17. Mortal Combat

Synopsis of the previous chapter:

Flirting with the Arachne… …*Whistles*

Chapter 17.

…They came for me.

Wielding an ax with one hand, Lily showed an intense expression towards the Arachne.

Also, the battle-ready Rose stood at the back, holding an ax at her waist.

While I was stuck from being held by my neck by the Arachne, I couldn’t move my eyes away from the two figures.

It was not as if I did not believe in them, that they would not come to rescue me.

Rather, I believed that they would have definitely come chasing after me.

Still, I could not help but feel my heart being warmed by their devotion, that they would disregard their own safety to rescue me.

Just that was enough to mend my broken heart.

As expected, I am useless without those girls.

As I thought that honestly, the voice of a certain charming girl licked my ear.

“Ho. To cometh chasing hither. Ye daredevils.”

Releasing her hand that was grasping my neck, the White Arachne turned around to face those girls.

*Goho*, *Kaho*…

Suddenly having my windpipe released, I, who had my neck raised and tightened, choked convulsively.

Physiologically leaking tears, I fell to the floor.

And thus, I returned to myself.

The color drained from my face in one go.

“If ye squareth against me, ye shalt surely die.”

This was no place to be happy.

The White Arachne that had me imprisoned...

…was the incarnation of violence.

To rescue me means to confront this monster.

In other words, to fly into the jaws of death.

Lily and Rose are both standing side by side, facing death.

I wonder why I did not prevent this from happening.

Even though it was obvious that it was going to occur.

If I was captured, Lily would lose herself. I don’t know how much Rose would be able to calm her down, but there was a high possibility that she would throw herself into a reckless fight.

It’s wanting to challenge an opponent that you cannot win against. Fortunately, they have confirmed that I was still safe――But with this spider as an opponent, my safety cannot be guaranteed――No matter how many days of training for battle or refining of strategies, it’ll be great if they have a fail-safe plan.

It might become too late then, but it’s a million times better than attempting an operation that’ll absolutely fail.

Though I knew that the girls couldn’t have thought it that way.

Yes, I knew.

I expected that it might have turned out like this, yet I did not come up with a plan for countermeasures.

That was my mistake.

I was too naive in my expectations.

I should have placed measures in advance.

Even though there shouldn’t exist anyone that they could conveniently follow in the event of my absence…

“How pathetic.”

As I tried to hide in the background, the Arachne turned to face the two.

“Nonetheless, ‘tis not that I am unable to perceive thine affections towards Milord. ‘Tis not that I knoweth not, but… …I shan’t relent. Milord is mine alone. I shan’t be deprived of it, nor wilt I surrender it. Because I hath the power to fulfill it.”

Obsession that was as sticky as spider threads spilled from the mouth of the girl.

“Begone, petty worms.”

“The one who is trivial, is you!”

Looking at the dark scene of despair in front of me, however, at that time, I saw something I did not expect.

Facing a ma.s.s of killing intent so strong that it froze my blood cold, Lily remained dignified.

In her demeanor, there was no fear shown in challenging a monster that was far higher ranked than she.

Watching her figure, I suddenly realized my mistake.

Lily hasn’t lost her calm.

Through the path that connects us, her heart remembers her anger, but she is more composed than I thought.

She did not simply jump into this situation with her feelings leading her. I can see that the demeanor she is showing now is one after she has resolved herself in something.

I wonder what happened. It doesn’t seem like her… ...Well, I might be saying too much, but I still can’t get rid of my discomfort.

Could it be that perhaps, she had thought through it properly before coming here?

Was there even a chance of success?

But, how?

Of course, I trust her more than anyone else.

…I trust her, but this and that are different things. It was within my expectations to see a scene in which they would be all over the place.

“I am trivial? Well said, young la.s.s.”

As though to mock my confidence, the White Arachne released a huge amount of intense killing intent.

Even I, who cannot feel such a thing as magic, felt the extraordinary power and threat on my skin.

Even in this open-air nest of the Arachne where there were no walls, I felt difficulties in breathing due to the intense pressure.

As expected, it's no good.

Lily. Rose.

They are going to be killed by the existence right in front of me.

“Both of you, forget about me and run!”

Even though I knew it was useless, I still couldn't help but raise my voice.

"Ye shalt not escape."

The Arachne's voice was filled with killing intent.

It was impossible for her to let Lily and the others to get away at this point of time.

“Thou hath called this dearest wish of mine naught but a trifling matter. I shall weigh thy courage…”

The huge body of the white spider crouched low.

"Thou shalt becometh mine food!"

Like a contracted spring released from pressure.

It won't stop. It can't be stopped anymore.

The ma.s.sacre begins.

Just before that.

“It’s okay, Master.”

I saw Lily’s smile.

　　　＊＊＊

The spider jumped.

Similar to a boat on a stormy day, the nest rocked greatly.

"Shaaaaaah!"

Leaping with six legs, it was almost the equivalent of a bombardment.

Just in those few seconds, Lily and the White Arachne closed the distance of ten meters between them, to zero.

The fearsome power of its jump was the same as the last time I saw it.

From what I saw, it was too late to react and respond in time to those movements.

For example, Rose, who went down in a single strike a while ago, was the same.

That was why I wasn't wrong in thinking that Lily and the others had planned their moves beforehand.

"s.h.i.+ng―i!"

…Matching the timing, Rose, who was behind Lily, swung her ax that she had readied at her waist.

At the same time, Lily threw herself directly to the ground without considering the consequences.

As a result, the wooden ax pa.s.sed through in the s.p.a.ce where Lily's body had been occupying just an instant before with a buzz.

"!?"

The White Arachne had targeted Lily when it had leaped into the air.

She had probably meant to kill the imprudent la.s.s that yelled in one shot with one of her spider legs.

Yet, the target in front of her eyes disappeared suddenly, causing her to slightly hesitate in confusion.

No matter what monster it was, they wouldn’t be able to counteract immediately, no to mention that it was a full-power charge.

The attack of the spider’s leg only cut some of Lily’s flaxen hair and ended there.

And then, the spider who had directly charged towards her target, Lily, got hit by the swinging blade of the ax itself instead.

The provocative words of Lily were used to create this situation.

Collision.

Even though it was of a wooden make, the battleax that Rose was holding was a weapon that held magical power.

With a blade of hardness exceeding iron, combined with the physical strength of a monster, the destructive power of the ax that was swung was not something to laugh at.

With a destructive clash, the ax was buried in the cephalothorax* of the spider.

The blade of the ax Rose swung shredded the white hair of the spider, broke through the tough skin and sank into the tenacious muscles, causing a small spurt of blood.

However, before the strike could achieve a critical hit, the ax itself couldn't withstand the impact and shattered.

"Giih!?"

In speed and tenacity, above all, in weight, Rose lost.

The huge body of white that attacked, pa.s.sed by Rose, slightly grazing her.

Rose was clearly not in the path of the spider's charge.

Yet, Rose's body seemed was repelled away, akin to a spinning top that was. .h.i.t.

The hand that was holding the ax by her side which originally looked as though it was about to be break from its socket, was sent flying, the human doll spun round and round, slamming into the mess of logs on the floor with a clash and bounced once before stopping.

"Shaaaaaa!"

The white spider landed on eight legs, then readied herself to jump after and deliver the killing blow towards Rose, who was in mid-air.

"I won't let you―!"

A yell rang out.

Lily, who was waiting in ambush on the ground, took the chance and released the magic she had been preparing.

Third-ranked wind magic, manifesting thirty-seven pieces of blades.

Although this is one of her prized techniques, the power is somewhat lower than usual, as that portion of power was converted to expanding the range of distance covered by it.

A raging wind blew with great violence.

Illuminations that were hanging from spider threads were sent flying and the floorboards that consisted of thin logs gave out creaking sounds and flew upwards.

With this, even a 'High Monster' should receive damage from it. Even I, who was looking at it from a distance, thought that it was casted with impeccable timing.

"An attack of such a level!"

However, the White Arachne instead escaped the effective range of Lily's attack magic with normally impossible actions.

Just an instant before Lily's attack magic was activated, the White Arachne paused its attack on Rose and shot out a spider thread, latching onto one of the trees.

With monstrous strength that could uproot a tree, the huge body of the spider disappeared from my sight.

"――There!"

Perhaps she didn’t lose sight of the enemy since her scream of kiai rang out―as expected of Lily!

"Ye fools!"

An odd sound of breaking was heard.

By the time I focused my gaze, one of the Arachne's spider legs had already been cut off.

She who was in the air aimed and attacked suddenly, breaking Lily’s spear in two and causing it to fly off somewhere near the ceiling.

"Ugh..."

Lily's forearms were torn to shreds as they were each turned in impossible directions; she became a defenseless figure, unable to defend herself.

The White Arachne would never let such an opportunity pa.s.s. It approached Lily as she was lying on the ground, then aligned her fingers together and poised to strike directly at Lily’s face with a knifehand.

Was it impossible after all? I thought, even as I prayed for the victory of Lily and the others.

"I'm not... done yet!"

In the next moment, from the opposite side of the Arachne where Lily had approached, Rose attacked.

"Wha!?"

Lily's wind magic had scattered about many timbers that the Arachne's nest was made from.

Hiding in one of its shadows, Rose rushed in from the blind spot of the Arachne.

The two sisters in my Family, who are connected by bond, executed waves of attacks and created a small moment of opening.

"s.h.i.+ng―!"

Taking out the spare ax she had been carrying with her remaining arm, Rose gripped it and readied to attack, striking the blade of the ax into the side of the White Arachne.

"Kuu..."

One of the spider legs was cut and blown away, dancing in the air.

However, Rose's ax did not deal a fatal blow.

Even when it was simultaneously attacking and defending itself, the White Arachne showed that it could protect itself.

The satisfactory attack that was dealt had only taken one of the eight spider legs that was sacrificed in its defense instead.

Even so, an injury is an injury.

In fact, Rose's attack perhaps only deeply wounded the White Arachne’s pride as it was injured by a monster of a lower level.

"Guh..."

The face of the girl on the Arachne twisted with hatred.

“You… Wench!”

"Gii!?"

Rose, who was in a posture after swinging her ax, could not dodge the spider leg that was suddenly thrust out like the tip of a spear.

Rose, who took the attack straight on, flew backwards in a horizontal line, stopping only after breaking two of the wooden pillars of the Arachne’s nest.

The ceiling, which was supported by many trees, made a creaking sound and tilted to the side.

This time, Rose did not move.

Lily had both arms broken whilst Rose had lost an arm and was down.

At this point, it seemed that fight has already been decided.

At least, that was what the White Arachne would have thought.

And that, was the only chance of victory Lily and the others had been looking for.

Lily’s eyes s.h.i.+ned brightly.

Lily opened her mouth towards the Arachne who was at a close distance.

“GaaAah!”

From the depths of her mouth, red flames roared out.

It was the mimicked flame-emission ability of a Fire Fang.

“Umph!?”

Even the Arachne could not avoid this.

The pure red flames engulfed the face of the white girl straight on.

“You did it… ...Ah?”

I was enthusiastic for one moment but my spine was frozen in the next.

It was because I witnessed Lily’s body being entangled in spider threads.

From the shoulder to the area near chest and left arm, to the right side of the body along with her foot.

The sight of her body being caked in spider threads was strongly burned into the retinas of my eyes.

My eyes were shown the embroidment of despair that stole even the little hope I had.

“Wha-… what...?”

Bending backwards, the Arachne murmured in a low voice.

“What did thee dare trieth? Insolent worm!”

One of the eight spider legs held one end of the spider threads entangling Lily.

The other end was firmly grasped in the hand of the white girl.

The Arachne roared with anger while simultaneously using the overwhelming strength of a ‘High Monster’, pulled on the spider thread.

What this will result in… Even a kid can understand.

To visualize, imagine a vinyl doll for young girls.

What would happen if one grabbed and held onto a leg and strongly pulled the arm with all of one’s strength.

With ripping sounds, the jersey Lily was wearing, her left arm, as well as a part of the left upper half of her body, were pulled apart.

”Aa.”

Lily muttered as her body was being destroyed, losing her core.

Just like a puppet with its strings cut, the body of a young girl fell face-down.

And thus, the movements on this side, as well, stopped.

“As expected... that earlier attack gave me quite a shock.”

The consciousness of Lily felt through our path became very weak.

Perhaps feeling the same thing, a gruesome smile floated on the bewitching face of the White Arachne.

“However, with ‘tis, it’s the end.”

Slight traces of blisters could be seen along the side of the girl’s face, which belonged to the upper half of the Arachne.

But, that was all.

“Ku… kkuku, kukukukukuu.”

The flashy laugh of the girl was, without a doubt, the laughter of a demon.

“Truly foolish ones. Even though ye hath not known a chance to stand against me.”

It is just as she says. Reasonably speaking, this was quite an expected result.

This is an obvious result of an obvious situation. I could only watch on like a fool to this world’s cruelty.

“Blame not me, but curse thine weakness of thyself. If thou hadst strength, then this would not have ended with thine deaths.”

The White Arachne boasted in triumph.

Said with pity, the mockery in the lines is evident.

“Farewell.”

She lifted one of her spider’s legs directly above the fallen body of Lily.

With the intention to deal the final blow.

There is no one else to stop the White Arachne.

“There seems to be quite a sad misunderstanding.”

Yes, that was the case.

“Kato-san…?”

I doubted my own ears.

Even after looking at the figure with my own eyes, I couldn’t believe it.

But, the one stepping into the Arachne’s nest was definitely Kato-san.

The fact that she is in this place, itself, is not a strange thing. Presumably, she came along with Lily and Rose. Then hid herself outside the Arachne’s nest.

But, why did she show herself in this place?

This is a battlefield.

This was not the place for a girl who did not possess any powers to step in. Kato-san should have known that as well.

“What?”

The White Arachne probably thought the same thing, and looked at Kato-san with eyes filled with suspicion.

“A misunderstanding? What art thou speaking of?”

Some discomfort and large amount of puzzlement.

Also, curiosity.

From the White Arachne’s eyes that were as red as blood, I could see bustling feelings travelling back and forth within.

“In the first place, wherefore doth a human the likes of thee standeth before me? Doth thee wish for thine early departure?”

It was actually quite natural for the White Arachne to say that.

She could kill Kato-san at any moment, and would probably not hesitate to do so.

However, there was not an ounce of concern that could be seen from Kato-san’s form.

It could not be helped that White Arachne brutally referred to it as a ‘suicide wish’, but Kato-san, who was confronted, shook her head to deny it.

“If I had wanted to commit suicide, I would not have gone through the trouble to move my corpse all the way here or the like, right? The reason why I came out here nonchalantly… ...Well, one of them was because I wanted to voice my complaint.”

If you want to kill me, just do it.

Carrying that kind of gallant att.i.tude, Kato-san confronted the white monster alone.

“…Now that I think back on it, Lily-san was the same as well. What is there to be ‘jealous’ of? Even if the gra.s.s looks greener on the other side, don’t you think that it’s too cruel? Speaking of ‘jealousy’, I should be the one saying that.”

With a grim expression, her words were clearly filled with indignation.

“You are the same as well. What I absolutely cannot attain, you do not realize is within your grasp. Isn’t it obvious that I want to at least complain about it?”

I couldn’t understand what she was talking about.

The same can probably be said of the White Arachne. Faint creases appeared between her eyebrows and she was silent for several seconds.

She was probably thinking about what Kato-san meant.

In the end, perhaps she couldn’t understand it, the White Arachne quickly gave up trying.

“…Cease your gibbering, la.s.s.”

Saying that, the White Arachne swept her hands to her sides.

Using speed exceeding what was possible for a human to react to, she caught the neck of Kato-san with a thread.

“Cease this talk of blathering. Doth thee not understandeth thine place? Knoweth not I can vanquish thee at will?”

If the Arachne had just tightened the hold on her neck a little more, it would have plucked the life of the young girl.

Even this was unable to silence the mouth of Kato-san.

“Ah. Right, one more thing, I had another aim as well.”

Or so it seems, there was no such thing.

Without fear towards the one who is holding her life in its hands, Kato-san continued speaking to the White Arachne.

“Rose-san said ‘a miracle was needed even if she had to bet her life on the fight’. But aren’t miracles things that don’t happen that easily? Reality is always cruel. But, I will not bow down to that cruelness. That’s why, I betted another life apart from Rose-san and Lily-san.”

“Thou, wherefore…?”

“Do you not understand?”

Kato-san distorted the ends of her mouth.

“I’m saying that I’ve bought enough time for now.”

At that time, the situation had already been decided.

“Right, Lily-san?”

“…No matter what, haven’t you crossed too far into the danger zone?”

There was an transparent ‘hand’ that firmly grabbed the bottom of the jaw of the white girl atop the spider, melting it into mush.

“But, thanks for helping.”

The somewhat unclear voice of Lily echoed throughout the Arachne’s nest.

“White Arachne-san. The fact that you didn’t know that I was a Slime, was our only chance of victory.”

The body of the White Arachne, was now enclosed in the Lily’s Slime body.

“You didn’t notice my pretence of being dead? It’s actually my special technique…”

As what Lily said, it was her trump card, her unique ability, 『Mimicry』.

I had known this.

That’s why, I knew there was ‘no such thing’.

“…or not, hahaha, I bluffed a little too much, perhaps. I was seriously about to die. My consciousness was knocked out as well… It would have been dangerous if Kato-san didn’t buy some time for me.”

As Lily had said herself, if Kato didn’t buy time, the situation would have been different.

The naked upper half of Lily’s body appeared from her Slime body, sticking to the front of the spider’s body; more than half of it was a transparent semi-liquid slime with a vague silhouette.

It was not that she purposely chose to stay in that form, but that she couldn’t construct a proper body.

That was a given. Her body was torn into pieces. Although Slimes have a simple structure and a tenacious life force, they are not invulnerable. Rather than pretending to be dead she had suffered enough damage to be dead.

However, she couldn’t not do it.

A one-time, hidden trump card that can only be used in critical situations.

That’s why, she didn’t just get done in, to a certain extent, she had to really taste death after being defeated. That’s why it gave a certain sense of achievement to the White Arachne, and gave birth to a big opportunity.

“With this, you can’t escape.”

The magic circle that she placed when she was lying down was filled with magical energy and began to glow.

The frozen Arachne immediately tried to tear apart Lily’s arm.

The girl tried to grip Lily with both her arms.

But at the next instant, a flying ax determinedly beat the Arachne’s arms away.

It was Rose’s a.s.sistance.

It wasn’t just for Lily’s sake that time was bought. Rose also, in the short amount of time, barely completed preparations to back up her sister as much as possible.

Although the ax that was thrown was unable to cut through the arm of the awfully resilient body of a ‘High Monster’, it caused the aim of the arm targeting Lily’s hand to go awry, raking the air instead.

It was just an opening of barely a single second.

However, that was sufficient.

Wind magic with the nature of a bullet exploded in the face of the White Arachne.

“Gu, gaah!?”

Lily, whose body was stuck together with the spider’s, was sent flying to the floor from the recoil. On the other side, the body of the Arachne, which could be thought of as rock-solid, swayed.

“Oh, oh, oooh…”

The spider swayed on its seven legs.

The girl’s upper half swayed from side to side like a pendulum.

“Ooooh…”

However, it was only that.

The shocking thing was that the White Arachne was able to endure the magic that was fired at zero distance.

“Th-… this… ...no matter how many times, how many times you try… ...Annoying…!”

Lily’s magic attack didn’t have the time to charge fully and was probably not at full power.

Still, receiving a magic attack at such a close distance and not breaking her neck, was probably because of her aberrant strength and the reason why its face didn’t get crushed.

Lily was only given those few moments of disorientation.

However, just in the small opening that was created, Lily and Rose fulfilled their goal.

In other words.

“Lily! Rose!”

““Master!””

They had impressively arrived at my side, alive.