Arifureta After III Tortus Travel Journal ⑫
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That man was in a horrible state.
――Guh, so my hidden secret technique is shattered-
His breath was short and gasping. One of his arms were limp and didn’t move at all as though it had been dislocated.
――So it can’t reach-. My strength-
The blood that was flowing out from his split forehead dirtied his face gruesomely. The black outfit was blackly dyed by his bleeding. He was literally wounded all over.
――So this is……as far as I go……
He ran out of weapon with only a single broken dagger remaining. His stamina was already at the limit.
However, but.
Only the oath he swore in his heart, was going strong!!
――Even if it’s hopeless by yourself, I’m still here
――My other half……
――We’ll go together-, isn’t that right!?
――Yeah, exactly. Exactly, partner!
That was why!
Although there wasn’t anyone watching! He played two roles alone like performing conversation!
――Not yet-. It’s still not over yet! You master of the deep labyrinth! My abyss has no limit-
Well, he was the abyss lord.
He swung around the limp arm forcefully while making a turn, the only action that he couldn’t possibly stop doing. Right after that, the abyss lord ate Miledy golem’s iron fist and he was blown away.
――Ogeeh, fuh, that was an, gofuh……afterimage!
It wasn’t an afterimage so he received great damage. He was literally vomiting blood.
And then, the current Miledy golem was an automatic type that didn’t reflect her personality, so it attacked further without the slightest mercy at all.
He desperately leaped from floating block to floating block desperately, but there the group of knight golem drew near.
――Wai-, sto-, don’-
He was ganged up and beaten black and blue. He was beaten up within an inch of his death. He was also kicked and grinded repeatedly. Next he also almost got everything he had torn off from his body.
The lord barely escaped with his life from the encirclement of the knight golems by jumping out. He was in a half naked state. He hugged the black outfit that had been reduced into a tattered scrap on his chest. His figure running in totter with teary eyes looked completely like a girl who was desperately running away from a rape.
Seeing such figure that was pathetic in a sense,
「He really doesn’t learn. As expected, Endou got guts.」
Words of praise echoed.
It was Hajime.
It was Hajime-san who prevented the great labyrinth capture of Kaori, Shizuku, and Tio as the result of his passion and romance gushing out excessively in developing and deploying the last boss in the style of series collaboration type Gun○m――Super Miledy G.
After getting hounded by the extremely enraged Kaori and co and made the Super Miledy G self-exploded tearfully, Hajime and co entered the deepest room. There, they got on Miledy’s magic circle, but as expected it seemed they weren’t recognized as successfully overcoming the last boss, so Kaori and others couldn’t obtain the gravity magic.
Naturally they pressed at Hajime in double extreme rage mode.
If asked how angry they were, it could be easily guessed when that Tio was starting her lecture with monotone voice that was filled with logic, prudence, moral, ethics, and sense. There was nothing more terrifying than a pervert who was scolding with composure as well as seriousness.
Also, Kaori was staring fixedly *jiii~~~* at him with eyes that were like whirling black hole, while Shizuku was starting to sharpen her black katana quietly. That sight was also absurdly terrifying.
It was to the level that Hajime displayed an astonishing scene of spontaneously taking seiza posture and said 「I’m really sorry for getting carried away……」.
And, that was why Hajime who was unable to endure the complicated gazes of the parents as well as Yue and others relied on our abyss lord at the same time when Tio’s scolding finished.
If it’s that guy then surely! He’ll smash apart this atmosphere without a doubt! Hajime thought.
Like that she asked Yue to replay the past to observe abyss lord VS last boss golem that was still normal at that time but……
「Yeah, even though he has been beaten up like this for almost nearly one hour.」
Shuu agreed with Hajime. His expression was showing strong color of admiration as expected.
The lord’s fragrant behavior was reaching the extreme when entering the climax of the labyrinth capture. At first both parent and son would cover their face with both hands while appreciating the playback from between their fingers, but right now they weren’t being like that anymore.
The other people were also the same.
That was solely due to the deep impression they received from the strength of the lord’s will that endured through this far. He exhausted every possible mean, however he wasn’t a match against what he faced. Even though he was in abyss lord mode he was running around without regard to his appearance, screaming pathetically, and even became teary eyed. And yet apparently there was no option of giving up within the lord.
Even though Hajime aimed to “smash apart the atmosphere” with the fragrant act that would make anyone able to endure watching, the lord’s battle was unexpectedly tugging at their heart.
Right now there was no one who would make tsukkomi at every little fragrant action or getting red faced. They were purely cheering at the lord’s deathly battle.
「……Nn. It’s making us feeling thrilled like this even though we already know the result……Endou, keep going.」
「Doing something like this for someone she love, it’s really firing you up! Do your best~!」
Yue was feeling sweaty in their palm, while Shizuku, Tio, and Aiko were also cheering while making comment at the same time regarding the main culprit.
「Really, after seeing this I’m reminded once more about how absurdly brutal the requirement that was set up.」
「After this an even more brutal requirement would be waiting. Normally it wouldn’t be strange for someone to think that they’re indirectly being rejected from being given such requirement but……」
「From the atmosphere of Rana-san at that time, it was like she was I unconsciously said that! wasn’t it? Really, as expected from Hauria.」
「I’m sorry for our Rana-san-」
If it had to be said further, if this requirement was cleared it still didn’t mean that Rana would go out with Kousuke. She would simply just “considering” going out with Kousuke. It made anyone wanted to make tsukkomi, Rana-oneesan, are you trying to act like a certain princess from a country somewhere huh?
Of course, for the person herself it was the first super passionate wooing from the opposite sex in her life that made her embarrassed and flustered that her mouth unconsciously slipped but……that kind of thing was also related with “So it’s Hauria again huh” as expected.
「But doing this for the sake of a girl he love is wonderful isn’t it.」
「Really. Endou-kun is a mysterious kind who I can recall completely how he look even though I should have met him several times but, after seeing this I won’t be able to forget him anymore――perhaps.」
Kaoruko agreed to Sumire’s words. Akiko and Kirino also nodded deeply.
「Actually, before seeing the past image here I was thinking “Endou-kun? Who was that?”, but to think he is actually someone this amazing.」
「His battle technique is also splendid. I even want to make him learn the reverse side of Yaegashi style.」
Even the evaluation from the mama~s was extremely favorable. And it went without saying how Shuu and others the papa~s were feeling. Kousuke’s evaluation was rising explosively.
But, there Sumire suddenly tilted her head.
「Eh? But it’s strange. I can’t really remember his face……」
「Now that you say it……even while looking at him like this, mysteriously I can’t see his face.」
「Strange……. Things like his front hair, or the dust, or the golem, when his face almost come into view there will be something in the way and I won’t be able to see his face clearly.」
Kaoruko and Kirino were also puzzled by that profoundly mysterious phenomenon.
「Kousuke-oniichan, she is like the faceless god nano~」
「「「!!?」」」
The gaze of Hajime and Shuu and Sumire snapped at Myuu. Remia asked Myuu with her usual nonchalant tone.
「Myuu, what do you mean by faceless god?」
「He is a friendly uncle nano~」
「Myuu! Give me a bit more detail of that! What kind of uncle he is!?」
「? I can’t really remember nano. That’s why he is just like Kousuke-oniichan!」
「Right now Kousuke-oniichan doesn’t matter!」
「Wait Hajime! Myuu-chan is joking isn’t she? She is isn’t she!?」
「Pe, perhaps, she saw something at the internet right? Right? Myuu-chan, that’s the case right?」
「?」
In respond to Shuu’s question, I don’t really get what you are saying……Myuu made a puzzled expression that seemed to say that. Seeing that, the Nagumo parents and child’s expression spasmed together.
「It’s someone’s bad joke, obviously that’s the case. But Hajime! Just in case, do something about it!」
「Yeah, you’re right. That’s just a fiction after all! But Hajime! Just in case, do something!」
「Acknowledged!」
It seemed it was only the Nagumo parents and child who really got an idea about it. Everyone was making a puzzled expression wondering what they were so flustered about.
Then, right after that, the lord inside the past playback screamed. The blocks on the ceiling came off and fell down like heavy rain.
「Ah, that one huh. That was also dangerous for us wasn’t it.」
Even Hajime who was greatly worried by Myuu’s disposition to attract strange occurrences immediately returned to his senses and let out deeply emotional words. In the past he used Limit Break and Lightspeed to somehow slip through this, even so he couldn’t get away unharmed from this “ceiling drop”. In a manner of speaking, it was a last boss’s handbook all area attack.
「Eh? But unlike with our time, the way they fell is systematic isn’t it?」
「……Nn. Perhaps, without Miledy controlling it, they’re falling through the pattern that had been set beforehand.」
Just like Yue said, the ceiling blocks were only falling straight with their timing slightly off. So to speak, it was like high speed tetris. It seemed that it became something that could be slipped through somehow just barely.
Although, the lord had been wounded all over and past his limit from a long time ago. He desperately slipped through the heavy rain of ceiling blocks but his movement was lacking luster as expected. Finally he got hit by one block.
He raised a voice of anguish and his body was blown away. The lord fell toward the ground of the vast space. Just before he crashed on the ground, he somehow deployed a barrier in an instant and softened the impact. But, he vomited blood from the great damage.
While his expression turned despairing seeing the mercilessly falling blocks, he crawled and rolled on the ground, somehow shoving himself into the gaps between blocks and avoided becoming a stain on the ground.
Although, that was all. He was buried under the mountain of blocks and no matter how they looked it he had run out of option. He was also running out of strength too.
「……Oi oi. That guy, from here how did he……」
Hajime’s question was only normal. It was like the checkmate had been unspokenly declared from what they could see.
Then,
――Damn ittt……this is pathetic……
Kousuke’s mutter echoed. It was a small mutter that sounded hoarse and weak.
However, it was a voice that contained no resignation at all.
――But well, something to this degree……yeah
――If not, then dealing a wound on that guy……will just be a pipe dream
The automatic Miledy golem and the knight golems were surrounding him at midair. In the middle of that a disquieting presence was rising up from under the ceiling blocks restlessly.
――Because that guy……Nagumo……he didn’t give up a single thing
「……」
――He was against an opponent he was totally helpless against……against a god-……even so he fucking won-
「……」
――Then, even Iii-
*Stir stir stir stir* Something like a black mist was flowing out from between the gaps. It completely covered the ground in the blink of eye……
――Who the hell is going to give up at the end like this-, I’ll burn this soul until nothing remain-
Clone bodies were gradually rising from the black mist.
Naturally, Raisen’s degrading effect dispersed them.
Clone bodies were created again right after.
Disperse.
Appear.
Disperse, appear, further dispersion.
Disperse, appear, appear appear……
If it was dispersed then even more appeared! Appear appear appear disperse appear appear appear appear disperse appear appear appear appear appear appear appear appear appear disperse appear appear appear appear appear appear appear appear appear disperse――
The appearance rate of the clone bodies was suprassing Raisen’s magic power dispersion effect!
A sublime will was mastering the stunt of creating clone bodies from clone bodies at this eleventh hour, realizing multiplication at overwhelming speed!
Seeing that scene, seeing the friend who used his way of living as the support of his heart to rouse himself, Hajime was――
「Uwah, disgusting-」
Creeped out.
Next,
「Papaaa-, it’s scary nano~~」
Myuu hugged her papa with tearful eyes.
Because, it couldn’t be helped. They were crawling out rustlingly without end from the gaps of the blocks. The ground was completely covered with the stirring lords in the blink of eye.
That scene looked exactly like a great swarm of G. It was the reappearance of nightmare in Haltina sea of trees.
「Hiih. No more of thaatt-」
「Shizuku-chan! Get a hold of yourself! That’s not G but Endou-kun!」
「Both of those things are the same!」
「I understand that you’re confused but-, Shizuku-san! As expected that’s too pitiful for him desuu!」
「Black thing, a lot, no!」
「Aa, Yaegashi-san is regressing into infant! Here-, soul magic!」
「Don’t return me to sanity! Ai-chan-sensei!」
「Shizuku, that’s pathetic. In our Yaegashi style, there is also ninjutsu――cough, acrobatics and torture――cough, questioning art that used cockroach.」
「Ojii-chan! Confess already that we’re ninja! I won’t be deceived at all!」
「I’ll teach it next time to Shizuku so you can conquer your weakness.」
「I’ll sever our parent and child relationship! Okaa-san!」
Shizuku recalled the gruesome pass of loving G at Haltina Great Labyrinth and slipped into small madness. But even during that time the abyss lord that had been truly awakened began his last battle.
Using the clone bodies as stepping stones, or sometimes throwing them, with the overwhelming quantity that continued to multiple endlessly he leaped toward Miledy golems and others.
The knight golems were wrestled by several dozen lords in a flash and taken down to the ground, or perhaps they were dragged into simultaneous self-destruction and got pulverized.
The clones plundered the shield or sword from those knight golems and shaved down the weapon of Miledy golem using wave attacks from all directions.
――Kuh, this black steel-, it’s too hard-
――There isn’t a scratch even with suicide bombing-
The azantium armor that protected the Miledy golem’s core. Although its power was reduced, it was a protective wall that blocked even Hajime’s railgun. The lord gritted his teeth before it. But, at the same time,
――Muh!? This is……so that’s how it is!
――Begone!
――I shall self-destruct! Glory to the abyss!
The piled up ceiling blocks were blown away. The ceiling blocks were pulverized with brute force using quantity of suicide bombing. Cutting across the cloud of dust, the clones carrying black sword or spear leaped up.
「That kind of thing huh……」
「……Nn? Hajime, what’s the matter?」
Hajime showed a face of understanding. Yue tilted her head and asked him.
「No, it’s the azantium chest armor protecting Miledy golem’s core. It’s practically impossible to destroy in a place where you can’t use magic decently. It will be a checkmate if you can’t brute force using magic with colossal magic power.」
「……Nn. Certainly.」
「Even though it’s a place where you can’t use magic, you can’t clear it without using magic……as expected from Miledy! Dirty! You’re dirty Miledy!」
「No, there was a relief measure after a fashion. You know, even my pile bunker, even if it has enough power it will be broken if it’s only normal metal stake right? But mine was also manufactured from azantium.」
Right after that, the clone bodies hit Miledy golem’s azantium armor dozens of times with the black swords or spears before it finally cracked. They were shaving off the armor bit by bit in order to widen the crack.
Kaori nodded in understanding.
「I see! The weapons that Endou-kun are holding are also made from azantium! The reward of enduring the rain of ceiling blocks is obtaining those weapons from inside the blocks after destroying them!」
「It seems that originally it’s something like that.」
「That’s a lie! There is no way Miledy can have that kind of conscience!」
「Shia, you are really scathing toward Miledy huh. No, I understand your feeling though.」
Even while making such conversation, the lord endlessly continued thrusting at Miledy golem exactly like hungry G swarming at just one food.
――We, still have this much strength!?
――This power that is welling up from inside……
――I see. This is, this is……the power of love-
That was just the special quality of abyss lord mode you know? That exposition was thoroughly explained from Kaori to all the parents.
Right after that, the clones finally succeeded in throwing the Miledy golem to the wall. The main body of the lord landed on the floating block right above it while holding a black spear. His last charge was fierce.
――Try to receive this-, o ancient protector! This is my abyss style final ultimate secret technique――――
He said such thing. No matter how much time passed boy would always love the cliché or chuuni……as though to proof that, not just Hajime and Shuu, even Tomoichi and others were also going 「Oooh」 in excitement, and finally Kousuke E Abyssgate’s finishing attacK――
――BUURRRRRRRNIN○ LOOOOVE-!!!
Struck out. It was a normal thrust, but perhaps surely it was the final ultimate secret technique. Just to be clear, it reached Miledy’s core without fail.
Miledy golem turned limp, light was gone from its eyes, and it was crucified to the wall. Then the lord fell to the ground as though he had used up all of his energy and willpower and lied spread-eagled. Seeing that Hajime was――
「Was that a rip-off?」
「That was a rip off.」
「That was a rip off wasn’t it~」
Nagumo family was merciless. Certainly, it was like a certain fast battleship that was personified into human. Perhaps before long he would also speak 「YES! I will show you what Aby is made of!」.
「A, anyway he won! Endou-kun is amaziiing」
「Really. As expected from someone who is called “nonchalantly the mankind’s strongest” or “the demon king’s right arm”.」
When Kaori and Shizuku said that in order to repair the mood that was broken by the Nagumo family, words of praise were expressed as though they had just seen a great Hollywood movie.
「Yeah, really.」
Although he spoke few words, Hajime’s expression that formed a small smile expressed his praise more eloquently than anything.
「H~m, but is he really alright? Endou-kun, it feels like he really had spent everything he has……」
「He isn’t even twitching you know? Somehow it feels like he will die anytime now.」
The Hatayama mother-daughter worriedly looked at the lord on the ground.
――Hics hics hics hics, I did it, I did it me……I want to die……hics hics hics hics, with this I’m one step closer to Rana……I’m glad I came alone……hics hics hics hics……what the hell did I mean by the inner me……why did I play two role by myself……I am me……ah, this way of speaking is also……shit-, my heart is invaded……I’m becoming not me……wait that’s why that’s not it, me! I cannot speak in that way! Ah, I’m talking to myself again! This is bad, really baad, even though the lord mode should have been dispelled my words are strangely fragrant like thiiss……
He couldn’t move from the damage, but, rather than the damage to his body, the damage to his heart was unbearable that the flood of tears couldn’t stop. The figure of Kousuke continuously muttering to himself could be seen there.
The impressed face of Hajime and co was overwritten with 「Uwaa」 to the expression of pity right away.
Although, it was the truth that the damage was serious, even the recovery medicine that he brought with him had been used up since a long time ago. If that was the case then just how on earth Kousuke could advance forward from here and then returning back later?
While everyone was watching over him, that answer finally arrived.
One knight golem was regenerated and approached Kousuke with noisy footsteps.
Kousuke moved only his eyes to confirm that and his expression turned pale. He was extremely fatigued that he couldn’t even move a finger. He was truly in a hopeless situation. If he was attacked right now, he would be killed as easily as killing a baby.
But, that knight golem didn’t even unsheathe its sword and slowly kneeled beside Kousuke. Then at the next moment, it took a surprising action.
Shockingly, it took out a small jar filled with liquid from somewhere and gently placed it on Kousuke’s mouth. Due to that, Kousuke was healed to the degree that he could lift up his body.
It seemed, there was some healing bonus as the reward for clearing the great labyrinth.
Seeing that,
「Lies-, this is a lie-! There is no way that Miledy is someone this uprighttt!!」
「……Nn!? Shia, calm down! You forget your “desuu” desuu!」
「Yue too calm down! The end of your sentence got a “desuu” there!」
Shia was frenzied. Yue’s mind was in chaos that she snatched Shia’s end of a sentence. Hajime understood the two’s feeling and soothed them down.
That was just how shocking Miledy’s kind consideration was even now when they knew that she was a true protector who thought of the world. At the very least, it would be impossible for her to make him drank the potion like that. Even if she gave someone a recovery medicine, surely she would place it on a position that was just barely couldn’t be reached by the hand of someone who couldn’t move!
「That’s right desu! Surely, it was a paralyzing medicine or something that she dressed up as recovery medicine――」
「Ah, Endou-kun stood up! Looks like he recovered!」
「I don’t want to admit iiit! I don’t want to aaadmit it!!」
It seemed that Shia’s feeling toward Miledy was really strong whether for good or bad. Her rabbit ears and rabbit tail were shaking left and right wildly.
While everyone was soothing down Shia, a floating block came in front of Kousuke. It was the same with the one that Hajime and co rode. Kousuke’s step was unsteady but he somehow got on it and vanished into the deepest room.
Like that, around the time Shia somehow calmed down.
There was the sound of a lot of water flowing along with the scream 「Aa~~~~~~!!」 reaching their ears.
AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.
Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.
I could somehow update, but it is short because I wrote them hurriedly and in addition the story doesn’t progress, I’m sorry (sweat)
A part of me also want to do the travel journal slowly so please forgive me.
I hope that everyone can give me a little bit more time until the next update.
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※Material
- BUURRRRRRRNIN○ LOOOOVE-
From Kongou-oneesama in Kancolle.
- Faceless god
From the god of Cthulhu Mythos. ※Not a certain girl who is hard to describe and fight using something like crowbar.
- I don’t want to admit ittt
From Gunda○’s Halo.
