Published at 25th of January 2021 09:05:09 PM
Chapter 364
Chapter 364 - Let's Grasp the State of Affairs
Occupation・Thief .
In Zexiaharts, there existed a Scout role that corresponded to what would usually be a game Thief, and Thief wasn't a selectable default Occupation .
But that wasn't to say that the Thief Occupation didn't exist . In Zexiaharts, the Thief Occupation was an option that appeared if a Scout obtained a criminal history for things such as theft, and like other professions such as Assassins, it was an Occupation that opened the underworld aspects of the game .
And the devil with the form of a boy in front of Kazane announced he was a Thief while displaying the Heroic Spirit ring he had『stolen』 .
「Well, although I said I'm a Thief, in my case, I've already done the Superiorizations at level 40 and level 100 . My current Occupation has become the nonsensically named Thief King . 」
When the black lightning fell on her, Kazane collapsed on the spot as her entire body convulsed . Age bent his knees and sat down while telling her that . However, Kazane simply trembled without reacting .
「Ah man, that was disappointingly quick . 」
『Age, I'm also finished over here . 』
While watching the Berserk Ogre he had cut to pieces disappear, Gilbert so replied .
「Thanks for your hard work . I've got a problem here, though . Hahaha . . . since it's a player item, I can't make it my own property, and moreover, since it's a rare item, it'll likely return immediately if I don't keep applying『Steal』 . 」
Due to Zexiaharts' specifications, the『Steal』Skills were restricted when used on players . The stolen item would return to the opponent's item field after a certain amount of time . The『Steal』probability was higher than usual, but the stolen item was locked, so the Thief couldn't use or take ownership of the stolen item . In short, it became an ability to shut down an item in PvP .
『She won't be able to use it anyway . That girl has been captured by your『Shadow Lightning』 . The highest grade『Mental』sealing technique . Wouldn't there be no problems even if you returned it?』
「Mmm, maybe, but Kazane is unexpectedly tenacious, so I'll keep it just to be sure . For now, let's leave outside to that person . 」
After Age's words, Gilbert said「That guy?」
『I wanted to fight against that old man named Ougi, though . 』
「Well, when he defeats the opponent he's aiming for, he might be satisfied and yield to you . 」
『Then I suppose I'll hope for that to happen? Also, it looks like that dragon child and old man ran away . 』
So saying, Gilbert looked at the place where Magna and Tatsuo were a short while ago . Apparently, the one man and one creature left that place with considerable speed using Magna's summoned beast . However, Age didn't seem particularly concerned about them .
「They can’t escape inside this jet black barrier anyway, so it's fine, isn't it? We can kill them later . This is more important . 」
While saying that, Age started walking toward the glowing cocoon .
『What are you planning to do?』
While watching the situation, Gilbert asked .
「It's dangerous for devils like us to kill players, and Kazane is especially irregular, don't you think? So I think I'll have this dispose of her for us . 」
So saying, Age touched Yuuko-nee's cocoon with a devil's smile . Then, the glowing cocoon started eroding to black from the place his hand had touched .
「Well, being killed by her pet cat will also satisfy Kazane, don't you think?」
◎ Trade City Uumin, Center Street
Screams echoed from all around .
All members of the adventurer party『Zacks Raven』were running through the city .
「Here we go again, Zacks . Dammit, why is this happening?」
One of his companions grumbled, but Zacks suppressed his desire to curse back and silently continued running .
The current situation in Trade City Umin was, in short, the worst of the worst .
The city of 20,000 people was now in a maelstrom of pandemonium .
After the『attack』notification bell finally began to ring, they had begun to understand the city's current dangerous situation, but that didn't mean the situation had improved . Rather, it could be said to be getting worse .
(Shit, what the hell is this!?)
Zacks continued running while cursing in his heart .
It was only a moment ago that a message from the Adventurers Guild came to the inn where Zacks and the others were staying . The reason for the visit was a message about a compulsory participation Quest .
They were told that a flock of Odo Eat Leeches were approaching outside the city . An Odo Eat Leech was a species of leech monster that sucked up the magical power within the body . They heard that the swarm looked like a sea moving across the ground towards the city . However, the Quest imposed on Zacks and others wasn't a request to subjugate them . Those would be left to the kingdom army of this city .
The number of Lindo Kingdom troops in the city was about 1,000 . It was questionable if that number was enough to resist the currently approaching Odo Eat Leeches, but they had trained to protect the city . Bolstering their shaking hearts, the soldiers were currently standing by outside the city in preparation for the monster invasion .
Zacks and the others wouldn't participate in the battle . Because they had to solve the problem inside the city .
「It's a Hiruko! Another one appeared!!」
「Dammit . Why did my family become monsters!?」
「The slums are already hopeless . It's『happened』to everyone inside . 」
It was a situation where he wanted to cover his ears, but Zacks pushed on .
「Zacks, ahead!」
「Dammit!」
Zacks chopped the black tar-like humanoid in front of him . After someone had been Astralized by Black Potions, they might mentally collapse, causing a runaway process that would transform them into one of those things called Devil Hirukos .
(Is this the fate I was supposed to suffer?)
Seeing that figure, Zacks imagined that『what-if』and felt his spine freeze in terror .
The true forms of the things that were currently attacking the city were Black Potion users undergoing runaway Devilization . It seemed that those with mild symptoms had collapsed, while those beyond a certain level of addiction had become Hirukos, but if the Astralization of the people who had collapsed continued, they would probably become Hirukos eventually .
Even more problematic was that the number of Black Potion addicts had increased to a serious level in the Outer-controlled pleasure quarter . Also, even though they should have had no money, many people in the slums were addicts『for some reason』 .
If it was only a single Hirukoized person, they would easily collapse and lose their shape if they were cut, like Zacks had just done . However, if they were in an assembled state……
「It appeared . Dammit . Huge . 」
A huge, 4 meter black monster was peeking around the street corner .
「This is no joke . We're supposed to cut down something like that?!」
Zacks shouted .
「Then step aside!」
「Huh? Nee-san!?」
From behind Zacks, a lightning sphere flew toward the huge Hiruko . That lightning took the shape of a sword, cut through the huge Hiruko in one swing,
「Lightning, purify!」
and then that sword-shaped lightning dispersed, covering the cut Hiruko and evaporating it instantly .
「Good grief, what is this situation?」
「Louise Nee-san, did you come for me!?」
Zacks was relieved from the bottom of his heart and looked at the party coming from behind .
They were the members of the White Party: Jinrai with Yumika, Louise with Tiara, and furthermore, 10 Flame Knights led by a Flame Power, Demon Wolf Kuromaru, the skeleton Dragon Knight Jin Bahar, and Hippomaru-kun with mass production models Tatsuyoshi-kun A and B .
In the current situation, they looked strangely reliable to Zacks, but Louise looked slightly awkward as she talked to Zacks .
「Ahーsorry for giving you expectation, but there's a place we have to go . 」
「Perhaps you're heading to exterminate the Odo Eat Leeches outside?」
After Louise gently told him they couldn't fight together, Zacks so replied .
「What's that?」
That was the first time Louise and the others had heard about that .
「What do you mean?」
Jinrai stepped forward and pressed Zacks for an answer .
「Ri, right now, it seems there's a vast number of Odo Eat Leeches heading this way outside . The kingdom army is heading out to destroy them while we adventurers handle things in the city . A compulsory participation Quest was announced, but they didn't come to you?」
A shock ran through Jinrai and the others at Zacks' words .
「Ku . What in the world is going on?」
「Master, let’s go quickly . 」
As Jinrai felt light vertigo due to the badness of the situation, Yumika called out to him from behind .
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「Kazane's not replying, so we have to hurry . 」
「I know… what is this situation? We've only been in this city for half a day and this happens . What in the world . . . 」
「You guys were unlucky . 」
In answer to Jinrai's question, a voice resounded from somewhere .
「You guys artfully barged into our plan to kill the people of this city and Anglais Messi . Completely irregular . 」
That voice was from down the street, where the Hirukos were gathering .
「Hey, you, that place is danger…ous?」
Zacks was flustered and called out, but the situation was strange .
The endlessly streaming Hirukos were avoiding the person with that voice . And when they saw the man's face, all the White Party members except Jinrai raised their voices in surprise .
「Wait, what? What the?」
『What the hell is this?』
Louise's shout and Mefirus' agitation made Jinrai tilt his head .
「What's wrong with you two? Are you acquainted?」
Louise and Mefirus weren't sure what to say and couldn't immediately respond to Jinrai's question . However, their mouths were repeatedly opening and closing as they compared Jinrai with the person healing towards them . And the answer to Jinrai's question was given by his disciple Yumika .
「It's master . . . from the time when we first met . . . but, his skin is black?」
After his disciple spoke, Jinrai stared at the opponent while tilting his head .
He was an old man with two grim black spears wearing black armor that fit his body snugly, like the way Kazane's first『Dragon Eating Ogre Army Armor』fit her . And when he looked very closely at that face, he certainly remembered it . But like a dark elf, his skin was black .
「Hm . My only blood relative that age should be my older sister . 」
「Hm . You're a man bad at consideration . Thinking about how you're another me makes me feel pitiable . 」
The Jinrai with his figure as an old man slowly came before Jinrai and the others .
「First of all, let's ask this . Who are you?」
Jinrai, who only clearly understood that he was an enemy, asked the old man Jinrai . Old Jinrai laughed and replied .
「I am you . What you lost, originally you . But I'm a person who lives only for battle . And,」
Old Jinrai's mouth contorted, and a black presence suddenly spewed out from his armor and spears .
「This is a magical power construction!?」
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Louise looked at it and said that with a voice like a scream .
He was constructing a magical body, just like Kazane, Louise, and others did when they summoned . However, its size was not normal .
「Huge!?」
While Yumika looked up, a black shadow exceeding 15 meters was appearing behind Old Jinrai . As it gradually took shape, Yumika and the others' faces stiffened, and seeing their expressions, feelings of despair oozed out of Zacks and the others .
It was a huge creature . One of the strongest species in this world .
And Tiara and Mefirus knew that figure . The castle they lived in was decorated with paintings depicting the time when their ancestor defeated it . It was smaller than they had heard, but they remembered well the characteristic three red-black horns on its jet-black body .
It was the dragon mount ridden by Dragon Emperor Gaiel . A dragon called the Demon Dragon of Destruction, feared as the worst harmful dragon in the history of this Philon continent . Its name was Black Dragon Hagasu .
「You will die here . By my hand . . . 」
Then the huge black dragon's roar echoed from the center of the city .
Name: Yuihama Kazane
Occupation: Summoning Fighter
Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King, Liberator
Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Draghorn Tonfa x2, Dragon Eating Ogre Army Armor (True), Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, White Magic Accumulator (Revised) ×2, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring, Angel Bracelet
Level : 38
Health: 152+20
Magic Power: 340+520
Strength: 72+45
Agility: 78+39
Endurance: 43+20
Wisdom : 75
Dexterity : 51
Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror Shield』『Rabbit Speed』『Flare Mirage』
Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior's Memory: Lv2』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv4』『Aegis Shield』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition: Lv2』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield: Lv2』『Information Link: Lv2』『Optical Camouflage』『High Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『Sturdier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Devil King's Intimidation』『Stone Minotaur: Lv2』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『Space Expansion』『Pseudo-Silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur: Lv2』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』『Boost』『Monkey's Strong Arm』『Two-sword Style』『Boobies Plus』『Living Armor』『Alarm』『Six-sword Style』『Mental Attack Complete Protection』『Spider Web』『Wire Cutter』『Flexible』
Kazane「Shibishibi . . . 」
Yumika:「What is this situation?」
Kazane:「Shibishibi . . . Shibibibibiiin!!」
Yumika:「Nn?」