17-39. Dungeon Highways and Lunar Corridor (1)

※This chapter is told in third person. Not from Satou's POV.

“L-Lilio!”

A black haired young man, John Smith and a boyish red-haired young woman, Lilio are locking eyes in a fountain square situated in front of Seryuu City's lord's mansion.

“W-what is it.”

Lilio blushed to see an unusual atmosphere hanging over John Smith.

Their awkward conversation must have been caused by a combination of shyness and nervousness.

“Aah, he stammered.”

“Try to keep it down, they'll hear you.”

“I mean, come on~”

From a slightly distant spot, Lilio's coworkers, Ruu and Iona, and also John Smith's Escort Caravan members, the two beauties are watching over them on edge.

“W-would you–”

John Smith choked on his words when he saw Lilio's eyes staring at him.

“Oy, don't ya dare chicken out on me now.”

“Prez! You can do it!”

Ruu and the beauty encouraged John Smith in whispers.

“Would you please marrime!”

John Smith went on with his proposal riding on the momentum.

He fumbled on his words a bit, but neither him nor Lilio noticed.

“Yes, he said it.”

“Prez!”

The two beauties froze when they saw Lilio losing the smile on her face.

“Y-you want to hire me as a bodyguard for your two beautiful mistresses?”

“You're mistaken! Those two are just my bodyguards.”

“A mistress?”

“I haven't done nothing to them!”

John Smith desperately tried to clear up the misunderstanding Lilio carried.

“You're the only one I want to make out with!”

“D-don't yell out something so embarra.s.sing!”

Lilio was fl.u.s.tered as John Smith declared that out loud.

As Lilio was about to turn her face away, John Smith stepped forward and embraced her close enough for their noses to touch.

“I'll say it again. Please be my wife, Lilio!”

“O-okay okay… Let's get married.”

“Lilio!”

John Smith embraced Lilio who whispered that with a look of a maiden in love.

“Oh good. Congrats Prez.”

“Ah, shees.h.!.+ That's the part where you put yer' lips on her!”

“Lilio went and got a head start on us huh.”

“We have to congratulate her later.”

The two beauties and Lilio's coworkers gave their blessing as they watched over the pair.

“Lilio, let's live together in Garleok City where my company's headquarters is.”

John Smith whispered to Lilio's ears as they hugged each other.

Without mentioning the reason being the danger of Seryuu City's labyrinth.

“Lilio, will you come with me?”

“…Un.”

Ringing sounds coming from Seryuu City's alarm erased Lilio's bashful answer.

At the same time, a great tumult could be heard from the castle and beyond the city walls.

“What's going on? We're at a good part here.”

“Question later. We've got to head back to the castle. Lilio, you're coming too!”

Iona clapped Ruu's shoulder and ran off while lifting her long skirts up.

Ruu followed after her.

“Don't go, Lilio!”

John Smith grabbed Lilio's shoulder as she turned around.

“Sorry. But I'm still a part of territorial army for now.”

Lilio put her hand over John Smith's and brushed it aside.

“Don't worry about me. You'll be surprised to hear I'm among the very best soldiers they've got!”

Lilio said that in a slightly jestful tone as if to relax John Smith, before saluting like a soldier and running off.

“President, I've sent Rita off to gather info. We should take shelter somewhere safe ourselves.”

His beautiful bodyguard urged John Smith to head to the underground shelter after he saw Lilio off.

After all, there's no guarantee of what's coming next considering the state of things in recent times.

“Lilio, please be safe…”

Even while chagrined at his powerless self who could only pray for his beloved's safety, he picks what he believes is the best possible action he could take.

The alarm was signaling stampedes of vanguard monsters flooding out of neighboring purple towers.

The main forces led by Earl Seryuu were dispatched to the city walls and purple towers, but the unit Lilio belonged to was stationed in the fort that encircles [Devil's Labyrinth] located in Seryuu City's suburbs.

Earl Seryuu was being wary of simultaneous monster stampedes occurring at [Devil's Labyrinth].

“Uwaa, something's s.h.i.+ning over there.”

Ruu yelled in surprise as she witnessed what happened beyond the city wall.

“Must be geezer-sama's thunder magic.”

“It's white mist now! –Whoa, cold!”

“This coldness, it must be Isusama's ice magic.”

“Isua? Was there even a mage with that name?”

“Don't you know her Ruu? It's the shopkeeper of that magic shop Zensan often dropped by.”

“Aah, that old lady huh!”

Right afterward, a disaster-like tornado blew over outside the city walls, ripping up countless vanguard monsters along with trees and sand.

“…Guess this one's Zencchi?”

“She goes by the name Silver Knight Air now.”

“Who cares about the name.”

Ruu wanted to say that she felt lonely not being able to fight alongside her but she held back.

Although they've become a bit stronger themselves, they have no place in battlefield where disaster-cla.s.s magic rage on.

“Geh, Lilio, Iona! Look at the sky!”

“D-demons?”

“And so many of 'em.”

“Oh no! They're landing toward Zencchi's direction.”

Iona stopped Lilio as she was about to run out.

“Hold it, Lilio. Believe in Zensan and the others there.”

“But–”

『My beloved children living in this world.』

An image of holy mother was projected in the sky right as Lilio was about to protest back.

“What the heck's that?”

“A G.o.ddess?”

Ruu and Lilio muttered as they looked up.

『Intruding the purple towers–[Tower of Trials] and letting Monsters of Trials flow out of the towers is a ploy by G.o.ds to reduce your faith toward Demon G.o.d-sama.』

“So that's what's going on!”

“d.a.m.n those G.o.ds! Gimme back my contribution!”

“I mean we've been getting extra income thanks to purple towers Demon G.o.d created, he's more G.o.dlike than those G.o.ds.”

“That's right! Cheers for Demon G.o.d-sama!”

Soldiers bewitched by the holy mother began showing their support for demon G.o.d.

“W-what's happening to these guys?”

“Looks like they've been bewitched by that holy mother.”

“So then, why are we fine?”

“I'm sure it must be thanks to these equipment Zensan gave us.”

Apparently the three members of Zena squad have acquired Satou-made equipment through Zena.

Afterward, the bewitchment came undone thanks to G.o.d Heraruon's intervention, G.o.d's apostles furnished with geometrical patterns intruded in the fight between vanguard monsters and demons, turning it into a three-p.r.o.nged battle, leaving territorial armies behind.

Some time after that, a masked hero gets projected in the sky.

『h.e.l.lo, people of the world. I am Hero Nanas.h.i.+.』

“We even got a hero now…”

Ruu grumbled with a tired look on her face.

That sentiment was shared with many people around her.

They must be thinking that these lots are just doing things on their own while leaving them behind.

Right after hero Nanas.h.i.+ was done with his declaration, pillars of lights fell down from heavens, annihilating vanguard monsters along with demons as the purple towers vanished in flashes of lights and thundering sounds.

Ruu muttered as she looked at it from afar.

“Hey, Lilio.”

“What.”

“Ain't this hero like some sort of G.o.d?”

“Ah, un. Agreed.”

Many soldiers around them nodded together with Lilio.

The real trial ends up coming to this land just as they sighed out in relief.

“John! Bad news!”

One of the beautiful bodyguards who was in charge of scouting the situation outside got back to the underground shelter where John Smith was taking refuge.

“What is it now? Labyrinth?”

John Smith asked with a fed up look.

In a short span of time, there were his marriage proposal, purple tower stampedes, demon invasions, holy demon mother, G.o.d and hero getting projected in the sky, and then quakes and roaring sounds from the destructions of purple towers.

His mental state has been desensitized by 1 in 100 years events that had just happened in rapid successions.

The reason why he guessed labyrinth was because that place simply had the highest chance of abnormality occurring next in Seryuu City.

“That's right!”

John Smith had a bitter look on his face when he heard the beauty.

“Or to be exact, I overheard people talking about black and purple mist coming out of the labyrinth.”

Then, Another beauty got back.

“John! I've figured out Lilio-san's position. She's at the fort encircling the labyrinth.”

“Tch, of all places, she just had to be there!”

That was when a man coming in from another entrance shouted, “It's a stampede! Monsters are flooding out of the labyrinth!”

“d.a.m.n it. Get back to the inn and prepare for our escape!”

John Smith ran out right after he said that.

“President! Where are you going?”

“I'm gonna go kidnap Lilio!”

“Wait, president! Rita, take care of our preps. I'm going after president.”

“Got it.”

His beautiful bodyguard ran after John Smith.

“None of you shall go outside the fort's wall!”

Knight Yukel Marientail had been dealing with monsters flooding out of the labyrinth before returning inside the fort encircling the labyrinth.

At first they had the upper hand, but halfway through he issued the order to retreat back into the fort.

Purple and black mist suddenly gushed out of the dungeon's gate and surrounding grounds and encroached horses and furnitures that were outside the defensive walls, transfiguring them into netherwordly eerie beings.

“Look at those fortifications laughing.”

“The wagons we left outside are running all over the place without any horse pulling them.”

“Forget about that you two, over there!”

At Ruu and Iona who were watching the situation outside in horror, a pale faced Lilio pointed at people writhing in agony outside the fort.

“Even humans…”

Several people who had black and purple mist coiled around them began transfiguring into a form similar to that of demi goblin.

Corpses of those who died fighting monsters coming out of purple towers started moving as undead. Even inside normal dungeons, corpses don't get turned into undead this fast.

“Yukel, we have to let the priests cast ritual purification magic. Your permission please!”

“I give them my permission Aunsama.”

“–Sama?”

“I mean, Auna.”

The former miko of Parion Temple who is also daughter of the earl, Auna showed her dissatisfaction when she heard her husband calling her with sama suffix.

Lilio who was wincing back at the sweet atmosphere emanating from the newlywed pair shouted out loud as she looked up at the sky.

“Everyone, above! Look at the sky, quick!”

The moon high above in the sky had turned into a full moon before anyone realized as something black began dripping down from it.

“Another disaster?!”

Ruu grieved at the moon.

“I won't be surprised if the moon cracks open next.”

“No way, that can't be–geeh.”

Right as Ruu was trying to a.s.sert that it couldn't be–.

“””The moon's gone?!”””

The moon in the sky has vanished.

Disappearing suddenly as if the G.o.d has stowed it inside their pocket.

The dripping black thing was still in the sky, but no one was composed enough to point that out.

Everyone kept looking up at the sky even while an ominous magic circle manifested in front of the labyrinth, and a demon came out of it.

『Nuhahaha. Moi, arrived!』

People finally noticed the demon once it shouted out loud.

『You impudent little! Me, furious! Our master is an aide of demon G.o.d-sama! A demon monarch close to G.o.d! Prostate yourself in fear! Me, order!』

Next to the jet black demons, demons shaped like an eyeball with wings and arms showed up, one of them shouted out loud in front of the jet black demon.

“Black greater demon? I'm sure Zensan had already taken care of it back then…”

Iona muttered as she looked up at the greater demon.

The Zena they're relying on is not here, she's left the place together with hero Nanas.h.i.+.

『Submit yourselves to me, you humans aka worms. Moi, recommends.』

Advanced lightning and ice magic a.s.saulted the greater demon.

Several lesser demons were destroyed into black mist by the magic, but the greater demon itself was unharmed, protected by a purple light.

『Foolishness. Moi has been granted G.o.d's protection. Your feeble magic won't work. Moi, pities.』

“Parion-sama's power won't lose out to some false G.o.d's protection!”

Auna swings her wand to bathe the demon in the finished ritual magic.

“Even a greater demon can't possibly win against a ritual magic cast by a congregation of high ranking priests–”

Auna's smile stiffened when she saw the unexpected outcome.

“H-how come!”

『Kuhahahaha. Moi, invincible.』

The greater demon struck some body building poses to show that it was unharmed.

『In deference to your awe, moi shall inform you dim-witted fools once again. Moi, joy.』

Ignoring the prattling demon, Yukel sent a light signal to ask for a.s.sistance from knight Kigor standing by on top of the fort's tower and for the mages including the lightning geezer earlier to work together and cast magic at the demon.

“Iona squad, sorry but I'll have to ask you to fight with me.”

Yukel spoke to Iona and the girls.

“Geh, seriously~”

“Lilio, that's an order from our superior.”

“I'll give it my all for Yukel-sama's sake.”

Lilio smiled with a cramp on her face, while the serious Iona reproved her.

Ruu who had a thing for Yukel saluted back with a nervous look on her face.

『This is our base for human world invasion and [Dragon's Valley] conquest. You humans may be worth less than worms, but we shall let you live as miasma producing livestock. Moi, generous.』

Knight Yukel and knight Kigor charged at the greater demon.

With Iona squad supporting them.

The two knights seem to have taken in prohibited acceleration drug, they're moving at inhuman speed.

『Vain struggle. Moi, points out.』

The greater demon clad in purple light dodged the two drug accelerated knights at speed equaling them.

The greater demon circled around Yukel's back and swung down its gigantic fist toward his head.

“Sacred Aegis.”

Blue and purple lights clashed intensely above Yukel's head, driving away the gigantic fist in the end.

Auna's holy magic has protected Yukel from the greater demon's attack.

Must be fruit of a new wife's labor.

『Impudent. Moi, serious.』

A purple light runs over the greater demon's body.

Blood vessels popped on its jet black body, its muscles bulged up.

『Have a taste of moi G.o.d's authority. Moi, accelerates.』

The greater demon kicked Yukel and Kigor around at speed that made it like the two, who were in still accelerated state, had stopped.

It's a supersonic acceleration by way of Unique Skills.

『Punishment fit for blockheaded turtles. Moi, condemn.』

The greater demon swings its fist down the fallen Yukel's head–.

“WORYAAAAAAAAAA!”

“WAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Ruu's and Iona's swords were swung down toward the greater demon.

Both of their swords were stopped in between the same greater demon's fingers.

『Our lord, overwhelming. Me, rejoice!』

The surviving lesser demons showed the greater demon with praises.

An arrow clad in a blue light was shot behind the greater demon.

Lilio had let loose a holy arrow shot from a satou-made crossbow.

Lilio deployed the trump card Zena gave her at the best possible timing.

This shot would have been enough to kill most monsters.

However–.

『Moi, skilled.』

After flinging Iona and Ruu away with a swing of its tail, the greater demon threw the sword it stole from Iona to destroy the holy arrow.

That thrown sword closed in on Lilio.

Lilio immediately jumped away, but she couldn't perfectly dodge the sword and suffered a large wound on her thigh.

A second sword flew toward Lilio.

“–Lilio!”

Just before the sword hit her, something flew off and exploded, changing the sword's trajectory at the last moment.

John Smith run in and carried Lilio away on his shoulder.

Behind him, John Smith's beautiful bodyguard protected the two from incoming thrown rocks using an Echigoymade s.h.i.+eld magic bracelet.

“O guardian spirit of Seryuu city. I command you by my name as territorial lord. Bring down my city's nemesis!”

Earl Seryuu's voice could be heard from afar, then blue transparent swords rivaling that of an advanced magic rained down upon the greater demon from above.

Followed by magic cast by lightning geezer and other mages a.s.saulting the greater demon.

The fort walls nearby cracked deeply from shockwaves produced by their magic.

『Kuha, kuhahahahaha. Humans, feeble. Now that moi has received G.o.d's protection, no more blind spot. Moi, invincible.』

The greater demon wrapped in a purple light stood without any change whatsoever.

If only nee-san and Hero-sama were here–.

Even while tormenting his own powerlessness, knight Yukel mustered up the last of his dignity and swallowed those words in his throat.

『Submit yourselves, worms. Moi, order you.』

Everyone wished for a miracle as they looked up at the cackling greater demon.

Please defeat this enemy we can't possibly beat ourselves.

–Checkmate.

The greater demon that had been boasting its invincibility got cut in two by a jet-black sword before it could even process what that faint word was even about.

“…Hero-sama.”

Yukel murmured.

A masked boy was standing beyond the black mist.