The Thing Lurking in the Oasis
The thing appearing in the oasis was 10 meters in length, it has numerous tentacles wriggling around, and a magic stone shining in red was inside of it. A slime... it was the most suitable word to describe it.
However, its size was abnormal. Slime-type demonic beasts were normally one meter in length, at best. Moreover, there should be none with power to manipulate the surrounding water. It should only capable of manipulating tentacles that were part of its own body.
"What the... what's with that demonic beast? Is it... a Vachram?"
Randzi muttered in blank surprise. Vachram itself was a slime-type demonic beast of this world.
"Well, I don't care whatever it is. In the end, isn't this the thing polluting the oasis? So, it is most likely to have a peculiar magic that excreted the poison."
"... What you're thinking should be right. But, can Hajime-dono defeat it?"
While Hajime and Randzi were conversing, the Oasis-Vachram was still attacking in anger by using its tentacles. Yue and Tio were dealing with those tentacles with ice magic and fire magic respectively. Hajime was also intercepting while talking using Donner-Schlag, and though he aimed at the core-like red magic stone, he could not easily hit it since the magic stone moved around the body, as if it had its own will.
Seeing Hajime's artifacts and magic from Yue and Tio, Randzi had given up being surprised and decided to just ignore them which resulted in him being capable of calmly ask Hajime that question.
"Nn~... yeah, there's no need to worry. I've caught it now."
Replying casually to Randzi's question, Hajime quietly put Schlag back into its holster and used both hands to ready Donner while narrowing his eyes, following the track of the moving magic stone. His right arm thrusted straight forward and left arm's elbow slightly bent. His feet, one positioned forward and one backward. It was the shooting posture called Weaver Stance, the pose to accurately fire Donner.
Hajime's eyes sharply narrowed just like those of a hawk's, completely capturing the movement of that magic stone. Then...
KABOOM!!
With a dry explosive sound, a line of flash cut through the air as though they were pulled by a magnetic force. The moving magic stone, while ignoring the law of inertia, was shot through by the flash, and it could be said the magic stone was being voluntarily being hit.
The impact and heat from the railgun instantly annihilated the magic stone, and at the same time, Oasis-Vachram lost its power and the water it manipulated returned into normal water. WoOoOoOSH~! A large amount of water poured down. Randzi and his subordinates were watching the generated rough waves.
"... Is it over?"
"Ah, there's no more magic power reaction from the oasis now. I don't know whether annihilating the cause is equal to purifying it though."
With Hajime's words indicating he easily repulsed the cause of Ancadi's desperate situation only made Randzi and his subordinates puzzled. Even so, because the cause was certainly annihilated before their own eyes, one of Randzi's subordinate came to examine the water's substance in a panic.
"... How is it?"
"... No, it is still polluted."
Randzi asked with an expectant tone, but his subordinate was shaking his head in disappointment. They knew the people were infected by the water drawn from the oasis, but they could not conceal their disappointment after finding out that it was still polluted even though Oasis-Vachram was no longer there.
"Well, there's no need for thee to be disappointed. With the cause gone, the pollution won't advance. And the water from the oasis comes from the fresh water in the underground water pulse, so the oasis will be able to return to its normal state if the polluted water is exhausted."
Tio told Randzi and his subordinates to comfort them, thus Randzi and his subordinates began to pull themselves together, displaying their wills. Their appearances, with Randzi, ruler of Ancadi, in the center showed how much they loved this country. It was a country that existed in a severe environment, so the patriotism was high.