Chapter 375: Crush the Mechanical and Grotesque Puppets! 14

* * *

The 'Simulated Soul Mana Siphoning Device, Last Dream'.

This device, with its wicked, devilish contract, "shows a compatible user a dream, and then, along with that compatible user, eventually devours everything around it."

Unfortunately, once activated, there is basically no way to stop it until it causes a 'mana siphoning' phenomenon and sucks everything in.

Then, to stop the device, should it be destroyed somehow?

This jewel-like device boasts a strength that ordinary people can't break, but there are a fair number of beings who can do it.

And certainly, that method can also stop the mana siphoning phenomenon.

For example, if Lairine tried to stop this device, she would probably take such measures.

However, there is one problem with this method.

If Last Dream is destroyed, the mana siphoning phenomenon won't occur.

But instead, the vast amount of mana stored in Last Dream... will go out of control.

This results in a massive explosion.

Even if it doesn't cause as much damage as the mana siphoning phenomenon, it's an explosion powerful enough to easily flatten the Ashgo Kingdom's royal capital.

Emi learned that when she heard about Last Dream in detail from Extra-sama.

And she didn't want such a thing to happen.

This town is a town with precious memories.

She wanted to protect it, without damaging it as much as possible.

What Extra-sama suggested to her was... to eat Last Dream.

The characteristic of Emi's body... and her soul.

Is that she can 'eat' anything.

She converts most of what she takes into her body into mana.

And then, pours it into her soul... endlessly absorbing it.

Extra-sama knew that characteristic.

For a very, very... very long time.

That's why she suggested to Emi the outrageous act of devouring Last Dream.

If this succeeds, both the mana siphoning phenomenon and the massive explosion caused by the mana going out of control can be prevented.

On top of that, Emi will be able to acquire all that vast mana and become far stronger than before.

Emi agreed.

She agreed, fully understanding the drawback that will be brought upon her.

...What is the drawback?

The answer has already been shown.

What happened to Emi's body after she took in the Black Dragon's blood?

Remember that.

* * *

Gulp.

A few seconds after Emi swallowed Last Dream, with a gulp.

First, from her slightly open mouth, a dazzling green light began to leak out.

The gastric juices in her stomach, which boasts an extraordinary dissolving ability, had begun to melt the outer shell of Last Dream.

Almost simultaneously, Emi frantically covered her mouth and nose with both hands, and a shock ran through her body.

BOOM!!

A shock so intense that it felt like her body would burst!

Mana rampage had begun inside her!

"Ggh... gah...!!"

Emi, covering her mouth and nose, crouched down, desperately enduring the pain of the rampaging mana inside her body!

Last Dream had already melted away, and all that remained inside her was... an enormous amount of mana that should have caused a massive explosion!

But before it could cause a fatal explosion, that mana was absorbed into Emi's body... and poured into her greedy soul.

"Ga, guh, gaaa...!!"

Emi endured.

She desperately endured the intense pain, as if her insides were being stirred with a knife.

Her body, destroyed by the mana rampage, instantly regenerated thanks to the enormous amount of mana absorbed.

But the pain wouldn't go away.

"AH, AH, AAAAHH...!!"

In this situation, which was truly life-threatening, Emi's subjective time was further stretched, and an agony that seemed like an eternity continued!

Rolling around on the grass, writhing in pain for dozens of seconds.

That's how long it took for the mana rampage from Last Dream to subside.

But.

Unfortunately.

Emi's suffering wasn't over yet.

"AGAAAAAAAAAAH!?"

What hit her next was... the pain that came with the mana from Last Dream, which had been absorbed into her soul, rapidly expanding her soul and transforming her body... the pain of that transformation.

She's essentially condensing the physical transformation that a Demigod would gradually undergo over decades, into a very short period of time.

There's no way it wouldn't be a strain.

It's pain so intense that it wouldn't be strange if she died from shock just by feeling it... that pain continued to run through Emi's entire body!

"A-AAAH!! GAAAAAAAAAAAAHーーー!!!"

But Emi remembered this pain.

She once experienced this pain when she took in the Black Dragon's blood.

"A-Ggh...!!"

Therefore, she was able to endure it.

"Ga, ga, gah...!!"

This time, without losing consciousness.

"Gaaa... aaa, aaa, a...!!"

Blood gushing from her entire body.

Her eyes wide open, her teeth clenched.

Occasionally letting out screams of agony.

"GAAAAAAAAAAHーーー!!!"

...She endured it!!

But, however.

True hell lies beyond this pain.

Emi has experienced it before.

So, she knew.

* * *

A few minutes later.

On the lawn of the Duke Daychib mansion's garden.

Emi was sitting still.

"Haa... haa..."

With empty eyes, unfocused.

She desperately took a breath, and exhaled.

The pain, which was nothing short of torture, was finally over.

And what comes after intense pain is.

Grrrrrrr...!!!

A hellish hunger... that can never be satisfied...!!!

"Ah, ah, aaah..."

Emi, with trembling hands, tore up some grass and desperately stuffed it into her mouth.

Naturally, such a thing couldn't satisfy her hunger, not even a little.

She scooped up the soil beneath the grass with both hands and desperately shoved it into her stomach.

But no matter how much she ate, it wasn't enough.

Emi's rapidly expanded soul is now large in size, but empty inside.

Anything would do.

She has to put anything into her mouth, send it to her stomach, convert it into mana, and fill her soul.

"Aah, aah..."

Looking up, what she saw lying there was... the charred remains of a Mechanical Soldier, struck by lightning.

Emi, crawling on all fours like a beast, approached it and opened her mouth wide, biting into it.

Crunch!

Chomp, chomp, chomp!

Emi now can easily bite and tear anything, even metal.

The Mechanical Soldier quickly shrank.

Not enough.

Not enough!

This isn't enough at all!!

She snapped off and devoured the trees that survived the aftermath of the battle!

Crunched the magic lamps decorating the garden!

Gouged out the beautifully laid cobblestones and swallowed them whole!

And then, she saw...

...An old man, lying unconscious.

La Sbos Daychib, the Duke, who had just fought a fierce battle with her.

But for Emi now...

It's just meat.

"A-Au..."

Emi, drooling, approached the meat.

She grabbed its hair and easily lifted it.

And she opened her mouth wide, about to bite into its neck...!

At that moment!

<...Emi! Emi! Emi!>

Finally, her mind roommate's voice reached her.

Life returned to Emi's eyes.

Grrrrrrr...

Her stomach was still growling, but...

"............"

Emi threw the old man's body away, and took several deep breaths.

And then.

"Extra-sama."

<...!! Yes! Are you... back to your senses!?>

"This town... is a bad influence."

She muttered.

And turned to face east.

What she saw was Mihabyushira Hill.

Emi's current destination.

Under the light blue sky that was gradually brightening, it was a jet-black silhouette, asserting its presence.

Now that she has come this far, it's close, now.

"...I'm going to the hill now."

<Yes.>

"I'll leave the flowers there."

<Yes.>

"And then... I'll leave this town... immediately."

<...Yes.>

Emi muttered, pulling out trees and devouring them.

Her destination is east.

Mihabyushira Hill.

Emi slowly started walking to fulfill her promise with Numbri.

But.

But!

...It was at that moment!!

ZUGAGAGAGAGAGA!!!

With such a roar, a violent earthquake... struck, shaking the entire royal capital!!

"W-Wha-What!?"

Emi, unsteady on her feet, couldn't withstand the violent tremors and fell face-first.

<Wh-What is this shaking!? What's happening!?>

Extra-sama also unintentionally panicked, voicing her question.

...The answer to Extra-sama's question... existed in Emi's field of vision, who somehow managed to get up and look up.

"!!!"

Emi, seeing that, was stunned, speechless.

What's currently reflected in her eyes...

...Is an impossible sight... floating in the air.

Somehow.

For a reason she doesn't understand at all.

Mihabyushira Hill... her destination.

Had suddenly risen into the air... and started to fly!!

In other words, the earthquake just now was a tremor caused by Mihabyushira Hill rising into the air!!

"H-Haaaaaaa...?"

Even Emi couldn't help but let out a dumbfounded voice at the sudden turn of events.

As Emi was staring blankly at Mihabyushira Hill, floating in the air...

...No, to the entire Ashgo Kingdom's royal capital.

From Mihabyushira Hill, floating in the air, as the source.

<<<IHIHIHIHIHI ーーー !!!>>>

Such... a creepy laugh... reached them.

And so, the third stage is pretty much over!

After a few side stories, we'll finally dive into the final stage, the fourth stage!

Eh?

You're asking if La Sbos Daychib, the Duke, isn't the final boss?

There's no way such a random old man is the final boss!

Well, anyway, this arc, which has become extremely long, is nearing its end.

I would be grateful if you could stay with me for a little while longer.

Thank you very much.