86-Episode 79: Whereabouts Of The King Piece
According to Lesbon's story, the high-speed magic ship arranged by the Adventurer's Guild would arrive in this new continent within three days. That also meant that they had to meet up with Karasuma and the others, who were apparently captured by the blood clan, within that time.
It was indeed difficult to cooperate in this search. The Time World Desert was vast, and it would not be easy to find just two or three monsters from there. In addition, the desert was home to powerful wild monsters such as Lesser Demons, and there was a possibility that they would end up having to deal with the Blood Clan.
Speaking of which, how did you hear about the Blood Clans coming to you and your people to ask for help?
'You've been stalling on your reply. You haven't prompted me.
The Blood Clan asked Lesbons to capture the White Horse and Inugami. The fact that they didn't come to urge you to do so means that they are not very serious about their search. That request, we haven't even witnessed the sighting of a monster with the blood clan's breath in it.
If you can escape the continent without contacting the blood clan, that's all the better.
But as it stands, Spider Saki and Tentacles Field might still be on this continent, and the Blood Clan's headquarters might be somewhere on this continent as well. With that in mind, we can't just completely ignore the existence of the blood clan.
''I wouldn't recommend it too much.
Filhana, sitting next to Lesvon, leaned forward and said so.
'It's about finding your friends who have been captured by the Red Moon blood race (Red Moon). Three days is far too short a deadline to find them.'
Kyousuke knows that much, too. However, it is a promise made by all of us to return home with the whole class. I really don't want to do anything that would positively break that.
What do the other members think? Are they thinking more dryly than Kyousuke? Glancing over at them, they all remain silent and don't try to say anything.
Seeing Kyousuke in such a state, Filhana lets out a small sigh.
''It can't be helped. Well then, let me tell you some special information.''
What's the special information?
It was not Kyousuke who showed surprise at Filhana's words, but the sorcerer Weygun, who was seated a little further away.
''The Empire has dispatched a number of investigators, including the Imperial Clockwork Alliance (Dial Knights), to various locations in order to find out where the blood clans are operating. As a result, the New Continent is mostly White.
This was the first time Lesbons had heard this word. If anything, it was more of a shock to them than Kyousuke.
''Wait, Filhana, are you also in this new continent?''
'I have no idea if he's coming or not, I have no idea about that. Fourth o'clock seating, I think, was it? It's already nearly confirmed information in the Empire that this new continent will not be the home of the Blood Clan's activities.
Furthermore,'' said Filhana, holding up one finger.
''If there is a possibility that the Clockwork Alliance's four o'clock seat is still investigating the new continent, Utsurugi and the others shouldn't stay long. A tripper that has been turned into a monster by the bloodline is a good target for the Empire to investigate.
The Adventurer's Autonomous Region is one of the few lands that are not controlled by the Empire.
In addition, the southeastern part of the Old Continent, the Kingdom of Verneus, the Adventurer's Autonomous Region Zernaeus, and the three Neus Kingdoms of the Zelga Gladiatorial Principality, the northern part of which is connected to the Empire, is surrounded by the steep Beast King mountain range, making it difficult for the Empire to reach them.
They escaped the lawless New World and took a breather in the Autonomous Region of the Adventurers. And the best way to stabilize the situation is to gather friends from these three territories that are beyond the reach of the Empire's control.
This is what Filhana says.
Is she telling the truth or is she lying?
I wanted proof that her words were not a lie here. But there was no way to get such a thing.
Thinking calmly, there should be no reason for Filhana to lie to this extent.
''Well even if that's the case, I'd like to at least get through joining up with Karasuma.
Hmm. Hmmm. What do you want to do? Lesbons.
These three days...
The one-armed, one-eyed adventurer looked up at the ceiling as he was talked down.
''I'd be happy to help you with at least one of those raven-eyed goblins.
The words that came out were still surprisingly positive.
''Just don't expect too much. As you can see, we don't have a lot of spare capacity here. As I said before, this desert is too big to find a single monster. I mean, if Karasma comes back of his own accord, we can still make some predictions...
Kyousuke fell silent. Would Karasuma come back of his own accord? It's a difficult question.
I'd like to think it wasn't a definitive breakdown. But it was the kind of event that revealed the existence of the rift that had been forming. Kyousuke still couldn't feel the inferiority complex that Karasuma had been holding onto, until now.
Until a few days ago, they would have been able to exchange words in a friendly manner.
But whether that Karasuma really wants to come back, I still don't know.
'Come to think of it, Karasumaru, you flew in the direction of that foxfire I saw on the edge of the desert yesterday.
The white horse interrupted him from the side.
'Kitsunebi? Fire or flame? I'm pretty sure I could see it from here if it was a weird light. Rain.
I'm pretty sure it's southeast of us. That's where we're headed inland through the desert.
So let's do a little search along those lines, shall we?
While the adventurers were talking about such things, Kyousuke looked at his own right arm.
A demon's arm bone. When Karasuma saw this, he jokingly muttered a famous passage from a certain video game. Kyousuke was surprised that Karasuma would play the game too, to which Karasuma replied that of course he would.
At that point, Kyousuke still didn't understand him.
It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
''Rin........''
It's impossible to know how people feel, so don't be so hard on yourself.
'Oh, yeah...'
Once the story was settled, they would begin the search for Karasuma.
At the same time, Kyousuke remembered another man who had disappeared on the adventurer's side as well, the wombat. He wondered if the adventurers weren't worried about him, but he didn't feel much better when he remembered the man, so he stopped.
As I had originally assumed, the negotiations went easily.
If the Blood Clan flashed the Demon King piece, the representatives of the Sailorian civilization sphere, which was at war with the Demon Military, would have to give in to the other party's demands. But the Blood Clan is the Blood Clan, and they are wary of the Sailorian Civilization Sphere, which has extended its power to the north of the New Continent, joining forces with the Empire to pinch the Blood Clan.
Mutual non-interference. That's where they landed on each other.
The only people who mainly exchanged words were Guren and Gosama.
Karasuma only watched.
When the negotiations were almost settled, the door opened with a clatter. Karasuma's gaze naturally turned toward it. He turned toward it and was speechless.
'Sink, you got a minute?'
Hey, Wombat, what's up?
It was that adventurer's companion who came in there. It was a wombat of a sifu.
Karasuma remembered it clearly. How that man had tried to tease Inugami and then toss him out. It was hard to stay now and leave them, but there was enough emotion in Karasuma to make him angry here.
Wombat also looked at us, but he didn't show any particular emotion. Perhaps he recognized Karasuma as one of the other Ayakashi.
With spear in hand, the Knight's Think exchanged a couple of words with the wombat, and then turned to Glenn and said
'Glenn, I'm going to ask the wombat if he can explain to me where the monster is.
All right, you'll be okay on your own?
Yes. I don't have to go out in person.
Sink gives a small smile and leaves the room with the wombat.
After waving him off, Omae asks Glenn.
'Who is that human?'
Adventurers. Go ahead and offer your help. I haven't told you anything about Celia or the mountain of monsters, so don't worry about it.
Glenn said with a beaming smile. Karasuma was not at peace with his mind.
That man said he would explain to us about the location of the monster. He is going to sell our information to the blood race.
"You were talking about the location of the monster?
It has nothing to do with you guys. It's the monster we're after. They speak the human language, and if you see any unnatural individuals in their habitat, please report them.
At Glenn's words, Gomae-sama's gaze now turned to Karasuma. His heart was cold.
If Gomae-sama intended to do so, it would expose that Karasuma was not actually an ayakashi from the Seria civilization, and if that happened, Guren would easily be able to figure out that he was a student of Year 2 Class 4.
He shouldn't have come this far. Karasuma felt his own heart beat faster. The sweat was expected to erupt from his entire body, however, the raven-tengu's body had no sweat glands. Instead, he felt his mouth open and his breathing become small.
''I see.''
Omae said and returned her gaze to Glenn.
'If I find anything, I'll tell you.
Thank you, Your Highness.
In the end, that was the last time we talked about it. I don't know if he really believes Karasuma to be one of Ayakashi's friends, or if he's simply trying to get back at someone he doesn't like. In any case, Karasuma had saved his life.
And the good fortune that befell him did not end here.
Omae-sama changes the subject.
'Guren, you are sure that the king piece you are bringing to this graveyard is that of the demon king?
'Yes. But I don't intend to deliver it to the evil cult that you are fighting against. Thus, while the non-interference agreement is in place. ...See?
With that, Glenn opens a box that sits on one of the desks in the room.
He took out a shimmering, light purple crystalline body. As soon as he saw it, Karasuma felt his entire body stand on end. His heart jumped up again as he finally regained his composure. The haunting light that the crystalline body emitted eerily illuminated Glenn's smile.
'Put it away, something like that,'
Ozen-sama said, his narrow eyes narrowing further.
''Well, it would be a disaster if you accidentally put something like this into a Lesser Demon's body. We won't let it out when we don't need it either.''
Glenn smiled and tucked the king piece into the box.
'What happens if I put it in there?'
Karasuma found himself asking such a question.
Glenn looked surprised for a moment, but quickly returned to his smile.
'The Lesser Demon is the immediate family of the Demon King. No matter what kind of individual he is, he is a qualified member of the king piece. In other words, a Lesser Demon who takes in a piece of the King's piece will gain power comparable to the Demon King....... Well, the vessel is too small, so it won't be able to last long.
Apparently, the only people who could take in the King's piece had to be eligible, or their immediate family members. Karasuma was slightly discouraged.
But even so, with this king piece, it would still be possible to subdue the Lesser Demon. It was troubling. How to sneak into this heavily guarded place.
Haha, that's where Karasuma came up with the idea.
The fact that Wombat has told Sink where Kyousuke and the others are, means that an attack there is planned in the near future. It's not clear if he's going to take out the demon king pieces, but if he does, he wants to snatch them up somehow. If they don't take it out, then we'll take it away when the security is thin on the ground.
At my flying speed, I can get away with it. We can get away with it.
This is your chance. For me to regain my confidence.
Karasuma clenched his fists with his trembling arms and slowly closed his eyes.
The negotiations that had opened up between Gosama and Glenn ended not long after that.
After the negotiations were over, Gizen-sama left the dungeon with Karasuma. The other foxes did the same. It was already evening.
You can find out more about the matter Guren asked him about, but he didn't really pursue the matter, he asked Karasuma.
''What are you going to do now?''
The foxes around them all looked at Karasuma at once.
'We are going back to the mountain of youkai now. I don't know where you come from, but if you're a raven-tengu, you could live with the jounin. The jounin is a bit of an arrogant man, but he has a good heart. You'll learn how to use a sword, learn how to use your divine powers, and eventually become a Sailorian and fight the evil cult, which is not such a bad thing.
Why he would do so to a stranger, a raven-tengu, Karasumaru didn't know exactly why he would do so to a stranger.
It's a look akin to pity, but not the same as pity. It's more like nostalgia. The feeling of trying to be close to something that has somewhat similar circumstances. There seemed to be such a thing in Your Highness.
But.
I have ... things to do.
Karasuma shakes his head slightly.
So you're going home?
.........
Karasuma was unable to reply to Gizen-sama's calm words.
He was not surprised to learn of this one's circumstances. At the same time, there was a feeling of 'Oh, I knew it.
We were seduced by our bloodline to come here about two hundred years ago. At that time, our ability to cross the world was not yet perfected. It involved a lot of people. We gathered together a group of like-minded people and outcasts and founded a nation here in Celia. We have no more desire to stay in Japan, but if you want to return, that's fine too. You'll be good on the road.
It was a gentle word, though. He pulled slightly at Karasuma's back hair, but that didn't change his resolve.
Karasuma's consciousness was leaning heavily on the demon king piece. No, it was already completely, completely tilted.
This was not a problem that could be controlled by logic. Simply, Karasuma Yoshitsune had been driven to the point where he would otherwise be unable to regain his confidence. Arrogant and unrestrained self-esteem. Indeed, it was a demonic fate.
Leaving Gomae-sama and the others, Karasumaru waited at a slight distance from the dungeon. Gizen-sama and the foxes were now returning to the mountain of youkai. There were some regrets, but the parting was surprisingly easy.
After waiting for a while, Sink and Wombat returned and Glenn came out of the dungeon.
Sink and Glenn dodge a few words and then turn their gazes towards us for a moment.
''........!
Karasuma hurriedly ducked behind a rock. Don't tell me that our movements are being detected by them? From behind a rock, I try to check out the dungeon again. When I try to peer in, my beak pops out, so it's not quite as easy as I would like it to be.
When I finally give up and turn my gaze towards the dungeon, sticking out my beak, I see that Glenn and Sink are just about to start moving in the direction of the west. There was no sign of the wombats.
If they are heading west now, could it be that they are already planning to attack Kyousuke and the others?
Knight and Bishop. Although they are powerful individuals, Kyousuke and Rin have already experienced a victory over the Knight once. Partly because their opponents didn't resist, but it was a blink-and-you'll-miss-it victory without a hitch.
Even if Karasuma didn't bother to return to tell them of the urgency, wouldn't it be easy for Kyousuke and the others to fight them off?
''That's right. Now that I'm back........
Instead of biting his back teeth, he rubs his beak together hard.
As it is now, there is no place for Karasumaru Yoshitsune in there. He can only be stronger. I want to have enough achievements to recover from my current low status.
There was no sign of the Lesser Demon around the dungeon's entrance, either. If I'm going to make a raid, it's now or never. Karasuma spread his wings and pushed his body up into the air in one fell swoop. It was already familiar with the art of manipulating the wind and making its silhouette, which was unsuitable for flight due to its aerodynamics, fly at high speed.
The black wings pounded the air and Karasuma flew through the air at once. It didn't take long to reach the dungeon's entrance. After paying attention to the interior of the dungeon and making sure there didn't seem to be any particular danger, he pushed his way inside.
''Kii?''
Kikiyi!
There were a few imps inside, but Karasuma took out his leaf fan and gave it a fan. The blade of wind that was generated tore the little devils apart in an instant.
This level of power was not enough to satisfy them. Stronger. You must become stronger.
Furthermore, on his way to the room where he had found the king piece earlier, he was discovered by several corpses (ghouls), but all of them were quickly cut down. I found the room and stepped in.
''.........!
Then Karasuma found "him" again.
"You...!
Tsk....
It was one of the adventurer's companions, a wombat, who clicked his tongue. He, too, was holding a box of king pieces in his hand.
'What are you doing? What are you doing here...!
That's what it's all about. That's what you are.
'You've not told the rest of your friends! Why did you tell them where my people were!
So I'm like you.
Wombat had a hint of annoyance in his voice, but the inflection itself was flat.
Just like you. Wombat didn't try to utter any more reasons, but he gave a small sniff when he saw that Karasuma was at a loss for words.
'You and I both came here to redeem ourselves. Isn't that right?
That's the point. I'm at a loss for words.
"I took it upon myself to attack you and your people and took Wegan prisoner. A bit of redemption...
You're just inconveniencing them by doing that! If they find out that you've been compromised, it's going to put those adventurers in a bad position!
Immediately after he said that, Karasuma knew that those very words would bounce right back at him.
As much as he wanted to redeem his position and look back, the damage this dogmatic preoccupation would do to his friends was far greater. This is nothing more than an act of self-aggrandizement, caused by an outburst of self-esteem.
You should have known that. You should have known that.
Wombat turns around and yells at me, holding the box in his arms.
'Lesvon has lost an arm and an eye! We'll be fighting your battles! I don't even know if I can be an adventurer anymore. I've got to get one thing here that's going to be a money-making achievement!
You mean this f*cking piece of shit?
The Empire is collecting him. There's a huge bounty on offer. That's enough to make a special magician's prosthetic arm and eye prosthesis, and it's also enough for me to start another business. I'm sure that if you brought back a piece of the king's piece, Lesbons name would rise. So........
His eyes were serious. There was no doubt that what was driving Wombat was a kind of merit. In his own way, he was concerned for the same adventuring party. That's why he went to the extent of breaking his promise to kidnap Azuki, and pretending to cooperate with his blood clan to steal the king piece.
Narrow-mindedness.
That's just narrowing of vision.
You can't see anything.
Doing so would only make Lesbon's position worse.
But Karasuma didn't have the confidence to reprimand and correct it out loud. Because even what Karasuma was doing was exactly the same as what the wombat was doing. No, this one was hardly more honorable, as he was only thinking of selfishness.
''d*mn.''
Karasuma swore in his mind.
Karasuma no longer had the energy to argue with the wombat here and take the king piece away from him. If that was the case, then getting out of here in a hurry and fleeing would be the top priority. But if you're escaping with the wombats, you won't be able to catch up to Guren and Sink.
'Hey, Glenn. I was right, right?
Just then, heart chilling words came from behind me.
''It's true. I didn't expect that you two were both after the king piece.
A woman's voice was followed by a man's voice that could be heard.
I turned to see two blood relatives standing, each with their backs to the entrance. Glenn the Bishop and Sink the Knight. They were the two who should have left this dungeon just now and headed west. I didn't expect them to come back.
These two had intended to do so from the beginning. Sink had noticed the suspicious attitude of the wombat who had offered to help, and perhaps even Karasuma. He had set a trap that if he stayed away from the dungeon, he would break in to steal the wombat.
Wombat wasn't trembling as he held the box in his hands. He glared at Glenn and Sink, and then, a little, at Karasuma.
Sink walked into the room, spinning his bright red spear around and walking into the room.
'Huh......... I won't ask you to give it back, since it would be useless to tell you. Instead, I want you to resist as best you can. Okay?
Sync, that raven-tengu is one of the targets.
Yeah, so I'll be careful. But, well, if you're going to resist, I guess you have no choice.
The mouth of the sink that goes up and down bewitchingly. The bright red glow becomes cloudy with a thudgy black glow.
''Raven Tengu isn't much of a race, it's not much of a race. They don't even have the conformity of a king piece, they're just a little fast, a hazel.
'Certainly, because the future growth potential is slim. Not enough to rush in and catch it.
The words cut deeply into Karasuma's heart. But his gutted heart was so calm, to his own surprise.
It seems that's just the way it is after all. Myself, the former human.
Reborn as a raven-tengu, frolicking and proud, but that's where it stops. My flight speed is just a little faster than others. They're not such a great deal. You can't become a strong, honorable man like Kyousuke and the others.
If I didn't resist, would you catch me?
..... Well, sort of.
With a slightly unwilling expression, Sink replied.
''Where Koganei and...........Kumozaki and the others were being held......?''
Yeah, I'll bring you up to speed, but it's going to take a few days. It's not a pleasant journey.
After all, they were transported somewhere other than this continent. The Blood Clan's home base. Karasuma was convinced.
In addition, he has the navigational skills to reach the old continent from the new continent in a couple of days.
I have the information. Now that we have it, we can't get caught.
''Oooh oooh oooh oooh oooh!
The wombat ran past the thinking Karasuma, scraping past him. In one hand, he held a small knife. At the same time, the box of wombats he had held earlier rolled on the floor.
''That's how it must come!
Sink gives him a big smile and thrusts his spear straight into the air with a big smile on his face. As he ran, the wombat tried to take an evasive maneuver, but Sink's spear wouldn't let it escape. The behavior of the thrust was not a straight line.
The trajectory of the thrust changes as if it were a transformational trajectory. The sharp tip of the spear accurately caught the wombat's arm at the end of the evasion.
Fresh blood splatters. Flesh was torn off and bone was blown away, Karasuma recognized it.
As one of his arms was blown off, the wombat looked at Karasuma.
He didn't have enough time to examine what that gaze meant.
Sink would kill the wombat in less than thirty seconds. Then it would be Karasuma's turn. If he was unresisting, he would be caught; if he resisted, he would be killed. Karasuma picked up the box of king pieces that the wombat had released on the floor.
There was a shuddering sensation of fear, a shuffling of feet. Still, he had to force his body to move.
''(I'm an idiot!)
Holding the box under his arm, Karasuma flies towards the aisle where Sink and Glenn are waiting.
''Huh........''
Glenn has a small smile on his mouth and generates a black lightning bolt on his right arm. That thing binds the monster's movements, it's like magic. We can't eat it, but as it stands, the only way to escape is to jump into that place.
As Karasuma prepared himself, a knife flew in from right beside him.
The knife stabbed into Glenn's arm, and for a moment, the lightning bolt that arose burst out.
''Kutaku........''
Glenn!
Karasuma passed into the corridor in a moment when Glenn flinched.
The corridor was crowded with imps, lesser demons, and even wights. Glenn quickly recovered and followed Karasuma out into the hallway. Glenn compressed the black lightning bolt that had grown on his right arm and shot out like a bullet.
''Gah...!
The bullet gouged the ravenous wing wide open. He lost the balance of his flight and bounced off the walls and floor.
Behind him, Glenn slowly followed.
Karasuma opened the box of king pieces in his arms. Inside, he kept an eerie crystalline body that still maintained a suspicious light. The moment the light illuminated the passage, the Imps and Lesser Demons stopped their movements.
''Attack that guy!
The imps and daemons, illuminated by the light, stood on their sticks as if they had lost their egos at that moment and turned to Glenn, as if in response to Karasuma's words. Karasuma stands up to protect his own wings, which have holes in them, and heads for the dungeon's exit.
No matter how much effort he tried to put into his wings, he couldn't jump up. The single and greatest feature, Karasuma was blocked.
''This kind of........by the way......!
When Karasuma managed to get to the dungeon's exit, the surroundings were already dim. The moonlight illuminated the desert with a blue light.
The inside of the passage echoed with the sound of many explosions. When I turned around in surprise, the narrow passageway of the dungeon was filled with scorching smoke. As Karasuma took two or three steps backwards through the sand, a blackened "something" was thrown down in front of him.
It was the charred corpse of a lesser demon. Out of the smoke, a smiling Glenn walks toward you, a black bolt of lightning clad in his right arm. He can't afford to be timid. Karasuma turned away and ran single-mindedly, a second black bullet, this time gouging Karasuma's back. Writhing in intense pain, he still tried to move forward.
''(I'm an idiot)''
This is the result of behaving arrogantly and not trying to reflect on myself until now.
I am, at this moment, trying harder than I have ever tried in my life. I struggle and suffer desperately, and yet I am forced to move forward. Why in the world is everyone so grateful and respectful of these things?
The footsteps of death are slowly approaching behind me.
The first 'effort' in my life, apparently, is going to end up going unrewarded.
I hate it!
Karasuma Yoshitsune shouted. Immediately afterwards, "something" fell from the sky with great force and slammed down on Guren with great force.
''Huh........!
The impact pushed Karasuma's body backwards. He rolled on the sand as it was, holding the king piece in his arms, desperately trying not to drop it. The grains of sand from the Toki-Kai desert hurt as they entered his feathers. Still, I managed to get one hand on it, stand up and turn around.
There was a shimmering, burning flame standing there, as if it were an image of a human form.
The figure that illuminates the evening darkness is like a flaming heat demon (Efreet).
''Hi, Hino...?
Karasuma had an idea of what he looked like. However, there was no information that his classmate, Ei Hino Ei, had transferred to this new continent, and even if he had, it was hard to imagine him taking the form of such a person.
The fiery demon glanced at Karasumaru and extended his arm, pointing in the direction of the west.
Even though he didn't utter a word, he understood that he was telling her to run away.
''You are...!
Glenn stands up, anger in his voice.
'What the hell do you think you're doing! Don't do this. It's a noble act of defection!
Karasuma had no idea what Glenn was talking about. But this is an opportunity.
I don't know what this fiery fiery demon has in mind, but I'm sure he's friendly to us. We have no choice but to flee while he's buying us time. Karasumaru ran out of the desert with a quick glance, holding the king piece in his arms.
After Karasumaru Yoshitsune ran through the desert, Glenn glared hard at the man in front of him.
''What do you mean by that? You're coming out of there now, stolidly! Letting a monster with a king piece escape?
The man refuses to answer. Nevertheless, Glenn continues, revealing his anger.
'Everything we do is being watched by the king. Don't think you won't notice.... Oh, shit. I see.........!
Glenn looks up at the night sky and swears.
'But you can't do this kind of free-for-all anymore. You know that, don't you? I'll report this to the King when I return.
It is,
The man spoke up for the first time there.
'If we get out of there alive, that is.
Glenn glares at the man again, harder. He says, trying to find out what he really meant by the words he muttered.
'Glenn's right, I'll be quiet. If I go any further, the king might find out.
You know, you're new here. You'll be the first to know about this when you get back... and you'll be the first to know about it.
Glenn grabs the man by the chest and then heads back towards the dungeon. Once again, he plans to go into battle with Sink.
The man looked up at the night sky. He had tricked the king into coming here because certain favorable conditions were in place, but he might have taken quite a gamble. Now was a time when trust was more important than anything else. He could help Karasuma, but as expected, there was no way he could add more to his team.
Just.
It was just a little bit of a swoon to be able to knock a shot into Glenn who had said and done something that made Suo look like a fool.