Shinka no Mi (Shiranai Uchi ni Kachigumi Jinsei)

Reunion

「Then, I’ll help you, but… where is this Evil Spirit King fella?」

So I asked the Netherworld .

『 …I’m sorry… Because I have started the preparation to produce a new gatekeeper, my consciousness is leaving…』

「You’re kidding me!?」

I still haven’t heard any detailed explanation you know!? Just where is he!? The Evil Spirit King!

『 …I’m sorry… I’m sorry… Well then, I’ll leave it to you——』

「Eh!? Ah, Hold up!」

Even though I tried to call it out for several times, in the end the Netherworld never answered me back .

「Didn’t the difficulty suddenly rise? I don’t know where is this Evil Spirit King, but before all that aren’t I’m lost?」

Eh? This, if you think normally, I’m the end already?

「The development is too rapid I can’t follow it…」

This absurd and messy feeling… reminds me of 【Forest of Endless Sorrow】 .

Thinking about it again, quite the excellent feat I pulled back then, surviving a place like that after getting casted away without receiving any explanation! My Status for Luck and such was only 1 though!

As I was stumped about what to do in the middle of this desperate-looking situation, the skill 『World’s Eye』’s Enemy Search unexpectedly sensed a presence .

When I turned my eyes towards its direction, what greeted me were a pair of eyes that didn’t radiate light on a pitch black body, and white teeth that peeked out from its hanging mouth, a terribly horrifying entity was staring at me .

「Jiii」

「Scaryscaryscaryscary!!!」

What the hell is that!? Which hell’s hole did it appear from!?

This ominously frightening being really did appear suddenly within my Skill’s search range .

「Jiii」

「W, what is it… Who the hell are you… Rather, your gaze will make a hole on me if you——」

The moment I stopped in mid-sentence, the enigmatic creature’s eyes glowed, then lasers fired at me .

「Bloody hell!?」

While I was unintentionally spook in a Kansai dialect, I bent my body to a [く] character, then dodged the laser .

「A hole was literally about to be made in me though!? What the hell are you!? Having such an eerie face and all!」

「Jiii」

「I told you stop firing lasers!」

The enigmatic creature ignored my words and shot several lasers at me .

And I avoided all of them with weird postures .

「Hold on, what the hell are you really!?」

I exercised the skill 『Advanced Appraisal』 .

『Evil Spirit Lv: ???』

「So you are the evil spirit!?」

I reflexively shouted so .

Moreover the level is unknown! It’s that, I haven’t seen something like that ever since the UMA from the Monster Sales Outlet operated by Balzas in Telbert! That UMA… what happened to it I wonder?

But before that . Evil spirits are, so to speak, a spirit, so that allow them to suddenly appear inside 『World’s Eye』’s Enemy Search?

If that was the case, then the Evil Spirit King also hold the same ability… won’t it be impossible to find him? Finally it’s the endgame isn’t it!

I unsheathed the 『Sword of Swirling Hatred (Black)』 and 『Sword of Overflowing Compassion (White)』 that rested on my hip and brandished them .

「If you’re an evil spirit, then, sorry about this, I’ll defeat you . 」

That probably wasn’t heard by my opponent, but for the time being I gave it a heads up, then leapt at the evil spirit .

I recalled about having to control my power to some degree back when I was about to strike at the Labcoat man back in the Barbadora Magic Academy, so I swung Black with an amount of power that wouldn’t deal damage to world . In addition of that, I also had the skill 『Endless Hell/Avici Hell』, so it would be okay . …Having to consider about the World’s fare, my head is strange .

With my eyes looking in the distance, I was about to connect the attack to the evil spirit .

The evil spirit couldn’t catch up with my speed, still looking at the place where I was until a moment ago .

And then, when Black touched the evil spirit’s body, it was then .

「Eek!?」

The evil spirit’s body texture was springy, the moment Black touched it, the impact shook the body as if it formed a wave .

Just when I thought the impact had reached the bottom of evil spirit’s body, I could confirm that it suddenly directed away then headed towards me .

The moment I affirmed it, a bad hunch went through me, so I hastily moved my feet from there .

And then—— .

ZUDON!!

A tremendous impact sound rang .

An outrageously huge crater was gouged out in the place where I stood just a little while ago .

「Oi, you’re kidding me…」

Cold sweat streamed on my cheek .

The evil spirit only stood on the spot as if nothing had happened .

「That… No matter how you slice it, that was my attack that bounced back just as is, wasn’t it?」

My attack was redirected, and even more than that, the opponent was uninjured .

To an outsider’s perspective, it might seem that I was afraid of such opponent .

However, my head was filled with something else .

「So my attack is that fiendish…!?」

There might be people who thought of it as “Now, of all time?”, but now I got to experience the threat of my own attack, I was made to realize the abnormality of my attack even more strongly .

My attack doesn’t work? That can go to hell for all I care! More than that, I’m shivering because I have been swinging around disaster-class attacks here and there!

「Crap… I have to think the way to use my power more seriously from now on… 」

「Jiii」

The evil spirit’s atmosphere seemed like turned into a sullen one .

Actually, it had an eager air around it before, looking forward for when I fell into despair after my attack didn’t work, but apparently the evil spirit sensed I was being bothered by other things instead . It’s a problem of life and death for me you know!

However, it seemed like the evil spirit didn’t take a liking to it, so it rapidly shot a laser at me .

「Jiii!」

「That’s dangerous, hey!? Calm down a bit!」

Without lending me an ear, the evil spirit didn’t loosen its attack .

For the time being, physical attacks don’t work, but… what about magical attacks?

I then used a fire attribute beginner magic, 『Fire』 .

「There!」

An outrageous mass of fire that couldn’t be called a beginner magic at all fired off at the evil spirit .

And then, the evil spirit stopped shooting laser, received the 『Fire』 magic with its body, then as expected, it bounced back right at me .

「Oi oi… Just what the hell should I do about this . 」

How can I fight against an opponent who nullifies physical and magical attacks?

Strange enough, despite facing that kind of opponent, my head was clear .

However, I suddenly noticed other presences, so while I didn’t turn my attention away from the evil spirit before me, I turned my eyes, then…

「Jiii」

「Jiii」

「Jiii」

「Jiii」

Numerous evil spirits were gazing at me .

Rather, I’m terrified you know!? In the first place I can’t stand ghosts and any kind of horror you know!? I want to go home! I don’t have a home to go though!

As I unintentionally floated a cramped smile, all the evil spirits shot their lasers .

『Jiii』

「That won’t even be a joke!」

As I hurriedly crouched down, numerous lasers passed over my head .

However, with me avoiding it, the lasers would only hit another evil spirits and repeatedly bounced back, so even if I wanted to stand up there was only lasers flying about overhead .

「Isn’t this really the endgame already!? Isn’t it impossible to defeat the Evil Spirit King-sama in this situation!?」

I shouted while holding my head so it wouldn’t get hit . 　

Just how can I defeat them in the first place!?

「I’m sick of it! HALP!! HAALLP MMEEEEE!!!!!!!」

「Copy that . 」

「Heh!?」

When I voiced my SOS that wouldn’t reach for anyone, an answer came from a place I couldn’t tell .

「Ji—!?」

And then, I could hear the muffled sound of the evil spirit .

Turning my eyes towards it, from around the chest? of the evil spirit, a sword resembling my 【Sword of Swirling Hatred (Black)】 I had protruded out .

When that sword pulled out from the evil spirit, that evil spirit turned into particles of light then disappeared .

As I was astonished by that sight, a single ikemen appeared .

A silvery long hair divided from the middle… Was it called curtained hair? At any rate, he had that hairstyle, and his emerald like eyes were looking at me gently .

「Long time no see, Seiichi-dono . 」

「Fuah!?」

Who!? I don’t have any ikemen like this as my acquaintance you know?!

Disregarding the confused me, the ikemen walked closer .

When I look closer, he was wearing a jet black robe resembling mourning clothes and a good quality shirt which was somewhere familiar to me . It was the outfit befitting for aristocrats .

Surprised by the ikemen’s arrival, the surrounding evil spirits were agitated .

「Ji—!」

「Ji—!」

「Ji—!」

「Geh!?」

As my voice reflexively rose from seeing their state, all of a sudden, a jet black spear penetrated several evil spirits .

「Should we join the fun too?」

「I’m sorry… I can’t fight… 」

「Ahahaha! True that… Then, go wait with the maid over there . 」

The voices of a carefree man and a gentle woman came into my ears .

「Uun… It’s a battle after a long time, but the opponent is like that… Good grief, how troublesome . 」

Turning my sight, there was a man with black hairs and eyes and a calm expression on him .

Right near to him, there were a woman who wore an apron and another one who wore a maid dress .

Putting that aside, I was taken aback by the man with black hairs and eyes .

As for why, from the man’s forehead, two splendid horns were growing out . That was the same feature with Bell and his group I met before . That means… a demon? If I look closely, there’s also a horn on the woman in apron’s forehead… .

Although the physique wasn’t as good as the ikemen, the black-haired black-eyed well-featured demon wrapped himself in another gorgeous attire based on black, with a deep crimson mantle hovered above it .

「Now, well then——Farewell . 」

When the demon man lightly spread his hands, countless jet black spears rose to the sky, then flew to the evil spirits .

Even though my attack was absorbed, the Ikemen’s and the demon man’s attacks easily penetrated the evil spirits, gradually reducing their number .

That sight was precisely like that of a 『Demon Lord』 .

「We’re going as well!」

「Ou!」

「Understood!」

「I’ll do my best!」

Even though I couldn’t keep up with the current situation, a party of four made their appearance this time and started to attack on the evil spirits .

One was a big brawny man wearing a heavy armor, defending from the evil spirit’s lasers with his thick shield .

The blue haired young man who wore plain clothes and brown close just like a traveller, was attacking the evil spirits with a sword in the gap where the big man was defending the attack .

Wearing lightweight equipment resembling a hunter, a red haired woman with unyielding spirits, ranging down the evil spirits with her bow and arrows .

The last member, a blonde girl in pure white robe, bestow magic on the big guy and his group, boosting their offensive power, while also utilizing offensive magic to defeat the evil spirits .

I could no longer tell what is what .

There was also a fact that my attack didn’t work, even though the attack of the people who suddenly appeared worked just fine, but even more than that—— .

「Who the hell are you guys!?」

Really, who!? Just when I thought they appeared, they instead helped me… Wait a minute . If I think about it carefully, this situation in itself is scary! This, won’t come with money right!? I have a lot money, but there’s only fear in my heart you know!

When I noticed it, the evil spirits that surrounded me were completely obliterated by the people who suddenly appeared .

I was scared by the horror before, but now I was scared due the worry of my money being extorted .

Neglecting my feelings, the ikemen came to the place where I was .

「It’s the first time we meet when I’m in this form, isn’t it . 」

「Y, yea… Umm … Who might you me? Is it money? Is it money that you want?」

「M, money!? Seiichi-dono, aren’t you misunderstanding something?」

The ikemen floated a troubled face . Un, no matter what they did, ikemen will stay as an ikemen huh! I’m jealous!

As I was thinking of such a thing, the maid girl who stood near the woman in the apron walked over towards the ikemen .

「Zeanos-sama… Seiichi-sama doesn’t appear to recognize Zeanos-sama…」

「Mu? That would be so…」

The ikemen nodded after got convinced . Rather, did she just say Zeanos…?

As I was staring at him with a doubt in mind, he elegantly bowed .

「I shall name myself once again . ——The head of Zeford Duke household, Zeanos Zeford . It was since the【Forest of Endless Sorrow】, wasn’t it? Seiichi-dono . 」

The ikemen——Zeanos said so with a gentle smile .

In response to that, I…… .

「HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!?!?!?!?」

Was shocked with my everything .

I mean! I mean!? It’s Zeanos you know!? The one I fought in the 【Forest of Endless Sorrow】, Zeanos the Darkness Noble you know!?

He was only a skeleton at that time! But now what? A super ikemen!? Not even I know what am I talking about!

Th, then, the girl beside him is…?

Maybe I had wore my heart on my sleeve, the maid girl also bowed with a polished movement .

「A pleasure to meet you . I’m someone who serves Zeanos-sama, Mary . 」

「MARYYYYYYYYYYYY!?!?!?」

As I expected! I have a feeling it’ll be her!

The gallant maid Mary whom I know from reading Zeanos’ life .

As my jaw was about to drop from all the surprise, the people who had been defeating the evil spirits with Zeanos gathered up .

「Seems like you safely met each other, Zeanos . 」

「Yes… I’m glad it was on time . I appreciate your help . 」

「Do not mind . We also regained our ego, and it’s not bothersome offering some help . 」

As the demon man and the traveller like man talked with Zeanos, they suddenly looked at me .

「You must be Seiichi-kun . 」

「U, umm… Why do you know about me?」

「That’s because I heard it from Zeanos and those two people . 」

「Eh?」

「We fully understand your current condition, Seiichi . Because the existence named Seiichi, we’re able to regain our ego after all . Those kind of people are gathering together and came to help you . 」

「I, I see…」

What should I do . I can’t follow it with my stupid brain .

In other words, what does that mean?

Looking a me, the demon man broke into a smile then taught me .

「Much like the evil spirits we defeated just now, we’re also originally wandering this Netherworld as a ghost who had no ego . However, because an existence named you came into the Netherworld, we who more or less have a fate with you become able to bear our ego . 」

「Fate?」

I know Zeanos . I directly fought him after all .

But, I don’t know anyone other him… .

As I thought so, the demon man began his introduction .

「For the time being, shall I introduce myself? I am Lucius Arsahl . The first Demon Lord… is it easy to understand if I say it like that . 」

I don’t know .

Like hell I know!? The first Demon Lord!? Isn’t it skipping too much from the beginning!?

N, no, calm down . It’s not decided yet that he’s the genuine one!

「You may not aware of this, but at the time when the country of Demon still hadn’t existed, I founded a country where everyone could live in harmony along with reliable companions, like the Black Dragon God . All the other companions have died due to their life span, but I wonder how the Black Dragon God is faring . 」

He’s the real deal!

「Well then, it’s our turn . I’m Abel . Abel Stardia . Tentatively, I’m a Hero . 」

「HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!?!?!?」

「I’m his companion, Garus Roccard . A Warrior . 」

「HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHH!?!?」

「I’m Anna Ryuld the Hunter . 」

「HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHH!?!?」

「I’m Liliana Morst, a Sage . 」

「HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHH!?!?」

I should add 『HOOOHH!?!?』here, but I can’t, any more than this and my head will explode!

Abel is that Abel isn’t it!? The person from the diary Saria has at the 【Forest of Endless Sorrow】!?

What fate!? Just how much the fate we have between us!?

As I was at six and seven, the woman wearing apron introduced herself with a bitter smile on her .

「I am Nachuriahna Gleend . I’m not some amazing person in particular, and even they say the fate we share, I can’t think of any of it…」

「H, Haa . 」

Indeed, I also haven’t any faintest idea as for who Nataliana-san is .

I still could hear Abel’s and his group’s name every here and there, but for Nataliana-san, I don’t know about her in the slightest bit . Just where did our fate connect?

As I tilted my neck in wonder, Lucius said with a smile .

「Now then, we have finished introducing ourselves, but there are still people you have to meet . 」

「P, people I have to meet?」

Who are they…?

But before that… .

「Say… Is it fine, Lucius-san? For, umm… acting together with Abel and his party… 」

The impact was too strong for my mental that I forgot it, but Lucius-san was the first Demon Lord and Abel and his party were heroes .

Wouldn’t normally they will clash with each other… .

「That’s fine . I was certainly burning with anger that time, but after I fought against them who defeated me, I became to know that the Heroes are also another victim . 」

「That was also the case for us, after we defeated the Demon Lord at that time, we were betrayed by Pierre, and only then we figured out the real appearance of the Demon Lord . We were too indulged in ignorance…」

「…Let’s drop it here! Rather than that, I said there are people whom you have to meet, didn’t I?」

「Eh? Ah, yes . Err… Who might they be?」

「No need to be panic, they’re coming soon . It was dangerous before, so I placed a guard on them and told them to stay away . They’re way weaker than Natalia and the maid girl after all . 」

「?」

As I got even more confused, I followed Zeanos’ group while being urged by them .

「… Waited for you . 」

「Heh!?」

What stood there, was the Treasure Box I met in the dungeon when I defeated the Black Dragon God .

「W, why are you here!?」

「…I, have fate… You, defeated me…」

「You still have that grudge!?」

「…No, no more grudge… More than that, quick meet… 」

「I just can’t understand any of this!」

The scope’s too vast I can’t understand! Even though Treasure Box is here, I can’t see Sandman or Clever Monkey which I defeated as well… .

As I proceed with a question mark floating above my head, I turned my eyes to the people who waiting before me, and thus my mind went blank .

「We missed you…」

「Have you been doing well?」

The people who were waiting for me——Were my own parents .