16-13. End of the Assailants
※From third person point of view
"Is that an airship? But it looks somewhat organic....."
"It's emitting such wicked presence. Do you know what that is Satou-san?"
Satou and miko apprentice Lily exchanged words while looking up from the terrace of Tenion temple.
Satou's AR shows it as, [<>].
"It seems to be a kind of ghost shop called Evil Float Ship."
In his mind, Satou recalled the ghost ship he fought in the Lalakie sea during the Divine Punishment.
Ghost ships have a peculiar type of sub-dimensional travel function called [Underworld Crossing], it probably made use of that to appear in the duchy capital.
(I got the reason why it didn't show up in my Map before the ceremony, but who and why did they attack the duchy capital?)
The Evil Float Ship continued its battle against the Duchy Capital army while Satou was lost in thought.
"Looks like the duchy capital army is putting up a good fight."
Lily muttered.
The Evil Float Ship's attack was blocked by the duchy castle's defensive wall.
On the other hand, none of the duchy capital army's attack could get through the Evil Float Ship's defensive wall either.
"--Ah."
Lily witnessed a high powered ray fired by the Evil Float Ship cutting a Wyvern Rider in two.
Satou clicked his tongue when he saw that.
"That ray is dangerous."
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm gonna go and neutralize it for a bit."
Satou thrusts his hand into the shadow on his feet and mixes it around.
At the same time, the Evil Float Ship's artillery that shot the ray was wrapped in black shadow.
"Alright, it should be fine now."
Lily looked up and the Evil Float Ship's artillery had disappeared.
"Amazing...."
Even while conversing with Lily, Satou is making use of [Magic Hand] and [Another World] to evacuate people who were located in places endangered by the Evil Float Ship.
The reason why Satou doesn't immediately get rid of the Evil Float Ship is probably because he's looking for the one who sent the ship here.
"And the royal capital--Don't think there's anything threatening there."
Satou looked over the royal capital with space magic [Distant View].
He was wary about simultaneous terror attack on both places, but it seemed to be in vain.
(Looks like there was an accident during the fake Holy Shell Mobile Armor activation experiment, but it's impossible to rampage with that by hijacking it anyway, and Princess Shistina with her golems and Zena-san are there, they should be able to manage even if they're with Lady Karina.)
Just in case, Satou told the situation to Liza who was sparring with Shiga Eight Swords in one corner of the royal castle through space magic [Telephone].
He also gave instructions to the intelligence division of Echigoya Firm and Chuu Fat and the other mice.
The Evil Float Ship was enveloped in tremendous explosions before their eyes.
"That was from the Duchy castle wasn't it."
"Yes, that was Ringrande-sama's attack magic."
A huge robot that looks exactly like the Holy Shell Mobile Armor is standing on the bow of the Evil Float Ship whose armor has been stripped off.
Satou muttered quietly, [Dynast].
◇
--I've got to stop it.
Ringrande who's riding on a small airship is overlooking the huge aerial warship with a flustered face.
The light shining from the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's chest, which has enough power to bring in ruin, is still trying to destroy the duchy castle.
The divine weapon bestowed by Gods to the Lalakie Kingdom that once thrived in a floating island--[Damnation Cannon] is attempting to demonstrate its full power here.
The dazzling light is flickering unstably.
--Her chant won't make it.
Ringrande's eyes could only see that flickering as an omen before the firing.
Even while staring straight at death, the only thing she can do is chanting a magic to oppose it.
She can only hope her father, the territory lord's proxy who holds the power of City Core, could block an attack from the [Damnation Cannon].
A sudden change happened to such a hopeless situation.
"--The light disappeared?"
The brownie in pilot uniform who was steering the airship muttered.
The light on the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's chest has disappeared.
If someone who holds the power to see mana were here, they would undoubtedly notice an abnormal amount of mana loss from the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's chest.
It's as if someone drained its mana.
"....■ <
>!"
Ringrande's advanced explosion magic pulverized the rear engine of the Evil Float Ship.
Several black shadows jumped off of the quickly descending ship, and lastly, the Holy Shell Mobile Armor took up a spear-like thing.
『RIIIIIIIIIIINGRANDEEEEEEEEEEE』
It cried out through the external speaker, and then the Holy Shell Mobile Armor made a leap off of the falling Evil Float Ship toward the small airship Ringrande was riding.
"Choiyaa!"
Just before the armor could grab the airship, it made a turn like a fighter jet.
It was an intense maneuver unthinkable of the slow moving airships of this world.
"I-I'm going to fall!"
The one riding on the airship doesn't think that it's a safe move to do however.
Ringrande ended up having to cling on to the handrail with her dear life in order to not get thrown off the airship.
◇
"I-it's demons!"
"Send the golem unit forward!"
"All hands, retreat while holding them back!"
The short horn demons that jumped out of the Evil Float Ship surprised the anti-aircraft unit of the Duchy Capital army.
The golem unit battled with the short horn demons, but the agile demons overwhelmed them and quickly got on heels of the retreating unit.
The burning trees that fell from the Evil Float Ship's bombardment blocked their escape route.
"I will hold them off here!"
"We're no match for them even if they're lesser demons. I won't let anyone die in vain!"
"However, if this keeps up--"
A youth who had reached level 20 spoke of a heroic line, but the well experienced unit commander stopped him.
In the middle of the youth speech, the commander was pulled away by an ape-like short horn demon.
"Commander!"
--ＧＲＯＲＯＲＯＬＷＮ.
The youth pulled out his mithril alloy sword to come to the rescue, but the short horn demon extended its arm and flung him away.
"--■■■ Drag Ignis"
A dragon of flame appeared while smashing the burning fallen trees and hit the short horn demon while scattering explosive flames around.
The commander who was pulled in also got burned but he was already mortally wounded.
"Just when I chased a fool who rampaged with the legacy of his Majesty that should have been sealed, reincarnated demons huh... And there's even Yamato's legacy."
A black clothed alchemist with a covered up face showed up from behind a fallen tree.
--ＧＲＯＲＯＲＯＬＷＮ.
"Hmph, figured it won't die from one shot--"
The black clothed alchemist drew a sword on his waist.
"This sword is too good for you, but..."
--ＧＲＯＲＯＲＯＬＷＮ.
The dying short horn demon charged toward the muttering alchemist.
"Perish, you grave robber."
A blue gust of wind flashed, and the being that was a short horn demon disappeared into black mist.
"Holy sword?"
"Hero-sama? It's Hero Nanashi-sama!"
The retreating unit forgot to escape and clamored.
"Hero huh... How ironic."
The alchemist looks at the coming crowd of short horn demons while laughing sarcastically.
"--Leave. ■■■■■■■..."
The soldiers retreat, leaving the alchemist who has begun a ranged attack magic chant.
◇
『RIIIIIIIIIIIINGRANDEEEEEE』
A two-pronged spear in the Holy Shell Mobile Armor hand was thrust at the small airship Ringrande was riding on.
Light buckshots that shot out of the spear tips exploded near the small airships.
"I can't shoot my magic! Stabilize the hull just a bit more!"
"It's impossible!"
The small airships slips through gap between the tiny explosions with acrobatic maneuvers.
"If we're too far away, my magic won't reach--then."
"Ri-Ringrande-sama?"
Ringrande jumped off of the airship.
She was free falling for a short while before her falling speed slowed down.
"I'm glad I got it from Hayato."
Running in the sky with the Flight Shoes, she approaches the Holy Shell Mobile Armor.
『RIIIIIIIIIIINGRANDEEEEEEE』
"Sheesh, can't you say anything else?"
She fired [Quick Burst] that could be chanted quickly at the head of the Holy Shell Mobile Armor that was taking the action to attack as a distraction, and closed the distance more.
◇
『Kukkukku... spread your struggle, hatred and fear, breed the miasma necessary for his majesty's resurrection』
Deep in a jet black darkness, a man in purple costume standing in front of a floating mirror muttered.
The mirror reflects the figures of Ringrande who's fighting with the Holy Shell Mobile Armor.
White mist is coiling about around the man, sometimes something that resembles an anguished face floats in the white mist.
『Well that objective is more mundane than I thought.』
A voice that came not from the man resounded in the jet black darkness.
『--Who is it. You who speak with the language of the great orc kingdom, show yourself.』
The one who appeared before the man was a slender boy wearing a purple wig and a white mask.
『That mask, you're!!』
『Nice to meet you, mastermind-san--』
The masked hero bowed like a stage actor.
◇
"GWAAAAA"
Ringrande who was hit hard by the two pronged spear got slapped onto the arena's ground.
Even though the force of the blow was enough to carve out a trench on the arena's ground, Ringrande still retained her fighting spirit.
Ringrande tried to get up, but the two pronged spear pierced the ground on both her sides, pressing on and holding her back.
".■■ Quick Burst."
The spell Ringrande chanted while coughing blood disappeared after only leaving a small light explosion.
『What's wrong, ran out of mana?』
A sane sounding voice that made the mad voice earlier seemed like a lie resounded from the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's external speaker.
A hatch on the throat of the Holy Shell Mobile Armor opened slightly, and the aged face of the third prince Sharlick peeked out from there.
"That face..."
Ringrande expressed her surprise to see the prince's face.
"I will ask you this only once."
The triumphant third prince Sharlick said so while looking down on Ringrande.
"Yield to me and give birth to the king of the next era."
"I refuse."
Ringrande flat out refused the third prince Sharlick.
"...What. How foolish can you be, Ringrande!"
The third prince's Sharlick's face convulsed and warped.
"I will destroy every single country in this age of strife once. And I am the only one who is capable of uniting all the lower class people in this turbulent time to create an empire that covers the entire continent. Do you mean to say that you have a problem becoming the wife of such greatness!"
Ringrande isn't answering the third prince Sharlick who rattled on with bloodshot eyes.
She's fully concentrating everything to recover her mana.
"No, you cannot possibly have any complaint. I will make you, who was discarded after becoming the hero's plaything and missed your chance to marry, into my sex consort, not concubine. You cannot possibly be dissatisfied with that!"
Ringrande's eyes were filled with rage.
She wasn't lenient enough to overlook words that made a mockery of the too stoic Hero Hayato.
Ringrande twisted her restrained body and took out a ring from her pouch.
It's a cursed item that can change life force into mana she found in the Blooduscking Labyrinth with Hero Hayato.
She has never used it since it has a fatal weakness of producing mana to the point of exhausting your entire life force.
"Oh I see now! You must be hesitating! No need to hesitate! I, the great king of the world, forgive you. Ringrande, become my empress!"
Third prince Sharlick feverishly shouted out loud words filled with love--nay, obsession.
"I refuse!"
Ringrande wore the ring and shouted.
"Wha, what--it can't be--why."
Third prince Sharlick's face distorted in shock.
"Because I hate you of course! Be reborn anew and make a fresh start! ■■ Quick Burst!"
Ringrande's explosion magic burst from the gap of the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's cockpit.
"GWAAAAAAAA"
White smoke and smell of burning meat leak out of the gap, and then the cockpit shuts off.
"DIEEEEEEEE"
Mana congregated into the two-pronged spear, and a vestige of light ball was produced in front of Ringrande's eyes.
She could break out if she struggled, but that would likely take time.
"--■■■ Drag Ignis"
The flame dragon that hit the armpit of the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's arm that held the spear spread explosive flames around.
Since the armor's hand got separated from the spear, the light that was going to roast Ringrande disappeared.
"Good grief.... Here I went to find out the identity of the fool who brought the Evil Float Ship here, and what I got was just a lover's quarrel, what a waste of time."
A black clothed alchemist showed up in the arena ground along with a heat haze.
"I can't really agree to that, but thank you for your help regardless."
"No need for thanks."
Blue light flashed, and then the two pronged spear turned into round slices.
"This sharpness is as absurd as always."
"Holy sword?"
"Correct. It's a blade to fell any evil given to me by my friend."
The magic artillery on the Holy Shell Mobile Armor's arms, and the [Divine Punishment Cannon] on its chest are clad with mana.
Ringrande and the black clothed alchemist run off to look for a cover.
"Can you fight that?"
"I cannot."
The black clothed alchemist concisely replied to Ringrande.
The Holy Shell Mobile Armor's triple weapons are filled with red light.
"That's Yamato's anti-demon magic weapon that can even wrestle against greater demon. It's the strongest and worst weapon created by the mad magic engineers of Furu Empire--it cannot be defeated by ordinary men."
The alchemist spoke as if it was none of his business.
White and red light behind them are approaching critical.
The cover they're running toward to is still far away, and even if they arrive in time, they don't think it would be strong enough to block the super weapons behind them.
Ringrande is convinced of her death when she feels the burning heat on her back.
"--Thus, I leave the rest to you."
"OK."
The light and heat behind them disappeared with that easygoing voice.
Ringrande turned around and saw the Holy Shell Mobile Armor who had lost its mana falling prostrate to the ground, and purple haired Hero Nanashi floating in the air before it.
"Heya, Ga Hou, did you come to help?"
"I just came across grave robbers who rampaged around with his majesty's legacy that should have been sealed."
The Holy Shell Mobile Armor's hatch opened, and a dark purple figure showed up from there.
Hero Nanashi didn't even need to turn around as the figure got slapped onto the arena's ground.
"I found youuuuuuuuuu! You fake hero who stole my holy sword!"
"The one controlling it was the third prince huh."
Hero Nanashi looks below on the third prince who soul crushingly cried out.
"And, since when were you a demon?"
Hero Nanashi's line of sight was directed at the long horn on the third prince's forehead.
"The king who rules over the world needs a body that transcends humanity!"
"But your body is crumbling, is that alright?"
Black mist coils around the third prince's body as it's crumbling down.
The crumbling fragments disappear into black mist.
"T-this can't be..."
His body is crumbling from the ends of his limbs.
"No, no, I am, the ruler... of the world..."
Ringrande's mana clad magic sword destroys the third prince before he crumbled completely.
That might have been her mercy.
"So, I see that there's a clown behind you, did you catch the mastermind?"
"Un, I did catch the mastermind who directly perpetrated this."
Hero Nanashi pulls a purple clothed man restrained with magic sealing ivy out of a shadow and throws him to the ground.
"Don't tell me--"
Ga Hou tore off the hood that covered the purple clothed man's face.
What showed up was a face of a corpse rotten to the core.
There's a twisted horn on its forehead.
『--Zo Gil.』
『Is that you Ga Hou?』
Ga Hou's face grimaced to see a familiar face under the hood.
A face of pity and grief to see a former colleague who got called back as an undead and been reborn as a greater demon with Twisted Demon Horn.
『What would be the reason for you, the one entrusted to command the entire army of his majesty, to lay waste on his majesty's grave.』
『Is there any other reason than for the second coming of his majesty.』
『You fool... You think his majesty would wish to be revived as a demon lord.』
It's probably the difference in perception between someone who died before the final battle and someone who survived through it.
『To rebuild Orc Empire on this land--that is his majesty's wish!』
『Who told you that?』
Hero Nanashi smoothly asked Zo Gil who vigorously shouted out.
『His majesty demon lord who stands equal to his majesty, goblin--』
Zo Gil's head blew off in the middle of his words.
It must be a delayed magic that would activate if he were about to say a certain word.
Hero Nanashi traces the vestige of magic that not only revived him as an undead but also destroyed a being that had turned into a greater demon.
"Zo Gil..."
Ga Hou gave a silent prayer to the body of his old friend that was disappearing into black mist.
"So the one who assaulted the duchy capital was the demons after all?"
"Yup, you're right. I wasn't able to reel them in, but our opponent appears to be one of the demon lords."
Hero Nanashi replied to Ringrande.
However, Hero Nanashi didn't speak the fact that the [Goblin] word Zo Gil left behind might be referring to the [Goblin King].
(From this matter, I see that they haven't given up on their schemes and get to know one of the elusive sources of this.)
Hero Nanashi--Satou is exploring for solutions in his mind.
"Nin nin~?"
A golden ninja wearing pink mantle showed up from the shadow on his feet.
"Pick up~?"
Satou joined hands with the golden ninja and returned to the royal capital using Unit Arrangement.
Apparently, something happened in the royal capital.
※ Next Update is planned for 9/17.
※ People who don't remember Ga Hou could refer to Volume 7 of the published book or web [Intermission: Orc Alchemist].