Chapter 627: Three Battles (1/2)
In the island in the Demon Realm that was the venue for the Six Kings Festival six months ago. Many people have gathered there, including some of the most powerful people in the world, who were well known in the Human Realm and Demon Realm.
[It seems like everyone is here. Now then, as I told you beforehand…… This gathering is about the decisive battle. However, let me explain a few points.]
After using Loudspeaker Magic to make sure everyone could hear her voice, Alice, the center of these people which could be called Human-Demon Allied Forces, announced. The expression on her face was very serious, and one could feel the tension in her eyes.
[First of all, those who don't have the strength to fight and those whose strength can't reach Peerage-ranks…… I believe you will only be able to do anything after we arrive at Sanctuary. As for fighting against the Gods, it is basically done by the Six Kings and our subordinates, and a very few powerful people in the Human Realm. Well, the Gods won't attack those who obviously aren't combatants, and Lillywood-san will set up a barrier for everyone. Well, please just relax and wait until the battle ends.]
Among those who gathered this time, there are those who aren't counted as a war potential in the battle against the God Realm, which includes Kaito's three kouhais.
That's because Alice examined the story she heard from Kaito and decided that ”the bonds that Kaito had formed” would play a major role in rescuing him……
Of course, their participation isn't compulsory. However, most of the beings that Kaito has come to know since he came to this world are gathered here, and one can definitely see their will from their eyes.
Seeing this herself, Alice nodded in satisfaction before proceeding to talk.
[Well then, I will now speak of those that needed special mention on the God Realm's side and those who will respond to them. Compatibility is important in battle after all. We don't have much time, so I'll just briefly say this only once. Please make sure to remember it.]
After Alice briefly touched on the Supreme Gods and other opponents that they can't take on without a plan, she assigned people to the task most suitable for them.
When that allocation is complete and they are completely ready to go…… in front of them suddenly appears a huge…… a humongous gate that even Magnawell could easily fit through in.
[……Well then, everyone. It looks like the other side is fully prepared. That gate totally looks like it's screaming ”Come!” if you ask me…… Okay, well, let's go then.]
After announcing the sortie in a voice that was too calm for a sortie order, yet filled with an inexplicable heaviness, Alice entered the gate at the head of the Allied Forces.
After the others who gathered in this place followed and entered the gate…… The gate disappeared as if it had never existed in the first place, and silence fell over the area.
When the allied forces went through the gate, they didn't arrive in the God Realm…… the realm filled with huge floating islands here and there, but on a stage that had probably been prepared for this battle.
[……What a spectacular view. And of course, all the Gods, aside from Shallow Vernal-sama, are gathered here.]
At the end of the Allied Forces' gazes, on a single floating island, all the Gods, clad in their white priest's robes, were gathered together, clearly radiating magic power that was an order of magnitude different from the usual.
And of course, at the center of their group, leading the Gods, are the three Supreme Gods.
[……Should I say ”I'm glad you're here.” or something like that?]
Stepping forward, Chronois, the God of Time and Space, threw words to the Allied Forces with her sharp gaze set on them.
[I'd like to say that words are unnecessary in this situation but…… There are three things I need to explain to you lot.]
[Oya? That's very kind of you.]
[Shallow Vernal-sama's instructions. Now then, listen carefully…… First, do not worry. Know that Shallow Vernal-sama will revive all of the deaths that occur in this battle after this battle ends. Of course, she will also heal all of your wounds. Many of you here are powerful people from various fields, and Shallow Vernal-sama does not want to see the world in chaos.]
The first thing that Chronois said was that all the people that died in this battle would be resurrected later. That is to say, Chronois is suggesting that this would truly be a battle to the death.
[Second, we will not attack those who do not have the strength to fight. However, the moment you point your blade at us, no matter how weak you are, we will deal with you without mercy. Those of you who will not participate in the battle here, stay quiet and do nothing unnecessary.]
[……Well, that would be quite welcome.]
[And lastly…… As you may already know, we have all been given great power by Shallow Vernal-sama, but only until the end of this battle. You better get it into your head that our strength are currently unlike how it normal is…… Now, if you still want to fight in spite of that…… Come! You who rebel against the God!!!]
After completing the necessary explanations, Chronois released a huge amount of magic power…… Here and now, the curtain rises on the battle between the God Realm and the Human-Demon Allied Forces.
When the battle began, the last to move were those with superior speed…… Chronois and Ein, who have the power to manipulate time. They were originally rivals in terms of their usual abilities, which would normally make them evenly matched.
[Guhh……]
[You and I have known each other for a long time, haven't we…… Don't worry, I'm cheating in this fight we have today. I won't think I've defeated you in this.]
After a moment of exchange, the one who was easily blown away…… was Ein.Even though they have the same ability to manipulate time, there is a huge difference in their current physical abilities. Therefore, the current Ein will never be able to win against Chronois.
Even so, Ein herself knew that…… even before they started to fight……
[Mnghh……]
Ein, who had been knocked away, stopped unnaturally in midair, and her body was pulled away towards a direction. The one who pulled her in was Zwei, a magic doll with the power of Force Field Manipulation. Thanks to her power, Ein did not leave the battlefield early.
Thereupon, Ein's flung-away body was caught by someone.
[Sister Ein! I'll quickly heal you!]
[……Thanks. Zwei, Vier.]
[Fumu.]
After healing with Vier's Recovery Magic, Ein immediately stood up and looked at Chronois. In contrast though, Chronois remained relaxed and it doesn't seem like she would make any particular attack.
I suppose that was obvious. For Chronois…… no, for the Gods, their main objective isn't to defeat the Allied Forces. Their purpose is to buy time until the ordeal that Shallow Vernal gave to Kaito ends. If that's the case, there's no need for them to go on the offensive.
There is some risk involved in the act of attacking. If they were to be attacked, they can intercept them, but if they weren't, they would just wait…… The only ones who stand to gain from a prolonged battle are the Gods.
In front of such a Chronois, another huge shadow descended. It's a huge armor of over fifty meters tall.
[……Funf, we're counting on you.]
[Yes, Sis Ein!]
One of Kuromueina's family members, a Count-level, High-ranking Demon named Funf, known as the ”Portcullis' Giant Soldier”, gave a strong reply to Ein's words.
Immediately after that, the huge armor broke apart to reveal a girl dressed in skin-tight clothes that looked like a bodysuit.
(T/N: The scenario on the image is different because the images were from the LN.)
[I am the shield that protects my precious family———– Aegis!]
The words triggered the disintegrated armor to merge together and change form. It then appeared in front of her as a huge shield, which was so large that it could be said that she was holding onto a wall. Grabbing the handle of the shield, she powerfully stepped on the ground.
Not missing a beat when Chronois' eyes were drawn to the shield that appeared in front of her, Ein accelerated time, quickly stepped in, and swung her fist. However, Chronois, who now has power far beyond Ein's, easily blocked her punch and fired a counter in return.
[What!?]
[Guhhh.]
However, her fist was blocked by a large shield that suddenly interjected between Chronois and Ein. Even so, no matter how specialized Funf's defensive abilities are, she is still only a Count-rank…… Even though Chronois didn't manage to shatter her shield, the tremendous impact of Chronois' fist grealy blasted Funf's body away.
Thereupon, as if a repeat of the earlier incident, Zwei pulled Funf's body towards her and Vier quickly healed her body…… before she charged again to help Ein, who swung her fist towards Chronois.
Defending her strike, Chronois calmly muttered.
[I see, Limited Law of Causality Derivation huh…… What a good coordination you have there. It can even be described as bothersome.]
[A long time ago, one of our opponents pointed out how poor our coordination was, so since then, we've been working on it.]
The power that Funf possesses is the ability to ”determine the future where she protects her family”. Thus, no matter when or where the attack is launched, Funf will twist the law of cause and effect to block the opponent's attacks.
Ein attacks, Funf defends, Zwei supports, and Vier heals. The girls take on the God of Time and Space based on their coordination as a family.
Meanwhile, on another floating island, Life, the God of Life, one of the Supreme Gods, and the duo of Isis, the Death King, and Lillywood, the World King, were facing off.
[……Well, should have been obvious, isn't it? As the Supreme God, I'll have at least two of the Six Kings assigned to me.]
”Perhaps, after all, the key to this battle is you…… If we don't defeat you, we will not be victorious.”
[Correct decision. If you don't defeat me, the Gods will resurrect again and again…… but I think you are naive in your decision. Do you seriously think…… that only two of the Six Kings can handle the current me?]
As Life announced with her eyes closed, behind her, flying cavalry that filled one's vision were created. An infinite number of troops, and each one of them is an overwhelming force that possesses strength equal to Peerage-holders.
This is the reason why Isis and Lillywood were the people assigned to face Life.
[……Die.]
Isis, who has the power that specializes in killing, released her magic power of death. It collectively took away the life given to a large number of cavalry…… or so it should have been.
[……Why…… didn't they die?]
[No, they did die. I just ”revived them the moment they died”. It's not that big of a deal for the me right now.]
[………………..]
Considering the fact that her original abilities have been enhanced to another level, Life had become a real nuisance for the Allied Forces' side and a key player on the Gods' side.
She generates unlimited military force, heals the wounded and revives the dead. Just as Lillywood said, if she is not defeated, the Allied Forces will not achieve victory.
[……Lillywood…… keep everyone away from me…… I'm going…… to ”get serious”.]
”Isis…… Yes, I understand. Lillie, bring the others and leave this floating island.”
Hearing Isis' quiet mutter, Lillywood turned to her followers acting as her support…… the Seven Princesses to leave.
[Lillywood-sama!? H- However, we are……]
”Because you possess powerful strength even among the Count-ranks, you think you're fully capable of fighting even if you're exposed to Isis' magic power of death, is it? If that's what you think, you'd rather change your perception immediately……”
[ ! ? ]
”The only thing you've been able to endure…… ”is nothing more than a fragment of the magic power of death that Isis, who possesses the highest magic control technique in the Demon Realm, can't suppress with all her might”. Leave immediately.”
[……Y- Yes!]
Yes, after struggling to suppress her magic power of death since a long time ago, Isis has achieved the best magic power control technique in the Demon Realm. However, even such an Isis…… wasn't able to fully control her magic power of death.
That's how great the magic power of death she was born with. That's why she usually doesn't use her magic power of death as it is, and instead uses it to cast ice magic when fighting.
The moment when she makes use of her magic power of death as it is…… means that she had gotten serious.
[……I'm going…… to save Kaito…… all those…… who interfere…… dies!]
Isis' magic power which is usually pale blue, turns into a black color. She had turned into the very incarnation of death itself. She has truly become the King who rules over death.
[So you've finally shown your true colors, Death Bringer. How sinister, you are. Well then, whether it's your death or my life…… Our crowd is a bit small, but how about we dance for a while?]
Shallow Vernal and Kuromueina. Gods and Human-Demon Allied Forces……
As two major battles are going on, another battle…… and the most important one of them all, was going on all too quietly.
————–Your victory condition is simple. If you can ”return back here”, it's your victory.
————–Return back here? Eh? Ummm, what about the details of the ordeal and the loss condition?