?」
Why was it? The other party suddenly became much more serious.
His head creepily rolled to look his way. Her wide open eyes were scary.
Even though this whole time she had been looking around the battlefield while talking as she pleased as though she was talking to herself, it suddenly felt like a tip of a spear was pointed toward him.
「Just now, did you say just that ssu?」
「Ah, no, I apologize if I offends but……or rather, this isn’t the time for this kind of thing――」
He was on the right.
「This kind of thing!? What an offensive way of speaking ssu! Listen well ssu. I――」
Ah, perhaps because she was distracted by this idle talk, the real Kara got hit by the class 1’s attack. An arm that extended endlessly pierced her like a spear and she was being swung around……
The phantom Kara was pressing her hands on her stomach while sweating rivers in front of him. It looked like she had no leeway at all that the feedback even got sent to her illusion.
But, Kara still yelled even then.
Because something really important to her got said as “just that”!!
「If it’s for-, earning positivity level with master!! This Karaaa-. Shall risk her life without hesitation ssu!!」
「T-that so……」
Kara-san at the sky who was being swung around was also yelling. He couldn’t keep up anymore.
For the time being, his first rank subordinate, a woman with very short white hair and strict looking appearance thanks to her white military uniform fired a blinding bombardment. It blew away the class 1’s spear arm and Kara was liberated thanks to that.
The liberated Kara’s eyes were tinged with mysterious light. She must be applying greatest level of illusion to the level 1. The class 1 monster turned toward the wrong direction and his movement dulled for an instant.
Using that opening, one more special rank――a man past middle age with long beard stomped his foot which caused a ripple in the air while cocking back his fist behind him.
A large hole was opened in the class 1’s torso. That part turned into dust as though it had just gotten hit by destructive vibration.
Of course, nobody here would have a hard time if the enemy would die just from that.
The class 1 grew jet black thorns from its whole body like a sea urchin while the large hole in its torso was still there like nothing had happened.
The bearded man dodged like he had predicted it but, the thorns were growing on and on with terrific speed.
Another flash burst from the woman. The thorns were cleaved from the middle and the tips were scattered.
The same like the flash before, this attack also turned the part it hit directly into dust. Most likely it was disintegration magic.
But, the situation was worsening slightly. The torn tips started targeting the three like countless missiles that had their own will.
Kara disguised her position using illusion. The bearded man beautifully parried the missiles, or else he smashed them. The woman fired her disintegration magic like shotgun to shoot them down.
Meanwhile, the class 1 monster finished regenerating.
It became a repeat of before again, an offense and defense where both sides were unable to take the last step to finish the fight.
It sounded good to call the fight even, however, it was their side that was getting cornered. The enemy didn’t show any sign of flaking down at all it made them thought that it might have inexhaustible energy, and yet their side’s magic power was steadily getting emptied.
They needed a decisive blow.
Even if it had to be like during the attack of the swarm of class 1 previously, where the previous guard commander chose to sacrifice himself if with that they could take the enemies down to hell along with them.
It was then.
『……Ghost. More enemy. Class 1……no, perhaps this ought to be called as class 0 instead.』
「What?」
There was contact from the manager’s voice.
He noticed with that. At the same time, he shuddered in chilling realization why he hadn’t noticed it at all.
At the front. At the horizon around two kilometers from his position, there was something at the sky slightly above there. Half of a huge body was entering through the rainbow colored barrier and dropping something drop by drop.
「What, is……that. Black, lump?」
It was clear to see even from afar. It was clearly different from the endlessly attacking humanoid monsters. Including the density of its repulsive presence.
Perhaps it noticed that it was being noticed. The black lump seemed to stop its concealment. Surging waves of energy violently pressed on them.
If class 1 could be compared to a great waterfall, this torrent of power felt exactly like a gigantic tsunami. It was clearly an existence of higher rank.
『Diameter, approximately thirty meter. Elliptical shape……countless streamlined grooves on its surface……it’s like a brain. It’s trickling down something……』
Perhaps the manager writing down record. She was speaking the information of the newcomer like she was reading a document report.
At the same time, it was also despair.
『……Generation of life form from the fallen drops confirmed.』
It looked like a spider. At the same time it also looked like a turtle. Its long neck was stretching and at the tip there was something that looked like human face distorted in agony.
The size was about the size of a large bear. From inside the trickled down sludge, such thing was born one after another while letting out bizarre and unpleasant cries like blackboard getting scratched.
And then, they started charging forward as soon as they were born. Like a swarm of zombie discovering the living.
『Eight, seventeen……thirty, fifty four……one hundred twenty……』
The count was increasing in the blink of eye.
The voice of that cool-headed manager was trembling. Because she understood the situation. The same like Ghost and others.
This had to be dealt with immediately. That thing had to be stopped right away no matter what.
If not――checkmate.
Everyone understood that.
They understood, however, they couldn’t move. There wasn’t enough manpower. Who could possibly dealt with that while they were just barely able to maintain the current battlefield. Half-baked force would just get swallowed by the swarm and died a dog’s death.
At the very least, it had to be a force that could buy time against a swarm of unknown opponent――
「Hero-donoo~, the situation is getting even worse ssu-. As expected can’t you do something about this ssu?」
『Tsu, just a bit, more……it feels, like……I’ll be able to use Limit Break……but-, fuuckk, more class 1-, is coming!!』
This attack, as expected it wasn’t a mere stampede. Perhaps it was done following the intention of someone. It seemed even more force was sent toward the hero who couldn’t be finished off yet even with three class 1 monsters and countless class 3 monsters.
If they have that much fighting strength, it would be better if they just sent them all right from the start, why this? Such question could only be set aside for the time being due to the situation being such it was.
Apparently Ghost could also hear the communication with Kouki who had no leeway. Hearing that, Ghost glanced behind him.
He sensed from the presence. The black haze vanished around a hundred seconds before and the teleportation gate was regaining its former radiance.
But, no reinforcement came. Inaba and Leeman also didn’t come back.
(It’s only natural. Only about four minutes has passed since the gate opened. Eight class 2 including one that’s nearly a class 1 entered……even supposing they could won, it will take a bit more time……)
It wouldn’t be in time. At least until the swarm of blasphemous creatures that he couldn’t tell whether they were spider or turtle arrived at their battle line.
「Manager…………sorry. I have a request under the name of the guard commander Ghost.」
『!』
He could hear the one at the other side of the communication holding her breath. Ghost yelled the words exactly that the manager imagined without even hiding his shameful feeling.
「Execute the Total War Plan!!」
Total War Plan――that was a request for all the non-combatants inside the building, including the manager and the researchers, all the survivors to join the fight without exception.
Anyone could use at least elemental magic in the calamity world. Furthermore, it was at the level where they would be considered as top rank even in the army of Tortus.
They could at least act as gun battery even if they had poor combat experience. Especially the researchers, due to their occupation a lot of them were also capable in using law technique.
But, this was really the last resort.
Because they had their own role. If they didn’t fulfill that role, the world would end either way.
『But……if we do that either way the world will……』
As expected even she seemed to find it hard to shake off her hesitation. The voice of the woman who was always making immediate decisions and taking quick actions was unusually filled with distress.
「Manager!! There’s no time!! If we don’t take action now, we’ll perish!! Please make your――」
Ghost persuaded her, however, he was interrupted.
Two more class 2 monsters penetrated from right above the rainbow barrier.
Apparently the enemy also got serious. Perhaps they planned to alter the flow of battle decisively here.
A lot of comrades had already been lost in this battlefield, even more than the previous deathly battle. They avoided collapse thanks to the hero party but, they couldn’t hold on anymore.
He fired light bullets toward the class 2 monsters, but the two dispersed like gas and dodged as though they already knew his trick.
「Cra――」
One stayed as black smoke and coiled around Ghost to constrict him.
Furthermore, the other one regained its solid body and stabbed Ghost’s belly with its tentacle arm. From there magic power started leaking out like water from a bucket with leaky bottom.
「Whoops, as expected it looks like the enemy side also has learning ability even if poorly isn’t it ssu? Are you alright ssu? Does it look hopeless ssu? But I am an illusion so I can’t do anything directly ssu……I’m sorry for being useless like trash at the wayside ssu……」
So she’s still here, he thought for a moment. Kara didn’t look that troubled while she was scratching her cheek awkwardly.
「But well, it’ll be fine ssu!!」
「What, will-……be fine-!!」
Ghost unleashed magic that dealt shock to the soul from his whole body to somehow escape from the constriction.
The figure of Kara making a guts pose with both her hands while saying easygoing words made him a bit, no, a lot irritated as could be felt from his rough tone.
Kara spoke to such Ghost. Her carefree smile that could even be called as innocent reversed to a devilish smile that was colored with excitement.
「Because……loook, that person has arrived ssu you know?」
And then, as though to show that she was a maid to the end, she turned around without even giving a look at the suffering Ghost and subtly shifted her position in front of the shining teleportation gate. She straightened her posture.
At the sky the actual Kara was throwing her huge chakram. Toward the two who should be ally.
The two law technique users dodged in panic.
As though that was the signal, the phantom Kara elegantly but more deeply than usual,
「I have been waiting ssu. My master.」
Performed the greatest curtsy.
Instantly, crimson flash cut through the air and grazed the position where the illusion’s head was at just a moment before.
That shot that was fired from the whirling teleportation gate arrived at the target at the same time when it was perceived.
The target was the class 1 the real Kara and others were fighting.
It wasn’t even given time to raise its guard, much less dodging. It was truly, a light speed bombardment just like how it appeared.
Would someone whose perception ability was multiplied or perhaps those who entered godspeed be able to notice it? The phenomenon that occurred within an instant.
The moment the crimson flash hit, the class 1 monster’s whole body was dyed red as though it got heated to scorching red from the inside. And then it was melted and annihilated.
The class 1 monster was erased in one attack.
The fighting middle-aged bearded man, and also the very short haired strict looking woman were frozen in astonishment.
No, many of the people in this battlefield were similarly looking up to the sky.
Originally that was a blunder unbefitting for the battlefield. It was an act that exposed fatal opening.
But, there was no harm done.
Because the humanoid monsters were also stopped moving.
The reason for that immediately came to light.
The crimson flash was dispersing. At the same time, everyone’s gaze got drawn toward the teleportation gate regardless of what they wanted.
Their focus and eyes were stolen by the enormous presence flowing out and increasing moment by moment from there.
Coming. Some kind of absurd existence was about to come to this world……
Whether it was getting goosebumps on the skin of their arm, or swallowing their saliva unconsciously, or unconsciously backing away depending on the people, nobody was aware of what they were doing.
The existence that stopped the time in the battlefield with just their presence, finally showed themselves.
「Fast Attack is a success huh……」
He came out from inside the vortex of light clad in crimson radiance. In one hand he was holding a weapon that seemed to be a rifle over two meter long resting on his shoulder, while his other hand was holding a handgun.
The light of the teleportation gate was like a halo.
It was conveyed even in a foreign world, the presence that defied the accepted norms, the aura of mighty power as though it was going to swallow the space. Such atmosphere, was truly like the descend of the demon god.
『Na, gumo……that you?』
It was a “Telepathy” from Kouki. Rather than addressing him, it was more like the hoarse voice unconsciously slipped out from his mouth.
Even Yue and others didn’t know. There was no way Kouki had known about when the current Hajime got serious.
In addition, there must be something that surprised him from that slightly unfamiliar appearance.
Perhaps Hajime was matching the battlefield. His hair color was returning to white, and he was wearing black coat, black trouser, and boots. But, what was similar from before stopped there.
Hajime was wearing a black turtleneck innerwear that clung to his body like pressurized T-shirt, however, from a glance it could be seen that there was thickness to it. It seemed to be metallic based from its texture. It must be a type of smart body armor.
Circular radiance could be perceived faintly on Hajime’s back through his coat, and there were some kind of equipment, several of them attached on his waist’s belt.
Unusually he was also wearing a lot of ornaments. The ring that was a “Treasure Warehouse” went without saying, but other than that there was also a necklace with teardrop-shaped bluish-white ore attached hanging from his neck, on his ears were rugged dark grey ear cuffs. He wasn’t wearing an eyepatch, however, in exchange he was also wearing something unfamiliar like a monocle on his right eye.
To match that monocle his hairstyle was also changed so that only half of his forelock got swept back. It changed his impression even more.
It was Hajime’s serious new combat equipment that even Kouki, no, nobody had ever seen before.
『Oo! A sniping right after crossing world! As expected from the king!! Class 1 one hit!! A-ha-ha!! So thrilling!!』
Inaba jumped out from behind Hajime in really high tension.
At the same time, the real Kara came running the first thing and waited upon him reverently.
「Well done, Kara. I’ve no complain with your work as spotter.」
「It’s the highest honor to receive your praise ssu!」
Jumping precision sniping across worlds. The cornerstone of that success was Kara.
They tested telepathy using soul magic if worlds were connected. With that Hajime asked Kara to be spotter for his sniping. The monster couldn’t be detected even using compass. But, Kara was different.
The phantom Kara was excessively looking over the battlefield was also to send the information over here directly to Hajime using her authority. And then, she was subtly changing her standing position was to tell him the sniping’s angle and timing. Her phantom self acted as replacement for target.
The “time” of the battlefield finally started moving from Inaba and Kara’s words.
The people of calamity world realized that Hajime was certainly an ally and not reinforcement for the enemy and it gave them the utmost relieve.
Next, the humanoid monsters all turned their faces toward the appearance of an existence that they couldn’t possibly overlook.
The instant Hajime perceived that, a class 1 emerged right beside him. It was the godspeed monster that was in close-quarter combat versus Kouki.
Naturally, its sharp claws had finished swinging at the same time with its emergence.
It was impossible to even perceive it unless they were also a user of godspeed. Supernatural speed that surpassed the law of physics. And, those claws cut apart even space.
But, that,
「Measuring start」
Didn’t even make Hajime itchy. The attack wasn’t blocked. Impossibly it simply hit the space several centimeters in front of Hajime in vain.
Hajime didn’t parry it or even dodge it. He wasn’t moving at the slightest. And yet, the class 1’s attack hit empty air as though it had misgauged.
At the same time, it was already over at that time.
Donner’s trigger was pulled. It had already finished firing even though its muzzle was still pointed down. And, it had also finished hitting.
A small ring of liquid metal was floating before the muzzle. A “gate”.
Then, where did it lead to?
――–!?
Of course, at the back of the godspeed monster.
The planet’s energy stream that swallowed everything and returned them back to the world, “dragon’s vein”. The special bullet “pseudo-dragon’s vein formation bullet” reproduced that locally in the designated coordinate.
It flew through space and fired aiming at the superb timing which was the instant of the attack.
Pure white light flowed out and whirled while forming a sphere.
Based on the distance between both sides, naturally Hajime also got swallowed by the pseudo-dragon’s vein barrier. But, unlike the class 1 that was letting out a voiceless shriek, Hajime got out with footstep like he was taking a stroll.
It was the result of his strenuous training of diving into dragon’s vein that was no different than committing suicide. Furthermore it was thanks to the divine protection of the divine spirit Laila who was the avatar of “earth’s King Tree” that was the origin of “willpower”.
Next, Donner’s muzzle was pointed straight toward Ghost.
The movement was just too natural, furthermore, Hajime himself was looking up at the sky like his attention was taken by something else, so Ghost couldn’t even react.
「Wha-, why――」
He managed to slightly say that was after he got caught in the pseudo-dragon’s vein barrier together with the class 2 monsters restricting and sucking out magic power from him.
Unlike class 2 monsters that possessed tough physical body, Ghost from the start was closer to a spirit. He was swallowed by the dragon’s vein’s stream in the blink of eye and vanished.
Of course, the main body was safe so there was no problem but……
Do you know how terrifying and agonizing the sensation of yourself vanishing as an individual?
The scariest thing was, whether this person was aware that Ghost was just a spirit before he shot him together with the monsters.
No, there was no doubt that he was aware. Kara was explaining about his ability seemingly intentionally before this. ……Please let it be that he knew (earnest desire).
「A-as expected he’s the embodiment of evil-」
It felt like there was a voice saying that somewhere. Usually Hajime would make a tsukkomi 「What do you mean “as expected”, oi」 after that. Do I look evil right from the first impression huh, he would say.
But, as expected Hajime showed no sign of paying attention and stayed staring fixedly at the sky.
The magic circle of sublimation magic was floating inside the magic eye in his right eye.
「”Lunamare” ――activate」
The words were muttered. Right after that, DOBAA drag grey tsunami burst from Hajime’s back. It was a terrific amount of liquid metal.
A part of it enveloped the teleportation gate behind and hardened. Right after that,
「――Protection form “Wave”」
The remaining “wave” similarly spread DOPAA while covering the approaching class 1――the specimen that could freely change shape and appeared at Kouki’s area as reinforcement――and swallowed it.
In addition, it blocked the raging stream bombardment from a class 1――a specimen that inflicted all kind of debuffs like debility, decay, ability deterioration, magic power blockage, etc, through bombardment in the form of cloudy raging stream spread to its surrounding――that was similarly coming to reinforce the monsters at Kouki’s area.
「――Protection form “Rim”」
No, it was the opposite. BACCHII! A round hole was opened and the liquid metal avoided the stream.
But in reality it wasn’t avoiding. The hole was actually a “gate”. The raging stream bombardment was carefully ejected from the opposite side of the liquid metal gate with the angle shifted to mow down the approaching swarm of class 2 monsters. They were all swallowed in.
And then,
「――Battle form “Spear”」
The liquid metal formed a gun turret aiming toward the class 1 that was in the middle of unleashing raging stream bombardment. It sparked and immediately after, what was fired was a crimson disintegration bombardment.
The monster paused producing raging stream and tried to dodge, but the gun turret was altering its angel as required to continue pursuing the target. In addition, it also never stopped shooting.
But as expected from a class 1. It was enduring with its regeneration ability even when the disintegration magic hit. It was even trying to counterattack while under such situation but……
In actuality, the dazzling disintegration bombardment was just a smokescreen.
The class 1’s end was already decided after its focus and sight got distracted just for a moment.
「Second, measuring start.」
――–!?
Its movement had been precisely predicted. The monster was hit by the “pseudo-dragon’s vein formation bullet” and caught in the barrier of death.
「Great. Apparently it’s hard even for class 1 to get out of the dragon’s vein barrier. How much time difference there is between class and specimen………」
Hajime glanced to the side at the godspeed monster that was still resisting. He observed it being gradually erased.
The sight of class 3 swarm attacking him all at once should be reflected in his eyes, but he didn’t really make any movement in reaction.
Countless tentacles extended like bullets. A storm of elemental magic of the highest class. There were also monsters weaving through the gap of those while changing their body parts into weapon――
All of those were hindered by liquid metal surrounding Hajime like a vortex. Seeing that the metal was tinged with crimson light, there must be more than just the liquid metal doing the blocking, even so it had an astounding defensive power.
In addition, the liquid metal increased its thickness at where the attack’s density or scale was greater, or depending on the situation parrying aside the attack in high speed, or hardening in conical shape to scatter the attack, etc. The liquid metal was showing astounding flexibility.
A level-headed eye was peering from between the gap of that liquid metal’s stream.
The right magic eye was tinged with crimson light. A magic circle was floating from inside that eye. And then, the lens of the monocle worn over the left eye was projecting things like letters and graphs faintly.
This monocle was none other than the device for controlling the “Combat Specialized Liquid Meta(Lunamare)” perfectly.
「――Combat form “Sword”」
The great vortex of liquid metal protecting Hajime sparked. The crimson shine brightened.
The next moment, countless crimson beams were fired like a mountain of swords. All of them were disintegration magic. Those were swung randomly as though to trample the space.
Not only the rank 3, the swarm of rank 2 that had just gotten hit by the debuffing raging stream and got their endurance and regeneration ability weakened also got chopped to pieces.
Indeed. From that certainly rather than calling it shots or bombardment of beams, it ought to be called as slashes of countless swords instead.
「Now, that guy is the problem huh.」
Hajime’s gaze looked at the front. The black meat lump that was pushing despair to the calamity world. Now it had completely entered inside the barrier and perhaps because of that its speed in producing the strange lifeforms had also doubled.
The grotesque spiders had already increased to over 4000 and reached 5000. Their vanguard would reach the frontline if one more minute had passed.
Hajime raised the huge rifle resting on his shoulder toward that black meat lump. He maintained it with one hand holding it under his armpit.
Looking at it closer, it wasn’t Hajime’s long time partner “anti-material sniper cannon Schlagen AA”.
The muzzle was split to up and down from the middle, forming a shape like a tuning fork. At its side there were shining parts, about ten of them lined up like gradations. Right now, they all had been lit up with crimson light until the tenth part.
The trigger was pulled.
That crimson light streaked through the battlefield’s sky once again.
Perhaps because of the huge body, this time there was a bit of leeway to witness it slightly. It penetrated instantly in a straight line from the spot of the direct hit until the back. And then, the whole body heated up red like magma centered around the pierced spot.
There was no resistance. Or perhaps there was but it was meaningless.
The existence that brought that much despair was at the next moment, burst like it was expanded due to excessive heat from the inside until over the limit and scattered everywhere.
The crimson light that melted and annihilated the target continued just as it was to mow down the approaching army of grotesque spiders. The existences that entered the beam range ended up arriving at the same end without exception.
――New weapon Charged Magic Particle Cannon Parhelion
The weapon called charged particle cannon must be something familiar from science fiction. It was a weapon that fired electrically charged particle accelerated until sublight speed from the electric pressure.
Infeasible amount of electric energy, attenuation due to atmosphere, the difficulty of firing straight due to earth’s magnetic field, the long and large particle accelerator that reached until several km to dozens of km required, there were various technological hurdles and the weapon was considered impossible to be realized.
But, Hajime had his methods.
Technology to mutually convert unlimited magic power and electricity, technology to fiddle with gravity to prevent distortion and diffusion, technology to fiddle with space that enabled the inside of the barrel to be expanded to more than ten kilometers, etc.
Because it was an SF weapon, its power and effect were always just an estimation on paper. Furthermore, it was also using magic element that originally was different from particle.
And so it was questionable whether its effect was the same like the original charged particle cannon but……
The result was as could be seen.
Due to collision between magic particle and heavy metal particle (also including metal particle that was enchanted with gravity magic) accelerated until it was endlessly close to light speed, first the target’s atoms and magic particles, or perhaps their inherent energy particles were physically destroyed. Due to this effect even magical barrier or physical toughness could be virtually disregarded.
Furthermore, due to friction of various electromagnetic wave’s wavelengths, superheating – melting – boiling – plasmafication – etc occurred, annihilating the target due to tremendous heat from inside and outside. That was how.
Hajime rested the sparking charged magic particle cannon Parhelion on his shoulder once more.
The battlefield was stopping once more.
A part of it was due to being struck dumbfounded, but mostly it was because the enemy force that was threatening them had been drastically reduced.
To be frank, it felt like there were now a lot of people who even found themselves having nothing to do at all.
「Ha, haha……what the hell, that Nagumo」
Kouki who was similarly being able to take a breather felt such atmosphere of the battlefield while muttering those words.
He looked up to the top of the building. Like he was looking at a tall mountain far away.
「……Even though I thought that I might have caught up a little, he widened the distance drastically again.」
Frustration that couldn’t possibly be hidden was oozing from those eyes.
But, he wondered why. Inside the gradually forming bitter smile, he could feel a small happiness, and strong fighting spirit like a flame that had been fed with firewood instead.
Whether Hajime noticed what was going on inside Kouki right now or not,
「Uwaaah!?」
Great amount of magic power suddenly flowed in. It caused Kouki to reflexively scream. Looking down, the necklace on his chest was shining. Unlimited magic power was being supplied to him from Hajime.
『Oi, shitty hero princess』
「! Princess?」
『The character who keep getting kidnapped over and over is usually the princess right? Do you have fun getting kidnapped again?』
Kouki-kun’s expression just now instantly vanished completely. In exchange, there was a blood vein pulsing clearly and strongly on his forehead.
「I’m really sorryyy, needing you to come saving me every time. To be a bother to the shitty demon god-sama like this……really makes me feel great!」
The divine blade was flickering really bright. Kouki-sama! Calm downnn! It felt like Aularodde’s voice could be heard saying that.
But, Hajime who usually would get into a war of words right away apparently had no plan to play with the hero this time. The fact that he came here fully equipped also showed a glimpse of how he wasn’t letting his guard down at all.
『Do the rest by yourself somehow. Those two over there has been annoying for some time.』
He was talking about the two class 1 monsters Kouki had been fighting from the start.
They weren’t just standing around doing nothing. Actually they were attacking Hajime this whole time, but apparently all their efforts were being neutralized.
It was Hajime’s necklace. It was the newest talisman stuffed with the cream of the crop of magical defensive techniques the current Hajime was able to do.
The godspeed monster at the start mistaking his distance measurement and swinging at empty air was also because of this talisman’s function――the space magic expanding the space around Hajime until a meter at maximum.
『I also want to make sure there’s the minimum safety here and the basis of that safety before calling Yue and others here. I had analysed this barrier but……who knows how long this barrier will last.』
So that was why, it made sense why Hajime was coming alone. Also, Lee-san wasn’t returning was because he was sharing as much information as possible with Yue and others.
『First we need information so we can also cut off this commotion at the root.』
「I guess. Got it. There’s no problem if I have unlimited magic power. Leave them to me.」
Kouki nodded. Right after that, Inaba came toward him with absurdly fast jump. He must have been asked to back up Kouki. Most likely Kara too was starting to give back up to the other theatres once again, no doubt about it.
It looked like the two were also receiving supply of unlimited magic power, so he could feel really vast power from them.
『Then I’ll leave you to it, shitty hero.』
「I’ll at least work enough to pay this back, shitty demon god.」
After the frivolous talk, Hajime’s presence vanished from the top of the building. That mighty presence seemed to have been drawn in too. Apparently he teleported using Crystal Key.
Kouki watched that happened before lifting the holy sword and divine sword back.
And then,
「I’ll catch up no matter what――”Limit Break – Supreme”」
Kouki finally broke the class 1’s “Limit Break sealing” and pure white magic power burst up.
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Meanwhile, with Hajime who teleported away.
「This is surprising. This place should be spatially isolated though……」
It was a mysterious space. It was pure white, however, the wall, ceiling, and floor weren’t really clear. Even though he felt the sensation of his feet attached on the ground, he couldn’t measure the distance from the floor.
Hajime thought, This is like, “deep inside the Holy Precinct” where I fought Ehito huh.
「……That’s……a key filled with concept magic? I see, with that it makes sense how you can enter here.」
He looked forward. The woman in white robe who was talking to him, he narrowed his eyes when he saw her appearance.
But, even that only lasted for a moment. He turned his gaze to right behind her――the manager, where something like a small sapling was floating.
「I’m Nagumo Hajime. Are you, the person in charge here――the research manager Mercurys?」
Hajime spoke the name of the manager that he heard from Inaba and Leeman.
The manager――Mercurys quietly assented while staying expressionless.
「I have heard about you from hero-dono but……you exceeded expectation. I almost dislocated my back from shock. Even now I’m feeling a beat terrified.」
Certainly, he could sense a bit of nervousness from Mercurys.
「I don’t think we have any time for pointless talk though.」
「Yes, it’s just as you say. Let me explain the situation.」
Hajime looked toward her with a level-headed stare. In response Mercurys slightly shifted her posture.
With that, the sapling floating in their became clearly visible. Right after that, light flowed out from the sapling which created the shape of something.
「Is that, this world’s great tree’s…?」
「Yes, it’s the “core”. And, this child is――」
A pure white cat lightly floated in the air as it showed itself. Its outline was vague and it looked like it could vanish anytime but, it was definitely existing there.
「The avatar huh.」
「Avatar……I see, you use that kind of description. Over here we call it the “law control assistance system”, or simply the “law controller”.」
「……」
Hajime slightly showed the look of falling into thought. Mercurys seemed to read his thought and nodded 「Aa」.
「Your confusion is only natural. You’re considering it right?」
「……Yeah. This is just my guess but, that avatar is an artificial――」
「You must be wondering, why is the avatar a “cat”.」
Hajime-san reflexively muttered 「Eh?」 with a plainly bewildered voice. But, Mercurys-san seemed to mishear him as saying 「Yeah」 in affirmative.
「Of course, cat itself is already a wonderful creature from the start. I certainly cannot deny that I set up the controller to have this form while thinking of the extinct cats.」
Hajime’s eyes blinked. Mercurys-san turned her back on him and lovingly caressed the cat.
Her expressionless face crumbled into affectionate look. Apparently her like of cat was genuine.
But, right after that her face returned back to expressionless,
「But there’s a more important reason. The world is in this kind of state, that’s why……」
No, it was an expression of crisp seriousness. She spoke with a powerful tone.
「We’re wanting even the help of a cat――you get it?」
A deafening silence filled the air. The two stared at each other for a while.
「Ah, that’s an idiom in this world. In a situation where you’re short of hands, you want to borrow even the help of cat which is the cutest living thing in the world but if you ask whether they’re useful that’s really not the case at――」
「No need to explain. We have cat in our world too, and we also have the same idiom with the same meaning.」
「Oh, what a twist of fate. And in this fateful situation at that――you get it?」
For now, Hajime unleashed his power.
Faced with such overly intense wordless tsukkomi, manager Mercurys finally dislocated her back for real this time.
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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.
About the charged particle cannon, Shirakome himself only had a completely half-baked information about it so, it’ll be a great help if everyone can just think of it as, That’s a really kinda great weapon huh, withlenience.
※Meme introduction
– The title that is continuing from the last chapter
In the original material it’s 『Even if the world is destroyed tomorrow, I’m planting an apple tree today』. Apparently it’s a quote from the reformation man Martin Luther.
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