CH 14

「Regarding the fight that we had with Dionis’s back then, what do you think about it?」(Elfi)

「An endless attack that does not give the foe an opening. It’s troublesome and if it’s only that, there’s a way to handle it」(Iori)

We had some discussion on the way to the labyrinth.

「Probably is not just that, won’t it?」(Elfi)

「Aah*」(Iori) TN Yeah*

I know how Dionis fight really well.

That guy had a high level of basic combat techniques, such as the magic of water attributes, jujutsu and fencing. Therefore, depending on the situation, he can do both vanguard and rearguard.

「He got a solid way of fighting, unlike that playful personality of his, huh」(Elfi)

「That’s how it is, albeit that fellow does not have an exceptionally good point while doesn’t have any fatal bad point」(Iori) TN Jack of all trades, but master of none

Because there is no opening in his method of fighting other than when he displayed a great strength to the foe who is superior in ability. By look at it from another perspective, it means that he has no power to overturn against those who were higher ranked than him.

Even at the time when he was a companion, Dionis was only able to earn some time when opposing the higher-ranked foe.

That fellow would be defeated when the opponent has a protruding trump card even if he could win in terms of strength against such foe. Although he’s powerful for the lower rank, he was vulnerable to a blow that above his total strength.

That is what he is.

「If he was the guy who was three decades ago, even the present us can win if we fight him directly」(Iori)

Even Elfi alone, if she takes the distance and shoots the maximum firepower of her demon eyes, there will be the possibility of victory.

「However……」(Iori)

「The problem is, that it would be different from three decades ago, right」(Elfi)

From the barrage of water bullets in the previous fight, I could not even read the change in his ability. Because those tactics to merely scatter destruction won’t show me what he is capable of.

But that magic that stuck a sword into Elfi tight from the state of the empty handed that he displayed back then. I was not able to be surmised what he did only by having a glimpse at it.

「Although we have fought together for several years, I have never seen Dionis uses such magic」(Iori)

「……If that is the case, I think that it is a trick which he learned in these three decades?」(Elfi)

「Elfi do you know what it is?」(Iori)

「……If the sword just is removed from the void space, I have some idea of it. But that was beyond my comprehension, to the extent which I cannot even be specified concerning it」(Elfi)

As Elfi says.

Either the sword was actually hidden by the concealing magic or it was being taken out from the storage magic. There are several means I come up with, yet I do not know which one it is.

「I was distracted by the water bullet earlier. Even if I can not identify it, I can deal with it if I use my demon eyes」(Elfi)

Elfi pointed out to her golden eyes while said that confidently. It is somewhat disturbing not to know what kind of attack it is, but we could dodge it if we wary from the start.

The way we fight will be the same as usual.

I will be the vanguard while Elfi becomes the rearguard.

The means to get through that water attack is already planned.

The remaining of my anxiety is that we must fight in his domain, but we can not afford to think any further. We are not accompanied by soldiers and we have no time to wait for support from outside, too. I have the knowledge of the labyrinth in my hand and I have anticipated every reasonable thing.

After that, I just need to avenge on Dionis.

Passing by the side of the pedestal of the『Keystone』which was destroyed, we finally arrive at the entrance of the labyrinth. It’s dark inside that make it impossible to observe its situation from outside.

「――Let’s go」(Iori)

We stepped into the Labyrinth of Death Swamp.

◆

It was said that the state of the Labyrinth of Death Swamp has changed, but the entrance was not much changed from before.

There seemed to be no miasma at the entrance but the darkness extended deep inside.

「You were not good with darkness, right? Are you okay?」(Iori)

「You moron, let me make it clear to you. I only hate being alone in a dark and quiet place, that’s all!」(Elfi)

「…………」(Iori)

「……So, I am fine now」(Elfi)

We light up our surrounding with magic before we continue to go through the labyrinth look like a cavern.

Immediately after entering the labyrinth, Elfi took off the『Bracelet of Disguised』

The magical power which is confined starts to overflow all at once. Just being next to her is enough to perceive her tremendous amount of magical power. Her magical power is increasing further just by retrieving the arms.

「……Poisonous swamp isn’t it」(Iori)

After a while, I saw a purple swamp ahead. It is not so deep, but the environment is filled with purple smoke.

If it touched, the flesh will decay and the bones melt. It is not saved to inhale the fumes that were emitted by the swamp, too. It’s a troublesome poisonous swamp.

However, we have taken measures against the poisoning in advance because I have bought several detoxification potions, and a『Non-toxic necklace』that will stretch a small barrier which nullifies the poison itself simply by wearing it. Because I have worn the『Non-toxic necklace』, nothing will happen even if I inhale the fumes.

I stepped into the swamp while paying attention to my feet. A cold and slippery feel is being transmitted. Though the poison won’t affect us, it still hard to move through this swamp.

「……It *NuchaNucha* sticky wet and feels unpleasant. I want to remove the alter ego body and move with my head and arms alone」(Elfi)

「Please stop that by all means」(Iori)

If she floats next to me with just her head and arms, I probably cut her by mistake at the time when we faced a surprise attack by the demonic being. Moreover, if there is something about to happen, she won’t able to react swiftly if she does not have a body.

Besides, the Demon Lord of this labyrinth is Dionis. I cannot settle down even the swamp where nullified just by fitting the magic items.

「Elfi, probably there is a trap ahead. Can you sense something?」(Iori)

「…………There’s a dim magical power on the left and right of the walls. It’s probably a traps」(Elfi)

Even though I keep an eye out, I can not perceive anything on the wall. Elfi carefully examining the place that has a faint of magical power and it’s to the degree which I eventually able to notice its presence. It wouldn’t be possible to see through such trap if you weren’t an advanced level magician.

It’s the moment when we about to proceed warily and reach the section of the trap. Then suddenly a soundless thin laser was fired from the left and the right of the walls.

「――!?」(Iori)

「Hmph」(Elfi)

The laser itself is not particularly powerful and can magic or with the Jade Longsword. It is to the extent where Elfi able to prevent it with her bare hand.

Underhandedly, the laser was aiming for the『Detoxification necklace』. If it were destroyed, it means to die in the poisonous swamp.

Furthermore, the laser is fired at different times from various angles. Becoming aware in the first shot, it is the structure where the laser is shot from another place towards its specific direction. It presumably telling that the magic items might end up being destroyed if being too relaxed when able to evade it.

「I see. This kind of trap is certainly effective in darkness」(Elfi)

Elfi murmured as she was awed by it. It was stated even in the book which I read. However, it is would be fatal at the first sight but it is not so dangerous if you know the trick.

When we advance to the inner part, the miasma started drifting in the air. The light becomes unnecessary as the inside of the labyrinth is illuminated by the miasma.

「From now on, the nature of the poisonous swamp will change」(Iori)

「The effect which deteriorates the magic item, wasn’t it?」(Elfi)

Of course not only is it toxic to the human body but beyond this point, the poison will also affecting magical power. If being contact with the poisonous swamp or the miasma for a long time, the magic item will stop working.

「The time limit is approximately five hours and we have to cross this poisoned swamp faster than that」(Iori)

Beyond our sight, there’s a green swamp.

In addition to that, the path width is narrowing.

As it is in proportion to it, the swamp grows deeper.

The Imperial Army that came to the labyrinth seems to have been poisoned by walking through this narrowing path as it deteriorating their magic items.

At the moment when I set my foot in the green swamp.

「It’s the demonic beings, Iori!」(Elfi)

「Got it」(Iori)

There’s a flock of “Acid Hammer Snake” has sprung out from the swamp ahead. Following that, the”Toothy Bug” has falls scattered from the ceiling.

I cannot afford to pay attention to the demonic beings.

I lead us ahead while began to whack down those demonic beings.

◆

The Onizoku had aligned themselves with the Maou forces in the past. However, they defected from the Maou forces as they could not keep up with its cruelty.

Thereafter, they were always in neutral position.

Known as『Traitor』by the Maou forces and despise as『Past Enemies』by the humans, as a result, the Onizoku was being chased off from the place to live and caused their number to decreased proportionately to it. In order to break down such circumstances, the Onizoku has decided to side with the human.

The representative of that Onizoku was Dionis Harberg.

The one who had a gentle tone and a refined appearance. He was adored as『The man who became strongest by an effort』by the Onizoku.

「I will end this fight and make a world where my friends won’t get hurt……!」(Dionis)

Dionis had a strong feeling caring for his friends. I was been bought by such values and he often talked about such a wish even when he has joined our party.

However, as matter of fact, he was someone who looking down at others.

「Your readiness is not enough and from my point of view, I can only see the future where you die」(Dionis)

Sometimes he said such a thing while getting frustrated with me who was dragging him down. I remember that I being in a bad mood after Beltoga which is his subordinate agrees to it too. Still, in the middle of the fight, Dionis gradually accepted me――

「You are strong and you certainly are the strongest hero. If it were you Amatsu, I believe that you can make the world peaceful」(Dionis)

「I can’t-do it alone, you know……So Dionis, will you cooperate with me……?」(Iori)

「Good grief……aren’t you always mentioned that to me every single day Amatsu. It is natural because you are already my important friend」(Dionis)

――I believed it so.

◆

I slaughter the closing in demonic beings as I keep pushing to the depths of the labyrinth. There is no stratum in this labyrinth, but it is spread sideways. A half hour has passed since I entered the labyrinth. From the thickness of the miasma, I should have advanced to around a one-third of the labyrinth.

Before coming here, we have encountered a lots traps.

It is begun by the laser at the entrance, the pitfall that leads to the abyss, the bottomless swamp and there were various things such as concealed metastasis formation that leads to somewhere.

Because there is no magical power in the pitfall and the bottomless swamp, it cannot be perceived by Elfi. Taking advantage of the experience of dive in the labyrinth many times, I able to discover a trap without needing to perceived its magical power.

「Elfi, the demonic beings have been avoiding that place for a while now. Maybe it’s a trap」(Iori)

「Got it」(Elfi)

In that way, we have been co-operating with each other while we keep pressing forward. The width of the road gets even narrower and I can barely walk in line with the petite Elfi.

In contrast, the demonic beings come successively from the front. If they come in great numbers, the rearguard won’t function well as the vanguard would have been destroyed first. The reason why we are progressing without difficulty is that our individual strength is high.

When we walked for a while, the demon suddenly went out.

A large open room is visible in the front. It was a doughnut-shaped land in the room while was an enormous swamp of green colour on the centre.

「What the Imperial Army could reach is only up to this point. There a several of powerful demonic being of dragons class appears in this room」(Iori)

The imperial army which has taken time so far are unable to subdue the demonic being who was far ahead this point. The majority of them were killed by demonic being before they withdrew. In the process, half of them perished, and only a few were able to get out of the labyrinth.

「Can’t we go through by ignoring the demonic beings?」(Elfi)

「When we enter the room, the demonic beings likely to put the water barrier at the entrance and you will be attacked while you’re trying to break it」(Iori)

As for the demonic being which comes out, it was described that had a proudful huge body at a level that can become a Demon Lord elsewhere. I do not know whether we can run away from it even if we try to ignore it.

「I will be dealing with it by utilizing the magic stone as much as possible. It will fine as long it can be defeated by it. In preparation for when it was ineffective, Elfi please begins to prepare the demon eyes. But, if it seems negligible, we ignore it」(Iori)

「Umu, I got it. Iori does not act recklessly, okay」(Elfi)

「I know that」(Iori)

With Elfi, I walked into the open room.

But nothing happens.

I can see the passage to the other side. I thought that it would be great if there nothing occurs, but it happened at the time when we went ahead through some doughnut-shaped ground.

「……As expected, it won’t letting us go through that easily, huh」(Iori)

The room vibrates.

The cloud of dust pours *ParaPara* lightly from a ceiling and the swamp in its centre rises greatly.

We ran and headed to the opposite aisle, but a barrier of water was stretched at the doorway after we ran through up to quarter of the distance.

『――――――』

From the swamp, the enormous head revealed itself while purple droplets splashed from the swamp.

「Ewww, it got into my mouth.……and its bitter!」(Elfi)

「Then, shut your mouth, you moron」(Iori)

『――――――』

What appeared was a huge squid.

The purple huge eyeball in the bottom on the body such as the triangular kite. Several tentacles which can pulverize a building with single blow grow from around its head.

「……It is a demonic being that I have not seen before. Do you know about it Elfi?」(Iori)

「It’s the “Overlord Squid”. It is a rare species whose majority was destroyed by human attacks. I ate it when I was a Maou, but it is awfully bad taste, you know」(Elfi)

Then, don’t just randomly eat some rare species, could you?

『――――――!!』

Although it might not have reacted to the word ‘bad taste’, the Overlord squid has been attacking us. I can see that its tentacles are falling from a multi-directional.

「Dodge it!」(Iori)

I depart from the falling point with full speed. Just after that, I was attacked by vibration as it makes me difficult to stand. The tentacles are being swung down with the intention to come in pursuit.

「……”Magic Break”!」(Iori)

The magic stone which I threw has blown off its closely packed light green sucker tentacles into very small pieces.

『――――――!!』

The Overlord Squid body is trembling. But then soon after, the foot which I blew off rapidly swells and begins to reproduction.

「I see, that’s why the empire forces unable to defeat it……!」(Iori)

「Iori, aim its eyeball! Despite how much you attack its tentacles, it will regenerate right away!」(Elfi)

「……Got it!」(Iori)

The remaining number of magic stones is twenty pieces.

How much can I save against this foe?

I glared at the huge eyes of the Overlord squid and grabbed the next magic stone.

◆

At the eve of the final battle.

I, Lucifina, Dionis, Luser were gathered in one room.

「Say, Amatsu. What do you get there? A potion…that’s?」(Dionis)

「It seems to be a portion that handed down by the Onizoku and I got it from Beltoga」(Iori)

「Ah, I have drunk it a couple of times, too. Because the effect is great, you should drink early」(Dionis)

In preparation for tomorrow, Dionis began to hasten me to drink the deadly poisoned potion that I receive from Beltoga. Unlike normal potions, it tasted strangely sweet, too. However, it drank it up to the end because it was something that I got from my friend.

「……How was it, Amatsu-sama?」(Beltoga)

「Nn? Ah……how should I say, it got quite strange taste」(Iori)

「It is such a thing, you know. With this we are thoroughly prepared for tomorrow, right?」(Dionis)

「Yeah」(Lucifina)

「Yeah, no doubt」(Luser)

As Dionis blooms with a smile.

I didn’t notice with the meaning of “thoroughly prepared” as Lucifina and Luser were nodding in the satisfactory mood.

「Well……even if I say thoroughly prepared, some of the equipment that was supposed to arrive didn’t seem to reach me, you know」(Iori)

For the final decisive battle, some equipment was supposed to arrive, but it does not arrive because there’s interference of someone on the way. Among them, is included a considerably useful thing such as『The Mortal Wound Substitution Gem』

「Ha, it might be the work of the Maou forces anyway. Probably, those fellows have become impatient」(Dionis)

「……Maybe you’re right」(Iori)

Besides that, various problems overlap, such as information that should arrive does not arrive and the troops that should have arrived have not arrived yet. At that time, I thought,『It might be the intervention work of the Maou forces』

After that, we reviewed the strategy and confirmed the opponent’s military power.

「I think it’s time to sleep in preparation for tomorrow」(Lucifina)

When all of those reviews are over, everyone is going to stand up at the words of Lucifina. I stopped them and asked them such a thing.

「If the battle is over and it becomes peace, do you have any dreams after that?」(Iori)

On the other hand,

「Ah? Not particularly. I’m going to do the magical research and after that, I go to see my little sister. Because it been a while since I last meet her」(Luser)

Lusers replied so bluntly.

「……As for me, I want to rest for a while. Because I was able to enjoy an interesting entertainment」(Lucifina)

Lucifina replied gently.

「Once come back, I have something I want to say to every one of the Onizoku. Then I would like to travel various places to make the discrimination disappears」(Dionis)

Dionis answered so.

There is no reason why I want to hear their answers.

I just wanted to ask.

「As for me――――」(Iori)

To my words, the three answered as if they were talking back and forth.

「It would be nice if it were granted」(Lucifina, Dionis, Luser)

◆

「――Now, be a grilled squid!」(Elfi)

The Overlord Squid becomes unable to make any moves because I crushed both eyes of its eyes before Elfi burst it with her demon eyes. Its head was burst open that end up scattering its flesh all over. While several of its tentacles were *BichiBichi* rushed and rampaging around.

Somehow, Elfi using her demon eyes to finish it all at once. On the other hand, the remaining of my magic stone has decreased to fourteen pieces.

「Iori, the barrier seems to have solved」(Elfi)

「Yeah」(Iori)

The barrier that’s blocking the doorway disappeared that have to enable us to pass through it freely. About three hours passed after we entering the labyrinth. The remaining time is around two hours, but judging from the intensity of the drifting miasma, there is little remain. I hurried collected only the huge demon core which rolled from the corpse of the Overlord Squid Kraken.

I scattering around the demonic beings while swallowing up a continuation type potion to restored my magical power and physical strength.

After a while, there was a small room.

「Probably there is a trap, be careful」(Iori)

「Umu*」(Elfi) TN Got it*

While being cautious, the entrance was blocked at the moment we enter the room.

As soon as I thought “was the room swaying around?” The ceiling falls vigorously.

「――!?」(Iori)

「Leave it to me!」(Elfi)

Elfi bends her body before swiftly jumped up.

「――Demon King Punch!」(Elfi)

A crack got in, and in the next moment it crumbled down before shattered into pieces.

「What kind of technique, is that?」(Iori)

「Huh? It’s the punch that unleashes by the Demon King, you know. Anyway, let’s get going Iori」(Elfi)

「……Sure」(Iori)

When the ceiling was destroyed, the entrance door which had been closed opened. The scenery seen from there changed completely from the previous cave. The floors are marbled stone pavement, sculptures on the walls and lights like chandeliers on the ceiling.

「……It makes me remembering the Demon King Castle」(Elfi)

Rather than a labyrinth, it looks more like a castle. However, the amount of the miasma which drifts contrary to the appearance has increased further.

There was no gimmick in the passage. Even the demonic beings do not come out. After we advance for a while, there was an enormous door came into our sights. It was a red door that decorated with gold on the edge.

「……Here it is」(Elfi)

Needless to think, I understand it.

――There is a labyrinth core ahead.

◆

I remembered that Dionis was saying this.

「――Without regret, I want to have a content death」(Dionis)

「What the hell is that. It’s like a death flag」(Iori)

「Death flak……? ……Look, I want to go to the netherworld if I’m dead, you see」(Dionis)

The netherworld.

It is the world after death.

In this world, there is a world after death, a netherworld. It is said that the person who reached content death without the regret goes there.

「What happens if you die of regret?」(Iori)

「I wonder……? If it from the story that I heard before, the ones would melt and disappears into the magical power that drifting into the netherworld」(Dionis)

Accordingly, Dionis’s said.

「I make the world that nobody can look down on someone else to reach my the content death」(Dionis)

◆

*Gii* heavy sound echoed as the door opens. The chilly air drifted from the room that lies ahead. Similarly to that, the interior was decorated with a castle decoration.

The room is circular, the surrounding area is surrounded by beautiful water where there is a foothold right in the centre. The red carpet that continues to the innermost part of the room. Beyond that is the throne that magic or with a bad sense of taste.

Looking at the person who sits down on that, I thought.

After being betrayed, I swore to my heart.

I will never let you have that content death of yours.

I will kill you in regret and despair.

「――Hey, I was waiting for you」(Dionis)

Dionis said so while leisurely sitting on the throne.