Death March — Fixed

Tama has been acting strange since the morning.

 

Just when I thought that she’s walking around randomly in the room, she quarrels with Pochi, then Arisa. Or rather, she clings to them and begins rolling on the floor.

 

“What’s wrong? Tama.”

 

“Nn? Something is itching.”

 

Tama wanders over to me, and jumps onto my lap--snuggling up against me and rubbing her face on my chest, almost frantically.

 

“Today’s Tama is strange.” Oh? Pochi looks unusually touchy too,

 

“Chevalier, aren’t you going to watch the final match today?” Shelna asks me.

 

“I’m not, Lulu’s been asked to make the feast for the celebration of the final--so we are going to the castle soon.”

 

The celebration today isn’t only attended by the winner and nobles, but also the Martial Artists who have participated in the main matches, and influential people of the Duchy Capital.

 

Since the King will also be attending the final today, Karina and her brother are also going to attend the match.

 

Tama seems to have calmed down after I hold her and rub her back, she leaning into me and sleeping with a scrunched up face.

 

Right at that time, the Duchy Capital shakes.

 

***

It wasn’t an earthquake--it was almost like the active sonar from a submarine, a signal from Search Magic was passing through. However, the power was not ordinary.

 

“What was that? Just now?” Arisa asks, her head swiveling from side to side.

 

“Signal?” Tama jumps up as she wakes up--her claws dig into my shirt.

 

“Some kind of bell sound has come!”

 

Not only me, but it seems that half the members have perceived the Signal earlier.

 

The reason that Tama was emotionally unstable is probably because she sensed the antecedent.

 

Liza has already stripping, to equip the new equipment that Mara completed the other day. A second later, Pochi and Nana also change.

 

I gently let Tama down from my lap, “Tama change your clothes too.”

 

“Aye!”

 

According to the map, Demons have appeared in the sky above the arena. There are currently 20 people who are higher than level 50, in addition to Ringrande, the third prince, and his companions. They are in danger of being eliminated before I could intervene.

 

“What’s happened?” Arisa asked.

 

“It’s the Demons again.”

 

“Eh, again?” She rolled her eyes with a slightly irritated tone.

 

Really, I wish that they’d learn some self-restraint soon.

 

Arisa and the others are also changing into their new equipment; it’s thinner than Liza’s metallic armour that Mara made, but they’re all matching white leather.

 

I’ve replaced everyone’s weapon, except Liza’s, with cast Magic Swords. They look different from the ones I sold on the auction, and they have my name ‘Tek Felspar’ carved into them.

 

It looks like the Demons can use Summoning Magic, Mind Magic, and Fire Magic. They will likely summon various things, if given time--so let’s dispose of them quickly.

 

A short time after everyone has finished changing, the sound of the Duchy Capital’s alarm, the town bell, begins to resound.

 

***

The noble’s houses in the Capital have underground shelters, in preparation for attacks, either from enemy armies or Demon attacks. These shelters are built abnormally strong, for the sake of the nobles’ own safety.

 

A second after the alarms rang, a maid of this mansion comes to lead us to the shelter.

 

“Arisa.”

“Hoi, hoi.” Arisa makes a strange noise in confirmation.

 

“Please take refuge in the underground shelter with everyone, including Lulu and Mara. I’ll send you a signal if it gets truly dangerous, if that happens, I want you to immediately teleport to the underground labyrinth with everyone.”

 

“Aye, aye!”

 

This should do for anti-Demon measures for innocent people.

 

Next, I ask Liza and the others to deal with another troublesome thing.

 

“Liza.”

 

“Yes!”

 

“Sera’s carriage is being chased by villains. Go with Mia and Nana to protect her.”

 

“I understand.”

 

“I understand, Master.”

 

“Nn.”

 

It seems that all the remaining members of the Wings of Liberty are taking the chance to try and kidnap Sera.

 

Of course, I could go help her directly, but there are more troublesome enemies--Liza and the others can also handle it. Since Sera seems to be escaping towards this mansion, I tell Liza and the rest the route Sera’s carriage will take.

 

***

I follow the maid, and some of the others, until the Duke’s Castle; then I refuse to enter the shelter, going out just before the door shuts.

 

Using Quick Dress, I change into Sine Nomine, and go towards the Arena.

 

For the time being, I activate the new Magic Clairhearing, and Whisper Wind, to get a grasp of the situation.

 

“Demon, no, Demon Lord--your plan ends here!”

 

This voice, it’s the prince. It’s only a level 71 Demon, not the Demon Lord, which was double that level.

 

It’s chaotic there.

 

But, because it’s the finals of the Martial Tournament, there are a lot of powerful people there--so they haven’t been overrun.

 

“Brave warriors, let’s cooperate to subjugate the Monsters. Mages, prioritize supporting the warriors with Reinforcement Magic, instead of using attack Magic.”

 

This voice is Ringrande.

 

I guess that the Demons have summoned Monsters as their shock troops, people besides the prince begin fighting them. Among the Monsters that have been summoned, there are more than 10 around level 55 or so.

 

It looks like Adventurers, knights, and martial artists are cooperating to fight the high-level Monsters. The clamour that I can hear is very lively, they do seem like they are enjoying the fight.

 

“Barrier, put up the Defensive Barriers!”

 

“It’s no good, the escape passages have collapsed, we have to secure the way out.”

 

I thought that it’s strange that the nobles aren’t escaping, even though the King’s body-double is going, now it makes sense. Clairhearing and Whisper Wind are convenient.

 

The passages for the general audience are fine, people are rushing out from them. There doesn’t seem to be anyone who dies from trampling.

 

Using Sky Drive and Ground Shrink, I go to the top of one of the Spires near the arena, and stand there.

 

There is a Demon with two heads, yellow skin, and two cow-like horns on its shoulders. Since it has two heads, I wonder if it can use Simultaneous Magic like the Golden Boar-Head King.

 

Well, since there are people that I know trapped in the arena, let’s quickly clean this up.

 

First, I guess I’ll defeat that important looking Upper Demon with Laser, from Light Magic.

 

As if waiting for my decision, space begins to ripple and crack, a ship appears. While producing a ripple of lights, as though coming out of the surface of water during a sunny day, a silver streamlined ship--which looks like a space ship--appears.

 

A man wearing blue armour--the Hero, Hayato Masaki, is standing on the bow. I was told that he was level 61 when Arisa met him, but he’s level 69 now.

 

“I…Have arrived!”

 

I wonder if his words utilize the Provoke Skill, the flying Monsters are now heading towards the Hero.

 

“Oh? Hero Hayato, are you prepared to die by appearing in front of us?”

 

“Don’t think that I’m always going to be the old me! I’ll have my revenge today!”

 

I can end it in an instant with Laser now, but I want to see what happens, no one I know is in danger right now.

 

“Fall back, you dog of the Saga Empire! I’ll prove that not only the Saga Empire has a Hero!” The prince shouts out arrogantly.

 

You should leave it to him--let him finally get his just deserts.

 

“<<Dance>> Claiomh Solais!”

 

The <<Dance>> seems to be some kind of password. Claiomh Solais leaves the prince’s hand while shedding blue light, and attacks the Yellow-Skinned Demon. Oh? So the picture that I saw in the museum back then doesn’t seem to be an exaggerated lie.

 

Ah, and it’s been repelled.

 

Claiomh Solais sure is weak.

 

“The Holy Sword will cry, prince. That Demon is the chief executive of the great Demon Lord of old--the Golden Boar-Head King. The highest class of Demon, one who has survived for several hundred years. You should withdraw if you don’t want to die. <<Sing>> Arondight.”

 

After receiving the password from the Hero, Arondight begins to furiously shed Holy Light.

 

I wonder if there are passwords like that for the Holy Swords I have?

 

I’ve finally become able to read explanations of Magic Tools, thanks to the book on Magic Tools--but it only has Magic Tools from the present day written in it, so I’m still not able to read the Holy Swords. If it’s just passwords, I can probably decipher them, so let’s check them out when I get some free time.

 

The Hero’s companions, who have appeared from the still-hovering ship, to put Reinforcement Magic on him. Out of curiousity, I use Clairvoyance Magic.

 

A Priestess with a small chest, the size of which is visible because of the way the thick cloth clings to her, casts Reinforcement Magic.

 

An Elven Archer is intercepting the Monsters who approach the Hero--one arrows split into 10 along the way and swoop down on the Monsters. Judging from the red light it let out…and the fact it split, it’s probably a Magic Arrow.

 

The Monsters that managed to escape the Archer’s attacks, land on the ship. But they quickly get eliminated by a lightly-armoured warrior, and a warrior using twin-swords. Those girls are also Tigerkin and a wolf-eared Dogkin, like Pochi.

 

The girl with tiger-ears has a ponytail, and the Dogkin has short hair, they’re both beautiful women.

 

The last companion is a beautiful woman with long hair and holding a staff--she’s doing something, seeming to be chanting a very long and drawn-out spell.

 

So, what should I do?

 

Should I just instantly clear things up now, or watch the Hero?

 

To shoot, or not to shoot, that is the question.