CH 13

{Shuten POV}

Hmm~?

There are a few things I want to say about all this, one of them being, how has Crane reached the point where he is able to use [Explosive Rod] right now when it is fairly high up in the skill tree and is only available for the final battle? Also, why is there one of the Four Heavenly Demon Lords in such a place, and why has Justa joined the party here?

“Oh it’s Braument of the Four Heavenly Demon Lords. Did you happen to eat a glowing debris-like fragment?” (Shuten)

“…That doesn’t concern you. How boorish of you to interrupt. It is not appropriate for a demon to protect a human even if it is just on a whim.” (Braument)

“Ah, okay. I roughly understand the situation.” (Shuten)

I had just finished up thing at Tunto, and we were heading to Merrick. Ever since we had left the city I had strongly felt the response of the pearl piece very strongly. And then we came across this dramatic situation.

“Reason” of the Four Heavenly Demon Lords. He is the final boss during the siege warfare of the capital city of Eden which is soon to happen. I was glad I was watching from on top of a nearby tree so I could know when to make my debut.

But, isn’t Braument just a bit too strong?

I do think he was more of a challenge than the first Demon Lord, which was good for sharpening skills and becoming stronger. If this was still a game then Crane will survive even if he dies, but in reality that is not the case.

From the flow of the battle I was worried that he was about to be killed so I jumped out last minute. However, even if it was only a matter of time, confronting a Heavenly Demon Lord seems like I am picking a fight with the Demon King’s Army.

This is the main reason why I was reluctant to go out.

Also, I was not completely sure if Braument had incorporated or just captured a pearl piece because I was not convinced the reaction from the pearl piece was from “within” this guy.

The sensor inside me should respond to the nearest fragment.

Even though when the Kuchiinu had absorbed one the sensor had reacted properly, so why was it unclear here?[1]

“Wait for meeeee!!” (Hiragi)

“Ah, I forgot.” (Shuten)

“Do not rush ahead by yourself! I am not as fast as you are! Wait for me!! And what is with this situation!?” (Hiragi)

“The the heroic Tuna is trying to overthrow the King Salmon.”[2] (Shuten)

“Hey!! I did not understand a word of that!” (Hiragi)

Hiragi’s angry expression was especially cute today. I had gone ahead, knowing she would follow after me.

However, she seemed to have trouble approaching the dignified Braument…she may have been strong in the past, but now she was just Hiragi.

“Hiragi, could you watch over them for a bit?” (Shuten)

“Why do I have to protect humans? Well, it cannot be helped.” (Hiragi)

Although she sighed, Hiragi stood beside Haruna anyway.

“Thank you.” (Haruna)

Well, in this case, even if she absorbed a pearl piece she might be able to survive facing the dapper clown in front of us. Hiragi probably could endure for five seconds. Well, if she was helped it would be five seconds.

“Shuten…Thank you.” (Haruna)

“Oh, you don’t need to speak. Just focus on helping your friends recover.” (Shuten)

“…yes.” (Haruna)

Since the tension has melted away, Crane was finally able to stand with the help of his staff. He was already showing a smile. I would have never thought he would have already grown so quickly. The power of a single strike from him with those explosive attacks is no joke.

“Crane!!” (Haruna)

“Ah, Haru- I mean girl with the pink hair, although Crane is stable, the red child over there is also in bad shape.” (Shuten)

“Why are you here…?” (Haruna)

As she remembered our previous meeting, Haruna widened her eyes in bewilderment.

“Well, I am a fan of Crane’s art skills.” (Shuten)

Though rather than a fan of his drawings, it is more that I am a fan of the main character Crane in general…But since it really was a good picture, let’s just say I’m a fan of that. It will not change the fact I am a fan.

Now.

I gripped the Demon Slayer more tightly and faced the Four Heavenly Demon Lord before me. I guess it is time to be more serious.

“Why…well…if you have taken in a pearl piece, that means your fate is pretty simple.” (Shuten)

“…what?” (Brauement)

“Death.” (Shuten)

I leapt. At the same time, I swung my axe.

“What?” (Braument)

“Ah, I guess you are pretty strong, being one of the Four Heavenly Demon Lords.” (Shuten)

“You…!!” (Braument)

I had intended to attack him back instantly, but it was prevented by a thread stretched out before him like a shield.

Well…well…I guess I was able to somewhat grasp his technique.

“Let’s go.” (Shuten)

“You…are you insane, or a monster?” (Braument)

Braument was thrown back, and immediately counterattacked with his steel threads. It was like he was trying to play with my Demon Slayer…don’t treat me lightly.

“[Endless…Steel Thread]!!” (Braument)

“Ah, yes yes yes”

The steel thread suddenly scattered in different directions, then curled back in as if to try and pierce my body from many angles…however.

“Got you!” (Shuten)

“What…!?” (Braument)

I spun Demon Slayer in a wide arc, deflecting the strikes of the threads, and kicking up a small windstorm and knocked Braument away. Once he bounced back to the ground, he stood up and tried to restabilize his position. I saw a slight shiver in his eyes.

He was scared.

I laugh and rest the Demon Slayer over my shoulder.

“Compared to the Divine Phenomenon of the Magic Librarians, the power of your ancient spell is not a big deal. Even so…it is quite pleasant to scatter that spell with just a single axe.” (Shuten)

“…Monster.” (Braument)

“Come at me, mid-boss.” (Shuten)

{General POV}

“This is…what on earth?” (Rudius)

When Rudius regained consciousness and his field of vision widened, the scene that suddenly opened before his eyes was unbelievable. The use of steel yarn which had completely overwhelmed them until now was being forced back in the fight against a mysterious man in Japanese clothing.

…that man, he had seen him somewhere before.

“You woke up! I’m so glad, Rudi!” (Haruna)

“Haruna…?” (Rudius)

Looking back at the origin of the voice, he saw Haruna who was emanating magic from her hands continuously, and noticed that Justa and himself were laid in the same magic circle.

This means that he had been under the care of her recovery magic for awhile.

Realizing he had been relying on her, he smiled a little towards the F-rank Adventurer.

“Thank you, you saved me.” (Rudius)

“No, this is my job!” (Haruna)

“Is that so.” (Rudius)

Then he would not interrupt her in her work.

He gripped his hand in a fist, and felt something in his grip. Looking over it seemed as if he had held onto his sword the whole time. The longsword was covered with holes and cracks. His brand new sword was already broken beyond repair. However, the fact that he was still able holding on to the sword despite losing consciousness was something Rudius took strength from.

“Stand up, Rudi.” (Crane)

He heard a voice next to him, coming from the youth sitting and holding his knees as he watched the battle in the distance. His eyes were not wavering at all, but fixed onto the movements of the battle going on.

At times steel thread could be seen, accompanied by brilliant sparks from the clash. As they watched the battle, Rudius seemed to think of something and looked upward, where he saw a girl with nine silver fox tails standing above Haruna. The nine-tailed girl was undeniably beautiful, even as she watched the battle with an expression as if this was normal.

“Crane…what is going on…?” (Rudius)

“Shuten is here.” (Crane)

“Shuten…? What are you talking about?” (Rudius)

“Oh, he is the one fighting now…and is the one we met in the Alfan Ranges.” (Crane)

“…How do you know him?” (Rudius)

“I happened to draw his portrait.” (Crane)

“……?” (Rudius)

Rudius didn’t understand. Crane also did not fully understand the reason they were being helped either.

Even so.

“Unpleasant! Unpleasant! Unpleasant!” (Braument)

All the attacks by the steel threads were being countered by the large axe. Faced with the pressure being put off by the Oni, Braument’s cordial atmosphere began to degenerate.

“Question, just how many times have you said unpleasant?” (Shuten)

“UnpleasantUnpleasantUnpleasant!!” (Braument)

“The correct answer is the whole time~[3] Hey now, I’m not a pin cushion!?” (Shuten)

If he gave him a break, then his feet would be attacked, and then it would be followed by a sweep from above almost like Braument was trying to flatten him like a pancake.

He was fighting alone, so shouldn’t he be overwhelmed?

“[Ancient Spell – Dragon Piercer]!!” (Braument)

“I wonder if my axe has absorbed some of my magical power. My partner is sturdy enough to deflect your dragon claws now. Now it’s 19,800 Gold!” (Shuten)

“Gaaaaaaah!!” (Braument)

“I don’t care!!” (Shuten) The attacks from the steel thread was blown away by a full swing from the axe.

“Aaaaaaah!!” (Braument)

A tremendous crater was created in the earth by the great axe that was swung down underneath Braument’s. It was a finishing blow that made Shuten think it was over.

However, it was then. From among one of the craters, a voice was heard.

A chill ran through the group, and Shuten’s appearance became strange.

“I already drank three cups of soup – I thought it was strange. It seems there was a mistake~” (Veloce)

“…Ah, we meet again, Ms. Veloce.” (Shuten)

“Why is it that you are protecting humans and fighting the Four Heavenly Demon Lords? I do not understand at all.” (Veloce)

That girl was the same age as Rudius. She wore a gothic lolita dress that did not fit in with her surroundings, and had a distinctive twin drill hairstyle with a frilly parasol.

…Even though Shuten didn’t seem like the kind of person to politely call someone “Miss,” Rudius’ legs trembled.

What was wrong with that girl.

“…Gu…Imperator…” (Braument)

“How embarrassing~ Even after all your boasting…you could not even kill a single human.” (Veloce)

Hearing her words, he wondered if she was a demon.

Then, it is possible she is an ally of Shuten

“By the way, why did Shuten decide to kill Braument?” (Veloce)

“The simplest explanation is that what this guy possesses cannot be recovered unless he is killed.” (Shuten)

“Hm…I see…” (Veloce)

The girl raised her lacy parasol, and directed it towards Rudius who seemed to be wondering what was happening.

“Don’t you think we should take care of those people over there? Since the Kamiko of Light is our enemy, I want to dispose of them~” (Veloce)

“Oh, no, wait a minute. Yeah, let’s calm down, Ms. Veloce.” (Shuten)

Wrong. She was clearly different from Shuten.

He could clearly understand That girl who was next to him was thinking more along the same lines as the Demon King’s Army than that monstrous Oni with the pair of twisted black horns.

He tried to appease the girl in a hurry but she shook her head shortly.

“Unfortunately, those are words I’m not willing to listen to.” (Veloce)

“Ah, let’s just calm down, you see, these humans are not harmful right now, right? He’s more of an artist after all.” (Shuten)

Although Rudius was half-convinced by Crane’s words earlier, from this situation it seemed that the one named Shuten was their ally.

He was grateful that such a strong existence in this world was not their enemy. He wondered if demon coexistence was possible if there were others like Shuten, since while growing up in the kingdom he had not really met any demons like this one. These were the thoughts Rudius kept in his heart.

“The Kamiko of Light has the power to kill the Demon King, so I am only eliminating a dangerous thing.” (Veloce)

“Ah, so if I was a dangerous thing, would you kill me?” (Shuten)

“The value is not the same~” (Veloce)

“Ah, wait, at this point wouldn’t it just be bullying the weak, so can’t you just please wait on killing Crane?” (Shuten)

“It is not that Shuten is to blame, but the Kamiko of Light is the enemy of demonkind.”

“Geh.” (Shuten)

Even though Shuten was fighting the issue that much, there was no changing her mind just because they were currently weak.

Aside from that, Crane felt something from the girl, and could no longer move once she had looked at him.

“Hey, Crane…!”

Looking at Shuten, he was waving his right hand where Veloce could not see it, and seeming to be signalling to the party to leave immediately.

But Crane did not move. He could not move, and did not understand why.

“And that is why I will kill him.” (Veloce)

— Ancient Spell – Chaotic Moon Xablefar[4]—

“Tch…Run away Crane!” (Shuten)

Shuten yelled in a panic.

However, before anything could be done, a tremendous magical force exploded out from the tip of the frilly umbrella that was aimed. It became a violent tsunami of jet-black flame.

That flame flew over as if unfurling a long carpet, and all the plants were destroyed in its place. If it were to touch you, it would be the end of your existence.

He knew that, but Crane could not move.

“Crane…!”

Staff ‘s voice in a panic.

However, before that, it is a tremendous magical force to be jetted from the tip of the frilled umbrella that was aimed.

A jet-black flame like a violent tsunami.

All the way through which the flame goes towards here as if laying on a red carpet all the plants are gone. If you touch that, it’s the end of consistency.

Rudius leapt, trying to escape the path with Haruna and Justa, but it was too little too late. Crane only watched the spell [Chaotic Moon Xablefar] approached.

Everyone is drunk as it is and it ends.

At the very least Rudius tried to get Haruna out of range.

In that instant.

“—-”

“Huh?”

Someone’s voice was heard. An invisible magic wall was created between them and the [Chaotic Moon], and the earth shook from the collision. It was destructive enough to cause a crack to form in the ground. But that magical wall still did not budge.

…What the heck was that? The answer was soon clear as Crane saw the figure standing in front of him.

“Uwaa…so it’s you…the tension is gone–” (Shuten)

“It seems like the Kamiko off Light has not have much resistance to the presence of a commander of the Demon King’s Army, since you could only stand there stunned. You people there, just stand off to the side for a bit.”

It was a high soprano voice. But they couldn’t help but feel like the amount of pressure coming from her was abnormal.

The young figure could only be considered a young girl. She wore an indigo kimono and black coat with the letters III engraved on the back. It seemed familiar. Of course, this was because it indicated she was the top Third of the Imperial Academy that Grendel belonged to.

“…Hey, why are you here?” (Shuten)

“Oh Shuten. It’s been awhile…to think you would be here as well. If you don’t mind fighting…Should we work together? It will be our first time together.” (Yatano)

“Do not say it in such a way that it can be misunderstood.” (Shuten)

Rudius happened to catch that Shuten’s expression seemed somewhat relieved. Did these two knew each other, since they were having a friendly conversation?

“—have you been well, Yatano-chan?” (Shuten)

“Please stop calling me –chan.” (Yatano)

The girl laughed happily as Shuten jumped to her side from the spot near Veloce. Yatano then closed her own umbrella with a snap, with a bright expression that didn’t match the battlefield.

“Are you prepared…Imperator?” (Yatano)

“There are no issues here, Third Seat.” (Veloce)

The battle was not over.

Translator Notes

So in other words, Shuten can sense a pearl piece in the general area nearby Braument, but for some reason he is unable to sense if Braument absorbed it.本マグロにサーモンが下克上仕掛けてる I’m not really sure myself, but it seems to be a comparison between “big fish/little fish” scenario.Shuten was making a pun. “Fukai” (不快) means unpleasant, while “Fu Kai” (フ回) means off-time or possibly full-time – I couldn’t think of a way to translate this into english. Maybe “Horrible” and “Hour-able?” Ehh, that’s all I’ve got.ゼーブルファー “Zēburufā” could potentially be Sable Fur? Or Fable-something. Not sure on this as I feel like it should be a mythological name of some kind