Chapter 610 - Seventh Story: The Demon Beast Cave ②
Sianya and I cast support magic on everyone. We cast Shield, Defend, Resist, Magic Reflection, Increase Defense, Increase Agility, and Increase Offense. With this much cast, even an amateur in plain clothes should be able to have a brawl with a fully equipped heavy infantryman. Furthermore, we've hidden our presence and silenced our sounds. In other words, we even repel magic. As long as we defeat the snakes, we can attack unilaterally. Just in case, I cast Magic Reflection on the vanguard individually. With this, even if they jump out, they can repel magic.
When the sound of body-slamming the iron bars could no longer be heard, the roars of the demon beasts echoed from the back. According to the reactions on Sense Living, they are gradually approaching us. There are also several long ones.
"They used Teleport."
The Demon Race reaction disappeared simultaneously with Eleanor-sama's words.
"Th-They appeared at the entrance!"
Our retreat was cut off!
"Ho ho. Henry-sama, let us handle the rear."
"Very well, Wilhelmina, help out."
"Yes."
The three of them ran out from the range of Camouflage. Being in the forest, the weapons of the three are silver swords.
"Then, the demon beasts are for us. Priestess, please deploy a wall of Dark. We will advance while attacking with magic from behind."
"Okay! Let's do it!"
Perhaps inspired by Sianya, the Priestess's tension rose.
"Jeanne, Fireflies please. Bonnie, support the vanguard. Prevent the Demon Race from escaping with Teleport using silver arrows. Robinson will assist the vanguard with Fireflies. We will attack while in a blinded state."
This is the first time for something like this.
The three vanguard members guard the rear, and behind them, the scouts with bows and the lighting crew with Fireflies provide protection. The front is the mages. It's the opposite of normal.
"Wilson, we're going in prepared to waste shots."
"Yes."
If we're firing at the demon beasts from behind the Dark, it'll be lightning or fire.
First, it started with Flame from both of them together. The magic defense of manipulated demon beasts increases in proportion to the magic control of the one manipulating them. Bluntly put, mid-level magic probably isn't very effective, but it serves as a nuisance. The more the demon beasts resist the manipulation, the greater the burden on the Demon Race member. So even wasted shots have meaning.
Two streaks of fire are released toward the Dark as if intersecting with a roar. It's impossible to tell what's happening beyond the black mist, but the sounds of them making a racket can be heard. They must be quite confused.
"Priestess, please advance the wall slowly."
"Okay."
As the mist was moved forward moya-moya, several places bulged bokon-bokon, perhaps because the demon beasts had charged in with roars. When two streaks of lightning were released horizontally toward those spots, screams rose and the bulges returned to normal.
"I see. There's a method like this too."
The Priestess is impressed.
"As expected, it was the same as Jeanne's wall of Light. This way, we can attack even if we can't see them."
As expected of Eleanor the Tactician. She guessed that the wall of Dark, like Light, couldn't support physical pressure and turned that to her advantage.
"Keep advancing. That will intimidate the opponent more."
In the meantime, the two of them are releasing mid-level fire and lightning.
Even though the damage is small, I have to sympathize with the demon beasts, having a black mist that spits fire and lightning approaching them.
Due to Eleanor-sama's plan, it became just a matter of walking. Occasionally, there were demon beasts that avoided the mist and retreated into the cages, but we illuminated them intensely with Fireflies to corner them, and Wilson-san froze the inside of the cages with Glaciate. Once they become a block of ice, magic defense doesn't matter.
As we proceeded forward like that, the demon beasts also seemed to have had enough, and they stopped bulging significantly. They are probably resisting. If that happens, the burden on the manipulating Demon Race member will also increase. Robinson-san is also making the Fireflies he holds stronger at times to distract the Demon Race member's concentration.
Henry-sama and the others are clever, gradually inducing the Demon Race member toward the back... in other words, toward the rear-guard group, so they don't escape from the entrance. The sounds of battle cries and clashing swords can be heard constantly at the same volume.
When I stepped back for just a moment to check the situation, the three of them were surrounding the Demon Race member who had their back to the wall. Robinson-san was acting as the lighting crew on the entrance side, and Bonnie was on the inner side with her bow drawn with a silver arrow, ready to fire at any time. However, since there's no distance, it's not at full draw. The point is to fire at the ground at their feet the moment the Demon Race member crouches, interfering with the activation of Teleport. In fact, arrows can be seen stuck here and there.
Silver swords and a dark sword; the weapons on both sides are equal. Of the three vanguard members, Henry-sama is in the center. He moves right and left, moving so that his side is at a two-to-one ratio. Of course, he doesn't get too close. Between Gwyn-sama and Will, the one Henry-sama moves toward to make it two people attacks first, and the other tries to take the rear. They repeat this. Henry-sama is also slashing, but the Demon Race member is blocking firmly. Just from that, I can tell they are sufficiently strong. However, they seem to have sustained wounds, with blood flowing from several places on their arms and two places on their torso. Their breathing is quite ragged. They are surrounded by three skilled fighters who have been heavily buffeted with support magic. It's not something they can win. Even so, they continue to fight.
"We're almost done here!"
I only called out that much and returned to Eleanor-sama's side.
We've advanced quite far into the back of the cave. The very end must be close now.
"Jeanne, we're changing to a wall of Light. This is the finishing touch."
"Yes. Understood."
Eleanor-sama seems to have been thinking the same thing. I reply and go to Robinson-san's place again. It's to tell him that we're changing the Fireflies into a wall. Fireflies are spherical and the wall is plate-like. Since the shapes are different, it's easy to get exhausted if handling both simultaneously for a long-term battle. So, it's fine to just give him a small plate instead of Fireflies. However, a simple plate would have a limited illumination range. So, I make the back curved so it's concave. I've done this many times with Magic Reflection, so it's easy.
I aimed for the Demon Race member's face with maximum light intensity for an instant, and changed the shape of the Fireflies into a small wall. The Demon Race member seemed to flinch for a moment, and somehow the gap where the illumination range narrowed wasn't exploited either.
Oh? Maybe I didn't even need to do this?
"Henry-sama! Could you put a little distance from the Demon Race member?"
"Understood. You two, surround them so they don't escape."
Henry-sama positioned himself in the center and took two steps back. Since it was close, I had him take two more steps back. Gwyn-sama and Will also backed away similarly.
The Demon Race member stood with their back to the wall, sword at the ready, quickly glancing at the three while also directing a wary gaze at me.
I don't know if I can do it, but I'll give it a try. Let's see.
"Bonnie, fire an arrow at the Demon Race member's ankles."
"Got it!"
She fires the arrow as soon as she replies. The arrowhead is silver. The Demon Race member jumped up for an instant.
"Light!"
I create a new wall at the Demon Race member's feet. The light intensity is at minimum.
It felt like I just barely made it, but the Demon Race member stood on the wall. I immediately changed the shape to a box. I had never made one with a floor before, but it worked out well.
The height only reached the Demon Race member's waist. Taking advantage of the moment the Demon Race member flinched, I raised the height past their head all at once and put a lid on it. Since it's narrow, they shouldn't be able to swing their sword.
The Demon Race member pounded with the hand holding the sword hilt, but even if it dented, it returned immediately. Looking front, back, left, right, up, and down, the Demon Race member, realizing they were trapped, dropped one knee, pointed the sword tip toward the lid, and thrust straight up as they stood.
Gyarin!
Sparks flew, and a sharp sound echoed, like when Henry-sama slashed the iron door.
To my surprise, a hole was opened!
The lid part bulged slightly and a crack appeared. The Demon Race member's black sword is sticking out from the lid. Just like that, they are trying to slash down this side of the wall with brute force.
Even though the silver sword couldn't damage it, it didn't work against a sword that has the effect of Dark.
This is bad, it'll be broken through at this rate.
Since the front side is facing the Demon Race member, I emit light toward the inside. Maximum light intensity.
The Demon Race member who bathed in the light immediately closed their eyes, but it seems they didn't make it in time. Their burning red eyes have turned cloudy white. Even so, they didn't care and slashed down forcefully while howling.
"Jeanne, that's enough."
"Eh?"
"Any more than this would be a slow death. Gwyn-dono, the finishing blow."
"Understood!"
Told by Henry-sama, I release the box.
The Demon Race member must have realized the restraint was released because the feedback from the stuck sword disappeared. After spreading both hands to confirm their surroundings, they readied their sword.
"I'll put you at ease. Here I come!"
They react to Gwyn-sama's voice and turn toward him. They are holding a pitch-black greatsword near their solar plexus with the sword tip pointing straight up. In contrast, Gwyn-sama is in a low stance. As if measuring the distance, he thrusts his left hand forward, holds the sword in his right hand at head height, and points the sword tip horizontally toward the opponent. He has his left foot forward in a left-half body stance.
The distance between the two is about one step. It's a distance where a blade can reach the opponent in one leap. The ragged breathing of both can be heard.
"Kuoh!"
With a battle cry, the Demon Race member leaped. They swung the greatsword up and down all at once. Gwyn-sama stepped forward with his right foot, brought his left foot forward to be in a right-half body stance, held both hands holding the sword above his head with the sword tip pointing down-left, and while parrying, he swung the sword around above his head and cut off the Demon Race member's head from diagonally behind to the front. Or so Will told me later.
"Gwyn-dono, splendid!"
Gwyn-sama, hearing Henry-sama's voice, let out a long breath, then softened his stern expression and smiled nikkori.
Now it's our turn. After performing the funeral rites to send off the Demon Race member, I go back to the front and make a wall of Light. When the Priestess removed the wall of Dark, a pack of demon beasts was visible. Even though the manipulation was released, perhaps because our figures became visible, they all started barking at once.
When I increased the light output, they backed away. The Demon Race manipulation was released. Their magic defense has already returned to their rank level. It would be a problem if I illuminated them too strongly and all their fur fell out. I made them glow enough to be a threat, carved four holes, and finished them off with Sianya's Holy, Henry-sama and Gwyn-sama's attacks, and Bonnie's silver arrows.
Leaving the processing of the spoils to Henry-sama, Robinson-san, and Bonnie, I explore the back room the Priestess found. By the way, the spoils are divided equally among Finis, Sertoria, and Primordia. Unless there's something specific someone wants to take home, the plan is to give it to Finis and receive cash instead. Sianya says she will donate to the Western Church. For the Sertoria group, Robinson-san, a civilian, and I will split it. Snakes aside, we defeated dozens of demon beasts, so it'll be a considerable amount. However, since a tribute... I mean, a thank-you for cooperation... to the Fire Dragon is also necessary, the plan is to freeze all the meat.
When we explore the Demon Race member's room, according to the Priestess's eyewitness testimony, there was a box full of fairly large Magic Stones. These are split three ways. As a result of Eleanor-sama rolling dice, Gwyn-sama, Sianya, and Eleanor-sama chose one by one in that order and put them in their pouches.
Eleanor-sama, who lost the dice roll and became the Third, is feeling down. Come to think of it, I've never seen her lose before.
"I might be getting old too."
I feel like it's not something to say now, but...
Oops, I was glared at with quite stern eyes.
Once the distribution of Magic Stones is over, it's the magic circles. There are two.
"They are all Teleport. One exit and one entrance. Let's copy and analyze them."
"What shall we do after that?"
"Gwyn-dono, what shall we do?"
"Blasting it like the Behemoth's cave should be fine."
With the agreement of the three royals, Wilson-san and Gwyn-sama went to get gunpowder. Gwyn-sama had prepared gunpowder at the nearest base... there's a settlement at the Midway Base for hunting with the Fire Dragon. Because of the Behemoth incident, he had asked the temple priestess to connect it to the Royal Capital via Teleport... just in case something happened. The Fire Dragon's sanctuary is in northwestern Finis. It's a circular area with a radius of about one station centered on the volcano, and the north and west ends are near the sea. The coastline has intricate inlets, and there's a settlement in a place connected to a relatively wide valley plain. The Midway Base is one of those.
By the time each of us finished our assigned tasks, it was already evening. It was because we couldn't let our guard down since the opponent was the Demon Race.
The final task was blasting using gunpowder. After making a large scratch on the magic circle with Curve, while Gwyn-sama was setting gunpowder with the soldiers who were at the Midway Base, I carried the frozen meat near the crater, dug a hole, threw it in, and froze it with Cocytus.
Once the blasting is complete, it's a banquet. We'll invite the Fire Dragon, of course, as well as the Salamander, Gnome, and the Demon girl we met here, to report to the Fire Dragon. We have to tell it that the Demon Race's tribute will be gone.
The Fire Dragon is doing guon-guon exchanges with the Demon girl, who has become a new banquet companion. The Demon girl and the Fire Dragon are acquaintances. She was quite intimidated by seeing the Fire and Earth spirits in addition to the Fire Dragon, but she managed to talk with the Fire Dragon. Seeing her laugh midway, they must have come to an understanding.
"It says it doesn't particularly care about the prey. It says it's a good thing for humans and the Demon Race to get along. It says you should do your best to get along with the Demon Lord and upper-class Demon Race too."
The Fire Dragon's words translated by the Salamander were effectively a lecture. Everyone couldn't help but bow their heads.
In addition, there was an explanation from the Demon girl.
"Listen, I just found out too, but even though there was a contract, it seems it didn't like the Demon Race member who stayed hidden and bullied and overworked me. It says it hates bullying the weak. But, you guys are incredibly strong yet you didn't kill me. You released me and even thought about my future safety, right? Besides, the contract is between equals. It seems it liked that kind of thing."
What a man!
Gwyn-sama nodded deeply. I had thought for a while that he somehow resembled the Fire Dragon in atmosphere, but it seems they were of the same kind.
The humans all looked up at the Fire Dragon and praised it one after another. When the Gnome translated with a smile, it looked away with a pui. Its face and body are originally red, but I feel like the red in its face got a little stronger. It's surprisingly cute.
"Fire is hot, after all. You can believe it."
At the Salamander's words, we all raised our bowls.