◆ Kingdom of Avangarde, Far North of the Faurest Mountains, Lightuma Plains, Near the Border ◆
“My servant, the Earth Beast Titanis, unleash the power of the whirlwind! Feel its might!”
“Peen peen! Do you really think this old human can stand against the Vandalsia army?”
【Captain Souzen of the Third Brigade’s Whirlwind, Part Two!】
【Earth Beast Titanis’s Tremor!】
【Raging Mane Emperor Iwotobi roared!】
This Udattsu=Agalan is currently in the Underworld. I wish I weren’t. Yes, I think it would have been better to die in the Ten Destroyers Council and fall into the Underworld. I’ve been knocked down by the tremor and rolled around, only to crash into a rock, and now I’m pretending to be unconscious. The Third Brigade of Noibranz is facing off against those grotesque beings over there. Was Avangarde always such a masquerade kingdom?
However, those are real monsters. I don’t quite understand it, but it seems that the country has been taken over by monsters, and they call themselves Vandalsia. At that point, I think we should have given up on advancing, but His Majesty would not allow it. He is proudly walking the path of conquest, not invasion. The penguin with its bright red mane is screeching, and facing it is our Captain Souzen. At the age of 94, he still holds the position of captain, trusted greatly by the previous king. The opponent he is fighting is, astonishingly, a penguin. I thought it was just a small penguin, but it has killed dozens of soldiers, so I can’t afford to lose face. Other monsters are also doing their monstrous duties, and many soldiers have lost their servants. Defeat seems imminent, and I think we should retreat.
【Raging Mane Emperor Iwotobi took 1527 damage! HP 3201/7093】
【Captain Souzen was unaffected!】
【Earth Beast Titanis was unaffected!】
“Pengyah!”
Captain Souzen is overwhelming that penguin all by himself. The morale of the other soldiers rose as they saw the penguin roll helplessly away, strengthening our offensive. Just one captain’s prowess can change the tide so much; in a way, it’s quite economical.
“We’re going too, nya!”
“It’s tough, isn’t it… It’s sad to see such monsters attacking…”
“I’ll finish this in the blink of an eye. As the exquisitely elegant Shining Prince, I will!”
【Maternya’s Beast Mode Activated! Mode “Hound”!】
【Etica’s Gambling Dice!】
【Schwelm’s Shining Edge!】
The Ten Destroyers are also fired up. They easily take down monsters that seem as strong as that penguin, clearing the path for the soldiers. They further disrupt the enemy lines. I almost want to say they can handle it all by themselves, but I want to hold on a little longer.
“That’s quite a hot monster, isn’t it? But being big isn’t everything, you know?”
【Shiny’s Deathly Flame! The Scorching Beast Barzaider has fallen! HP 0/6418】
To an ordinary person, what is happening is utterly incomprehensible. The flames she spewed turned not just the soldiers’ armor but even their bones to ash, and the monsters and weapons that touched her evaporated as if they had melted away. That’s all I can understand. It seems to be a martial skill, but there was no semblance of punches or kicks in her movements.
“W-wonderful! How did you manage to touch that monster?”
“There were a few spots that weren’t hot. I couldn’t tell if they were vital points or anything.”
“Y-you just looked at it and…”
One-hit kill; probably no defense would work against her. Even a dragon covered in tough scales would be instantly slain. That is the healer Shiny. The contrast between her elegance in battle and her friendly smile in everyday life has made her secretly popular in the Royal Capital.
“You’re slower than I expected. Are you holding back?”
“Who cares?”
In the back, standing firm, is that strange priest-like figure named Aboro who crashed the Ten Destroyers Council and the World’s Strongest Man. Aboro was truly impressive. He made all but one of the Ten Destroyers submit without a fight.
The World’s Strongest Man, known for being naked, remains unchanged even on the battlefield. As for me, pretending to be unconscious, if an ordinary soldier were to do such a thing on the battlefield, they would face charges of disrespect towards His Majesty and be executed in a mock trial, ending up in the Underworld.
“Feh feh feh, foolish and ignorant inferior beings. In the name of my Spirit Emperor, I shall banish you from the natural world for all eternity. Let your names be forgotten by all living things in this world!”
【Eternal Spirit Emperor Lurud has appeared! HP 444444】
This is bad.
“Ugh, this is a bit heavy for soldiers, let alone the Ten Destroyers. World’s Strongest, shall we take him on?”
“Whatever, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to win anyway.”
A suspicious figure wearing a strange mask, resembling a priest, is raising a staff-like object and seems to be about to do something. I just want to go home already.
◆ Avangarde Royal Capital? ◆
“Hey, this is the town of Avangarde!”
Everywhere is peaceful. There are proper guards, and they greet us cheerfully. But were these castle walls always this low? And even though there should be many people checking those entering the Royal Capital every day, there’s only one guard here. And he’s even sniffling. He looks a bit foolish.
“Hey, Kurinka. Doesn’t something seem off?”
“I don’t think we’re on the wrong path. Excuse me, is this really the Royal Capital of Avangarde?”
“Yep!”
“That ‘yep’ is already suspicious…”
Sniffling, he sways the spear he holds in one hand. This feels definitely off; I’ve had this sensation before. It was when I was caught in Rash’s illusion magic. It’s similar to when we were in Mist Village—it’s real, yet not real. It feels like we’ve been transported to a different place.
“Let’s take a quick flight.”
Mounting the Kurinka Dragon, we take off into the sky, where dark clouds loom overhead. They might be storm clouds, but I charge right in.
◆ ??? ◆
“I can’t see anything!”
“Just keep moving forward!”
No matter how far we go, all there is is darkness. It’s as if we are the only ones that exist here; there are no sounds or signs of life. It might be a type of spatial magic like Getou’s. If that’s the case, moving forward like this would be pointless.
Descending from the darkness, we easily break through. Below us lies the Avangarde Royal Capital, surrounded by black clouds. No, it’s definitely strange overall. It’s much smaller than the Royal Capital we know, and the shapes of the buildings are all twisted, with houses in suspicious shades of red and pink.
“What is that!? Where are we!?”
“Let’s land. I have a feeling this is the only place that exists in this world.”
“This world…? Rua-chan, what do you mean by that?”
“I think we’ve been trapped here by someone without us realizing it. There were similar cases in the Abyss Cave, but nothing on this scale.”
“So, what we see over there isn’t the Avangarde Royal Capital?”
“Yeah, the fact that I didn’t notice until we landed probably means we were trapped at that very moment.”
“That’s amazing, Rua-chan… If I were alone, I would have definitely been confused and panicked. I’m glad to be with you, Rua-chan.”
To hear that she’s glad to be with me makes me so happy. We’ll be together forever. I think the one who trapped us probably imagined us panicking, but now they must be unable to laugh. Don’t underestimate me.
Considering the strength of the opponent we might face here, judging by the scale of power, it’s undoubtedly a Calamity Class, and it might even be a being close to a Divine Being like Lord Daigami.
“Indeed, my Clairvoyance does not work here.”
The white fox deity, who usually resides in Shin’s tool pouch, popped out. When we last left that hideout, Lord Hast took us to Mount Daigami. If Lord Hast is gathering allies carefully, it means we’ve brought powerful reinforcements. I thought it was impossible for the guardian deity of Azuma to be here, but when I explained the situation, he accepted it easily. It’s a major crisis for Vandalsia, and it’s a situation that could have ended the world several times over.
“Is Azuma really okay?”
“Do not worry; even now, Azuma is sufficient with my avatar.”
“As expected of a deity… You can stretch and retract, enter tool pouches, and even create avatars. You can do anything!”
“Who was it that cleaved that deity in two?”
“That would be me here…”
“That’s true, but Lord Daigami can do so much more than I can. I’ve started to realize recently that the question of who is stronger and who is more impressive are two different matters. Even if I’m stronger, it’s definitely Lord Daigami who is more remarkable. No doubt about it.”
“So, what about that collaborator over there?”
“Oh, right. They said they would gladly help if I asked. But they want to do it their own way…”
“…To think you would take on a mad beast that no one has been able to handle, even with the seal included, amidst this calamity. It might not be Vandalsia who brings this continent to an end, but that creature instead.”
“That’s not true! I asked them properly!”
It’s no wonder Lord Daigami is worried. I was against Kurinka’s suggestion to ask that creature for help when she first brought it up. It’s not just about being strong.
◆ Avangarde Royal Capital? ◆
“Hey, this is outside our home!”
“I’m looking at something right now. Can you not look at it besides me?”
“Do you all know where you are? You’re standing on the stones of the castle town of the Kingdom of Avangarde.”
Everyone seems completely lost. Their movements are sluggish, and they look just like the humans I know. The pitch-black sky and this bizarre scene make my head feel like it’s going to spin.
“Even with my power, I couldn’t perceive the invitation to this world. The ruler of this world is likely the Queen of Absolute Darkness, Lesser Than.”
“Lesser Than? That’s what Lord Hast and Rash were talking about…”
“She’s a great demon unprecedented in history, having brought the Wizard Kingdom to the brink of destruction. She probably won’t show her tail so easily.”
“What are you all whispering about? Speak in front of Uncle!”
“That’s right! Whispering like that is making us uncomfortable.”
“When you have a secret conversation, it makes me curious, but you won’t tell me. That’s quite unpleasant.”
A strange group of people is creeping closer. They’re gathering from both sides, and I wonder what to do. Should I take them down? Who are these people anyway? Are they minions of Lesser Than? They have snot running down their noses, their arms flopping around, and they look terrifying.
“What should we do? Should we take them down?”
“Even if it’s another world, killing people feels wrong, doesn’t it?”
“I won’t kill them. Just knock them out.”
“Will that really work? Look at that one.”
Uncle’s neck stretches out grotesquely. It looks like something has gouged into his shoulder and chest, only to snap back into place. Yeah, he’s definitely not human anymore.
【Dimensional Beings have appeared! HP: ?????】
“That’s not human anymore, is it…?”
“If the world is different, then the shape of people is different too. If you want to kill them, I won’t stop you, but I oppose it.”
“I see, Lord Daigami loves humans.”
Then I won’t bother with them. Their movements are slow, and I can tell they’re not a threat. But as Lord Daigami said, it’s not good to judge monsters by their appearance. Since they’re moving so slowly, I decided to just leave this place casually.
◆ Avangarde Royal Capital? Inside some building ◆
“It seems like those people aren’t here… It’s a bit dusty though.”
“Seeing that the others didn’t attack us, it seems there was some kind of fuse of anger among them. It’s natural to think we stepped on it unknowingly.”
Inside a building that looks like a house. Lord Daigami is already jumping on top of things and exploring. It’s strange how his white fur stands out even in the darkness.
“Hmm, nothing particularly new here.”
“Who? Is someone there?”
I was genuinely surprised. Out of nowhere, a girl spoke to us in this seemingly empty building. Sitting next to the wooden box where Lord Daigami is perched is a girl hugging her knees. How did I not notice her?
“Th-there was someone here…”
“Who are you? You’re not from this world, are you?”
“Are you from this world?”
“We’re the ones asking questions here!”
“I’m sorry…”
Despite her slightly droopy, gentle-looking eyes, she has quite the attitude. Her pink hair is covered by a hood, and the hem of her long skirt is completely dirty. Has she been here the whole time?
As usual, I’ll let Kurinka explain. The girl with chestnut-colored straight eyes listens with a bored expression, which annoys me a bit. But she’s just a child, probably around the same age as Platiu, so I won’t yell at her. I’m an adult after all.
“Well, I was hoping for some help to arrive.”
“That’s not a very nice way to say it!”
“Lua-chan, remember, she’s just a kid…”
Yes, I’m an adult, so I hold back. The only younger girls around besides those from Ikana Village are Mi and Platiu. Both of them are quiet, so I never thought much of it, but it seems I’m not good with this type of child.
“Hmm. So, Rutna-chan got separated from everyone and ended up trapped here… But I’m not scared at all. After all, Rash is coming to rescue me!”
“R-Rash is?”
While fleeing from Vandalsia’s minions, Rutna and the others encountered Lord Hast and his group. They managed to escape together for a while, but only Rutna ended up trapped here. During their escape, Rutna learned magic from Rash, and she said she would teach her Illusion Magic soon. It sounds a bit crude, but Rash is quite impressive too. Seigel has changed since then.
“Are you all acquaintances of Rash? Oh, really? Huh?”
“W-what are you staring at…?”
“That’s not good. You should pay a bit more attention to your appearance. Your hair is messy, and those shorts showing off your thighs look boyish and lack charm.”
“I can’t fight in something frilly!”
“That’s right! Lua-chan only thinks about fighting!”
Kurinka, I wish you hadn’t said that.
“Not that! This is my hand-me-down!”
“Enough of the theatrics. Rutna, please provide us with all the information you have.”
“The fox just spoke! It’s too cute!”
“You may pet me.”
Lord Daigami raises his head proudly, allowing Rutna to pet him, looking quite pleased.
“…So, magic is really convenient if you can use it, right? And you know, among girls, magic users are in vogue. When you wave a wand and fire a fireball, boom! That’s when I realized it. If you aim to be a magic user, love will go well too. In fact, the girl next door, Shi-chan…”
“You really like Rash, huh?”
“Huh? What are you talking about?!”
“Eh, eh?”
“I don’t like him! No way! Well, I guess I care about him a bit?”
Yeah, yeah. In the end, this girl knows almost nothing. She has no idea where Lesser Than is either. It seems she just found herself here, and for that, she seems too lively. Even Lord Daigami is drooping his head in exhaustion. His thick tail sways back and forth, as if to say, “What should we do?”
“Well, you’re going to take me out of here, right?”
Seeing her brush off the dust from her skirt and stand up, I couldn’t help but think she might be the most reliable one here. After all, we have no leads at all.
◆ Shin Report ◆
Hey, hey, hey
Did Lua and the others just pass by?
It seems Shin has finally reached his limit.
Lord Demon King, please forgive us for our advance misfortune.
Monster Compendium
【Raging Mane Emperor Iwotobi HP: 7093】
Named after being the apex of aquatic creatures in a certain coastal region. Normally, this species is preyed upon by predators, but it seems they have become ferocious due to some mutation.
Though easily deceived by its bright red mane and adorable body, its personality is extremely combative and prideful.
In the water, it surpasses the speed of all aquatic creatures, and on land, it can freely create ice to establish its preferred battlefield. Many ships have sunk instantly after being pierced through, leading to a flood of requests for its extermination.
【Earth Beast Titanis HP: ?????】
A servant of Souzen, the captain of the Third Division of Noibranz. The magical beasts that are captains, including squad leaders, do not have a habitat.
This is because they are all synthetic creatures created through repeated summoning and breeding due to special circumstances. The Earth Beast Titanis was created solely to enhance Souzen’s whirlwind spear axe.
It can destabilize the opponent’s footing with tremors and improve hit accuracy through whirlwinds. It has a bizarre appearance, with a mouse-like head and a lizard-like body.
【Dimensional Beings HP: ?????】
Who they are, what their ecosystem is like, and their ideology—all remain a mystery. They are often mentioned when those who suddenly disappeared return. While testimonies vary, the common understanding is that they are incomprehensible.