kscans

Chapter 285 - The Second Seal and the Second Area Guardian Battle

"Has anyone gone inside from here?"

The shrine Erne guided us to was a stone monument similar to the one in Famu's village. It was a slender pillar of natural stone, one side of which had been hand-carved flat, and it reflected the morning sun.

Growing in clusters around it were red spider lilies. Their thin, curled petals looked like tangled red balls, and the stamens that extended from them like saucers resembled the legs of a spider, or perhaps its web, giving them an eerie appearance.

"No one should have. We didn't even know this was a dungeon entrance in the first place," Erne replied. He touched the monument and ran his hand over it as if stroking it, but his body didn't disappear.

Myra moved closer to me.

"Mash, if the God of the End is trying to break the seal, shouldn't we be protecting it?"

"If you say so, Myra, then let's not explore it."

As I turned to leave, Myra's mouth fell open.

"Huh?"

"Huh?"

We stared at each other for a while.

"Why are you turning back?"

"Isn't it because you warned me against it?"

"Well, yes, but..."

Myra twisted her lips in displeasure, looking as if she wanted to say more. Beside her, Famu peered at the stone monument.

"Master, can you read these characters?"

At her words, Mizuki and I exchanged a glance.

"The maiden's bed where I once laid my sword, oh that treasured blade..."

Mizuki recited in a clear voice.

"What does it mean?"

"Um, it's a line from a story in our world. It's a tanka poem recited by a hero who entrusted his god-given sword to a princess when he was gravely wounded in a battle with a mountain god."

"Was that hero Okita Soji?"

Mizuki shook her head at Famu's question.

"He was from a much older era, someone we're not even sure really existed."

Famu placed a finger on her chin at those words.

"It's the same with Okita Soji, but why do people from your world recite poems like this on their deathbeds...?"

At her words, Mizuki's brow clouded, and she looked at me for help. Neither Mizuki nor I would likely be reciting a death poem in any situation. I wanted to know what state of mind would lead someone to do such a thing, but we couldn't even be sure if the person themselves had actually written it.

"It was the same in my settlement. It was just a stone monument. We would clean it and touch it, but nothing ever happened. Perhaps the door only opens when a transmigrator like you, Master, who can read these characters, arrives?"

"So you're saying this monument has been waiting for us, for transmigrators?"

Famu nodded. When I looked at Myra, she quickly averted her gaze.

"Why won't you look at me?"

"Because if I give my opinion, you'll just do as I say, won't you?"

"What's wrong with that? I thought I've always listened to your opinion when it comes to mythology..."

"Have you really...?"

Myra furrowed her brow and tilted her head. To be honest, I wasn't keen on investigating the sealed object myself. It meant a fight with an Area Guardian. Okita Soji was an enemy far beyond what Famu or I could handle, but he had waited for Famu to grow stronger. This time, even with six of us, there was no guarantee we would face such a considerate enemy.

I let out a short sigh.

"There are a total of four seals in this region. And one of them held the God of the End. However, from what I've heard about what happened with you and Famu in the dungeon, I believe the seal was broken by Okita Soji's own will, and he entrusted it to us."

Myra spoke up as if to help me out of my hesitation.

"Entrusted..."

I mulled over Myra's words. It certainly felt that way, but it was a huge pain. If it could be sealed, I'd rather it stay sealed forever, but perhaps even that has its limits.

"And the fact that there are three seals remaining is concerning. One of them was the stone slab from the Ark that came from your world, Mash, which we were looking for. I think there's a high probability that something related to it is sealed here as well."

"If that's the case, then why is it sealed in this land...?"

The Ark was brought to this world during the war of the gods. But the other items, the Jar of Holy Oil, was destroyed, and the staff was said to be in the possession of the former Emperor of the old empire, now in the Demon Kingdom, so it shouldn't be here.

"Isn't the God of the End itself just one of many aspects?"

"I see. You're saying there might be an original, or a katashiro with the same power, right?"

"It's worth investigating. It seems only those who can read the characters on the monument can enter the dungeon..."

Myra nodded with just a glance. In the end, I didn't know whether we should proceed or turn back.

"You decide, Mash!"

As I waited for a conclusion, she said, as if she couldn't stand it any longer. I had no choice but to look at Erne.

"You are the one Famu brought. You saved our village. You have our permission to investigate this monument."

I looked around at the members of Levante, and they all nodded.

Reluctantly, I reached out to touch the monument. As I did, the space around us began to warp. In a panic, Famu and the others grabbed onto me.

The air was stagnant. Whether it was the smell of mold or something rotting, I couldn't tell, but the scent, along with a cold dampness, assaulted my nose.

The idyllic scenery from moments before was gone, replaced by a stark, straight stone corridor stretching before us.

I looked back to see that the members of Levante had followed me. They too were looking around in curiosity.

"This is the first floor, but if it's like the shrine in Famu's village, the Area Guardian will be incredibly strong."

"You could have said that sooner!"

Mizuki immediately shot back.

"Myra was being hesitant, so I was just going to go along with that. In that situation, could I really say, 'Let's not go because the Area Guardian seems strong'?"

Mizuki placed a hand on her forehead and let out a deep sigh.

"In a dungeon marked with Okita Soji's death poem, we got Okita Soji, so..."

"Is the person who wrote that poem strong?"

Famu interjected.

""Strong.""

Mizuki and I said in unison. Nephi, who had been silently watching us, started walking.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"It seems we can't turn back. So we have no choice but to move forward, right?"

"Don't get too far ahead."

She stopped at my words and turned around.

"Are you, by any chance, worried about me?"

"Of course I am. We're proceeding with caution. No matter what happens, we all survive."

Everyone but Nephi nodded at my words.

"If you were going to say something like that, you shouldn't have been so eager to enter the dungeon in the first place."

Nephi shrugged and started walking again. We followed her.

"Even so, we might find something related to the Ark. If that's the case, we have to find out, no matter what," Myra said. Nephi glanced at her without stopping.

"Are you saying you'd die for the sake of curiosity?"

"W-well, that's not what I mean. But our journey's purpose is to defeat the Demon Lord."

She looked at me as if to say, "Right?"

"To be honest, I'd rather just hole up somewhere. But at this rate, I'll be dead in ten years, so..."

And I want to keep touching Myra's chest forever. As I thought this, the color seemed to drain from her eyes.

"But! Someone with such a low sense of purpose wouldn't defeat pirates, save the Earth Dragon Race's home, or rescue the cities of Nieren and Miglutt. Mash is just hiding his embarrassment."

She clutched her mace, muttering as if to convince herself. Just then, the corridor widened, and a large door appeared before us.

"Mash..."

Myra turned around. No, it wasn't just her. Famu, Mizuki, Marmi, and Nephi were all looking at me.

"We have no choice but to go forward. Let's go."

I muttered briefly, and they all nodded.

The Area Guardian's room was a vast, arena-like space enclosed by marble.

A rain of light poured down from the highest point of the domed ceiling, and from within it, the figure of a monster emerged.

It was a human silhouette clad in what looked like a monk's robes. It wore a vermilion garment with wide sleeves and a dull, brownish-yellow surplice, or kesa. Its head was covered by a hood, and from the gap for its eyes, a featureless face peeked out. There was only darkness there.

Though dressed in Japanese-style clothing, the figure held a long-handled battle-axe, like one a Western knight might wield. The tip of the handle was sharpened to a fine point, and like the axe's blade, it shone with a silvery gleam.

"A Bishop!"

Myra tightened her grip on her mace.

"You know it?"

"The bishops I know are not monsters, but that is the attire of a priest from the East," Myra replied to my question.

"The East... the Demon Kingdom?"

"No, much further east than the Demon Kingdom. It is said there is a country far beyond the desert."

So even in this world, if you head east, you find a country similar to Japan. While we were talking and drawing our weapons, the Bishop held its battle-axe horizontally with both hands, pointing its tip at us. A small spark ignited at the tip, and in the blink of an eye, it grew into a swirling fireball of crimson flames.

"Fireball incoming!"

Before my shout had even finished, Marmi's wand was already moving. A magical barrier deployed from its tip.

The Bishop's fireball collided with the magical barrier, and both shattered.

The fireball burst, scorching the marble floor.

Intense heat licked at our cheeks. I raised an arm to shield my eyes from the heat. Gripping my sword in one hand, I moved forward to attack. We had myself, Famu, Mizuki, Myra, and Nephi—all capable of physical attacks. If we left Marmi to deal with the magic and all attacked at once, we should be able to overwhelm the monster with sheer numbers.

"Mash!"

Mizuki shouted my name as a warning. The scattered, still-burning flames seemed to swell, then began to writhe as if they had a life of their own.

They were worms, like the larvae of butterflies. They had green bodies and red antennae that mimicked the shape of flames. And what sent a chill down my spine was their size. They were knee-high and about half the length of my body. Looking around, I saw dozens of them being born, slithering across the ground toward us.

"Mizuki and I will aim for the Bishop! Master, you take care of the worms!"

"Got it. Myra and I will handle the worms. Marmi, support Famu and the others. Nephi, guard Marmi!"

As Famu and Mizuki started to run, the Bishop had already conjured a second fireball.

"...How suffocating."

Marmi, too, was conjuring a water sphere of her own water magic. She launched her water sphere first, and the Bishop fired its fireball to shoot it down.

With a violent roar, steam erupted, obscuring our vision. Famu and Mizuki plunged into it, chasing the Bishop's shadow, and disappeared.

"It's gone!"

Mizuki's voice echoed, and at the same time, I thought I saw a black shadow dash across the top of my vision. I instinctively raised my sword just as the Bishop's battle-axe came crashing down.

With a harsh clang of metal, a sharp pain shot through my left shoulder.

I hadn't been able to completely block the impact. The Bishop didn't press its attack, instead holding its battle-axe horizontally and retreating, trying to hide in the steam.

"You're not getting away!"

As I grit my teeth against the pain and started to chase after it, the Bishop stopped its retreat, raised its axe, and kicked off the ground.

A fierce exchange of blows ensued, but with the pain in my shoulder, I was no match for it. My body was being carved up, accumulating countless wounds.

My weapon was lighter. I should be able to surpass it in speed. I forced myself forward, determined not to lose in spirit. But my movements were completely read. The spearhead on the battle-axe pierced my thigh.

"Guh!"

I failed to support my weight on one leg and collapsed. The battle-axe was raised above me. Frowning, I tried to roll and get up, but the pain prevented me from twisting my body. Lying on my back, I raised my sword, preparing for the attack.

But the blow never came.

Myra had stepped between me and the Bishop, blocking the battle-axe.

"Mash, I will defeat this enemy."

She thrust her mace forward, pushing the Bishop back.