Chapter 95 - Volume 10 (1/2)

Gross-Food Subjugation

Faint light shone on the surface of the sea, and it made the swaying waves a ceiling.

In that space, a building that was like a temple existed in the center, which was supported by four huge columns. There was no wall between the columns. A delicate, complex magic formation was drawn at the place that seemed to be an altar at the center of the temple. Still, from the temple whose surroundings were filled with ocean water, the pathway that floated on the surface of the sea extended in four directions, and the end went on to become a circle. And, a magic formation was also drawn on the footing of that circle.

One among the four magic formations began to shine suddenly. Then, after the momentary light that was like an explosion, the shadows of people stood there. It was Hajime and Kaori.

“……Here is…… Is that a magic formation? Unexpectedly, was it captured?”

“Um, is there some problem?”

“No, I didn’t think that it was really already cleared…… Though I felt it was a little easy when compared to the other Labyrinths…… Though I expected that clione to at least come out at the end……”

Apparently, understanding that they seemed to have arrived at the dwelling of Meiru Merujine, Hajime made an expression like he was a little let down. In contrast to that, Kaori, peeking at his face from over Hajime’s shoulder, replied while smiling wryly.

“You know, Hajime-kun. This place was plenty difficult. The beginning is an undersea cave after all, and because normally you would not possess something like a submarine, you would continuously be consuming a lot of magical power the whole time until it was cleared, and if done poorly, as it is you would drown. The clione-like thing was an almost impossibly tough enemy, and because physical attacks were ineffective against the things that looked like ghosts, you will again rely on magical power. Because of that, breaking through cannot be done without fighting a large army. It’s a sufficiently ridiculous degree of difficulty.”

“Yeah, though I guess it might be so if you say so.”

“Not to mention, as for the people of this world the piety seems to be strong…… To display such madness……”

“Too much mental intensity……?”

Kaori’s point was, in short, that Hajime was too strong. When saying up to there, certainly, Hajime agreed that Guryuen Conflagration Mountain would have also been able to be captured flawlessly if not for the attack of Fried at the end.

And, come to think of it, they had arrived before joining up with Yue and the others, but at the time that he thought about what they were doing, the magic formation that was at the end of the path to the right began to shine like it had read Hajime’s thoughts.

When the bursting light had settled down, the figures of the three people of Yue, Shia, and Tio were there. It was exquisite timing.

“Good timing. Was it OK over there?”

“N…… Over there…… was it not safe?”

“Ah, Kaori-san are you alright!?”

“Mu? Are you hurt? What happened to recovery magic?”

To Hajime’s calling out, even though each of them showed an energetic appearance, they sent gazes like they were worried at Kaori who was being carried on Hajime’s back. Kaori’s reply regarding that was……

“Thank you for worrying. But, I’m fine. Because half was just me being spoiled.”

To Kaori who declared that boldly as she floated a truly cheerful smile, as Yue narrowed her eyes, Shia appealed with “I’m jealous. Please switch places with me~,” and Tio raised a broad smile with a “Hohoo,” seemingly amused.

“Hey, Kaori. Perhaps, can you already stand up?”

“Ehehe, actually from the beginning there was no problem with walking…… I’m sorry?”

“Haa, hurry up and get down.”

To Kaori who laughed like a little evil slipped out, Hajime let Kaori down while showing an amazed expression. And then, they joined with Yue and the others and faced the temple.

“And? What happened? Hey, try to say it, Goshujin-sama. It seems something happened with Kaori? Hey, hey, what happened? Say it without hiding – hebuu!?”

Because she began to question him with an absolutely annoying feeling while Tio smirked, Hajime who became irritated dispatched an open handed slap at once. As she sat at ease, Tio, who had crumbled down with a fascinating slanting posture, colored her cheeks while breathing roughly.

“I-impact after a long time~, haa haa, n, Goshujin-sama, isn’t it fine punishing me more? Isn’t doing a kick instead good?”

In the atmosphere that was expected somewhere, ignoring Tio who said such things as she pleased, Hajime and the others went towards the altar inside. From the back, “One more time, it is fine with one time! Please, hit me~,”though the disgusting words were heard, everyone ignored it with all of their power.

“……And? What happened?”

Yue asked the same question as Tio. However, the look was not at Hajime, it was faced at Kaori. Kaori, smiling sweetly in good humor as she matched gazes with Yue, dropped a bomb of words like the other day.

“I only kissed with Hajime-kun a little.”

“……Hou.”

“Eh!? Is that true!? From which one!? From which one was it!? It can’t be, from Hajime-san!?”

To Kaori’s words, Yue’s voice lowered one level, and Shia drew closer like she was excited.

“It was from me. ……Hajime-kun was angry for my sake…… I stole it not being able to endure it.”

“Waa, it’s the same as my time! I also stole one because I could not endure it. We’re comrades! Kaori-san!”

“Ufufu, that’s right, Shia. Next time, shall we steal one with two people?”

“In that case, should we rather make it to a fait accompli?”

Right at Hajime’s side, the two girls began to refine the Hajime attack plan. A cold sweat flowed on Hajime’s face. Though it looked like they were in high spirits going “Kya Kya” as they appeared to be joking, in fact, it was because the eyes of Kaori and Shia were serious. In the old days he never would have imagined Kaori turning carnivorous eyes towards him.

“……I thought you would run away with your tail rolled up.”

Yue turned a probing look at Kaori. Yue had noticed that Kaori was tormenting her heart as she felt an inferiority complex. Therefore, this time that became the first Great Labyrinth challenge for Kaori, possibly she thought about if she would run home failing. Of course, she had no intention to comfort the other party who had proclaimed a declaration of war to her. If she drew back here, it as just fine if she declared victory when she considered the extent of it.

However, it seemed that Kaori had gotten back on her feet, or rather, there was even an atmosphere of determination being made since before. She was anxious about what had happened.

“……That’s right. From Hajime-kun as well, I was told that doing so sooner was better. But, the various differences among other things with Yue…… I will show them now.”

“……Did you become defiant?”

“Indeed it might be called that. Or perhaps I should say, although I came along with you all becoming defiant from the start, showing the difference, it was surely only forgotten. I showed you a shameful place.”

“……Although it would be fine if you gave up as you were.”

“Fufu, are you scared? To compete together?”

“……Don’t get carried way by the rhythm. Troublemaker.”

“That, it was said also by Hajime-kun. ……I, do I have a constitution to make trouble like that I wonder……?”

To Yue’s sharp words, Kaori’s face stiffened. Though she felt a little down being called a troublemaker similarly by both her rival in love and the one she loved, she immediately pulled herself together. Incidentally, actually Yue as well, or perhaps you should say Hajime and the others, because everyone comparatively has a constitution to make trouble, though the words surely boomeranged considerably, the self-consciousness of it was not in Yue.

“Well, although it might be as Yue says……because I am at least Hajime-kun’s ‘Importance’, I decided to aim at ‘Special’ doing my best. Whatever anyone might say, right?”

“……I see. In that case I will accept your challenge the same as before.”

“Yes! Ah, even so, I don’t hate Yue, you know? A fighting friend or something like that, that sort of thing was yearned for just a little.”

“……Friends? Kaori and I are?”

“That’s right, friends. In Japan, there is something like a person who represents friend writing rival. In that case, isn’t it fine to read friend by writing love rival too?”

“……Japan…… Hajime’s birthplace…… It is a more mysterious country the more I hear about it. But…… I think it is a good sense.”

“Right. Ufufu, that’s why, please take care of me after this too?”

“……N.”

Though Yue and Kaori were emitting an atmosphere of good feelings somewhat, at the side, Hajime who heard the two people’s conversation was terribly uncomfortable. It was a feeling like a young man alone even inappropriately slipping into the midst of girls that were making girls talk. And, such things as Kaori knowing the words of a certain end of the century person called strong, although it cannot be helped wanting to tsukkomi because Yue’s return was the words of a certain cardboard box loving snake, he controlled himself because he read the mood.

Hajime and the others who arrived at the altar set foot on the magic formation with everybody. Going by the usual, it carefully examined the inside of their minds, and their memories were read. However, it was not just that this time, it was like looking at what the other people experienced at the same time. In other words, what Yue and the others experienced was shared with Hajime and Kaori too.

Somehow or other, it seemed that Yue and the others finally arrived at an abandoned metropolis that should even be called an undersea city in a huge underground space. Thereupon, the space warped the same as with Hajime and Kaori, and it was like war came in the metropolitan area with the armies of two countries. Because, that metropolis seemed that it was a place being invaded by the army of the Majin tribe in the human capital, and in the end, it seemed they were attacked from both the same as Hajime and Kaori.

There was a huge architecture that appeared to be the royal castle in the interior of the capital, and Yue and the others who pushed on while kicking about the armies heard the speech of the leaders in the invaded royal castle.

By all means, because the incident where the Majin tribe destroyed a human village was the impetus, although the humans’ country that made this metropolis the capital city began a war with the Majin tribe side, actually, that was like a conspiracy of the human side that did not hope for peace and desired the Majin tribe’s extermination. By the time it was noticed, the war that was already getting out of hand expanded, and finally it had become a situation where the united human side had the tables turned on them and was invaded until the royal capital….. It seemed that was the situation.

And, the person plotted that conspiracy, it seemed it was the high priest of the Light Faith Church that was deeply connected with the country, and this Light Faith Church apparently was the predecessor of the Sacred Faith Church. Furthermore, they appeared to be violently cornered. As though they were entreating a deity in troubled times, they tried to obtain the support of God offering sacrifices. As a result, several hundred human women and children were gathered from the metropolitan area, and it became a ghastly situation of a mass killing being done in the church’s cathedral.

Even Yue and the others, when they saw that scene it seemed to be quite intense as expected. Because the confirmation of memories by the magic formation compelled them to remember, it made their faces pale. Especially, Shia seemed like she would vomit at any time.

Finally the confirmation of memories ended, and everyone seemed to have been recognized as someone who had captured it safely. The new Age of Gods magic was etched within Hajime’s and the others’ minds.

“Was this magic here? ……Wasn’t it end to end of the continent? Damn Liberators.”

“……Found it, ‘power of regeneration’.”

Hajime breathed out abusive language. That was because the Age of Gods magic of Merujine Undersea Ruins that they obtained was Reproduction magic.

He remembered the wording of the lithography that was under the Great Tree of Hartsina Sea of Trees. He was certain that it was written that the “power of regeneration” was necessary before advancing. In other words, to capture the Great Labyrinth that was at the end of the east, it would not be obtained if you did not go until the end of the west, and it was absurdly troublesome for a person who had arrived at Hartsina Sea of Trees first. Though it was still better since Hajime and the others possessed the means of high speed movement with the magic driven vehicles.

When Hajime puckered his eyebrows at the repulsiveness of the Liberators, and simultaneously with the magic formation’s light paling, a parallelepiped came out from the floor and approached. It seemed like a small altar. When thinking that the altar shone faintly, in the next moment the light took the shape of a human form. Somehow or other, it seemed to be a message left behind similarly with Oscar Orcus.

The human form clearly changed into an outline gradually, and it became a single woman. The girl who sat on the altar was wearing something like a white one piece dress that became loose, and she possessed fan shaped ears and long, emerald green hair. It seemed that the Liberators’ one person Meiru Merujine was a woman who was related to the Sea Tribe.

She, the same as Oscar, told the truth of the Liberators after she introduced herself. She seemed to be a gentle woman, wearing a kind atmosphere even while carrying grief. Before long when she finished the same talk as what Oscar had reported, she spoke words at the end.

“……Please, do not cling to God. Do not rely on it. Do not get used to things that are given. Struggle for the sake of grabbing hold of and taking it. Decide by your own will, and advance ahead by your own feet. Any difficult problem, the answer is always within you. It is only within you. Do not be misled by the sweet answer that God deludes you with. Under free will for sure, there is happiness. To you, I am praying that a rain of happiness pours down on you.”

Finishing it so, Meiru Merujine vanished, becoming faint light again. Immediately afterward, a small magic formation shone as it appeared in the place where she had sat, and when the light settled down, a coin where the crest of Merujine was etched was placed there.

“The number of proofs is four, Hajime-san. With this, we are surely able to challenge the Sea of Trees Labyrinth too. I wonder how Father and the others are doing~?”

Shia was quick to think about her family and hometown that she really missed. However, because what came to mind was her father and the others going “Hyahha-!”, she dispersed that scene by shaking her head. As Hajime put away the coin of proof in the Treasure Warehouse, he recalled the Haulia going “Hyahaa-!” the same as Shia, and drove out the scene by shaking his head.

And, just as the proof was put away, the temple began rumbling. And then, the ocean water of the surroundings suddenly began to raise the water level.

“Uo!? Tch, forced expulsion, huh? Everyone, hold on!”

“……N.”

“Wahwah, it’s too unreasonable!”

“It’s like Raisen Great Labyrinth, no mooore~.”

“Water torture…… is being done.”

To the sea water that terrifically increased in force, Hajime and the others who did not even have time to take out and board the submarine were submerged in the blink of an eye. Right away, they were again individually no match for the draining, and everyone firmly grabbed on each others’ clothes and equipped a compressed oxygen cylinder in their mouths that was taken out from the Treasure Warehouse.

And then, immediately after that, the ceiling part opened like the shortcut of Guryuen Conflagration Mountain, and ocean water poured in with violent force. Hajime and the others also, flowing into the shaft, were blown away to the upper regions by the violent force like being pushed out in a water fountain from below.

Perhaps, though it might be the shortcut of Merujine Undersea Ruins, different from the Meiru Merujine with an atmosphere such as a kind onee-san being gentle, it was an absurdly violent shortcut. Furthermore, it was like compulsion. Unexpectedly, she might have been an extreme person.

Hajime and the others who were forced up finally noticed that overhead was a dead end. However, the moment they collided with it, the ceiling part slid again, and they were thrown out into the vast sea vigorously outside of the ruins. Hajime was convinced. Meiru Merujine was absolutely an extremely sketchy character contrary to her appearance.

Hajime and the others who were thrown out in the sea hurriedly took out the submarine from the Treasure Warehouse. And then, though they tried to board it from the hatch, that plan was obstructed. Mostly, because of an opponent they did not want to meet.

Zubaaaaaaaa!!!

A semi-transparent tentacle passed before their eyes with terrific force, and the submarine was sent flying.

[Yue.]

[Frozen Coffin!]

In the gaze that Hajime turned ahead, although it was a seemingly fairy-like modeling, making everything melt, it was the worst, brutal creature that regenerates infinitely – the huge clione. While grinding his teeth at the thing that appeared especially after the capture was finished, Hajime called out to Yue by invoking Telepathy.

The huge clione again shot a countless number of tentacles with a violent force like they were not resisted by the water. On the other hand, Yue froze the surrounding ocean water in a spherical shape by harmonizing in response to Hajime’s call, and formed a barrier of ice.

The barrier of ice was mightily blown away in the sea by the force of the tentacles that hit directly with Hajime and the others inside. Everyone was made to shake within the barrier at the violent impact.

[What should we do!? Goshujin-sama!]

To Tio who communicated by using the telepathy gem, Hajime answered.

[Everybody aim at the sea. We’ll be tortured to death underwater. I’ll buy us time!]

Hajime remotely manipulated the submarine by operating the ring type induction stone while saying so. From behind them, the submarine that should have been blown away and sunk plunged forward with extreme speed, and evaded the countless tentacles that came to attack while wrenching the hull. And then it shot a countless number of torpedoes from the bottom of the ship.

The number of torpedoes that could be shot all at once was twelve. If one thinks about it normally it would be plenty of destructive power. However, Hajime, judging that the situation would gradually get worse if he did not make a certain chance here, did not loosen his hand and shot all of the torpedoes consecutively that were loaded on the submarine. Making it navigate like making the hull slip sideways, he made a circle with the huge clione in the center. While implementing impossible movement if it was an ordinary ship, the number of torpedoes that were fired successively were 48 in general.

Those that rushed while drawing a line of bubbles brought violent destruction, directly hitting the huge clione without varying their aim.

Doou! Doou! Doou! Doou!

Such muted impact sounds reverberated, and the ocean water rose and swelled like it had expanded. From the sea, if one were to look above the huge clione, the sea level would instantaneously rise, and next they would have observed an enormous column of water spout.

Hajime and the others tried to surface by manipulating the water current immediately after all of the torpedoes exploded. However much it looked like a monster that even possessed regenerative power, it should have bought some time for a little while. However, the huge clione’s nonsensicalness seemed to have easily exceeded their predictions.

[Yue, above!]

[Tsk… no good, I won’t make it!]

A semi-transparent jelly was drifting above Hajime and the others who were trying to surface while recovering the remote controlled submarine, and it became a clione of three meter size when it gathered and solidified in several blinks. And then, when it opened its large head with a “Gapa!”, it swallowed the barrier of ice as it was. Naturally, Hajime and the others were in the clione’s belly together with the barrier.

[Shit, the regeneration is too fast!]

[It looked like it regenerated from a tentacle that was torn off!]

[This is bad, Hajime-san. The surroundings are full of jelly!]

Apparently, it was not just the tentacle that was torn off, the semi-transparent jelly seemed to have been distributed here and there by getting on the ocean current from the beginning.

[……Hajime. There is not much to maintain it! I can’t reinforce it because there is no ocean water in the belly!]

[Tch, everyone prepare for impact!]

Yue frantically resisted the barrier of ice melting with terrific force. Hajime, while strengthening its defensive power by cladding the barrier with Vajra, took out a large quantity of rockets and torpedoes from the Treasure Warehouse outside of the barrier, namely, in the belly of the clione.

Once more, the clione’s body exploded and scattered together with a thunderous roar. Because it began to melt even with Vajra in a short time, even Hajime and the others who bathed in the shock of the nearby explosion were grandly blown away, and the barrier of ice was also smashed.

They were thrown out into the sea. Hajime remotely controlled and moved the submarine in the sea as he caught Kaori and Shia who could not directly fight underwater.

However, this time the submarine was caught. One part of the huge clione had clung to the ship’s bottom before anyone was aware and opened a hole in it. In the gap where the cruising speed dropped as ocean water flowed into the interior of the ship, the surrounding semi-transparent jelly that had been scattered gathered in one go and wrapped up the submarine.

Furthermore, Hajime and the others noticed when they were surfacing that a large amount of semi-transparent jelly was expanding to cover overhead of them. Judging by the huge clione’s unusual recovery speed, it was not possible to break through in a halfhearted manner.

While spewing abusive language in his mind at his prided submarine being melted, Hajime called out to Yue with telepathy.

[Yue. I’ll rely on you for Spatial Piercing]

[……It will take forty seconds.]

[Hindrances will not be done. To escape from the sea, we have no choice but that.]

[N…… Leave it to me.]

Yue closed her eyes to concentrate and did not move. Kaori and Shia clung to her so that she did not get washed away by the current. The Spatial Piercing that Yue was attempting to use was one of the Space magics that was the Age of Gods magic acquired in Guryuen Conflagration Mountain. Making a hole in a point of two spaces, the space of the two spots were connected. In short, it was magic that made a warp gate. Still, because it hasn’t been long since it was learned, being used by Yue it will take that much time.

The tentacles that came attacking, Tio somehow mowed them down with a rapid fire of reduced version breath. However, since the breath’s magic power consumption is intense, and since the power and range fall considerably underwater, it was difficult to hit the tentacles because of the straight line attack and the annihilation power was weak. It will likely break through without being held for even several more seconds.

Hajime, taking out ores successively from the Treasure Warehouse, proceeded to continuously use Rensei, and like the barrier of ice that Yue formed not long ago, formed a physical barrier in the shape of a sphere.

[Goshujin-sama! It has already broken through!]

[I was able to do it, so everyone get in!]

The metallic barrier sufficient enough to take in five people was completed, and simultaneously with Tio getting into it last the hole was closed as it became a perfect metal sphere. Furthermore, that metal sphere was covered in red magical power. It was strengthened by Vajra. Tentatively, because gravity stones were also included, it would not keep sinking as well.

Immediately after that, the tentacles rushed the metal sphere, and began to wrap it up in one go.

The semi-transparent jelly that melts even magic power itself immediately destroyed and consumed the Vajra. And then, even the surface of the metal sphere was melted in a moment. However, when thinking that red sparks ran on the metal sphere, metal swelled from the melted edges, and the protective wall was just barely maintained.

That was because Hajime continued to constantly use Rensei from within. Fortunately, there was a kind of ore that was contained within the Treasure Warehouse to a literally rotting degree. Repeated Rensei seriously as he opposed the rate of melting, and then, the moment he impatiently waited for finally came.