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Chapter 66
ZAP – Chapter 66: Great Demonic Beast Haagenti (1st Part)
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*Grrr…Grrr…Grrr…Grrr…Grrr…Grrr…*
A low creepy voice rang within the whole muddy air mixed with miasma.
I used flying magic to look down at the gigantic black beast at high altitude.
The living calamity that has been troubling the Grandflare Empire for 200 years…the Great Demonic Beast, Haagenti.
Now that I think about it, this is my first time seeing this beast in full.
I look around.
The imperial army has made battle formations close to the capital as if encircling the Great Demonic Beast.
Their numbers are around 200,000.
If I die in my attempt to be a bait, they will be the next casualties.
We must not allow the Great Demonic Beast to trample upon the capital.
I heard that was a strict order from the Emperor to the imperial army.
The soldiers of the Empire look like dots from up here, but the ones who are leading the army stand out.
My childhood friend riding a pegasus is also one of them.
She is staring at me in worry.
— “The operation will begin with the signal of Eugene-dono. Please give the signal at any moment you desire.”
Orianne-sama told me this.
“Fuuh…” (Eugene)
I exhale lightly.
The hand holding the God Katana I got from the Emperor is trembling a bit.
(Are you scared, Eugene?) (Eri)
“I am trembling in anticipation.” (Eugene)
(Fufufu, right. You are the man that has caught my eye after all.) (Eri)
I have relaxed a bit after my conversation with Eri.
…Alright!
I resolved myself and took out the magic tool I was given beforehand out of my pocket, and then threw it at the Great Demonic Beast.
*Pang!*
A loud sound rang as light bursted.
It is just a flashy spell that has no killing power.
The imperial army surrounding the Great Demonic Beast moved all at once.
The operation begins.
The mages of the imperial army raised their staffs at the same time.
The countless magic circles popping out and shining in midair was a sight to behold.
It is the spell to undo the old seal of the Great Demonic Beast.
The new seal cannot be cast unless the old one is taken off.
There was no change for a while.
I waited in midair.
*…Crack*
A sound similar to glass breaking was made.
*…Crack…Rumble…Crack…Rumble…Rumble…Crack…Crack*
The sound of breaking echoed here and there.
The magic stakes that sealed the Great Demonic Beast to the ground were breaking one by one.
This happened in chain and finally…
“UOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!!!”
The Great Demonic Beast roared.
The ground shook greatly and several people from the imperial army fell.
This is not an earthquake.
This is the shockwave of the Great Demonic Beast tied to the ground being released.
“Kuh…!” (Eugene)
Violent levels of miasma fill up the surroundings.
A normal person would lose consciousness just from breathing.
I reflexively put my hands on my mouth regardless of the barrier  covering my whole body.
“UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!!!!”
An explosive roar shook the area.
And then, the 200 year seal was undone and the whole body of the Great Demonic Beast showed up.
“…This…is…” (Eugene)
I unconsciously muttered this while looking up at the Great Demonic Beast.
I was looking down on it just a few moments ago.
But the size of the Great Demonic Beast after being freed from the seal was far from what I imagined.
Even seeing it whole in my vision is difficult, making it worthy of its name as a living calamity and even creating a majestic feeling to it.
(Get away from there, Eugene!!!) (Eri)
The agitated voice of Eri snapped me back to reality.
I didn’t notice that the front legs of the way too big Great Demonic Beast were slowly raised.
That’s right, the aim of Haagenti is me.
It hasn’t eaten for 200 years and has a grudge for being tied to the ground by the sealing magic of the Holy Gods.
I am truly the perfect sacrifice to vent all of this.
The black arm of the Great Demonic Beast closing in on me looked more like an approaching black wall.
I stopped my flying magic and landed on the ground.
“Barrier Magic: [Sanctuary].” (Eugene)
The strongest barrier magic I can use.
Normally, I would empty my mana just from using it once.
But my mana amount has been elevated with the mana of the Holy Maiden Sara.
(Eugene, I am telling you to run!!!) (Eri)
The voice of Eri rang in my head.
“If I run, the Great Demonic Beast would head in the direction I go to, right?” (Eugene)
If I did, the ones who would suffer from this are the soldiers that are around.
(Even if so…aah, geez! I get it, you dumbo Eugene! But listen to me. If you receive an attack from the Star Beast straight on, even a Demon Lord like me wouldn’t come out unscathed.) (Eri)
“Even you, Eri?” (Eugene)
While we were talking, the front leg of the Great Demonic Beast was raised high and came towards me.
(That’s right! Listen, the Star Beast doesn’t have a physical body because of how gigantic it is. It wouldn’t be able to maintain its own weight after all. What’s forming most of its body is dirty mana which is miasma. In other words, think of the attacks itself of the Great Demonic Beast as extremely powerful spells.) (Eri)
The words of Eri were complicated and I couldn’t understand them completely.
“I am thinking about avoiding it just before I get trampled though.” (Eugene)
I am taking the Wind Step stance.
The leg of the Great Demonic Beast closes in.
It is as if the sky was coming down on me.
(Too soft. The area of effect of a Star Beast is far wider than it looks. You won’t be able to make it in time even if you were to escape to the sides.) (Eri)
“Is…that so…” (Eugene)
In that case, I have no choice but to increase my barrier magic to its maximum and endure it.
(Fufufu, be grateful for your contract with me, Eugene. What you will be doing from here on is to rush towards the body of the Great Demonic Beast.) (Eri)
“…Eh?” (Eugene)
Did I hear wrong?
(Leave the questioning for later! Use your Mana Blade and jump towards the Great Demonic Beast! You must not stop the barrier that is covering your whole body, okay?) (Eri)
“G-Got it! …Twin Heavenly Resonance Style: Fire Stance…” (Eugene)
I clad the mana I got from Sumire onto the God Sword.
The blade shone red.
I can only see a black wall above me now.
(GO, Eugene!) (Eri)
“…Seriously? Damn it!” (Eugene)
I resolved myself, spread my one wing, and rushed towards the Great Demonic Beast.
I thrusted my red katana towards the pitch black wall.
*Dopun*
A displeasing sensation as if I threw my body onto water…no, onto a swamp assailed me.
It is true that the body of the Great Demonic Beast is a fake one with no meat.
“Kuh!” (Eugene)
Dense miasma that made me sure my lungs and internal organs would turn to ashes the moment I took a breath was enveloping me.
I am inside a swamp of poison.
My sense of direction was thrown astray in an instant.
I leave it to the wings on my back to head single mindedly up and…
*Thum!!!*
An extremely intense explosion assailed my back.
“Gah!!!!” (Eugene)
I was sent flying despite being protected by my barrier.
The moment the unbearably long shock left….
“Haaah…haaah…haaah…haaah…” (Eugene)
I was rolling on the ground by the time I noticed.
The taste of iron spread in my mouth.
(Come on, Eugene. Look up.) (Eri)
I wouldn’t have even raised my head if not for the voice of Eri.
“Shoot!!!!”
A familiar commanding voice reached my ear faintly.
It is the voice of Airi.
*BoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoomBoom!!!!!!!!*
Countless spells rained on the Great Demonic Beast.
The thousands of imperial army mages are attacking all at once with magic.
The seal on the Great Demonic Beast has been undone, so all the attacks are hitting directly.
“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!”
A shout that sounded like a scream from the Great Demonic Beast rang.
The outer skin of the Great Demonic Beast that’s like a black haze was crumbling.
(Brittle, right? The strongest weapon of a Star Beast that has absorbed the miasma from the ground is their giant body, but there’s practically no defensive power.) (Eri)
“It is just as the Destiny Oracle said…” (Eugene)
I am breathing roughly here, but I somehow managed to speak.
Within the spells that were raining on the Great Demonic Beast, there was a giant mass of fire the size of a small mountain that landed directly on the Great Demonic Beast, exploded, and blazed up.
(Was that…the Fireball of Sumire?) (Eugene)
(Uwa, that’s why Ifrits are just…) (Eri)
It seems like it was firepower that baffled even a Demon Lord.
I heard an even more painful scream from the Great Demonic Beast.
*Blop…Blop…Blop…*
Black creatures grew from the ground.
The Taboo Monsters created by the Great Demonic Beast, the Black Sheeps.
(At a time like this… No, it is exactly because it is a time like this, huh.) (Eugene)
A Great Demonic Beast can’t do tight turns, so it seems like it has created its own limbs.
“Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!”
“Hiih!”
“Damn it!”
The Black Sheeps covered in creepy black tentacles were attacking the imperial army from all places.
The knights of the Empire are fighting the Black Sheeps in order to protect the mages attacking the Great Demonic Beast.
They seem to be having a hard time and there’s some who have been swallowed whole by the giant mouths of the Black Sheeps.
Some who have been caught by the black tentacles and squeezed to death.
It has become a free-for-all.
(What about Sumire?!) (Eugene)
I got worried and unconsciously looked over there and saw a light arrow pierce a giant Black Sheep.
Looks like Sara is protecting Sumire.
(Eugene, is this the time to be worrying about others?) (Eri)
I notice with the voice of Eri…
“Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!” “Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!” “Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!” “Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!” “Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!” “Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!” “Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!” “Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!” “Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!” “Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!”
There’s a horde of Black Sheeps rushing my way.
And at the same time as that happened…
*THUM!!!*
Haagenti slowly but surely turned its body my way.
(Kuh… Move…) (Eugene)
Even if I try to move my body, the aftereffects of me evading in such a drastic manner have made my body heavy.
At that moment…
—- “[Sacred Light Saber].”
A light wave swept away what were most likely 100 Black Sheeps.
“Are you okay, Eugene-kun?!”
*Thum!*
The one who appeared while making the ground tremble was one of the strongest fighting forces of the Empire: the Sword Hero, Edward-sama.
The 2-handed sword he is holding lightly with one hand and releasing a divine blue light is the Holy Sword, Calabrum.
It seems like he saved me from my precarious situation.
“Thank…you very much…” (Eugene)
“Hahaha! Good. Seems like you are still okay!” (Edward)
I am not that okay, but I have been saved.
“Me-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-eh!!!”
A Black Sheep bigger than even a dragon appeared right in front of me.
What’s with this size?
I was taken aback by this and…
— “Twin Heavenly Sword Style: Lightning Stance – [God Wolf].”
The next instant, the giant Black Sheep was sliced vertically.
*Thud!*
Someone landed by my side with a light sound… No, I obviously know who it is.
“Yo, Eugene. You alive?”
The one who is standing all carefreely is a bearded man with his hair tied to the back haphazardly.
The sword he is holding is the Enigma Sword: Ame no Habakiri.
The strongest swordsman of the Empire and Imperial Sword,my Pops.
“I am somehow alive, Pops.” (Eugene)
“Alright. Edward-dono and I will buy time here. Your opponent is that thing, right, Eugene?” (Jubei)
Pops pointed with his thumb at the Great Demonic Beast that’s slowly approaching here.
The Great Demonic beast once again slowly raised both feet with killing intent.
This is bad.
“Pops, Sword Hero-sama, we have to run!!” (Eugene)
The two of them don’t specialize in barrier magic like me.
Or more like, the mana element of Pops is the complete opposite of mine.
It is close to completely black. He is a swordsman that specializes in attacks.
He can’t endure the miasma of the Great Demonic Beast.
I shouted this, and Pops and unstable building NJ hpioop hrSword-dono?” (Edward)
“Right. Just as my son says, we can’t fight against the Great Demonic Beast, but…” (Jubei)
“Just running away wouldn’t sit right.” (Edward)
“Alright, I will go for the left.” (Jubei)
“Right one for me, then.” (Edward)
“…Wa?” (Eugene)
Before I could understand what the two were saying…
*Fwoom!*
The two strongest of the Empire ran towards the Great Demonic Beast.
“Oi!!!” (Eugene)
I shouted reflexively.
The two already looked like dots.
“[Sacred Light Saber].” (Edward)
“Twin Heavenly Resonance Style: Lightning Form Esoteric Art – [Kirin].” (Jubei)
A white flash and a black flash intersected.
“Gyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!”
Both eyes of the Great Demonic Beast were sliced.
A scream that made me have to cover my ears rang.
The body of the Great Demonic Beast expanded with this.
The ground shook, winds raged, and lightning surged from the land.
The Great Demonic Beast is in pain.
And with that, a sight like that of the world’s end spread before me.
The outer skin of the Great Demonic Beast continued falling.
It feels as if it has become one size smaller.
Even so, it is extremely hard to keep all of it within vision though.
“Uooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!”
The mouth of the Great Demonic Beast began to let out a dazzling light.
(This is bad… That’s the Death Wail of the Star Beast. The living beings that hear this will have their souls and body separated.) (Eri)
“Even if you tell me that all of a sudden…!” (Eugene)
I moved all the remaining mana from the Ifrit and the Holy Maiden Candidate into my God Katana.
It is an amount of mana that would make a normal sword crumble if done the same.
But the God Katana that has been made out from the fangs of a Divine Beast didn’t even twitch at this.
“Twin Heavenly Resonance Style: [Swallow in Flight]!” (Eugene)
The crimson blade I unleashed exploded in the giant mouth of the Great Demonic Beast.
The moment I did, the follow up attacks of the Imperial Sword, the Sword Hero, and the Holy Maiden Candidate joined in.
The Great Demonic Beast screamed, but it didn’t unleash its Death Wail.
(That’s…a relief…) (Eugene)
My knees slowly dropped to the ground.
The mana I borrowed and my own mana are empty.
My stamina is also drained.
— “Destiny Magic: [Seal of the Goddess].”
A beautiful voice like that of a songstress echoed.
Thousands of chains tie up the Great Demonic Beast.
(The new seal spell…has been activated…?) (Eugene)
The one who did it is the Destiny Oracle, Orianne-sama.
Of course, there’s no way she would be able to use a big spell like this alone. It is a godly technique that can only be achieved with the mana supply of many people using the Sacrificial Technique.
The red 3rd eye is shining at the forehead of the Great Demonic Beast struggling in pain.
(If I…destroy that…) (Eugene)
We can defeat the Great Demonic Beast.
But I can’t move a single finger in my body anymore.
(Good work, Eugene.) (Eri)
The voice of the Demon Lord rang gently in my ears.
“Eri…please give me mana.” (Eugene)
I requested my contractor with a fleeting voice.
(You… What are you saying? If you receive my mana -the mana of a Demon Lord- with that tattered body of yours, you will die, you know?) (Eri)
“But…this opportunity is…” (Eugene)
Only one more step.
Just a bit more and the people of the Empire can live without fear…
(Listen here. They have managed to seal the Star Beast with the bare minimum casualties thanks to you, you know? Be satisfied with that.) (Eri)
The Demon Lord said this and cut off the thought transmission.
What Eri said is most likely right.
If I were to receive the mana of a Demon Lord right now, my body wouldn’t be able to endure it.
The painful screams of the Great Demonic Beast continue.
The air around was being poisoned with miasma as if in concert.
There’s no one who can approach the Great Demonic Beast aside from me.
I could just collapse on the ground like this, be careful of not undoing my barrier magic, and wait for help to come…
“Eugy!!!!!”
A familiar voice…a nostalgic voice rained down on me.
I somehow raise my gaze and…
There’s a beautiful knight in shining blonde hair and white armor inside the muddy miasma air.
“Ai…ri…?” (Eugene)
The only one to come to me riding a pegasus was my childhood friend.
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