• • 293: Affected by demise

This purplish red that’s filling this pond…are you telling me it is actually the people of Hydra Ville that suddenly disappeared?!

Counting the tourists coming to this Hydra Ville, there should be around tens of thousands.

Are you saying that all of them have become liquid and filling up this reserve pond?!

Celestis-chan’s father, the Stream Marines, the elderly, the men and women; they have all been mixed in this pond?!

“Did it surprise you? This is the human downfall method that I specially prepared myself.” (Gabriel)

The Water Demon Lord Gabriel was showing pride as if she were boasting about her new toy.

“You see, I actually evaluate the humans highly. Even if the existence of you humans is unforgivable, the culture that you took time to create is an eye-opener.” (Gabriel)

Culture; for a while now, Gabriel has been saying that word as if it is already a habit.

“Even if we are to eradicate you humans, I am thinking of leaving the culture you humans have created. That’s why I hate destruction that surpasses the necessary. The splendid buildings, the beautiful clothes, the shining accessories; if I were to destroy them, it would end up being incredibly barbaric.” (Gabriel)

“This woman…! She has been saying self-convenient things a while now…!!” (Mirack)

Mirack-chan furrowed her brows as she showed clear hostility.

“…Are you saying that’s why you thought of a way to only destroy humans?” (Celestis)

“As I said…destroying in itself is a barbaric act. You see, I want to provide you humans with a peaceful eradication. It is said that all life was born from the ocean. I am the same as well. The Water Mother Monster, Strobbi Laguna, drifted about in the ocean as she gave birth to me. The ocean is the beginning of all…” (Gabriel)

Gabriel closed her eyes and spread her arms, as if she were a caring mother.

“That’s why I will return them to mother ocean as their last. Don’t you think that’s the most beautiful ending?” (Gabriel)

“You…! Don’t tell me…!!” (Celestis)

What’s the matter, Celestis-chan?!

She suddenly trembled at the words of Gabriel.

“I said it before, right? The pond that everyone is accumulated in is a reserve pond! It stores the increased water temporarily in order to stop floods. Once the danger of flood is gone, it will be drained, and will return to being a dry pond to prepare for the next heavy rain!” (Celestis)

“Eh? Then the accumulated water would be…!” (Karen)

“Confluencing at the close rivers and returning to the ocean like that!” (Celestis)

It will return to the ocean.

If that happens, everyone will be lost forever!

“Isn’t it interesting? The reason why I gathered the undiluted lifeforce here was because I wanted to make the end of you people even more dramatic. The heavily accumulated undiluted lifeforce flowing into the undulating ocean…it would be quite the grand event!!” (Gabriel)

“Don’t joke around! You soused mackerel woman!! I won’t let you do that!!” (Celestis)

Celestis-chan takes a battle stance as she shouted.

What’s the matter, Celestis-chan?! I understand your feelings of getting angry after what’s been done to your people, but why are you pulling the trigger now?!

“Sarasa said this! ‘They can still be saved’!!” (Celestis)

“Ah!” (Karen)

“It is possible to return the people melted by that soused mackerel woman to normal! She is the Water Demon Lord. If it is an abnormality that occurred due to water divine power, it should be possible to treat it with water divine power! That’s what Sarasa wanted to say!!” (Celestis)

That’s why Sarasa-san rushed onto Gabriel.

Even if she were to be liquified, she trusted that Celestis-san would save her. She wasn’t trying to pointlessly throw away her life!

“But if they were to be poured into the ocean, it would be too late. Mixing with the ocean water that is endless, this undiluted lifeforce would end up being diluted, and it would be impossible to return them to their previous human form.” (Celestis)

“That’s why you are getting so hurried?” (Karen)

“The only time that it can be reverted is when the undiluted lifeforce is keeping its 100% purity inside that reserve pond. If the water gate is opened and the undiluted lifeforce pours out, it is over! We have to defeat Gabriel before that happens! We will save Papa, Sarasa, and everyone in Hydra Ville!” (Celestis)

Understood!

Our objective, what we should aim for, how to win, and what would mean our defeat; we will defeat Gabriel before the undiluted lifeforce is poured into the ocean!

“We will be fighting as well, Celestis-chan!” (Karen)

“I will as well! If I didn’t, it would have been pointless of me coming here!!” (Mirack)

Not only me, Mirack-chan was also overflowing with intent to fight.

“Please, you two…lend me your strength! Fight together with me to save my important people!!” (Celestis)

Mirack-chan, Celestis-chan, and I; the only time we had these lineup to fight against monsters was at the battle with the Hydra Serpent.

We will win just like that time!

This is a battle we can’t afford to lose!

“If I add you into the undiluted lifeforce, it would make this a solution of all this city. Isn’t that right, water hero-san?” (Gabriel)

And the battle stance of the Demon Lord was also ready.

“That pond is already close to overflowing, so let’s wrap it up in this place. After making you and those two into undiluted lifeforce, let’s begin the long awaited discharge event.” (Gabriel)

“Try it if you can! Today we will make it clear whose life will be ending!” (Celestis)

“Today isn’t an ending but a beginning. The humans in this land will be the beginning to the eventual complete undiluted lifeforce transformation. And then, they will return to the ocean of beginnings. Be grateful that I have prepared such a beautiful closing for you all.” (Gabriel)

“That’s unnecessary meddling!! We will be doing the production of our own ending!!” (Celestis)

The water Demon Lord and the water hero were scattering sparks.

“Why are the water people all so poison-tongued?!” (Mirack)

Mirack-chan pointed out a really sound thing.

But the opponent is a Demon Lord. It is not someone that you can simply challenge and win.

There’s the need to understand your own strength and the opponent’s, and plan a way to defeat your opponent…

Our side has Mirack-chan, Celestis-chan, and I, and also………eh? Only us three?!

There should be another one! Where is she?!

“Well then, let’s begin. I will be looking forward to how your cultured way of fighting is.” (Gabriel)

“……I have no obligation to answer that expectation.”

At that moment, the shadow at the feet of the Demon Lord Gabriel undulated.

At the same time as this happened…a girl jumped out from the shadow!

“Doraha-san?!” (Karen)

Since when was she hiding inside the shadow of Gabriel?!

The position is right at the proximity of Gabriel, because the shadow was stretching at her back, she has completely taken the back of Gabriel.

Gabriel also had a look as if thinking ‘why did someone come out from my shadow?’.

It was a perfect surprise attack.

“You have no worth in existing. Break and become simple divine power!” (Doraha)

The kick of Doraha-san wrapped in shadow attacked the neck of Gabriel.

• • 294: Battle at the waterside

Doraha-san’s kick connected onto the neck of Gabriel without any obstructions.

The kicked neck of Gabriel cracked on and on, and then, only her head flew into the sky.

It was truly a beheading.

“““Eeeeeeehhhh?!!”””

All three of us were surprised.

When I look properly, I saw that Doraha-san’s leg was cladded with a shadow shaped sharply like a blade.

So that’s what became the guillotine that beheaded Gabriel.

The lost art of altering light divine power into shadow.

Doraha-san was the strongest user of shadow in the Underworld Country —the shadow hero.

Her ability of changing a shadow into a blade, and her ability to hide in the shadows; that mastery in the arts of shadow, as expected of the shadow hero. It is on a whole different level from Ates who had just learned about it.

“Eh?! Wait, is it over? Is this how it ends?!” (Celestis)

“The Water Demon Lord died?!” (Mirack)

Celestis-chan and Mirack-chan looked dumbstruck at the head of Gabriel that was flying through the sky like a ball.

Normally, most living beings would die if they had their head cut off, but the monsters that are born outside the logic of living beings…moreover, the Demon Lords that stand at their summit…

“That just now was a pretty good attack.” (Gabriel)

The cut head of Gabriel was caught splendidly by her body.

“What?!” (Doraha)

Even when her head and body were separated, as if saying there wasn’t much problem with that, Gabriel caught her head as if she were playing catch-ball.

“If you are going to make a surprise attack, it should be at the back where the senses of the opponent are the hardest to reach. Taking the back of a strong opponent that you can’t win against upfront is a matter of course. The ability to make that succeed, and to creep your way without making a sound, it is quite the thing. This is culture.” (Gabriel)

That abnormality made even Doraha-san falter.

“Too bad. If it wasn’t me who is made up of more than 90% ocean water, you could have defeated me with that just now. Not only slashes, even if I were to crumble to pieces, I can regenerate.” (Gabriel)

Gabriel returns her head to its original position. It went back to how it was, as if there wasn’t a wound from the very beginning.

Her comrade Raphael had survived even when Haine-san destroyed most of the cells of his body.

That’s why this was a development I somewhat expected.

“At any rate, you use the divine power in quite an interesting way. That dark divine power, at first, I thought that it was the same as that Kuromiya Haine, but it is completely different. I judge that it is an altered version of light divine power.” (Gabriel)

Moreover, she saw through the shadow power of Doraha-san with a single attack?

“Interesting. The moment a single change is made into something, it turns into culture. Show me more of your culture. Provide growth to the intelligence of us monsters.” (Gabriel)

“Even if you don’t tell me, I will show you. But what comes after isn’t growth, but destruction.” (Doraha)

The surprise attack failed.

Even with that, Doraha-san valiantly faces her.

She jumped high and the kick that drew a big arc was aiming at Gabriel’s head.

“[Shadow Mirror Beak]!!” (Doraha)

“Ara ara, a big kick technique. That’s not really cultured.” (Gabriel)

True, the kick of Doraha-san just now was so wide it was easily dealt with using a single arm.

But that was the aim of Doraha-san.

Doraha-san was in the sky, and at the ground, there was her shadow. From that shadow, as if it was waiting for Doraha-san, a giant shadow mouth surfaced.

“Wa?!” (Gabriel)

Even Gabriel was surprised at the giant shadow big enough to swallow her whole.

“The reason of the big motion was to move the target’s attention up.” (Doraha)

The shadow that swelled up looked like the beak of a pelican trying to swallow up its prey whole.

That beak had swallowed Gabriel until her waist, but was stopped by the pressure Gabriel was exerting on it.

“If breaking you will only make you regenerate like water, I just have to swallow you without leaving anything behind —using my shadow.” (Doraha)

She is trying to do that with the shadow that’s coming out from the ground.

“By moving one’s attention up, it makes your legs open, I see. But don’t underestimate me. For a Demon Lord like me, your divine power is just—!” (Gabriel)

“Karen-sama!!” (Doraha)

Doraha-san calls me.

…!

I see!!

“[Holy Light Line]!!” (Karen)

A beam was released from the holy sword, Saint George.

The target is not Gabriel but the shadow beak that is trying to swallow her.

The light spear pierced the shadow.

“What are you doing? Interfering with the attack of your comrade?!” (Gabriel)

The read of Gabriel was completely wrong.

The shadow beak absorbed the light and became deeper, clearer.

“Wa?!” (Gabriel)

“Shadow grows stronger with light divine power!!” (Doraha)

With the combination of my light divine power, the shadow power trying to swallow Gabriel gets stronger. It was as if a vacuum of darkness was trying to suck her into the shadows.

The black was clashing with the blue, but the black grew stronger and stronger.

By having a light and shadow user cooperate, it is possible to fight in this way.

“It is not only that. Today’s weather is clear. The natural light of the sun strengthens my shadow and becomes its nutrient. Be swallowed by the strength of this whole world! Be eliminated without leaving a single trace behind, Demon Lord!!” (Doraha)

What a fight.

The darkness that tries to swallow everything. It was like a reproduction of Haine-san’s way of battle.

As I thought, Doraha-san is the shadow hero that has come from the fires of battle a thousand years ago.

Her surprise attack to light up the sparks of battle was also splendid.

Even if that surprise attack didn’t work, she has a wide array of techniques that lets her plan further ahead. An offensive battle style that doesn’t let a single moment to breath.

Everything is not simply because she is a good divine power user, but because she has gone through several scenes of carnage.

“Karen, Celestis!! What are you getting all spaced out for?! We are late to join!!” (Mirack)

The reprimand of Mirack-chan was thrown at us who were watching the fight of Doraha-san.

“Protecting this world is the duty of us current heroes. We can’t leave it all to that little girl. We will join the fray!!” (Mirack)

It is as Mirack-chan says.

Leaving it all to Doraha-san would be a disgrace as a hero.

“Oi, cow!!” (Mirack)

Mirack-chan calls.

When I looked, I saw that Phalaris-san was at our back. This cow-san that we brought all the way here with our flying machines from Muspelheim to here.

But why did we have to do all that?

“You understand, right cow?! This is the reason why we had you accompany us all the way here!! For the sake of protecting the people of Celestis! Lend me your power again!!” (Mirack)

(Good grief, no choice then!!) (Phalaris)

The cow-san bellows and there was an overwhelming change in Mirack-chan.

It appears, the fire God Hero.

• • 295: An attempt for resolution

From Mirack-chan’s body, an overwhelming fire divine power I have never seen before burns.

The heat produced from her body was so high that I couldn’t get too close to her, and because of her hair going up due to the intensity of her divine power, it was as if they were undulating like fire.

“This is…the Fire God Hero?!” (Karen)

I have become a light God Hero myself, but this is the first time I see someone else become one. That intensity made me lose my breath.

Did I look like this when I became a God Hero?

“Karen, become a light God Hero too. Also, Celestis, leave the Demon Lord to us!” (Mirack)

Eh?

I was about to ask in more detail about this, but Celestis-chan was faster.

“What do you mean by that, Mirack-chi?! This is Hydra Ville! The ones in danger are the people of the Water Church! Who will fight if not me, the water hero?!” (Celestis)

“I am saying that we will take your place in fighting. That’s why, Celestis, you do what only you can do.” (Mirack)

“‘What only I can do’?” (Celestis)

Mirack-chan continues speaking while maintaining her God Hero form.

“The people that were made into liquid, you can return them to normal with water divine power. Isn’t that right?” (Mirack)

“That’s right, but…are you telling me…!” (Celestis)

“Celestis, you begin doing that right now. Return those liquified people to how they were with your own hands!” (Mirack)

The reason why we didn’t do that and tried to defeat Gabriel first was because she would definitely get in our way.

What’s most important for us right now is not to defeat the Demon Lord but to save the people.

In this situation where we don’t know when the water gate will open, prioritizing the undiluted lifeforce is by no means the wrong choice.

“We will hold back the Demon Lord. You can’t turn into a God Hero anyways, so not only can you not defeat the Demon Lord, you won’t even be able to hurt her. You should understand that plenty.” (Mirack)

“T-That’s true, but…” (Celestis)

Even with the strongest attack of Sarasa-san, she lost to Gabriel without inflicting a single wound.

In order for the current us to win against a Demon Lord, there’s the need of the God Hero form.

“In your current state with no God Hero form, you would only get in the way. You concentrate on saving the people, leave the Demon Lord to us. You are shouldering the most important job.” (Mirack)

To think Mirack-chan could see the picture of the battle so sharply. After becoming a God Hero and gaining experience fighting Michael, Mirack-chan herself has grown.

“The most important thing is not to defeat the Demon Lord, it is to save the people. That’s exactly right.” (Karen)

At any rate, I decided on riding it to the right direction.

“We will do something about the Demon Lord, so Celestis-chan, save the people turned into undiluted lifeforce. The only one here that can use water divine power is you, Celestis-chan. If they get you, Celestis-chan, even if we were to defeat the Demon Lord, we won’t be able to save the people.” (Karen)

“In other words, you are basically the king in this chessboard. The moment you are taken, we lose. Keep that in consideration.” (Mirack)

Celestis-chan is intelligent. No matter how much she has lost herself right now, she can’t reject things that have sound logic.

“Ah geez! I get it already!! I will concentrate on saving the people, so crush that soused mackerel woman! I am counting on you, okay?!!” (Celestis)

Of course, Celestis-chan!

If I turn into the Light God Hero, it will become the world’s first time two God Heroes fight a Demon Lord. We can gang up on her.

Doraha-san as well is pushing Gabriel back.

It is not impossible to defeat a Demon Lord now!

“I will also do it!! Change! Light God Hero!!” (Karen)

““What’s with that call?!!””

Mirack-chan and Celestis-chan retorted, but I thought it would be saddening without doing some sort of initial call before transforming!

But I put a lot of spirit in it to become a God Hero, and yet, there was no change at all.

…? Only a vacant atmosphere flowed.

“Eh?”

What? Why?!

I tried to turn into a God Hero, and yet, why didn’t I turn into one?!

I turned into a God Hero and drove off Ates, and Mirack-chan managed to transform so easily.

(I—It is obviously impossible, you light brat!!) (Phalaris)

That voice is…Phalaris-san?!

(In order to become a God Hero, the help of a God is necessary! In this moment when Inflation is not close, becoming a light God Hero is a dream among dreams! Or more like, argh, this is tough!! This is tough!!) (Phalaris)

Phalaris-san said while sounding desperate.

(Or more like, you people, if you are going to do planning, become a God Hero after! It pointlessly increased the time of my burden!!” (Phalaris)

What does he mean by that?! Inflation, he says. Does he mean the Light God Inflation that us Light nation people worship?!

Inflation-sama is not close by? That’s why she can’t help us?!

But Inflation-sama is supposed to be watching over us all the time!

“Anyways, it can’t be helped! Doraha and I will do something about this Gabriel!!” (Mirack)

Mirack-chan makes the flames of her God Hero form swirl.

“Karen, now that it has come to this, please support Celestis! Protect Celestis and make it so that she can fully concentrate on her work of saving the people!” (Mirack)

Could it be that I am the most useless one this time?!

“Let’s go!!” (Mirack)

Mirack-chan rushed immediately and assaulted Gabriel who is being swallowed by Doraha-san’s shadow.

I won’t let you do as you wish! Stay still until you get swallowed by the shadow!!” (Mirack)

“Ara ara, I know about you. You are that thing called God Hero, right?” (Gabriel)

Her lower body is inside the shadow, her upper body was held by Mirack-chan in God Hero mode, and yet, Gabriel’s calm didn’t crumble.

“Karen-chi, what are you doing?!” (Celestis)

And a voice reprimands me.

“Now that it has come to this, we will be moving as planned! Come with me to save the liquified people!!” (Celestis)

“O-Okay!” (Karen)

Celestis-chan and I quickly ran towards the reserve pond that’s filled with undiluted lifeforce.

The undiluted lifeforce and the corners of the reserve pond were almost at the same height.

Celestis-chan simply knelt down and she was already able to touch the surface of the undiluted lifeforce.

“This is everyone…! Papa and the people I know of!” (Celestis)

Celestis-chan’s expression warped in pain.

“But Celestis-chan…! Right now…!!” (Karen)

“I know. In the time Mirack-chi and Doraha-chi are doing their best, I will bring everyone back!! Miki-Moses! Pass my divine power to the undiluted lifeforce!” (Celestis)

Celestis-chan’s divine power rises and spreads in the reserve pond that’s filled with undiluted lifeforce.

“…Celestis-chan? How is it going?” (Karen)

“Wait a bit…… I am beginning to understand. This undiluted lifeforce isn’t simply turning the body of a human into liquid. The information that comprises the soul of the people, it is sealed inside this liquid as well!” (Celestis)

…

Uhm…what?

“That’s why, by passing water divine power through it and taking out the information of each one of them, the reformation of the body using the undiluted lifeforce as material will begin. In that case, let’s do it! The whole lot of it!!” (Celestis)

The output of Celestis-chan’s water divine power increases even more.

This should be mostly the all-out of Celestis-chan.

But is it okay to be letting out this much?!

“Celestis-chan, are you okay?!” (Karen)

“Guh! The reformation is consuming more divine power than I thought. That soused mackerel woman! She transformed several tens of thousands of people with this technique that takes so much divine power, moreover, she managed to do it in a single day! As expected, Demon Lords are outrageous!” (Celestis)

I can tell that trying to save them is incredibly difficult.

But if we get to save one person, it would be a result in itself!!

Do your best, Celestis-chan!!

(I can’t allow you to do that.)

Eh?

A voice resonates directly into our head again?!

Moreover, it is completely different from Phalaris-san. It is a deep viscous voice.

Who is this?!