Part 6[แก้ไข]
Izayoi and Jin, who obtained the second Gift of Invisibility, finally arrived at the highest level of the Palace. The Palace depths didn’t have a ceiling over it but was constructed like a simple arena.
“Izayoi-san……Jin-bocchan……”
Kuro Usagi, who had waited for them at the top floor gave a sigh of relief after looking them over with her eyes.
Lifting their heads to gaze at the skies above the wide expanse of the arena, there stood a figure looking down upon the people beneath his feet.
“—Hmph, what a useless bunch, looks like I must do a thorough purging of trash after this business is done.”
The figure that floated in the skies did possess a pair of wings.
They were a pair of shining wings that sprouted from the knee-high boots.
Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo v01 273.jpg
“But I guess with this, they will have also learnt who it is that allowed the Community to survive up till now. For this would be a great chance to make them reflect on their ineptness.”
The wings on the boots gave a flap and that was all it took to cause Laius to move faster than the wind and to drop rapidly in a fluid landing motion before Izayoi and the others.[4]
“Anyways, welcome to the topmost level of my White Palace. I will be your opponent as the leader of the Game……Hm. I guess this is my first time saying that line too.”
This was because of the well-maintained discipline and standard of the knights. If it weren’t for the fact that this Game was hosted at the last minute without allowing them time to prepare fully, Izayoi and the others would never have succeeded in their plans to reach this stage.
Izayoi gave a shrug while smiling:
“Hm, after all it was quite a sudden match for them, just forgive them this once.”
“Hmph! To allow mere [No Name]s into my presence? That’s already considered a great sin.”
Laius flapped his wings once more as he retrieved a Gift Card that depicted the symbol of [Medusa’s Head] to draw out a flaming bow.
Upon seeing that Gift, Kuro Usagi’s expression changed immediately.
“……Flaming bow? Meaning to say that you do not intend to use Perseus’s equipment to do battle?”
“Of course. Since I can fly, why should I demean myself to fight on the same stage as you guys?”
Seemingly in contempt towards the others on the ground, Laius took to the air but he showed no willingness to fight. Flying up to the wall of the pit, he removed the short necklace around his neck to raise the small-carved decoration aloft.
“The main battle isn’t with me. I’m the Game leader. My fall would equate to the defeat of [Perseus]. This battle isn’t worth taking that sort of risk right?”
“Uu……..!”
Seeing how Laius was being cautious and not excessively arrogant, it made Kuro Usagi feel anxious and fidgety. If her thoughts were true, the Gift that Laius held was a Demonic Gift that rivaled the Greek Gods.
The Gift held aloft in Laius’s hand started to emit a light. The growing intensity of that light was so bright that it would have caused people to mistake it for a star and it was releasing the many layers of seals while flashing brilliantly.
Reflexively, Izayoi prepared himself by placing himself before Jin and taking up a stance to be ready for the battle at a moment’s notice.
The light grew in intensity and Laius shouted with a fierce look on his face:
“Be Awakened— DEMON LORD ALGOL!”
The light was dyed into a murky brown color and it filled the vision of the trio.
The sharp cry of a female echoed in the White Palace and the palace seemed to resonate with it as it started to tremor.
“Ra …… Ra …… GEEEEEEYAAAAAAaaaaaaaa!”
It was a cry that couldn’t be understood by Humans anymore.
Although starting off with a sound similar to a note of music, it had rapidly progressed to a discordant noise that would have made one go mad with the sound.
The woman that appeared had her body tied with many belts and restraints that looked like the tools used to capture her. Tossing her head of grey matted hair that didn’t seem like it belonged to a lady, she continued to scream while ripping off the restrains on her hands. Leaning the upper half of the body backwards, she gave off a more intense scream, causing Kuro Usagi to cover her rabbit ears as she was unable to bear it any longer.
“Ra …… GYAAAAAaaaaaaa!”
“What……What’s up with that cry…….?”
“Kuro Usagi! Quick! Dodge it!”
Eh? Kuro Usagi froze in shock. Izayoi grabbed and carried both Kuro Usagi and Jin as he leap back from their original spot.
Not long after that, there came huge boulders that seemed like those found on rocky outcrops of mountains, falling from the skies.
Watching Izayoi and the others having to dodge the continuous rain of boulders, Laius mocked them loudly:
“Oh my~Humans who can’t fly sure have it tough. Even clouds that fall from the sky pose a problem to you guys.”
“You…You said that these are clouds……?”
Kuro Usagi was surprised as she looked to the outside of the arena to realize that it wasn’t only in this arena that the clouds were falling to the ground.
The power of that female called [Demon Lord Algol] had released beams of petrification upon the world prepared for this Gift Game.
This female who possessed the power to instantly fill the world in her light……Kuro Usagi trembled as she spoke her name:
“Star class spirit, Algol[5] ……! Similar to Shiroyasha-sama, a Demon of the Star class Spirits!”
And the whole reason for her being able to use the power of [Petrification] that’s supposed to belong to Medusa should stem from that arrangement in the stars.
Possessing the Demon named after a star, a ‘Star-classed Spirit’ which is the strongest race in Little Garden. That is the greatest trump card of [Perseus].
“I guess both your comrades and my underlings should be petrified by now, right? Hm, it does sound like a good punishment to those useless fools.”
Laius laughed arrogantly. While Kuro Usagi, Izayoi and Jin had not defended themselves from the ray, they were not petrified as well. All due to his whim of wanting to play a little longer.
In a Game that used the Community territory as the stage, there finally appeared the first challenger and to immediately let the Game end would be much of a pity.
Compared to the frivolous remarks that hung by his mouth, Laius’s fighting spirit should have already escalated by now. However, Izayoi was also feeling the same. Having suffered a humiliation in Shiroyasha’s Game, this would be the best stage to vent it.
“Ochibi-sama, back off. Looks like I won’t have any excess power to protect you.”
Izayoi turned back to remark to Jin and Jin seemed ashamed as he backed away.
“Sorry……I really……can’t do anything.”
“Not that you are lousy, but do you still remember that thing I told you?”
Jin nodded his head hurriedly. That was to refer to the conversation they had the other day about the direction of the Community’s activities to be focused on ‘Defeating Demon Lords’.
Izayoi gave Jin’s hair a good ruffle and continuing in a soft voice like the whisper of a secret: “Your plans were all blown right? You had actually wanted to do so by getting Leticia back to defeat Demon Lords right?”