Chapter 328.2: Takatsuki Makoto Challenges The Divine Beast Part 2
—Destiny Magic: Mind Accel.
I lengthened my mental time as long as possible.
...A potent headache assaulted me.
I could clearly tell that I am pushing myself here.
But this 1 minute is the most valuable minute of my life.
If I mismanage this, it might even become my last minute.
That's why I have to think.
What I can do.
(Takatsuki Makoto, can't you warp the future like the time with me using Time Spirits?) (Astaroth)
(Eh?! Astaroth?) (Makoto)
(I am simply talking to you with thought transmission.) (Astaroth)
This guy...to think he would talk directly to my mind...
I was silently shocked by this.
(Fufufu, that's impossible, Astaroth-kun. There's no way a single Time Spirit can affect an Interstellar War Divine Beast. If you could call Great Time Spirits, then you might be able to somehow manage that though.) (Naia)
(It really doesn't go as one pleases, huh, Naia-sama.) (Astaroth)
(Where would be the fun if everything went that smoothly?) (Naia)
Even Nyaru-sama was speaking in my mind as if it were natural.
These people...chatting in the head of someone else.
By the way, I have never seen a Great Time Spirit once, so I didn't even know they existed.
I am sure I wouldn't be able to meet one as I am right now.
I offered almost all of my lifespan just for 3 Time Spirits.
I ignore the chatting of the Ancient Dragon King and the Moon Goddess.
And I once again confirm the cards I have in hand.
-Water Magic: Elementary.
My first weapon since coming to this world and could also be called my partner.
My own mana may be low, but thanks to having continuously increased my Water Magic Proficiency, I stand here now.
I have the confidence that I would be able to face any mage in terms of water magic.
-Spirit User.
The skill I was given when I became a believer of Noah-sama.
My trump card as someone with low mana.
It is thanks to the Spirits that I can properly fight.
It is because I borrowed the strength of the Undines that I managed to survive in the battles against the Demon Lords 1,000 years ago.
But even the reliable Great Spirits have their hands full dealing with the Angels.
-Sun Magic: Elementary.
Althena-sama gave me this power when I went to the past.
Right now, I am buffing the Great Water Spirits with the Holy Maiden skill, Victory March, by synchronizing with Queen Noel.
The reason why we can somehow manage an even fight against the army of Angels is thanks to this skill.
-Destiny Magic: Elementary.
It is also a power that I got, this time from Ira-sama, when I went to the past.
I am currently using the Mind Accel of Destiny Magic.
I was often saved by this against strong demons and Demon Lords 1,000 years ago.
-Dagger of Noah-sama.
The sacred treasure that defeated the Great Demon Lord 1,000 years ago.
I don't know how many times it has saved us.
From what I know, it has the highest attack, but it is way too small against a Divine Beast.
-Clear Mind.
I was only given shabby skills when I came to the isekai, but even when I got left behind at the Water Temple, I didn't fall into despair thanks to this skill.
Being able to face monsters and Demon Lords stronger than myself without faltering makes it a hidden support.
That I am able to face the Divine Beast calmly is also thanks to this skill.
These are all the powers I have been using against the Divine Beast.
But the last one...
—[RPG Player].
A strange power that shows me choices at weird timings.
There were cases when it would tell me about dangers in the future, but the frequency is whimsical.
There were many cases when it wouldn't react at all despite having fallen into quite the predicament.
I managed to use the perspective change and map ability properly, but...
I still don't understand well the conditions for 'showing choices'.
I trust it, but I can't really say I have mastered it.
But...
(This is the last push...) (Makoto)
Please, RPG Player...
Please help me.
I asked as if grasping at straws.
I don't know if it reacted to the voice of my heart, but letters showed up in the air.
[Takatsuki Makoto, where will you advance to?]
Up
Upper-right
Right
Lower-right
Straight
Left
Upper-left
Lower-left
Down
(This is...?) (Makoto)
I open my eyes wide.
This is the first time I see 9 choices show up.
Is there a 'correct answer' within all these?
But 9 is a lot...
"Hiiiih...!"
I hear a scream by my side.
Queen Noel who was grabbing my arm was looking at me with a pale face.
She can see the choices too?
I was curious about this, but there's no time to confirm it.
I once again look at the 9 choices.
If there's a correct answer here, it would be 1/9.
Even if we can redo it with the remaining 2 Time Spirits, it would be 3/9.
No, there's no guarantee that we can redo it with the Time Spirits the next time.
We are dealing with a Divine Beast here.
It might have noticed that I used Time Spirits and has made countermeasures for it.
Let's think as if this were my last chance.
But 1/9 with no hint is rough.
(RPG Player-san...) (Makoto)
I asked in my mind.
(It is too rough to choose the correct answer from 9 choices...) (Makoto)
I will rely on it as much as I can.
This is my first time being so dependent on the RPG Player skill.
(It might not be fair but...can you tell me the correct answer?) (Makoto)
I tried asking without much hope.
Well, I doubt that's possible.
"...Eh?" (Makoto)
There was one choice within the 9 that was clearly shining.
As if saying this is the answer.
Oi oi oi.
Is this really okay?
(......I am going to believe you, okay?) (Makoto)
"Astaroth, charge straight on just like this! Head straight onto the Deep Sea Temple!" (Makoto)
I tell the Ancient Dragon King the direction exactly as RPG Player showed me.
"Are you out of your mind?!" (Astaroth)
"I am serious. Please!" (Makoto)
"...Don't blame me for what happens!" (Astaroth)
The Ancient Dragon King spread out his big jet black wings and charged straight onto the Deep Sea Temple.
◇Noel Althena Highland's POV◇
The battle against the Divine Beast, Leviathan.
It was a legendary battle like that of myths.
The gigantic body of the Divine Beast that stretches on to the heavens.
The raining comets.
The battle between Great Water Spirits and Angels that surpasses the millions.
And the one we are riding on is the Ancient Dragon King that's said to be the strongest Demon Lord.
It is not just once or twice that I felt like I would stop breathing there.
Moreover, we have already been killed once by that Divine Beast.
If I hadn't been synchronized with the Clear Mind of Makoto-san, I would have been panicking by now.
(...Makoto-san.) (Noel)
I look at the side-profile of the Country Designated Hero of Rozes.
He still hasn't given up.
That seemed to be what those eyes were saying.
At that time, I noticed there was something like a thread wrapped around my hand.
(Eh?) (Noel)
By the time I noticed, those weren't just one or two, but several several several...
They were steadily increasing, wriggling as if they were living beings.
(This is...a Fate Thread of Destiny Magic?) (Noel)
Sun Magic is my only specialty as a Sun Oracle.
But now that I have become a Holy Maiden, I have an affinity with all 7 magic elements.
I thought that it might help out in the battle against the Great Demon Lord, so I managed to use the 7 elements to a certain extent with the free time I had.
Destiny Magic was within those.
Destiny Magic: Fate Thread.
It is a mana connection that all living beings are linked to.
When you trail those strings, you can apparently see the future of the person.
I have not reached that level, but the Great Sage-sama taught me what kind of thing it is.
People with a high position or are strong usually have a lot more Fate Threads connected to them.
"You have around thousands of Fate Threads connected to you, Noel. Well, that's basically how it is for royalty, but...you have a lot more than usual. It must be rough being the reincarnation of the Holy Maiden, huh."
"I-Is that so? I can barely see them, so I can't really tell..." (Noel)
I remember looking around my whole body at that time.
My Proficiency in Destiny Magic was low, and it wasn't on the same level as the Great Sage-sama.
After that, I continued training my Destiny Magic thinking that it might be useful in the battle against the Great Demon Lord, and I can now manage to faintly see Fate Threads.
But now that I look closely, these aren't mine.
This string is connected to the person by my side...
"...Hih?!" (Noel)
I ended up letting out a scream.
There's several tens of thousands of Fate Threads wrapped around the whole body of Makoto-san.
Fate Threads were wrapping around Makoto-san from everywhere and anywhere.
The Fate Threads keep increasing.
I can barely see Makoto-san anymore.
He is already dyed black from all the Fate Threads around him.
It is as if he were connected to all Fate Threads in the world...
That cluster of Fate Threads continued getting bigger.
In an instant, that fearsome number of Fate Threads...swallowed me up.
My vision grew pitch dark.
(W-What's going on?!) (Noel)
(Fufufu...interesting, right? The Apostle of Noah-kun.) (Naia)
(Wa? Naia-sama, just what in the world is going on...?) (Noel)
(RPG Player is what he apparently calls it. I don't know the details either though.) (Naia)
(Even you don't know, Naia-sama...?) (Noel)
Is that even possible?
A power that not even a Goddess understands.
In the first place, just what in the world is Makoto-san doing?
There's no end to my questions.
The pitch dark time didn't last that long.
Around a few seconds, I recon.
"Astaroth, charge straight on!" (Makoto)
"Are you out of your mind?!" (Astaroth)
"I am serious. Please!" (Makoto)
"...Don't blame me for what happens!" (Astaroth)
By the time I noticed, the Fate Threads surrounding me were gone.
And the Ancient Dragon King was charging onto the Deep Sea Temple straight on.
Outstanding acceleration.
Leaving behind the Great Water Spirits and Angels fighting around.
But we were killed by an attack that even the Ancient Dragon King couldn't avoid just now.
(Please...Sun Goddess-sama...grant us your Divine Protection...) (Noel)
I continued praying.
*Whooon!!!*
Something outstandingly big suddenly passed by overhead.
"I avoided it, Leviathan!" (Astaroth)
I could hear the voice of delight from the Ancient Dragon King.
But it soon changed into anguish.
"Guh...damn it!" (Astaroth)
Just what happened...? -I didn't even need to think that.
One of the wings of the Ancient Dragon King was broken right from the root and was gone.
N-No way!
But the next instant I thought that...
"[Teleport]." (Astaroth)
The Ancient Dragon King disappeared as he said this.
W-We are falling!
"Water Phoenix, please carry us." (Makoto)
Thanks to the spell of Makoto-san, we didn't fall.
"GUWAAAAAAAAAAH!!" (Astaroth)
I heard the scream of the Ancient Dragon King from afar.
The Ancient Dragon King is being surrounded by the Angels.
That's when I noticed that the Ancient Dragon King acted as a distraction for us to escape.
He let us escape with Teleport.
"Time Spirit, please save the Ancient Dragon King." (Makoto)
Makoto-san gave an order to the Spirit.
And at the same time as he did this, we headed to the Deep Sea Temple.
But the speed of Makoto-san's water magic is slower compared to the Ancient Dragon King.
Not only the Divine Beast, even the Angels are rushing towards us.
There's still a lot of distance left before we reach the Deep Sea Temple.
"Time Spirit, please stop the time around us." (Makoto)
The scenery around froze still.
The Angels and the Great Water Spirits stopped moving.
(I-If you could do something like that...) (Noel)
The moment I was relieved...
A big shadow suddenly covered us.
In this space where time should have stopped, there's something that's moving without any issues...
"So it really didn't work on Leviathan, huh..." (Makoto)
"Kyaaaaaaaaaah!" (Noel)
I screamed.
Something gigantic was approaching us.
Aah, we will be crushed by Leviathan's attack and di—
*Whoooooooon!!!*
The attack of Leviathan barely missed and passed by our back.
We didn't die.
And the Deep Sea Temple is clearly in sight.
A bit more...
Just a bit more...
"Our King!" (Dia)
Dia-san suddenly appeared by the side of Makoto-san.
A sharp spear passed right in front of us.
There were Angels with mana even stronger than that of other Angels really close by and approaching us.
Dia-san faced those Angels.
"...These are Archangels! I will keep them in place!" (Dia)
"Sorry, Dia." (Makoto)
Makoto-san continued forward without looking back.
I was the only one looking back.
Aaah!
A lot of Archangels are heading to the place of Dia-san.
At this rate—I didn't even have the time to finish that thought.
There were Archangels heading our way too.
It seems like the Time Stop of the Time Spirit doesn't work on these Angels either.
"We are breaking through, Noel-san." (Makoto)
Makoto-san mutters.
The speed suddenly became one that didn't lose to that of the Ancient Dragon King.
But the control is terribly violent and rough to the point that it can't be compared to that of the Ancient Dragon King.
(Ah! ...No good.) (Noel)
I couldn't endure the violent up and down, left and right flight of Makoto-san while avoiding the pursuit of the Archangels and heading to the Deep Sea Temple, and lost consciousness.
...Just before I closed my eyes...
I felt like the mysterious light of the Deep Sea Temple entering my eyes.
◇◇
"Noel-san, are you okay?"
My shoulders were shaken and I regained consciousness.
"Where...is this?" (Noel)
This isn't the back of the Water Phoenix we were riding before.
I was sleeping on top of a hard stone paved floor.
No, is this really stone?
A floor made of a strange material that releases faint light.
"Is the Moon Goddess...still here?" (Makoto)
Makoto-san asked.
Now that he mentions it, the time limit was 30 minutes.
"...No, it looks like she isn't." (Noel)
I confirm my own mind while feeling dizzy.
I don't feel that sensation when I am lending my body to a Goddess.
The Moon Goddess most likely left my body already.
At any rate, my mind is hazy here.
Just how long have I been unconscious for...?
"We have arrived." (Makoto)
When I heard the pensive tone of Makoto-san, I let out an "Ah!".
We were avoiding the fierce attacks of Leviathan and the Archangels.
And our objective was...
I hesitantly look ahead.
My brain stopped for a moment there at the sight in front of me.
(T-This is...) (Noel)
I look up at the construction while restraining my trembling body.
The design is really simple.
However, it is an outrageously big building.
I would say it is around 20 times higher than the Highland Castle.
The width is so much I can't see the corners.
When I saw it at the back of Leviathan, I couldn't tell how big it was.
A single pillar was like a tower, and there were beautiful patterns carved in it.
Who knows how many years it would take to reproduce this with human hands.
No, it might not even be possible to replicate by human hands in the first place.
So grandiose and splendorous.
It even feels ephemeral.
The reason for that is because the whole construction felt as if it were shining gold.
"It is a beautiful building." (Makoto)
"..."
I couldn't agree to the mutter of Makoto-san.
For me, it is more like I am being crushed by its presence just from watching it.
It isn't a building for humans to live in.
The one here is...
"I have arrived, Noah-sama." (Makoto)
I gulped at what Makoto-san said.
1,000 years.
No, even longer than that.
One of the Last Dungeons that not a single person has been able to reach.
We are standing at the entrance of the Deep Sea Temple.
■Author's Comment:
It took a long time to clear the Deep Sea Temple...
The 6th chapter, The Request of the Goddess, was posted in 2018/05/17.
To think it would be in 2022 that he would arrive.
■Translator's Comment:
Dear lord, it has been almost 4 years?
l