Swaaaaaah—
A sound like waves heard underwater.
All beasts that heard this sound ceased their movent. They bent their knees and bowed their heads.
“What… is that?”
Delia’s trembling voice, having hurriedly pulled Heinzel into the air, scattered like spray in the waves.
“A snake…?”
“Too many legs to be a snake.”
From ground level where Leviathan’s eye had opened, it wouldn’t have been visible, but Delia and Heinzel, who had leapt into the air to avoid it, could glimpse part of its enormous form.
An endlessly writhing body with thousands of legs. Vertically slit pupils reminiscent of reptilian eyes, with eyelids that closed horizontally. A mouth that gaped from head to torso without distinction, revealing countless teeth within.
Its form was impossible to compare to any living creature in this world.
Moreover, its massive body—large enough to carve a new horizon into the earth—coiled and twisted about, instilling an inexplicable terror in everyone present.
“It’s still a magical beast, right…?”
“Seems so.”
“Have you ever heard of a magical beast like that?”
“Never.”
“ neither. Not even in legends or ancient texts.”
Even Delia, who had read and interpreted countless tos for her magical research, had never seen nor heard of such an unknown entity.
“Hmm.”
Floating effortlessly in Delia’s grasp thanks to the reduced gravity, Heinzel crossed his arms and glared silently at Leviathan.
Would attacks be effective? If so, could it be subjugated? What damage would erupt if battle comnced? What would the aftermath be? He began calculating it all calmly in his head.
Normally, Heinzel would have charged in without a second thought, but the Liberation Army mbers scattered throughout the area and those unable to move prevented his reckless behavior.
“…Should we escape?”
“Not a bad idea.”
It would be absolutely impossible with just their current numbers, but if all the Challengers and Liberation Army mbers gathered, they might have a chance.
So while that thing showed no particular movent, while all the magical beasts were bowing their heads, they needed to lead everyone away as quickly as possible.
That was the decision Delia and Heinzel made.
“I’ll put you down now, so don’t do anything rash and just run. I’ll handle the people. Understood?”
“Understood.”
Heinzel’s imdiate response without any hesitation made Delia furrow her brow.
“…You’re not just saying you understand, right? You properly comprehend?”
“I properly comprehend.”
“No matter what happens, you absolutely must not charge in. Please, I’m begging you.”
“Hmm.”
Nodding readily, Heinzel tapped the back of Delia’s hand.
“Don’t worry and do your part.”
“…Alright. I’m going to take people along the northern path over there, so et us there. And don’t provoke anything that’s staying still.”
Though startled by Heinzel’s sudden warmth, Delia responded calmly given the gravity of the situation.
Then, slowly. Without making a sound or revealing any presence, Delia lowered Heinzel to the ground, gestured with her chin toward the back, and—
Zap— Leaving behind a streak of lightning, she vanished.
“Hmm…”
Left alone, Heinzel fought the urge to smash the heads of the beasts holding their breath and began walking toward the spire, one step at a ti.
A strange atmosphere. Like thousands of insects crawling over his body.
Though his head tilted at the uneasy sensation, he didn’t stop walking.
If he sought out the source, Delia would only suffer, and besides, his instincts were warning him against it.
Pushing aside all questions, he headed toward the place Delia had indicated.
***
Swaaah— Swaaaaaah—
Centered around where Leviathan was, the sound of gentle waves rippled outward. The ground undulated with that sound.
In this alien landscape, Leviathan’s gaze was fixed on one spot.
With a faint sneer. As if pleased.
It did nothing, rely watching as others disappeared from the battlefield.
***
“Everyone’s accounted for, no one left behind.”
“The villagers?”
“All survivors among the villagers have been rescued as well.”
“Haah… Good. What a relief.”
With a sigh of relief, Delia looked toward Heinzel, who was comforting crying children in a corner.
“…Amazing he can soothe them with that face.”
Standing over two ters tall with muscles rivaling an ogre’s. Dark skin with a thick scar running from his forehead across his jaw. Bulging veins across his scalp whenever he smiled broadly, and a deep, heavy voice.
Even seasoned adventurers would be taken aback by Heinzel’s appearance.
Yet with that monstrous visage, he was practically lying flat in his attempt to crouch low, trying to comfort several children. It was a bizarre sight.
But why? Why were those children stopping their tears upon seeing Heinzel?
Were they so terrified by his appearance that they couldn’t even cry? Or had they fainted with their eyes still open?
“Ahaha…”
Though an absurd thought, Delia supposed that with Heinzel’s face, it might be entirely possible as she slowly approached him.
“Baldy.”
“Bwahahahaha! See that! See… hm? Ahem, Delia.”
Just a mont ago he had been proudly displaying the bulging veins on his scalp to a giggling child, but now Heinzel flinched in surprise and carefully rose to his feet.
Then, as if nothing had happened, he responded in his usual tone.
“What is it? Sothing to say?”
“Not a major issue, but my connection with Juur has been severed.”
“As expected.”
“What? You know sothing?”
Struggling to detach the children who kept clinging to his legs despite his gentle efforts, Heinzel pointed his chin toward a crumbling building.
“This isn’t the place to discuss it. Let’s find sowhere quieter.”
Thud—Thud—
Click—Click—
Following behind Heinzel’s oddly off-beat, inconsiderate steps, Delia began stretching her legs to match his rhythm.
But at not even 170 centiters tall, her legs simply couldn’t match Heinzel’s stride.
Feeling slightly self-conscious about this, a faint electric current flowed from Delia’s body. The current traveled toward Heinzel’s ankle—
“What are you doing?”
“Oh, nothing at all!”
“Hmm.”
…but failed to grasp it. His skin was so thick that even the slight magical power she’d used couldn’t penetrate Heinzel’s hide.
“Baldy. You’re human, right?”
“I am.”
“Not like… an ogre descendant or mixed blood or anything?”
“Though I may appear otherwise, I’m pure human. These muscles are the result of my blood and sweat, not hereditary traits.”
Crack—Crunch—
A sound that couldn’t possibly co from muscles began resonating from Heinzel’s back and legs.
“You’re not human…”
“Bwahahahaha!”
Laughing heartily at Delia who looked genuinely disturbed, Heinzel stopped walking and gazed at the distant spire.
Swaaah—Swaaah—
“Delia. Haven’t you sensed sothing strange?”
“Strange?”
Delia’s head tilted at Heinzel’s question.
“What kind of strange?”
“It’s difficult to explain in words, but if I had to try.”
Clink— Crossing his arms, Heinzel stroked his chin and closed his eyes.
“My body feels heavy.”
“Lose so muscle then.”
“That’s like telling
to die. Anyway, that’s not it. Hmm… it’s like being in a dream, difficult to control my body.”
“A dream…?”
Heinzel nodded.
“Despite my appearance, I’m often told I move quickly. That’s because I manipulate gravity to reduce my weight during combat. But that’s not working properly now.”
Clank— Grasping the halberd that hung diagonally across his back, Heinzel dragged it along the ground.
“Even a weapon I’ve always wielded with ease now feels heavy. As if I were under a siren’s enchantnt. In other words, I can’t control magical power freely.”
Watching Heinzel swing his halberd about, Delia began withdrawing the magical energy she had spread around them.
And then, again. She began redistributing the collected magic around them.
Zap—Crackle— A spider’s web of electricity gradually spread out. Heat shimr rose above it.
Then, with a start. Delia’s body trembled.
“…Huh?”
“What’s wrong?”
“J-just a mont.”
Furrowing her brow, stronger currents flowed from Delia’s body.
Electricity spread along the web, blending with the heat shimr, layering over it.
“…Heinzel.”
Using his proper three-syllable na rather than ‘baldy’ or ‘cueball’ as usual, Delia’s face began to pale. Seeing her expression change, Heinzel moved.
“My detection spell just now—”
Drip—
A sound unlike the gentle waves. Like a droplet falling into a still pond.
“Nothing is being detected. Not magical beasts, not villagers… nothing at all.”
“Delia! Duck your head!”
Heinzel’s urgent shout. In an instant, he appeared before Delia. As Delia quickly lowered her head, Heinzel embraced her and unleashed his magical power with all his might behind his back.
BOOM—!
The massive gravitational force that erupted launched Heinzel’s body, with Delia in his embrace, far away while shattering all his ribs.
A reckless thod of escape. But Heinzel’s choice proved correct.
Crunch—Crack—
Countless teeth impaled the spot where they had just stood. From the scars carved by those teeth, beasts shaped like larvae began to rise. The beasts that had been bowing their heads now raised them and let out eerie howls.
“Urgh…”
“W-what is this…”
In the sudden chaos, as Delia urgently poured elixir into Heinzel’s mouth, what entered her vision was—
Villagers and Liberation Army mbers impaled on thousands of tentacles, hanging dead.
And—
A giant, glistening reptilian eye.
Reviews
All reviews (0)