Chapter 312
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This is consecutive update after Saturday.
A chapter before, 「The Respective Battle Middle」 was posted so,
For those who haven't read it, please start from there.
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Around the same time when the returnees were attacked everywhere, in the Nagumo family house......
All the attackers were groveling around the house.
With just one word, the demon king's first wife,
――Grovel
Ordered them to do so.
It was Yue-sama's "Divine Statement".
Whether they were demon or cultist, it was irrelevant. The sense of invincibility was absurd.
In a manner of speaking, Nagumo family house was the demon king castle, so although in a glance it looked like a single house that was somewhat splendid in a residential area, the inside was a completely different thing.
A type of defensive barrier that automatically detected every kind of attack as well as infiltration was prepared in five, six layers with varying form. In case those layers were penetrated, an interception system that was also automatic would attack with heavy weapons, magic, and swarms of grim reapers.
Even if someone was lucky and managed to step inside the house, the moment they stepped in, a teleportation device would activate and the intruder would be forcefully moved to an underground prison that doubled as a battle field that was set up deep inside mountain. (With setting change it was possible to send only the mind to a dungeon of game world)
In case it was a long range attack――for example, even if a nuclear missile was fired, it would surely become a nightmarish sight where the surrounding became empty lot while only Nagumo family house would still stand unharmed.
It was a house that was truly should be called as an impregnable fortress.
Who in the world the attackers could possibly be? What kind of existence the unseen enemy that was wafting off strange aura was?
Yue asked those things from Kousuke through telepathy, but just slightly before that,
「Excuse me for coming so late at nightttttttt-」
Suddenly, the space in the living room distorted. From the opened "gate", Aiko rolled *roll roll* out. She also didn't forget to give greeting as befitting a full member of society.
Aiko went along the momentum of her rolling and stopped into a beautiful kowtow, then she said 「eih」while twisting the "Gate Key" that Hajime specially gifted to her which could directly connect to Nagumo family house. After that, the arm of the cultist who was reaching out his hand from the "gate" exactly at that timing was......
*Plop* It fell on the living room.
Because the gate closed, the arm that straddled through space was bisected it seemed.
It appeared, Aiko was going to a convenience store. Her hand was holding the bag of a certain convenience store and a box of Yukimi Da○fuku was peeking out from it. She was attacked while going home and panickedly escaped to Nagumo house. Only the Yukimi Da○fuku that she wouldn't let go no matter what. (TN: Seems like it's a brand of manju snack or something in Japan.)
「Yue-oneechan. Someone's hand is......」
「......Nn. There is no such thing.」
*Snap* A single finger snap resounded. The "hand" was swallowed by blue flame, together with the slowly oozing out blood. it vanished in the blink of eye without even leaving behind ash. Annihilation by flame for filth for the sake of Myuu's cultivation of aesthetic sensibility.
「I'm sorry to visit suddenly. For some reason people who give off bad feeling attacked me.」
「Ai-chan-sensei, it's gret that you are safe. Just now we were also attacked. There are quite a lot of people outside.」
「Eh? There are that many suicidal people out there?」
Aiko's statement flew out so naturally in respond to Shizuku's words, but it spoke volumes about her opinion toward Nagumo family house.
Although, it seemed there was no time to sort out the situation with each other leisurely.
Right after that, the emergency telepathies from the classmates were broadcasted to the whole group, and at the same time, the barrier devices that were set up in Shuu's company, Sumire's workplace, Shirasaki family house, and then Hatayama family house raised the alarmed that notified their activation.
And then,
『Everyone, it is I.』
The voice of the abyss lord too.
In this kind of emergency, what do you mean "It is I", Yue-sama thought with vein pulsating on her forehead.
「......Endo. Explain without screwing around.」
It seemed the voice of extreme coldness returned the lord back to Kousuke. Yue listened to the starting explanation while running her gaze around. After doing that, the wive~s nodded in the same beat.
「......Tio, take care of the house. You can also open the underground as evacuation place.」
「Umu, understood. I wouldst protect Myuu and Remia. Go forth, Yue.」
「......Nn.」
Yue vanished silently.
Almost at the same time,
「I will return soon with Otou-san and others!」
「I'll also go check on the disciples, so I'll be a bit late.」
「Just in case, I'll borrow several Grim-chan okay?」
Saying that, Kaori, Shizuku, and Aiko, the three also teleported to their own house using their "Gate Key".
By the way, before Aiko teleported, she took several white and red balls that were placed in the living room's shelves and then returned to her own house. What was inside the balls wasn't monster, but mechanical god of deathGrim Reaper.
The balls were "Treasure WarehouseGrimball" for storing the Grim Reapers. It wasn't Po○ball by any means. Papa wasn't creating it to be similar because of a certain daughter's begging, not at all.
Tio was listening to Kousuke's explanation that was resounding inside the brain while groaning 「Fu~mu」, her hand was pressing her smartphone *pi-pi-* during that time.
「......It dost not connect as expected.」
「You mean Hajime-san and Shia-san?」
Remia who was going 'my my ufufu' even at this kind of time was asking while starting the preparation to for the people who would come here to evacuate.
「Umu. The barriers protecting Hahaue-donohonorable stepmother and Chichiue-donohonorable stepfather were activated. Naturally, the notification shouldst hath reach Goshujin-sama too but......」
「Umyu......where are papa and Shia-oneechan at nano?」
「Who knows. The modified phone of Goshujin-sama doth not connect. Perhaps the notification doth not reach, or perhaps they art in a place or a situation where even though the notification reach, they cannot contact back....... It doth not look like they art merely enjoying their vacation leisurely.」
Seeing Tio folding her arms in contemplation, Remia's expression clouded slightly.
「Do you mean to say that Hajime-san and Shia-chan are also falling into some kind of dangerous situation?」
「Might be so. Although, it's also not a matter that is so worrying. In all probability, they art only in a situaiton where the phone's signal doth not reach. It's not possible that they art unable to move or contact back even though the notification reached them. Goshujin-sama hath the Crystal Key afer all.」
No matter where they could possibly be, if Hajime grasped the situation here, then no matter what kind of obstacle stood on his way, Hajime could ignore it and instantly rushed here. That means, in the first place he didn't notice the necessary to rush here itself.
That in itself was a really abnormal situation for Hajime though......
「There is no problem nano! It's the long-awaited trip where Shia-oneechan was that happy nano! Making them go back home just because of this degree of trouble is no good-!」
The beloved daughter of the demon king declared that they had no need for papa's help or anything it seemed. Both her small hands made clenched fists, and she puffed her chest, speaking passionately with a rough breathing 「Huff」. She even started shadow boxing with sharpness in her movement, saying 「Bring it on! If they want a fight, then come at us anytime, anyone, from anywhere-, nano!」.
Seeing the figure of such Myuu, Tio and Remia looked at each other's face, and a beat later.
「It's just as Myuu said. If it's Goshujin-sama, he must hath gotten flown away to other world somewhere and flirted around with Shia anyway.」
「Ufufu, that's right isn't it? If the two of them are together, then there won't be anything scary at all. Let's take care of this properly while they are away.」
Saying that, they chuckled at each other.
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Right after Aiko teleported to the backyard of her parents' house, she heard the voice of a person she knew well resounding.
「Yo, you guys! Just what in the world! Do you understand what you are all doing!? This is a crime!」
The voice of a young man was saying the natural thing to people who were most likely the cultist attackers.
「Ee? Taichi-kun? So you are visiting the house......」
Aiko was flustered and a bit troubled that the young man who was her childhood friend, Furukaway Taichi was in her parents' home. The presence of Taichi here itself wasn't something strange seeing how their families knew each other but......
He didn't know. About the power of Aiko and her students. The returnees publicly said to the society that they went to another world, so he also knew about that, but fundamentally he didn't know what the returnees could do just because of that.
For Aiko, although their families were close with each other, if possible he didn't want anyone other than her family to know about the matter of magic and the like.
When Aiko entered from the back entrance, she saw the figures of her parents, grandparents, and Taichi huddling together in the living room. At the same time, she could also see countless silhouettes carrying things like hoe or hammer for pounding mochi from the veranda's window.
Normally the window would break with one attack, but this was the parents' home of Aiko who was one of the wive~s. There was no way barrier that was installed here could be affected by something of that degree. Naturally, the owners of the disgusting voice resounding from around the house were also firmly prevented from infiltrating.
Although, the very voice itself couldn't be blocked, so everyone there was scared or holding their head because their consciousness was interfered with.
「Okaa-san, Otou-san! Also Ojii-chan and Obaa-chan too! Are you all okay!?」
「Aiko! Since when you are......ah, it's by that isn't it?」
「Oo, Aiko! So you came back! Just in the world is going on?」
Aiko's mother――Akiko guessed how Aiko returned home, and her distorted expression relaxed in relieve. Her father――Tetsuo also showed a relieved expression while asked with a voice that was filled with bewilderment. The grandfather――Shirou and the grandmother――Chizu also looked the same.
「A, Aiko!? Why are you here!? Or rather since when!?」
It was Taichi whose confusion was the deepest. The cultists hitting the window and the figure of his childhood friend suddenly entering inside the living room when she shouldn't be here caused him to become slightly panicked.
Aiko was worried 「U~m, e~rr」 of how to explain, but seeing Akiko and others shaking from the demons' scream, the string of her patience that was in the verge of breaking snapped.
「Anyway! Champion! I choose you!」
Aiko threw the Po○eball――no, the Grimball.
It made *bowan-* sound and let out white smoke. What flew out from there was――a kangaroo.
Everyone, especially Taichi let out their voice 「Eh......」 while looking dumbfounded. During that time the kangaroo type Grim Reaper that was called Champion looked back over its shoulder and glared at Taichi......
「Kyuiih!!」
「GOHOoOOOH!?」
In contrast with its cute voice, it sent a body blow that would make even a heavyweight boxer cried to Taichi's solar plexus. It was a splendid punch that put the twist of the waist behind it. Its fighting pose was beautiful.
「So, sorry Taichi-kun. There is no time to explain so......I'll properly deal you're your memory later!」
「Aiko......you......」
Seeing Taichi's eyes rolled up while he was holding his stomach with his butt sticking up caused Akiko to turn a gaze toward Aiko that looked as though she had witnessed something terrifying.
Even though there was a crowd of attackers right outside, her daughter's first attack was directed to the youth who was her childhood friend. Furthermore, she did that even though she knew that Taichi was still holding lingering feeling of love toward her.
What mercilessness......
The really complicated gaze from her family caused Aiko's gaze to swim around restlessly. But, her discomposure was only so and so, the explanation from Kousuke that was resounding in her head through telepathy was over then. Knowing the true identity of the enemy, Aiko also understood the method to deal with them. Her expression turned serious right away and she began chanting.
「Healthily~, comfortably~, intensely grow, and strike the enemy! ――"Pseudo Soul War Tree"!!」
Along with a chanting that felt like familiar from somewhere, the garden of Hatayama family undulated.
Right after that, the mandarin orange tree that was at the garden stretched out its branches largely and then mowed down. The branches that had thickness around as big as human's arm became like a whip. The cultists sticking on the veranda's window had their body bent together and got sent flying.
Furthermore, at the same time when their body struck the ground, the weed lengthened and entangled them, turning into restriction tool of nature.
Aiko whose vocation was "Farming Master" possessed immense talent for ability and magic that was related with soil and plants. It was to the degree that it was possible for her to change the food production output of the world by herself.
Normally she used her power to cultivate and improve farming, but when the age of god magic called soul magic was added here, it became like this.
All living plants became Aiko's ally.
Aiko who confirmed that the enemies in front of the window were gone then leaped outside right away.
「Champion! "Beat them up without killing"!」
「Kyuuih!!」
Champion who received order rushed toward the cultists with pee-a-boo guard style. With amazing footwork and strike, it literally beat up the cultists short of killing them.
Its appearance was a kangaroo-san with brutal eyes. Of course, its inside was metallic because it was a Grim Reaper. Every single one of its punches was the same like a strike of a mass of iron. Just a jab from it caused vivid pulverized sound to come from the body of the cultists.
Although, a machine was a machine. Its attack was completely physical in nature. It didn't have effective attack against the demons.
In addition, the existence detection from Aiko's soul magic told her that a great amount of demons were flying around.
――And so, Aiko activated the strongest defense that she installed in collaboration with Hajime.
She stretched up her hands with all her might in a banzai pose while standing on her tiptoes and,
「Vigorously~, comfortably~, increase a lot, fill with greenery~――"Sea of Trees Manifestation"!」
At the next moment, Hatayama house was swallowed by a sea of trees.
Large trees were growing up one after another from the ground around the house. It looked like the super small version of Haltina Sea of Trees. There was even pure white heavy fog generated thoroughly.
If there was anything different, unlike Haltina Sea of Trees, all the trees were containing pseudo soul and became something like treant monster.
It was an underworld that was suddenly created.
It seemed the demons were also shocked by it, a voice that sounded somewhat confused resounded.
Even so,
――GIIIIIIIH
They shrieked while charging into the sea of trees.
They were hit by the branches of the Treant imitations, or carved by leaf blades, or smashed by fruit cannons, or stabbed by the roots thrusting out like spear from the ground. Not a single one could reach Hatayama house.
Thus, it was far nastier to the demons than just a barrier. It was an absolute fortress of nature that really should be called as their natural enemy.
「The, the house, it become a demonic haunt......」
「Aiko......we are happy you come to save us but, still. This, will it return back to normal?」
「How we will tell the neighbors......」
Tetsuo lost strength from his waist, Shirou had a distant look, while Chizu was holding her head.
Indeed, they were thankful to their daughter, or granddaughter that she was solving this terrifying situation but.......
From the view point of the people of Hatayama family who were only ordinary civilian and mere farmer family, a method of creating sea of trees itself to repel the enemy back was truly a "soul-shattering" situation.
「Getting my Okaa-san and others involved like this! It's totally unforgivable! Yes, I absolutely, won't forgive you al~~~~l!!」
Should this be called a growth, or should it be called "infected"?
Aiko swung up her fist together with Champion who was going 'Ugaa!'. The people of Hatayama family looked at each other's face seeing that and made a twitching smile to each other. While deciding that next time they would call Hajime-kun to a special family meeting.
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Aiko was manifesting a sea of trees in her parents' house. Shizuku was making a dry laugh seeing the cultists piling up heaps of bodies all around in her house, and how her family & all the disciples who for some reason were all present trying to subdue unseen enemy happily. Kaori was fighting the enemies while blushing due to her father who was making a ruckus 「My daughter is too angelic!」 when she was descending in angel mode.
Around that time Yue was,
「......Okaa-sama, are you safe?」
「Yue-chan! I'm glaaad, I'm relieved now. Although, there wasn't anything particularly dangerous, I don't really get what it is but the shadow thingy can be sucked with this, so I was just thinking that perhaps I should go to counterattack with this when you came.」
Coming to the place where Sumire was doing her manga work.
Yue rushed here while feeling relatively panicked inside her heart, worrying if in the worst case anything happened to the mother-in-law who she respected, but Sumire herself was giving her a thumb up with a vacuum cleaner in one hand.
Certainly, Sumire's workplace was also half turned into fortress similarly like Nagumo house, so the attackers couldn't even invaded inside in the first place. Furthermore she also had an attack method――that was Hajime's quality artifact, the vacuum cleaner――"Sniper Mark VII" from her absolute safe area, so there was no problem at all.
Although, the guts of Sumire who somehow sucked in the demons even while turning slightly pale from the sudden incident was quite something.
By the way, because the artifact vacuum cleaner the "Sniper series" was improved until Mark VII, not only it became able to choose what target to suck, it could even suck in things like soul or gravity. In addition, it also could do something like sucking in air and compressed it, then fired it out like an air cannon.
Nagumo family's vacuum cleaner couldn't be satisfied anymore with just the absorption power that was eternally unchanging. How far would it go......
「Eerr, Yue-chan. Is this some kind of incident again?」
「It looks like there is something scary though......」
Sumire's assistants, Hagiwara Machiko and Wakai Tsukasa were asking a little bit uneasily. The other assistants were also peeking outside with slightly disturbed look.
The assistants had known Hajime for long, and they were told about the returnees' situation completely and on top of that they were still continuing to be assistants. Because of that it seemed they weren't panicked, rather it was really something that they were merely scared for a bit in this situation.
Although, not only the Okaa-sama she respected was attacked, even her important acquaintances also got scared......
Yue-sama's blank stare was staring even more fixedly than usual. The coldness contained in her eyes was rapidly getting stronger.
「......Nn, I will talk about the circumstances later but there is no problem. For now, let's evacuate to our home.」
She also had to go to the place of Otou-sama, that was why Yue was giving explanation while making Sumire and others to grab on her.
「As expected you also need to go there huh. Yue-chan, please take care of that person okay?」
「......Nn. I will return right away. And then, I'll kill the enemy.」
「Ah, yes.」
Sumire nodded up and down repeatedly seeing the cold side of the vampire princess that normally she wouldn't show out.
Instantly, the place switched right away. Sumire and also the assistants were returned into the living room of Nagumo house altogether.
In a flash Yue immediately teleported to Shuu's company.
「......-, Otou-sama! Are you alright!?」
「Oh, Yue-chan! So you come to save us!」
Shuu was eating potato chips in his office together with several employers. Yue rushed toward him in panic.
There was a bandage wrapped on Shuu's forehead. Blood was slightly oozing from there.
「......Otou-sama, your injury.」
「Oh maan, I got attacked when going to the nearby convenience store for a bit of break time. At that time I was too panicked and stumbled. I immediately escaped back to the company, and Hajime's protection also functioned properly so nothing direct hit me. That's why you don't need to look that worried you know?」
「......」
Yue's expression completely vanished. It wasn't a worried expression. Rather, it was a terrifyingly blank expression that would make anyone looking to hallucinate a block of ice sliding through their spine.
Shuu twitched. Even the company employees who worshipped Yue and would usually warmly welcomed her like 「It's Yue-chan! Yue-chan came!」「Our healing has descendeeed!」「Someone, prepare tea and snack right away!」「Now now-, Yue-chan, please sit here where all of us can see you」, were all shaking without saying anything.
Yue put healing magic on Shuu and then looked outside the building. There the cultists were yelling selfish lines even now while hurling abuse to Shuu and others. The demons flying around were making unpleasant whispers and shrieks.
「O, oi, Yue-chan? Are you okay? Somehow, your face is so scary that I slightly cannot look at you directly you know?」
「......Nn. There is no problem.」
It was a voice of absolute zero. No matter how anyone looked, she got a problem.
When Yue ran her gaze at the employees she were acquainted with asking if there was anyone else injured,
「W, we're all right here, Yue-chan.」
「O, ou. Everyone is okay, so calm down a bit. Okay?」
「Thi, this is bad. What a gaze. I'm envious of Hajime-kun from the bottom of my heart.」
「Yue-chan, is it okay, is it okay if you step on me just for a bit? While looking down on me with those eyes――ah, president-, hurts!? I'm sorry!」
「Rather, president. You are really loved by your daughter in law huh.」
The company employees averted their gaze quickly even while confirming their safety or expressing their desire.
The report from the lord was over at that timing. Yue sent the telepathy saying 「――In five minutes I'll bring them down」, and then she muttered with the pupil of her eyes contracting.
「......Everyone, I'm sorry to involve all of you into this. I will kill the enemies until not even a shred of their existence remain behind, so please forgive me.」
「「「「「......Please, don't mind us」」」」」
The wife of the company president's son who sometimes would come bringing supply or doing some kind of chores, not only for her family but often also for them the employees. The girl's existence had become like an idol of the company――that was the impression they had toward Yue. Seeing her dark side right now caused all the employees to talk with halting language.
The senior employees and the management staff of the company who were friend with Shuu since a long time ago and also known Hajime since he was little were also told about Hajime's circumstance and his strength, but naturally not all the employees were told about it. But, fortunately the members who were remaining in the company tonight in order to work all night were only the senior employees.
Depending on the situation, she thought that it might be necessary to manipulate the memory of some or explained the situation once more, but with this it saved time.
「......Otou-sama. I already sent Okaa-sama back home. The other family members are also safe. From here I'm thinking to have everyone evacuate to the home. The detailed explanation will be after I massacre the enemies, is that okay?」
「O, ou, it's fine? Ah, no, about the massacre, look, yeah......」
「......It's fine. I'll leave the humans half dead. Even if they actually died, perhaps Kaori might be able to revive them. ......Though in my opinion, I think there isn't any need to leave even the ash of some bunches who harmed Otou-sama.」
「Yue-chan. If possible, can you leave at least the ash, or rather their original form behind?」
「......Nn. This is Japan after all.」
'If this isn't Japan, you will turn them into ash......? Are you trying to protect Hajime's stance?' The cheeks of Shuu who was seeing such Yue were twitching slightly even though she was protecting him.
He was really happy as her father-in-law to see her treasuring him, he felt really warm inside, but......
When he looked at the eyes of his daughter in law, where her pupils were contracting so much it looked like there was just a single color in her eyes,
(My son. You have become a man with really huge caliber huh.)
Love was heavy. Even the father-in-law felt that when he only felt a fragment of it. Thinking of his son who was receiving that love whole, indeed, his son had really grown in a big way. Perhaps. Shuu comprehended that for real now.
「......I'll go to the rooftop for a bit. I'll return right away, so please stay here.」
「Ah, okay. Just in case, be careful, Yue-chan.」
「......Nn-」
Yue sent a firm thumb up with eyes that were still lightless and then she vanished silently.
Somehow a relieved atmosphere flowed.
「President. The saying that a beauty is scary is true isn't it?」
'Also a beauty mustn't be provoked', all the employees nodded to each other in agreement.
Shuu was having a somewhat distant look while,
「My son, perhaps he can only get attracted to girl with strong peculiarity.」
Shuu who was saying that also obtained a wife with peculiarity that was too strong though, and the hybrid resulted into his son......
It often happened, that the one who didn't understand themselves the most was their own self.
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Right after Yue teleported to the rooftop, the demons shrieked and attacked her.
As though to pass through them, Yue flew up to the sky. The inversed gravity invited Yue to the sky far above with the speed of freefall.
At the altitude that was near the cloud, Yue activated the gravity magic "Kalpa of Destruction" while her golden hair was fluttering gently. The demons who were hot on her heels were knocked down to the ground by wide range gravity field.
Without even giving a glance to that, Yue put her hands together in front of her chest as though to pray.
The cloud flowed. The full moon's face peeked out from the cloud's gap.
With the large moon as the zenith, Yue had the background of the moonlight's halo behind her. She closed her eyes and floated lightly. Her figure that was clad in tranquility possessed indescribable sublimity.
Below, the demons who were desperately trying to rise to the sky were struggling and shrieking. And then, there was the light of the city, of the activity below.
Golden ripple spread.
With Yue at the center, a glittering wave rushed through the whole city.
Blue light came into being inside her joined hands.
The golden ripple was gradually changing into azure ripple. Ripples ran through the city time and time again.
The demons stopped moving in bewilderment. "Something" that was penetrating their soul wasn't dealing any harm to them.
But, for some reason, even though they had the body of demon, when they noticed they were shaking. Their instinct was ringing out the alarm bell loudly, pleading to them to run away right now.
In the sky, an azure light that was far clearer than even the moonlight was shining.
「――Found it.」
Perhaps because of an extreme degree of concentration, Yue's words sounded halting.
Right after that,
Yue slightly opened her closed eyes and muttered.
「――"Selection"」
At that instant, a conspicuously stronger ripple rushed out. At the same time, the demons, and then the consciousness of the foreign world interfering to the cultists, and the main body that was granting them power that crossed over the gap of worlds......
They felt it without even any reason.
That they were caught.
「――"Flame of Divine Punishment"」
Inside Yue's opened palm, a small blue star was floating quietly. The next moment, it spread to the city like an aurora pouring down from the sky.
It was a divine flame that penetrated through all kind of obstacles and destroyed only the selected soul, or everything else other than the selected soul. Only those who were allowed by Yue would survive. Those who were ascertained as enemy would disappear.
The demons that were touched by the blue flame of god raised the scream of death agony one after another and vanished.
The cultists also collapsed and lost consciousness from the impact when their mind's connection to the demons was burned forcefully.
And then, through the small ponds and mirrors inside the city, the flame of godYue arrived until the other world......
Soundless scream thundered――that was how it felt.
What was transmitted at the end was fierce pain and uneasiness.
The next instant, there was a sensation of the link of the worlds being intentionally severed.
「......Chih. It ran away. How cheeky for a mere filth.」
The divine Yue-sama who exercised azure flame while wrapped in moonlight. She cursed with a click of her tongue like a demon king. It seemed she was really couldn't stomach that her relative was attacked.
Although,
『O? Oo! As expected from Yue-san! To think you will make a clean sweep through the whole city!』
『Yue-san, thank you! I'm saveeed』
『The next......hm, no more come out huh. So it's over.』
『Medic-! Medic-! Shinji's state is too atrocious to even look aaat! Quickly come help hiiim! I cannot use healing magic here!』
『Ryu, Ryu-kun, you really came!? Are you idiot!? I already wear clothes from a long time ago!』
Voices that were filled with happiness resounded one after another. Hearing that, Yue's mood was also slightly improved. Though Suzu's mood was falling one way downward.
「......Nn, it's good that everyone is safe. I struck the foundation, but perhaps it escaped. There might an attack again, so everyone can come with your family to our house. Also, Kaori, the rest, take care.」
『Your instruction to me sound crude for some reason......well, fine though.』
The underground of Nagumo house was expanded by space magic. There was a space that could house a large number of people and it boasted amenity that was equal to hotel. Such thing was a common knowledge among the returnees.
There were calls through telepathy telling that they would head there after this. During that, a silver light rose to the sky from a corner of the city. The human silhouette was clad with beautiful light in the sky and a large pair of wings stretched out widely.
A beat later, silver light shined radiantly in the night sky and rained down to the city like a shower. Kaori was using regeneration magic to restore the whole city.
The figure clad in silver light with spread out wings was truly that of the god's apostle. Kaori too also looked truly divine.
But, there a strange voice came from Kaori herself......
『Say, Yue. There are several people who cannot be done anything about with just regeneration magic though. They are obviously dead though!』
It seemed Yue-sama made a mistake with her control when burning with her flame. Several people were totally killed.
Yue nodded once 「Fumu」 and,
「......I believe that it's those people who are bad for dying just from divine punishment.」
『People normally die when receiving divine punishment isn't it!? Or rather, what's with that tone like it's a completely unrelated matter with you!?』
「......I think that it will be great if all the cultists won't be discouraged even from this and work hard to be able to live.」
『Normally if people are killed, they won't be able to live no matter how hard they worked! They can be resurrected but! Yes they can be resurrected but! At the very least that's not a speech that the person who killed them can say isn't it!? Furthermore it sound monotone! At the very least put some emotion to it!』
'I killed you for a bit but, well work hard to live.' Certainly, those were incomprehensible words that sounded psycho.
Sublime pillars of light flashed here and there around the city. Surely Kaori was resurrecting the dead people using soul magic jointly with regeneration magic.
「......You are making it sound like I'm a psycho. Rude. Even though I'm also thinking to help so they can live in even better way.」
『Eh?』
Yue also activated her soul magic. She interfered with the consciousness of the cultists and emphasized their desire to go home. In any case she gave suggestion to them to go home with their own strength while for the time being she applied magic of 「The memory around the last two years, vanish and bego~ne!」.
With this, they would be driven by unexplainable obsession to return home, worked hard to fill up the gap of the blank two years, and lived their life somehow or other. Perhaps.
『Wha, what irresponsibleness......』
「......They prioritized their own desire even if they have to sacrifice us. Then, doing the same back to them is also proper. No matter what kind of circumstance they have, no matter what kind of feeling they are harboring, that's not our business. It's already good that they aren't erased from this world correct? Either way――there won't be next time.」
『u, Yue, you are seriously angry. Well, me too though.』
A voice that sounded like the speaker was smiling wryly came from the telepathy. It seemed that inside her heart Kaori was also feeling quiet angry with the attack this time. The feeling that she didn't want to turn the town where her family was living at into a sea of blood barely allowed the cultists to keep their life.
Yue shrugged her shoulders and sent her consciousness toward the lord.
「......Endou. It will be troubling to keep being at the receiving side. Where and how we should strike at?」
Yue called to the lord with telepathy.
But, there was no reply.
'Nn?' Yue was dubious and sent telepathy once more.
Then, she could hear a rough sound that was like a noise, as though the lord's thought was in chaos......
『........................I want to die.』
A dead voice came back. With it there was also a weeping voice.
It seemed the main body had dispelled the Limit Break state. The clone bodies of the lord that were flooding the city now had already disappeared, leaving only the single clone body beside Emily.
That clone at present was crumbling down on all four in front of Emily. He was holding his head while continuing to shake enduring his shame.
Emily-chan was desperately saying 「I, it's all right, Kousuke! You were cool..................really!」, she was desperately consoling him while she was really at loss for words.
And then, the main body in Britain inside the room where there was nobody else except the fainted Professor Littman, Kousuke silently removed the pose he was making and slowly took off his sunglasses with trembling hand, and then walked to the corner of the room.
He sat down hugging his knees facing the wall, and locked himself inside the shell of his heart.
-
◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇
-
A few hours after they endured the attack.
Kousuke whose eyes were still empty came until in front of Britain's security bureau. A large travelling bag was hanging on his shoulder. The content was Professor Littman who was tied up, stuffed inside a bit forcefully.
After that, Kousuke's heart somehow recovered to a degree where he could have conversation. And then following what Yue said, they talked about making a strike toward the ringleader of the attack――that demon that was in the other worldhell from here.
The conclusion was that it would be better to use the "mirror gate" in Vatican to embarked there as expected.
Although, the opponent was an existence that could send interference across world, furhtermore it succeeded in retreating when the opponent was Yue. It was concerning how the world there would gnaw on flesh body just by being there, and on top there was also a concern that after crossing to the world there, the enemy might go here instead and attacked the family that they left behind in this world.
There were too many uncertain factors, and they couldn't simply leave the people that they really should protect.
And so, Kousuke would infiltrate Vatican once more and carried out work to erase those uncertain factors as much as possible.
By the way, Kousuke went to security bureau with the objective to hand over Professor Littman, and also because he received emergency call from Bernard.
It was noisy in front of the security bureau. Several security bureau's cars and ambulances were parked there. There were also a lot of press and onlookers. There were barricade tapes laid out and there were a lot of broken glass fragments at the other side.
Looking closer, the building's windows were broken here and there. It looked like the explosion came from inside and the window's glass fragments fell outside.
Around the same time when the attack happened in Japan, the security bureau also received attack. According to Bernard, thanks to a powerful "helper", they somehow got through it.
And then, right after Yue's "Flame of Divine Punishment" exploded, the demons that were also welling up one after another here suddenly stopped appearing. The remaining cultists also only stood still.
「Perhaps, the wavering gap of worlds itself returned to normal, and they became unable to materialize here.」
Also, the thought of the demons that interfered to the mind also vanished suddenly. There was no doubt that the cultists were dazed because of that.
From the beginning, the cultists were only a gathering of ordinary people with amateur fighting ability. Without the demons, there was no way they could win against Bernard and others who were combat professional. The cultists were easily suppressed or shot to death and the incident was over.
「Even so, why did he call in emergency I wonder.」
Kousuke muttered that while entering inside the security bureau boldly from the front without anyone noticing him like usual. The noisy scene of the crime, the coming and going people, the barricade tape......he ignored all of that.
He entered an elevator and pushed the button for his destination floor. The staffs who were also inside the elevator with him also pushed the button for their own floor.
「Eh, you, what is your business in this floor?」
「Ha? What are you saying......eh, did I push it by mistake?」
A floor button other than their destinations was shining. The staffs were tilting their head in confusion. They double clicked the button, cancelling it.
「No, I'll go down at that floor.」
「Uwah!? Who!? ――Wait, Aby-san!?」
「A, amazing! Aby in the flesh, this nearby! I'm sorry, please sign this!」
Kousuke's eyes became like the eyes of a dead rotten fish. One of the staffs seemed like he had never met him directly until now. He took out a memo and pleaded for an autograph.
Kousuke wrote 「あびすげときょうAbyssga~te Lord in hiragana for the staff. The staff was really happy.
*Ting* The elevator rang out, Kousuke got out of the elevator while receiving salutes from the staffs.
Absolutely no one would notice him if he stayed quiet, so he weaved his way thorugh the office that had become messed up, searching for Bernard, and called out to him.
「Bernard. I came. Is this place all right?」
「Uoh!? Aby! I beg you, stop sneaking on me! It's bad for my heart!」
'I ain't sneaking here', Kousuke thought. This was the usual thing, it was like this even though he was only walking normally.
Kousuke tossed the Professor Littman in traveling bag carelessly to vent his anger somewhat. He handed over the content to the security bureau staffs while asking.
「And, are you all okay?」
「More or less. there are a lot of injured, but somehow no one died. There are also some guys whose fate is unknown whether they will be able to work again though. ......Opponent where a gun is useless is just foul. If those girls weren't here, just thinking about it gives me chills.」
Bernard's face distorted with vexation thinking of his comrades that got done in. Although Kousuke was puzzled about "those girls" Bernard mentioned, but seeing Bernard's state, he spoke about trying to ask Shirasaki for healing depending on the situation.
Bernard's mood seemed to be at ease somewhat hearing that. Kousuke also smiled a bit and entered the main topic.
「You told me that there is some kind of emergency business though, is it about the attack?」
「No, that's not it. There is a guest for Aby. Due to their identity, I am at a loss of how to deal with them....... For now, I have them waiting in the reception room. Honestly, looking back at the incident this time, I really want to question them right away but....... There is also the other party's position to think, well, there are various aspects that are over my position to deal with them.」
Guided by Bernard, Kousuke opened the door of the reception room that was deeper inside that floor.
Like that, what entered his sight was,
「I'm glad......I can meet you again like this, messenger-sama. No, is it better to call you demon king's right hand-sama?」
The holy woman of Vatican ――Claudia Barenberg was there, her eyes partly closed while smiling happily.
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.
I wanted to write more about the classmates' side but, the story seriously won't advance like that...and so, for now it end here. If there is another chance, I'm thinking to try featuring the classmates.
Also, in the「Gathering of the Returnees」 chapter, Kentarou and Ayako went out with each other there, so I revised it that they hadn't done that there.
Thank you very much to those who pointed that out to me.
It will be seriously no good if I don't make the chronological timeline soon isn't it?
I will make it when Abyss Lord arc is finished. Consequently, there might be revision too because of that but, please give your best regards for that.
Also, about the hero's little sister, I was surprised that she became overlapping with kouhai-chan, so I changed her hairstyle into ponytail.
Thank you very much to those who pointed that out to me.
※Yue's line toward Kaori was reimported from "Nichijou" chapter 11. It was her line when her husband destroyed Fuhren lol You will be able to see it if you go to Niko Niko Douga, so if you like please go take a look there.
Mori-sensei, thank you very much for your lovely lines every time.