Chapter 109 "Halt"

[Other pov]

 

 

"Well..."

 

After letting everyone go, I - Jelchi - sat cross-legged at my desk.

　I was tempted to scream when I saw the number of dolls on the wall had decreased, but I swallowed it and tried to remain calm.

 

At the very least, I need to buy time for them to escape.

　I'll just see how things go for now, and if I can win, I'll just get rid of them.

 

If it looks like I can't, then I'll just try to buy some time.

Now, let's see the face of the rumored Roe. ...... is hiding his true identity, right?

　The door opens.

 

　I don't know who came in... well, I certainly don't know.

　It looks like a shadow moving completely.

Considering the fact that I can recognize the shape, but it doesn't register in my mind, it must be a very strong disincentive.

 

"Are you the adventurer named Roe?"

 

I tried calling out to him, but he didn't respond.

So, why don't I try a little charade?

 

　"I heard you were quite active at Oldia."

 

　The response was dramatic.

Roe pulled out the weapon on his back and swung it down with all his might.

　I jumped to the side as quickly as I could.

 

　The sturdy desk was shattered by the blow.

　How powerful!

　That desk was specially made out of a very hard stone, but a single blow....

 

　I had intended to buy some time with conversation, but there was nothing I could do.

　I stopped breathing out in thin gasps and inhaled and exhaled the air as hard as I could.

　With one of my implanted abilities, I can exhale breath with various effects derived from magic power inside my body.

 

This time, I used a concoction of a mixture of a disorienting and a paralyzing agent.

I had intended to linger on the conversation and keep him from moving, but I guess he has no intention of having a conversation with me.

　But there is one piece of good news. This guy definitely knows what happened.

 

Now I have an excuse to call Gardio back.

　And maybe Signoret will come, too.

　With those two together, we have a chance to win.

 

Thanks to Roe's incognito, I can't tell what it is, but it's a weapon - probably a large sword or something, given the distance between us.

　He swings it again. I crouch down to avoid a side swipe, and then drop back to get away from it.

　Damn. What kind of a brawn is this guy to swing such a weapon so lightly?

 

As I ducked the third and fourth blows, Roe's movement slowed down slightly.

　It's working.

　This poison is an altered form of magic. No healing magic or potion will work.

 

The only way to cure it is to circulate the magic power and expel it.

The fastest way to do this is to create a formation without description and expel the magic power, but in this space, it will enter the body from the moment it is expelled, and if the magic power is depleted, the body will not be able to move anyway.

 

　If the seeds are not broken, it is impossible to even remedy the symptoms.

　If you are equipped with a tool that interferes with the magic in your body, it will have little effect... but from the looks of it, that won't happen either.

　If it works, you're dead in the water.

 

It took a little while for it to work because of his size, but I'm going to capture him and torture him.

It seems you've had your hands on a number of my sisters, and once I get you to give up the information you know, I'm going to kill you in a very painful way.

 

　"Very interesting trick."

 

　I heard him mutter quietly.

　Finally you're talking, you son of a bitch.

　...although I couldn't tell what kind of voice it was up to because it was distorted.

 

Roe points his empty hand at me.

　Is it magic? I jumped to the side as quickly as I could.

At the same time, the wall was torn apart at an angle, as if by something.

 

　"You have good instincts."

 

What did he do to me...!?

　I run without thinking. A hole opens in the floor.　

　I kick the wall and leap. Something passes by my feet.

 

　...Impossible.

 

　The idea of preventing it comes to mind, but I immediately dismiss it.

If I failed, I would be out of luck.

　I kick the door open and run down the hallway.

 

The impact of something hitting the wall in succession as if following me, a hole is punched in the wall.

　Next, I heard a faint click of the tongue.

　I generate magic power inside my body. The effect is the same as oil, which burns quickly.

 

Roe kicked down the wall and came out.

At that moment, I spit it out all at once, and at the same time, I scrape my nails to create sparks.

　Explosion, flames fill the corridor.

 

　A figure is engulfed by the flames.

　Next, the power of the "foot" is released. The distance between us is reduced.

　I open my hand and use my claws this time.

 

　My claws harden and extend at once.

　I slash as if to scoop up.

 

　It's in....

 

　The response is strange.

　I pass by it with the momentum of the slash.

　I feel something cut through the flames and pass behind my head.

 

　I brake to slide away and look back.

　The flames are gone, but the figure is still there. I can't see the figure, so I don't know if the attack is working.

It's aggravating, but it's probably safe to assume that he is unharmed.

 

Sure, the attack went in, but there was no response to the cut through.

　It felt like a robe or clothes, but what's going on that these claws can't cut through it?

 

　"Breath earlier... so is it lungs or something? And on top of that, the claws and feet...they're pretty well arranged. Is it executive level?"

 

Roe mumbled something and slowly moved forward and stopped.

　It's like he's standing in front of my room where I was just a few minutes ago.

Where I wondered what, Roe spoke up quietly.

 

"By the way, no sign of those girls who ran away earlier?"

　"Well? Where did they go? Maybe they're hiding somewhere around here to kill you?"

 

Of course, I'm bluffing.

　I let them all go. I told them where to meet me, so as long as I escaped, there would be no problem.

　I just need to buy a little more time.

 

"Hey, why do you think I came up here alone?"

"Cause you're covering the entrances and exits, right? You think I don't know that?"

"Yeah. That's right. But my client is of a more lowly disposition than you might think."

 

　...What are you trying to say?

 

　I don't understand what Roe is trying to say.

 

　"By now, the escapees are probably stuck in a blocked-off hidden passageway."

"What's that?"

 

　A chill runs down my spine.

　No, calm down. That hidden passageway is made of a material that is impervious to magic.

　The magic of detection will not be able to find it.

 

　At the same time, the walls have magic-repelling properties.

　There is no way they can find it...

 

"The ground floor is much more airy now, you know? The walls are almost gone."

"Huh..."

　"Yeah, some of the walls were weirdly hard. I had to put this thing through it three times."

 

　He lightly tapped the unidentified weapon in his hand as he said this.

 

　Hey...that...thing....

 

　"I hope there are some bodies left down there, huh? Oh, they'll be obliterated when they die, won't they?"

 

　He exhales lightly, as if in a huff of pity.

 

　"You....fucking...!"

 

I yell, trying to get into the room, but Roe swings his weapon, trying not to let me through.

　I ducked just in time to avoid the attack.

This guy, that's why he's in that position....

 

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There are no windows in this building.

　And I don't have enough firepower to break the wall right away.

The only way to get to Helga and the others is to break through this guy, get into the room, slip through, and go down the stairs.

 

　However, it would take time to get there by stairs.

　The staircases are located in different places on each floor to prevent intruders from entering, and it would take several trips down the long corridor to get down the stairs.

 

　To get down the stairs in time, I had to use the hidden staircase.

　And I am in a great hurry.

　Perhaps that is the purpose of the man in front of me.

 

　To make me feel rushed so that he can take advantage of the situation.

　I was completely caught up in the other party's scheme.

　Helga...Elisa...everyone.

 

　I have to get through this guy somehow....

　My heart beats noisily in my chest with impatience.

　I can't stop sweating.

 

I'm not going to pretend anymore.

　I will break through here with everything I can muster.

　I stared at the enemy in front of me and clenched my fists tightly.

 

 

 

 

 

We rushed down the spiral staircase.

　Watching Helga running in front of me, I - Elisa - resisted the urge to look back again and again.

　I hear intermittent sounds. The sound of something breaking and the shock of the impact fueled my desire to go back.

 

To shake off the unnecessary temptation, I thought ahead.　

I will continue to use the hidden underground passageway to get to the favela, passing Vertex, who will probably be waiting for us at the entrance.

 

　With this damage, it would be tough to get back on our feet.

As soon as we join the others, we will definitely leave the royal capital.

We will most likely have to flee with nothing but our clothes on, but that is a trivial matter.

 

　But... my heart aches when I think of Lorena and the other sisters... those who could not make it here.

　After destroying so many lives, even if it was only to survive, perhaps it is only natural that we should be on the side of those who are deprived of theirs.

 

　But I couldn't accept it.

　How could Lorena and the others have died so easily?

　I felt a terrible pain in my heart when I thought that I would never see them again, even though I had just parted from them a short while ago.

 

I can't breathe.

　I feel like I'm going to cry. I feel something hot pooling in the corners of my eyes.

　Just as I'm about to let my voice escape, my hand is unexpectedly held by my sister.

 

　I look up and see my sister holding my hand firmly as she looks forward.

　I guess she was trying to calm me down, but her hand was shaking too.

 

　She is anxious too.

 

　I have to be strong....

　I put strength into my hand.

 

　"What is this!?"

 

　Just as I was about to see the entrance to the basement, I heard the confused voices of the girls who had preceded me.

　After descending the stairs, the entrance to the basement should have come into view, but....

　The entrance had collapsed and was buried.

 

...why...?

 

　A question mark popped up in my mind, but I quickly got down on the ground with my sister in my arms at the unpleasant feeling that sent my spine into a tailspin.

　The sound of snapping fingers echoed faintly, and light literally shone through the walls.

　Those who were able to react were on the floor just like me, but those who could not were pierced by the light and fell one after another.

 

"Finally, they arrived. You're so late."

 

　As soon as the voice was heard, all the walls disappeared.

　The light from outside came in all at once.

　The amount of light was so bright that I had to shield my eyes.

 

　"What is this?"

 

As my eyes became accustomed and my vision became better, what spread out around me was the ground floor of this building....

　There were no walls.

　To be more precise, the walls had been destroyed, so much so that I could see out from here, even though the building was supposed to be quite secluded.

 

"You were so late, I even had time to fill the aisles."

 

　The man's voice was a mass of shadows similar to the one I had seen earlier, but the way he spoke was familiar.

　Vertex. A gold-class adventurer.

　He was a top adventurer, but even the guild had a hard time dealing with him because of his bad behavior and difficulty in handling him.　

 

　He has done some feats that could be called great deeds, but he has also caused more than his fair share of problems, so he cannot be publicly introduced to the public.

　However, his title and ability are genuine.

 

The fighting they had shown during the previous recapture operation was so terrible that they were forced to switch their policy from robbing to seizing.

　At the feet of Vertex, there are melted remains of the floor and countless corpses lying around.

The former was the remains of dead comrades, and the latter was probably an unrelated guest.

 

　"You!"

 

　One of the girls, who was able to react to the attack earlier, takes up a dagger and slashes at him.

　Vertex, on the other hand, simply opened his hand and closed it.

　With that alone, the girl who went toward him twisted like a wrung-out rag, splattering blood and guts... and exploding.

 

　At that moment, everyone who could move readied their weapons and attacked.

　I also readied my crossbow and fired an arrow.

　At the same time, my sister's magic flies in a trajectory that seems to block the escape route.

 

　Vertex did not move from the spot, but lifted his opposite hand a little, and countless balls of light appeared around him.

 

　...Magic? But still, that amount in an instant?

 

I saw the ball intensify its glow and I remembered the light that shot through my companion earlier.

　Perhaps it was fortunate that I was able to react.

　The light passed right above me as I quickly got down on the ground.

 

The light aimed almost precisely at the flying attack and my friends, and all magic, arrows, and throwing weapons were shot down, and most of the girls who went toward it were either killed instantly or hit, and were moaning in pain.

The sister also only suffered a large gouge in her arm, as if her defensive magic had worked in time.

 

　.......That much power without even a "pool"?

 

What a joke. I have to somehow create an opening and escape....

 

　"Ah. Oh, by the way, I forgot to ask, but the person holding my friend up there is the head of you guys, right?"

 

　Everyone in the room stiffens at Vertex's words.　

　That's right.

She's fighting up there to buy us time to escape.

 

Vertex let out a chuckle, perhaps sensing from our reaction that we were not saying anything.

 

　"I see. Then, it's convenient. You guys are in luck."

 

　He points outward with his thumb.

 

　"What do you mean? How did you let us get away all of a sudden?"

 

　She makes a pained sound as she holds her arm.

 

"Nope. It doesn't matter how many small fry like you I kill, if I'm going to kill the same ones, I'm going to kill the big ones, right? I know there's a person of high rank here, and I know that person's abilities are nasty."

 

　He laughs through his nose as he says it.

 

"That's why I let him take the lead, but the fact that it's been this long and neither side has come down means that the battle is somewhat evenly matched. If I join them, it will be over soon. That's why I'm going up there before he gets killed. Are you satisfied with that? If so, get lost."

 

Then he walks toward the stairs.

　And then....

 

　"Ah?"

 

　That is an unconscious action.

　Everyone else was the same, almost unconsciously unleashing their attacks on Vertex.

 

He...this son of a bitch, he told us to leave Sister Jelchi behind and run away.

Can we forgive such a thing? I don't need to argue.

　I felt anger welling up in my heart. Anger that consumes the fear we have for the enemy in front of us.

 

　And it is the consensus of the surviving members of the group.

　Everyone stares at Vertex with an expression of indignation.

Even the mild-mannered older sister is looking at him as if she were about to shoot him dead.

 

　Seeing this, Vertex says...

 

　"What? Did you guys want to die? If so, tell me first."　

 

　He muttered in a bored manner.

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