Chapter 427 - Chapter 10: The Demon Race of the Western Plains (Part 2)
The rooms presumably for the Revenants were scavenged... I mean, investigated by the old couple, and then all the spoils were sent through the Simple Teleportation Magic Circle. Then, they proceed to collapse the ceilings and crush the rooms. The floor of the passage is also full of blocks of hardened soil so that the Demon Race cannot jump in with Teleport. Ideally, they should line up silver stakes, but they can't prepare that much.
During the search of the rooms, the enemy's path is significantly limited. Once you're inside, there's only the entrance. Since Hughes-sama is on guard, it's safe once you're inside. During that time, Eleanor-sama produced fire for light, so I was able to rest.
While reliably blocking the enemy's escape routes, as we proceed with the exploration into the depths of the cave, there was a wide stone room. The ceiling is also sufficiently high, unlike the other rooms. In the passage and others, Roberts-sama could barely hold his spear upright, but here there is plenty of room.
"It's like a temple. There's an altar and a stone statue of the Goddess."
The stone statue is quite a large one that looks like it was carved into a large stone pillar. The Revenants were all priests and devout believers in the Goddess. They must have never missed their prayers here.
In short, this is where the Demon Race lurks.
Everyone has one Firefly. Three are drifting above my head.
Roberts-sama, who uses a spear, threw the one he held in his hand to the other side of the stone statue. It's higher than head height.
"Kuo!"
A voice is heard. As I thought, they were hiding. Henry-sama and Hughes-sama roll the ones they held in their hands onto the floor. It's at the foot of the stone statue. They rolled to a position where they can also illuminate the floor behind. They won't be able to use Teleport with this.
As expected, with a dan sound, they jumped out from behind the stone statue and stuck to the wall. Just like a spider. Immediately, Roberts-sama pursued with his spear, and Harrison-san fired an Over Flow. The Demon Race kicked the wall and flew behind the altar, dodging the spear and magic. Henry-sama slashes at the altar with his sword. After slashing diagonally twice, the altar collapsed with a gara-gara, but the Demon Race was nowhere to be seen.
Let's check the Goddess statue first, Eleanor-sama suggested.
When we checked, the top was perfectly flat. The stone statue is taller than a normal human, and accordingly, the stone pillar into which the stone statue was carved has sufficient thickness. There is enough space between the top and the ceiling for a human to crouch. They can jump in with Teleport. Even if we bury the room, we can't cover the Goddess statue in soil. We decided to move to the corner of the room, pull out several wall stones, dig a hole there, and bury the room with the soil obtained from that.
When one wall stone was pulled out, something similar to what was attached to the earthworm holes was found on the back of the stone.
"It's slug mucus. To think there was such a use for it is a discovery."
It's a simpler use than the armor she developed herself, but it seems it was a discovery. I don't know how much a wall that blocks magic from the outside is useful, but she might develop something for us.
"Jeanne. Please search with Sense Living."
I search as I'm told, but there is no reaction.
"Hughes, go out into the passage and shift slightly to the side from the doorway."
Hughes-sama's reaction disappeared!
"I see. Jeanne, please."
She's pointing at the passage.
"Yes!"
When I go out into the passage just like that, there was a reaction.
The passage is straight from the entrance, but it presumably splits left and right at the end. Since the interval for one door is ten steps now, and I can see seven doors each on the left and right, the distance is likely about eighty steps from the entrance. There is a door on the front wall, and I don't know what's at the end of the passages that split left and right. The reaction of the Demon Race is diagonally to the right front. In other words, at least one is hiding at the end of the passage to the right.
"Continue the search just like that. Roberts, Hughes, protect Jeanne."
"Understood."
I continue the search while being protected by two heroes. There is no major change in the Demon Race. During that time, Eleanor-sama is burying the room with soil.
"Can we defeat them?"
I try asking Roberts-sama.
"We're going to defeat them."
He's laughing magnanimously. He's composed. He's cool.
While being careful of the Demon Race's reaction, we crush the rooms in order. Since they are only rooms for the Revenants, the processing is also easy. We proceeded rapidly. And then, we crushed all the rooms entered from the passage following the entrance and came to the dead end. The passages to the left and right are not that long. There is one door in front, and one door each at the end of the left and right passages. The reaction of the Demon Race is behind the door on the right.
"We're going from the right. Jeanne, please switch to Light. All directions, eight-fold volley. Henry, please take the rear."
"Umu."
Henry-sama turns around.
No way, it's a frontal attack. I hurriedly hold the tip of the staff high and fire with an eight-fold volley.
"Harrison, please. Three shots."
"I shall comply."
When Harrison-san fired a log-sized Holy Lance toward the Star of the Class of 175 while looking down, it changed into a light that was even hot. It's so bright that even for a human, if you look directly at it, your eyes will go strange.
To think such a thing is possible...
"I thought a triple volley would be enough, but to think it's an eight-fold volley. It will be a trump card against the Demon Race."
That's why we specifically came early and practiced.
With this, two hours continuously is... impossible, but even one hour is impossible. I should be able to manage half an hour. Somehow, I feel like I can do it.
Hughes-sama creeps up to the door. Just as I thought he gave a thumbs-up, he slips backward. He doesn't make a sound even when landing. Roberts-sama comes forward as if switching places and makes two sweeps with his bladed spear. With a bakon sound, the door shattered into pieces.
"Gwaaaaaaaa!"
The man in the black robe who was in front of the door covered his face and collapsed from his knees. He took a direct hit from the most powerful Light ever. Smoke is rising from his whole body. When Hughes-sama and Roberts-sama jump in and take his head, he turned into soil.
I jumped into the room along with Hughes-sama just like that. Yellow light spreads in the room. The Demon Race's lightning. He fired it horizontally.
However, Hughes-sama must have anticipated it, as he easily dodged it with the Wind Barrier he had already deployed. He rushed in just like that, and it seems it became a melee battle.
At the same time as a batan sound of a door being opened was heard from behind, a groan was heard.
When I turned around, one with a sword with a pitch-black blade, looking very much like a Demon Race, had come out from the front door. It seems they were aiming for a pincer attack from the start.
Whether his eyes were done in by the Light, he is on one knee and covering his eyes with his left hand. Henry-sama rushes over. Harrison-san fired a log-sized Holy Lance over Henry-sama's back, but he closed the door and retreated into the room. Henry-sama came back without pursuing.
On Roberts-sama's side, the sound of blades clashing, gachin-gachin, is heard. As soon as Harrison-san ran in, he fired an Over Flow. I thought he did it, but there's no change in the situation. On the contrary, he is firing Heal wildly. It seems the two in the lead are fighting while wounded.
It can't be helped. I should just illuminate the passage by the door.
I ran in as if following Harrison-san.
When I enter, the battle is continuing inside. The Demon Race must be in the back left after entering. The wall extending from the back side is completely blocking the Light's light. Hughes-sama and Roberts-sama are manipulating their weapons toward the Demon Race in the back while lined up together. From here, the figure of the Demon Race is not visible. Harrison-san is in a place a bit away, perhaps fearing he'll be in the way of the two. However, at this rate, it won't be settled.
"Behold the surface of this wall. They have applied slug mucus. It is not possible to destroy it with magic."
This is difficult. The enemy is completely protected from magic by the wall. That said, if we slacken the attack, they'll escape with Teleport. Harrison-san must be timing when to switch places.
"The opponent has a shield that looks like it's made of hardened black mist that nullifies our magic."
The shield is a circular shield held in one hand, and moreover, because it's likely magic, it has no weight and its movement is fast. If it hits a human body, it's said to fester as if a heated iron plate were applied. The two fighting on the front line are stepping in, jumping back, and adding attacks so as not to be hit by the sword and shield attacks.
"Eleanor-sama! Please come!"
When I call, she looks at Henry-sama for a moment. Henry-sama, while still facing away, lightly raised his right hand.
Eleanor-sama, after grasping the situation, asked what she should do. I'm the one who called her.
"There's slug mucus on the surface of the wall, but there's none on the floor."
It would be inconvenient to walk if it were on the floor. It must take time to dry.
"You mean to dig up and collapse the floor?"
"Yes. If you dig up and collapse the wall from below, the magic will reach."
"Understood. Harrison, please time when to fire the Holy. Jeanne, go toward the door."
"Yes."
Henry-sama has come down near us and is on one knee. His right hand is gripping the hilt of the sword at his waist so he can draw it anytime. The front door shows no sign of opening. The Demon Race inside must have looked right at the Light's light; his eyes might be completely done in. We'll defeat one of them while we can.
Eleanor-sama, having finished her chant, chanted Cocytus. Cracks appeared on the floor with a bishi-bishi. The output must be narrowed, but it's rough.
Next, she started peeling off the floor stones with Clump Stone.
After peeling them off one after another, and peeling off all the stones in front of the wall, she digs a hole with Clump Sand. When she dug under the wall, it started to collapse from below the side of Roberts-sama and the others.
Finally, the figure of the Demon Race was revealed.
That figure is different from a human. Legs covered in black fur are visible.
"Guooooooo!"
The Demon Race is protecting his upper body with the shield in his left hand, but smoke is not rising from the exposed parts like it was with the Red-Eyed Man. Once they reveal their true form, even with this much strengthening, they cannot be defeated like a Revenant. The subjugation rank of a Demon Race executive is A. Unless I become ultra-high-level myself, it'll only be a blind.
"Holy Lance!"
Harrison-san's well-aimed log-sized shot pierced through both legs of the Demon Race peeking from under the shield, and at the same time, swept him away with its pressure.
The Demon Race rolls on the floor while protecting himself with the shield to avoid a direct hit from the Holy.
Roberts-sama and the others are not ones to miss that opening. With one swing of the spear, he took the head all at once.
We successfully defeated one. Two rooms left.
The one in the middle won't come out at all. Did he run away?
When we all go slowly to the front door, he said in a loud voice that he wanted a duel.
"A duel?"
"Yeah, I lost the sight in both my eyes due to your light magic. If I fight you like this, it will only be unsightly. In that case, I want to decide the outcome with a duel."
Would he say it's the pride of the Demon Race?
Roberts-sama lightly shakes his spear.
Seeing that, Eleanor-sama set a condition. She told him to answer questions.
As expected, the Demon Race accepted the condition. However, he says there are up to three questions and there are things he cannot answer. It'll be related to the Demon Lord's army. Eleanor-sama negotiated, and it was decided that she could ask questions until she got three answers. As a result, the question-and-answer session through the door began.
"What were you doing here?"
"You already know. You have already crushed two magic circles. That is why you came here."
"Does the Demon Lord also know what you were doing?"
"Who knows. I have never brought it to that person's ears. But he is a clever person. It would not be strange if he knew."
It's not the Demon Lord's instruction. Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama both sighed and made eye contact.
No matter how you look at it, he's a fan of the Demon Lord.
Moreover, after the two questions were finished, he asked this way with a smile, "Is there anything you want to ask?" Roberts-sama is chuckling. Not only is he laughing, for some reason he looks at me. When I tried to back away, Hughes-sama, who had moved behind me before I knew it, patted my shoulder. For some reason, he is looking at me and nodding.
"Jeanne, is there nothing you wish to ask? This monk has nothing in particular."
Harrison-san ran away.
"I-I also..."
"Then, let's have Jeanne ask."
"That's good. Then, Jeanne, please. Anything is fine."
Interrupting my words, they pull me to the front of the door.
"The priest who cast the light magic on you and took your sight will ask a question. Her name is Jeanne."
Wh-What are you saying on your own!
"Be quick, Jeanne or whatever. If there is nothing to ask, I shall cut this off."
Even the Demon Race has remembered my name... He's the second after the Demon Lord.
"Come on, Jeanne."
"Umu. You must not keep a proud warrior who chose a duel waiting."
Whose side are you guys on!
"Jeanne. I won't ask if my mother said so. It won't end unless you ask something."
"You'd better be quick."
Even Roberts-sama and Hughes-sama have turned...
The old couple are pulling my sleeves, saying, "Come on, come on."
Oh, whatever...
"Is it not possible for humans and the Demon Race to coexist and co-prosper? It can be done if we decide each other's territories."
At this point, I'll try even if it's a long shot.
"I do not want to be told that by human scum like you who are killing each other among your own kind. At least we fight among our own kind, but we do not kill each other. Do not speak as if you know better than us, you inferior creatures."
"!"
I was speechless. I couldn't say anything back...
"I have answered three. Duel!"
With a dokan, he threw the door open.
The Demon Race that came out had an appearance that was very much like a Demon Race, with his whole body covered in black fur, and growing tusks and horns. The horns look longer than the Demon Race from earlier. He said he had lost his sight, but he has a cloth wrapped around his head so as to cover both eyes.
"Your opponent is me. Roberts, the brother of the King of Sertoria."
"Is it you, the one who is said to have struck down the Demon Lord?"
"Yeah, three of the seven people from that time are in this place."
"I could not ask for a better opponent. Come!"
Saying that, he jumped back into the back of the room.
From there on, it was a battle between warriors.
Despite not being able to see, the Demon Race received Roberts-sama's spear with a pitch-black sword, dodged, stepped in, and attacked.
Of course, the Light is not on. Both sides are fighting in the darkness.
"Roberts, anticipating a battle against the Demon Lord, had accumulated training to fight without relying on sight by wearing a blindfold. However, that Demon Race shouldn't have been like that. Since he originally lives in the darkness."
According to Eleanor-sama's words, he's quite a skilled one.
"The length of the horns is not that different from the Demon Race of the Northeastern Forest. He might be the seventh or eighth."
"What about the Demon Race from earlier?"
"He wouldn't be an executive. Demon Race that take human form are said to be of low rank. But since he has horns, he would be high-level. He would be eleventh or lower."
"Ah! He won!"
While I was receiving Eleanor-sama's explanation, it seems it was settled. The spear tip of Roberts-sama's spear cut off the head of the Demon Race, whose chest plate had been pierced and had completely stopped moving.
Henry-sama, who had been watching with his arms crossed, nodded lightly, and Eleanor-sama applauded.
"That was magnificent."
"I could not afford to lose after being given such a handicap."
He replies lightly to Harrison-san's words of labor. He's not even out of breath. Thinking about it, it was finished much faster than the battles against the Demon Race on the fourth floor or the Cait Sith.
"He gave up on resisting pointlessly when he lost his sight and chose to duel. He must have been prepared to lose. All that's left is to send him off."
Roberts-sama said that, picked up the head that had flown off, and placed it near the torso.