The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 208: The Second Coming of Lü Bu

In a state of being unified with Rollodeen(Divine Beast), we ran down the hill in one stretch.

“――What’s thaaat!? A black lightning? It’s charging this way while raising a cloud of dust!”

“A spirit world knight?”

“A warrior of the divine domain?”

“Whatever it is―― Slaughter everyone other than us! Kill, kill! It will be a meritorious deed!”

The largely-built monsters swarming the left side yelled. They had three, green eyes on the head, and four arms. They were wearing black breastplates that seemed to have smooth surfaces. Their two upper arms held black, straight swords, and their two lower arms black curved swords. They raised their swords diagonally upwards, targeting me with the sharp sword points.

I wondered whether they were going to shoot out something from those sword points, but the swords were no projectile weapons.

I suppose those are just weapons releasing mana――

Well, they are a bunch shouting 『Kill, kill』 and 『Meritorious deed』 no matter who the other party might be. It looks like they are enemies who will indiscriminately attack anyone.

The forces fighting against each other seemed to mostly consist of infantry, but cavalry, archers, and sorcerers were among them as well.

In the next moment, the archers shot their arrows at me. Countless arrows were in the air　― given that they had the size of an army corps, that was only natural, but they appeared to have a proper chain of command, too.

There were many beings possessing huge amounts of mana within the range of my Magic Observation.

I could have scouted them out from the sky, but I’m sure they would have shot arrows at me――

This place is an unknown battlefield――

It wasn’t clear what might have awaited me in the sky, or what attack might have been hurled at me――

Well, as long as I’m the one being targeted ― it should make the battle for my {Head Servant Leaders} in the back easier as well.

And, whether I want it or not, a mysterious being riding a magic beast like me stands out if he goes berserk at the front line.

That’s why I could surmise that they would move “somehow” if the enemy side had an excellent commander.

The monsters on the right also chanted 『Kill』 『Kill』 in a chorus.

There were many monsters among the left and right forces who ignored us closing in and kept on fighting against each other, but――

“――Go for it!”

“Reinforcements for the evil race!!”

“I shall take his head――”

The four-eyed, fiendish-looking monsters on the right side shouted.

Faster than the three-eyed monsters on the left side ― those four-eyed monsters approached us.

What those monsters held in their four arms were spears with black luster ― a line of spears held at the ready drew closer.

Sink or swim ― if you’re going to come, then just do it!

“Nuoooraaaaa――”

――A flash alongside a battle cry.

I swung my Magic Halberd from the right to the left as if scooping out with it. The monsters, who got close to Rollodeen, had their bodies diagonally divided into two parts.

“――The demons were defeated!? But! It’s an unknown! Kiiiiilll!”

“The shitty demons!”

The shouting monsters on the left were the same as the ones on the right.

I will hunt this left side down in one go!

While being all fired up ― I held up my left hand right besides me.

I shot a {Chain} from my {Chain Factor} looking like a small dragon ― the {Chain Factor} tattoo shone brightly, and the {Chain} went straight ahead, heading for the monsters on the left with a terrifying speed.

It’s a present for the monsters.

I felt like I heard a 『――don’t need it』 reverberating from an enemy on the left, but I think it was just my imagination.

A monster leaped at me, but I easily stabbed through its black iron armor with {Chain}. Its armor was destroyed just like that, and {Chain} went through the corpse’s flesh with such a speed that the corpse went ablaze due to the friction.

With lightning speed it stabbed through the torsos of monsters behind it, and also pierced the foot of a monster behind them. Next, it smashed the waist of another monster apart, drilled through the spine of a monster laughing behind the previous one, and then, while raising, penetrated through the head of a monster looking at all of this with a dumb expression, continuing to freely pierce through monsters without paying any heed to armors, greaves or helmets――

The tear-drop-like pointed end of that {Chain} seemed to even have dragon fangs ― it was truly the incarnation of a dragon pushing onward with such a force that it swallowed down the soldiers alongside the battlefield as if devouring the ground.

Matching the timing of the {Chain}, Rollodeen turned, obviously making a detour. She advanced while the enemies were blown away――

Her torso with its bushy, black fur was hit by arrows and struck by javelins. But, they didn’t work against her. The black fur repelled all of the attacks.

“Gyaaaaaaa.”

“Hieeee, my important thinggg!”

“My fooooot!”

The screams of the monsters on the left side, which had been stabbed by my {Chain}, resounded across the battlefield from all over.

Among them a monster, who wore characteristic, bluish white trousers, looked at the great quantities of blood at its abdomen.

“What the fuck is thiiiis!?” It shouted with a desperate look. “I don’t wanna die….” It acted like some detective, no, an actor, but it died then and there.

{Chain} was extending without any restrictions, but Rollodeen dashed across the battlefield without minding it.

There was a risk that {Chain} would get entangled, thus I retracted it temporarily.

In that moment my partner Rollodeen jumped while extending her front paws to the front. Her paws targeted two monsters.

“Fugyaa.”

“Gefuuh!”

The heads of the two monsters were crushed when they tried to attack us.

Rollodeen’s front paw {Thrust}? – the kicking attack, which crushed them with the bottom of her thick, horse-like forepaws that gave me such an impression, was brutal.

My partner trampled down on the monsters with the smashed heads using the hooves of her back paws. Using them as stepping stones ― she jumped diagonally forward. Rollodeen resembled a black horse flying through the sky.

“――Now, surroooound it!”

“We won’t let a single rider do as they please any looooonger!”

A platoon commander leading the monsters on the right? A four-eyed monster was hurling out instructions.

The soldiers, who heard his orders, all at once put their formation in order while beginning to spread out. The quality of their movements was high. I could infer that their morale was high as well.

An annihilation tactic, huh?

They apparently intended to skewer us with a line of spears.

――Oh? My partner has reacted quickly.

Rollodeen made her chest, which stuck out like that of a lion, swell. Like a hedgehog, she instantly produced black tentacles from the places besides the one I was straddling.

While deploying the black tentacles radially, they drew an arc, heading down from midair, and swooped down on the four-eyed monsters with a speed that caused a buzzing.

The bone swords, which extended out of the tentacle ends’ flesh, seized their bodies and stabbed through.

My partner’s tentacle missiles are really amazing.

However, this is a battlefield. No matter what amazing attack you use to kill an enemy ― the enemy won’t stop moving.

But, the same applies to my partner!

Rollodeen capitalized on her huge build to squash the monsters swarming her. While retracting her tentacles with a reeling sound, she landed, crushing the monsters underfoot with her big limbs.

Dust, flesh, blood, bones, and pieces of equipment were scattered into the vicinity like the bullets of a shotgun.

However, suddenly there were many monsters crowding us in order to use the opportunity of Rollodeen’s landing to stab at her――

Aiming at a tough monster which kept closing in even while having its body hit by the buckshot-like fragments of the broken equipment pieces, I swung my halberd, sending its head flying, however――

Even as I defeated and defeated them, the monster soldiers were rapidly surging forward one after the other.

I dodged a javelin by jolting my head, and knocked down an arrow with my halberd――

Arrows, spells, and javelins headed for my partner as well, but she skillfully repelled them with her fur and tentacles.

I bisected the head of a four-eyed monster in front of me with the red ax blade. Next I stabbed the torso of another four-eyed monster with the Magic Dragon Stone by pushing out the handle with a backhand grip, blowing it away――

An arrow stabbed my shoulder. It huuurt, but ― I retaliated with {Chain}.

I knocked down the archer with a headshot, but the monster next to him tried to mow down my head while making its blade trace along the extended {Chain}.

It was a shark-like blade ― it was such a sharp shamshir slashing attack that it made a chill travel down my spine, but while repelling the shamshir blade with the violet handle of my halberd which I had switched into my left hand, I pushed out the halberd’s handle with my right hand, crushing the shamshir-wielding monster’s head with the top of the red ax blade, which had been heading towards right above, and thus killing it splendidly.

“Gazolra was defeated――”

“But, the arrow is still stuck in him. We can kill him!”

“Cruuuush him!”

――There were still plenty more enemies.

I was granted a little break, and used it to focus on the muscles across my entire body. While turning my right arm backwards, I amassed so much power in it that it seemed as if my greater hip rotator muscle was screaming.

I will aim for the second coming of Lü Bu!

I swung the halberd, which carried the amassed power and the will of a peerless killer through the muscles of my right arm as medium, with all my might, and activated {Powerful Slash}――

――The crimson streamline possessing enough force to tear through space seized the necks of four-eyed monsters, mowing them down without giving them even the time to groan.

The heads of the monsters danced through the air like a swarm of silver carp that performed big jumps in a river.

But, as I swung fully through, and recalled the silver carps that possessed a touch of artistic feeling, my loosened attention got targeted.

Several arrows, fireballs, and swarms of ice and wind blades approached――

――Let’s use {Chain} here, huh?

I made the {Chain}, which had been moving forward with such a force that it could envelop a coil manifold in an instant, into a fan-shaped, big shield. I blocked all of the ranged attacks with that shield.

“――Now’s the chance! He went on the defense! Nooooow!”

“Uuoooooooh.”

The three-eyed monsters aimed at our back now that we adopted a defensive stance.

My partner responded. She lashed out her hind legs towards our rear like a restive horse. Her two hooves, which were as sharp as spearheads, magnificently hit the skull of a monster. The monster’s head burst and scattered like an exploding watermelon.

Two monsters had hoofprint-like holes opened up in their heads. While rotating in tailspins, they tumbled around, dragging other monsters into it.

So as to get the dirt off her blood-stained hind legs, Rollodeen powerfully kicked the prairie’s ground and galloped across the battlefield.

I have been sharing her sensations, but I must say, she got an awesome leg strength…

As I was thinking something like that, Rollodeen tilted her face to the right side, and opened her mouth.

『Don’t tell me!?』

It was a telepathic communication from Helme. It gave me the impression of her being surprised, or rather, frightened.

“Are you alright?” The instant I considered to give her such telepathic retort――

A seething hot air ― my partner’s crimson breath in the shape of a lotus flower burst out in front of us.

But, rather than a lotus flower, it took on the shape of a beam? It wasn’t a large fire spanning across a wide range, but instead a narrow ray. She was controlling the flames while bundling them.

I think my partner shot the breath, aiming at the heads of the four-eyed monsters approaching from the front.

One headshot――

One more headshot over there as well.

This one is a headshot, too.

――Wow. She exactly targeted the heads of the monsters. Only their heads went up in flames.

That overwhelming spectacle also looked like a weird headhunting festival.

No matter how often I think about it, a divine beast is amazing!

However, although those great fire headshots were continuing, there were still the three-eyed monsters on the left side remaining.

They were different from the four-eyed ones. Their skin was a color mix of green and blue. I guess they are a race different from the four-eyed monsters.

Both monster camps also used different weapons. However, they commonly shared being attacked by us.

They launched attacks, using javelins, arrows, magic, various weapons, and magic tools.

――I think I will show them that it’s not only a huge {Chain} shield I use――

Throwing my own balance off atop Rollodeen, I moved my body to the left and right, dodging projectiles.

Three-eyed monsters aimed at my disturbed stance, but I could deal with them. I fixed my stance at a timing suiting my own needs.

I extended the Magic Halberd clasped in my right hand to diagonally behind, penetrating the chest of a three-eyed monster with the red spear. Next I swung the red ax blade, which had still monster flesh clinging to it, in order to strike the head of the three-eyed monster next to the previous one.

“Guaah.”

“Geeeh.”

And then I pulled out and swung my halberd while checking the monsters’ state, making flesh and blood fly. I unleashed a {Thrust} with a spinning spearhead a number of times, aiming at the three-eyed monsters who had approached once more.

I defeated two of them by stabbing their heads. And as I was in the middle of absorbing their blood sprays, a magic beast rider, who possessed a unique aura, closed in on me.

He had three eyes, making it obvious that he belonged to the same race as the monsters I defeated just now.

But, he was a daruma with protruding eyeballs? It’s the face of a legendary beast. In short, it’s a monster with the face of a guardian lion-dog.

It extended the spearhead of a blue spear while charging at a dreadful speed.

――I will quickly repel the spearhead with my red ax blade.

I can deal with it by using {Chain}, but since the opponent is a lancer――

The pull of its magic spear is quick――

A series of sharp thrusts aimed for my chest.

“Hrmm! Not bad!”

The daruma, err, the monster with the guardian face shouted. Going by the speed of thrusting and pulling back its spear, I immediately grasped that this guardian-faced monster’s spearmanship was at a high level.

Just because it’s a legendary beast ― it’s strong, or what?

Following Rollodeen’s speed, the magic beast mounted by the guardian-faced monster wasn’t normal either.

While admiring both, I blocked another thrust of the blue spearhead targeting my chest with the middle part of my halberd. I repelled a barrage of thrusts that seemed to be blue {Thrusts} by rotating my halberd.

Each time――I blocked――violet sparks scattered. The vibrations of my Magic Halberd were proof of this opponent’s strength.

The blue radiance of the opponent’s snake spear got stronger. I thrust out my red spear as a counterattack, but the opponent repelled the halberd’s spearhead without being thrown off balance.

Before I noticed it, the fight had shifted into a one-on-one battle between the guardian-faced monster and me.

“This speed, you seem to be a spirit world knight――”

“No――” I answered.

The red and blue spear heads clashed ― and caused our spears to be repelled upwards.

“No, you say? ――I am Evil Knight Degu.”

Degu, huh? He introduced himself while trying to hit my head with his spear’s butt end while overturning his spear.

While avoiding the wind-laden sideways swing by leaning myself forward, “―― I am Knight, no, Free Knight Shuuya!”

As I borrowed the name of a certain, famous knight that popped up in my head on the spot, I swung the halberd from the right to the left, trying to scythe down Degu’s head.

Degu didn’t look at the motion of my Magic Halberd.

“――Free Knight, eat this!”

It was a fierce thrust. The spear’s point grew bigger as it approached my face.

I was surprised by the sudden change in combat distance. While cladding my whole body in Magic Combat Style, I faintly bent my head.

I managed to evade Degu’s thrust――

But――

Ouuuch, my cheek and ear!!!

Half my face had been scraped off, and my ear had been shaved off as well.

――That hurt, damn it!

Blood splashed into the vicinity, and one of my ears was gone.

Wow, not bad. Evil Knight Degu――

“Nuooh!”

Degu felt shaken by me having managed to avoid his full power spear attack. But, he dodged my thrust by stooping down his head. The refined helmet on Degu’s head went flying on this occasion. I guess my red spare grazed it.

Blood ran down from Degu’s forehead.

I increased my speed with the Magic Combat Style. I had also informed my partner Rollodeen whose tentacle was still clinging to my neck, but― Rollo wouldn’t assist me against a single rider by shooting out her tentacles.

She seems to know me well. My blood is boiling!

I immediately pulled back my halberd, and did several normal thrusts after a {Thrust}. I kept unleashing a series of thrusts while mixing in slightly slower and faster {Thrusts} that weren’t clad in the Magic Combat Style. The halberd’s red spear delicately shifted its speed as if being a different, living creature.

“W-What is this――” Degu, who saw the spear’s strange behavior, said words tinged with panic.

Unable to cope with the red spear, cuts piled up on him.

The instant Rollodeen lowered her speed, the Magic Halberd’s trajectory suddenly changed. I handled it as if scooping up something from below.

I targeted Degu’s hand which was holding the magic spear’s silver handle ― striking his hand with the Magic Dragon Gem.

“Geeh.” Degu screamed in pain, but still didn’t let go of the spear.

However, he was forced to look upward as he had widely bent his body backwards.

He was strong, but while stating, “In reality I’m no Free Knight,” I pulled back my halberd, locked it under my arm, and invoked {Darkness Drill – Evil Destruction Lance} in order to pierce through the world of the evil domain.

The highest speed {Darkness Drill} grazed Degu’s chest.

“Nuaaah――”

A single blood squirt gushed out. Degu had dodged my fastest {Darkness Drill} at paper-thin difference.

He’s definitely remarkable――

But, he couldn’t evade the Destruction Lance Gladopalus that made its entry with a slight delay.

The upper body of Evil Knight Degu vanished as if being swallowed up by a huge mass.

Gladopalus broke through with a force surpassing the Magic Halberd’s {Darkness Drill}. It vanished after causing a hole in the dimension of the evil domain.

Only the lower body of Degu was left straddling the magic beast. Moreover, it looked as if a huge G drill had passed through it…

A wound looking like a frayed, crooked curve. Blood surged out of that wound in all directions as if exploding out of a crooked crater.

The lump of meat, which used to be Evil Knight Degu, fell to the ground like a dead puppet. In that moment, the monsters withdrew to the left and right, as if the battlefield had been cut apart.

Maybe the guy I defeated just now…going by his face, he was a military commander character like Wen Chou who was killed by Guan Yu in the Annals of the Three Kingdoms play. According to official history, he apparently died after being defeated by a single soldier according to Xun You’s scheme, though.

It looked as though a huge rift ran across the prairie with Rollodeen in the center. It might be a spectacular view if you were to look at it on a bird eye’s view video.

And, in that instant, I remembered a famous sentence of 『Cao Cao』 1: 『There are Lü Bus among people, and Red Hares among horses』 2.

My partner looked around as if to suggest being such a Red Hare. Flames spilled out of her mouth as she roughly breathed out with a “Garururu.” And, after she swayed her mane-like black fur, it might seem to the monsters as though flames of darkness were dwelling in her head.

That Rollodeen had been slowly stepping forward, but then stopped. Our current location is probably the center of the battlefield.

The eyes of the monster soldiers gathered on Rollodeen and me. It looks like my opponent had been an excellent commander. It appears I succeeded with my gamble.

In case it had backfired….I was planning to slaughter a great number of monsters in one stroke with my blood chains, starting from my Third Gate’s {Beginning of Dusk}, though.

“…Rollo, it’s a little break.” I stroked her blood-drenched, black fur with my left hand, and absorbed the blood while at it.

It was just a part of her, but I prettied up my partner.

“Nyaa～”

It might be something along the lines of 『Thank nya～』.

And then it became quiet around us. Although it’s a battlefield…

Is it because the sight suddenly changed from a berserk dashing across the battlefield to a pleasant one?

The quiet monsters had completely stopped moving.

“…What is that guy?”

“He’s an opponent who killed Evil Domain Knight Degu all by himself…a considerably powerful warrior.”

“If he’s an enemy, is he a subspecies of a spirit world knight? He doesn’t seem to have mad eyes or four eyes for that matter, though…”

“I’ve never seen someone like him.”

“An underling of the divine domain?”

“If he was someone from the divine domain, he should wear a golden ring. The one steering…the black beast below seems to be a human, but that black beast might be Shadow-sama’s beast.”

“If it’s a beast belonging to Evil God Shadow-sama…it’s possible for that human to be a knight or disciple who received Shadow-sama’s blessing.”

“If that’s the case, we’re screwed. A part of our platoon, and an Evil Domain Knight attacked him…and all of them had their tables turned on them…”

The three-eyed monsters on the left side were talking among each other with frightened expressions. The four-eyed monsters on the right side also talked loudly.

“A subordinate of Shadow?”

“But, I have never seen a human riding on such a black beast.”

“If he’s the subordinate of an evil god, he’s the enemy, but even though he slaughtered our comrades, why did he kill his comrades of the evil race at the same time?”

“It’s the divine domain that kills both sides. He might be a soldier connected to the divine domain.”

That’s a talk about Buu, isn’t it?

“He has no circle on his head though? Besides, those guys should be fighting a war in the vicinity of the Shadow King’s castle…”

“Is he a solo person connected to the divine domain then? I really don’t know.”

“Yeah, I can’t believe it. Look, other human are kicking up a fuss at the 【Evil God Hill】――”

“――You’re right! It’s humans!”

“It’s humans who are living on the surfaaaace!”

“So that’s why they attacked not only us, but the evil race members as well, right?”

They had shifted their looks towards my chosen bloodkin who were fighting at the base of the hill.

“Fuhahaha! For humans to enter the soil of the evil domain like this!”

“For the first time in several thousand years, huh? Brand new, fresh human flesh and magic sources! Souls! It’s food! Food I tell ya!”

“Gyahahaha, human food arriveeed!”

“Sacrifices, food! To be given to this me!”

The monsters, who could be called evil spirits possessing four eyes, let out cries of joy.

Suddenly a monster wearing a hood over its head and riding a huge, demonic horse beast which seemed to be a leader came out from among the shouting monsters.

“――Silence! Be silent! Roaring Poison Knight King Razen-sama officially announced his honorable decree. You are to withdraw!”

Is the one called Razen the commandant?

“What, retreat!?”

“Razen-sama has said so!?”

“Unusual…the humans are unusual as well, but it might be the Vacris “mad eyes” race, the Shicrus “four eyes” race, and the Decrus “flame eyes” race acting violently in the rear.”

“The madmen, huh…? It’s quite possible. Let’s retreat here as ordered by Razen-sama.”

“The delicious-looking flesh, the souls…but it can’t be helped. It’s regrettable, but I will fall back――”

“Retreat, retreaaat!”

At that moment, a monster riding a demonic horse beast with a different shape appeared on the side of the three-eyed monsters, too. It was a monster cloaking its entire body in a robe swaying like shadows.

Its face was allowed to peek out a bit from the robe, but it had no face? It was an eerie monster with a flat, featureless face that could be called darkness, to put it in one word.

“…We were ordered by Shadow Eagle King Slayd-sama to withdraw. He says to not get involved with the unknowns. Evil Domain Monk Kire-sama has retreated already, too.”

“Roger. In that case we will retreat as well.”

“Although I wanted to pursue the fuckers of the spirit world who retreated…”

The three-eyed monsters also fell back while complaining. In the end, there were no opponents left to fight.

Only countless monster corpses tragically littered the prairie…

I guess I will go back.

Inclining Rollodeen’s head to the left, she turned around and galloped to our friends at the base of the hill.

“――Shuuya! Rollo-chan as well! You were amazing, but that was way too sudden.” Rebecca grumbled.

Everyone ran over with Rebecca, whose entire body was engulfed by blue flames, in the lead.

Even as she was complaining, Rebecca gently brushed the base of Rollodeen’s throat. Spurts of blood were sticking to her jet black fur. However, Rebecca didn’t mind it. Rather, befitting of a Lucival, she licked up the blood clinging to her hand.

The finger movements of Rebecca as she was doing that were erotic. If she had been doing that deliberately, she would be a genius of eroticism.

Rebecca didn’t pull a reluctant face. Looks like the taste of the blood was normal.

While thinking, 『Certainly, I guess it was sudden』, in response to Rebecca’s words, “…Sorry. If it had been a battle between humans, it might have been possible to evade it by flying through the sky, but seeing as they were unknown opponents, I thought that it would become easier for you to deal with them, if I were to be the one to be attacked first, no matter what kind of attacks it might be.”

“Nn, but, it seems the armies pulled back into the distance, so it was a success?” Eva asked while repeatedly caressing Rollodeen’s torso as if checking the lie of her black fur.

She likewise licked up the blood clinging to her palm.

“Success, eh? ―― Terrifying describes it better, though.” Yui said while shouldering her special katana after cleaning the blood off.

She had been leaning against Eva’s magic wheelchair, putting her weight on it.

“I was mesmerized by milord’s charge as a single rider. It was an act worthy of being called peerless.” Kaldo commented.

“I agree. Master is the zenith of great males…” Viine swooned over me.

Kaldo and Viine bowed deeply while genuflecting.

『It’s just as Kaldo and Viine say…Your Excellency’s deeds become more magnificent day by day, and I think even the soldiers of the evil race and the demon soldiers will fall prostrate in front of you.』

I ignored Helme’s excited telepathic message.

“That means, the first match was a huge victory? Ah, master, something is approaching from over there.” Mysty pointed out while stretching her arm in the direction from behind her simple golem.

“Oh, you’re right. It might be the fellow who gave the order just now.”

『Your Excellency, shall I deal with them by coming out of the left eye?』

『Nah, just watch. Like before, it will be fine even if the other side came attacking.』

『Okay.』

“Shuuya, what should we do?”

“Return fire if he attacks. We will simply turn him into a beehive then. If he’s friendly, we will deal with him with a smile.” I instructed them.

“Nn, okay.” Eva answered.

“Understood.”

My {Head Servant Leaders} readied their weapons.

The helm-wearing, four-eyed monster, which came galloping from a far distance, stopped after its demonic beast mount released a peculiar cry.

“――The personage riding the black demon beast over there, you have been invited by our lord, Roaring Poison Knight King Razen-sama.” The monster announced while gathering its peering eyes in the middle.

“Invited? Are you telling me to come with you?” I inquired.

“Yes, It’s an honor to be invited.”

“I don’t want to. You attacked us without any questions asked, so I have no intention to go, no matter how important a person might ask. If I want to meet them, I will visit on my own accord.” I replied.

The monster was apparently surprised by my words. The green irises in its four characteristic eyes widened.

“…H-How rude! Humph――” I guess its rough snorting was its parting threat. Turning its huge demonic beast around, it ran away.

“Shuuya, you being able to speak with that monster is certainly surprising, but just what did you two talk about?” Rebecca turned her blue eyes at me.

“Yeah, I was invited by the boss of the four-eyes. It looks like Roaring Poison Knight King Razen-sama wants to meet with me. I declined the invitation.” I answered.

“Nn, are we going to fight against those monsters with four eyes then?” Eva questioned.

“I don’t know. I don’t understand the motives of the three eyes and four eyes, so I will basically ignore them. If they become hindrances, we will just have to turn the tables on them.” I replied.

“Nn, understood, will do my best.” Eva made her wheelchair float into the air by enveloping it with her violet mana. She observed the vicinity while slowly circling around us.

I guess she’s scouting.

“Eva, high…” Rebecca looked up to Eva circling above her head.

“There’s also the possibility of it being a trap, but I can understand them inviting you after seeing your activities on the battlefield, Shuuya.” Yui stated.

“While it’s my daughter’s opinion, it’s just as she says. Facing an unknown like you, milord, who gave a blow to both armies, and frankly sending over a messenger to invite you is proof of a remarkable person who can make proper judgments. That’s my conjecture of Roaring Poison Knight King Razen. He seems to be excellent.” Kaldo added.

“It looks like there’s no invitation from the three eyes, though.”

“The commander of the power that sent a messenger, Razen, appears to possess a flexible thinking.”

Well, I did defeat the strong Evil Knight Degu on the three eyes’ side… I guess there’s no way for them to come invite me.

“…Razen, huh? Well, our objective is the magic treasure map. Let’s proceed through the prairie like this now that it has become peaceful around here. Eva, come down――” I called out to Eva.

“――Nn.” Eva descended.

“Did you see anything?” I asked her.

“Yeah, a black castle in the distance, diagonally above to the right. Gatherings of buildings that seem to be settlements in the mountains and forests on the right side. The left has a lot of depressed areas, grasslands, forests, and mountains… I think it was monsters? There were many grotesque creatures on the surface and in the sky over there.” Eva reported.

“This is a really, very wide area, isn’t it…?”

Maybe it’s as big as a continent? I suppose this is the dimensional boundary called Evil Domain Hellrhone.

“Nn, astonishingly big…” Eva nodded with her violet eyes trembling.

“However, we have only one destination. We’re going to head left towards the spot indicated on the magic treasure map.”

“Nyaooon.” Rollodeen roared while pointing her head upwards.

After hearing the loud cat-like roar of my partner, Eva smiled. While taking a pose that seemed to imitate my partner as she sat on her wheelchair, “Nn, Rollo-chan is saying that we should go!”

Haha, it was a pose straining her spine, Eva is definitely cute. She operated her wheelchair and started to move forward.

“Jeez, so cute! Eva, don’t be so preoccupied with Rollo-chan, and properly look at what’s ahead of you, okay?” Rebecca smiled while cautioning Eva.

“Let’s go. But, I’m really curious about the ecology of the monsters around here.” Mysty wrote something into the sketchbook in her hand.

As she did, Yui watched how Mysty was nonchalantly writing, commenting in admiration, “…Mysty, you sure write fast.”

Certainly, Mysty’s writing speed was abnormal. It’s probably because of her skill-based arm movement.

“It’s a magic treasure map journey, right?” After Kaldo replied with a grim look and lifted the scabbard of his magic katana…he examined the sword’s state, let mana pass through the sword in order to check its blade, and nodded.

He started to walk nimbly after quickly swinging the magic sword.

“We will serve as vanguards――”

“Let’s go, Adomos――”

The Burning Knights advanced while happily raising loud voices.

While rubbing and clashing bones against bones, and causing footsteps befitting of their size ― the Burning Knights overtook us in a little jog and went in front. Steam-like, demonic smoke thickly rose from the gaps at their sides and their breastplates.

The movement of that steam was amusing…it looked truly like 『Puff Puff』 as Eva would call it. Was the smoke being influenced by mental images?

While analyzing the Burning Knights’ behavior, I hit Rollodeen’s flank with my feet. My partner raised her head, obviously nodding.

Like Kokuoh3 or Zetsuei4――

No, while releasing an overwhelming presence as if making one recall Red Hare…she advanced slowly.

Note:

1. Only for those who care: The author used here 曹瞞伝 (Soumanden) which seems a child name of Cao Cao… … I’m a layman on Three Kingdoms, so well yea…

2. Basically it means, there exist heroic people like Lu Bu and peerless horses like Red Hare

3. A horse appearing in Fist of the North Star

4. A horse from Three Kingdoms. It was Cao Cao‘s horse