Chapter 229

Chapter 229

The women were scattering in all directions like baby spiders . Many torches and magic lights were visible, floating deeper down the cave’s passages .

Those lights are the pursuers?

The women had desperate looks as they escaped from them .

“Big sis! ~~~~Remrona-neesan! Where are you!?”

“Remrona, are you here!?”

“Remrona-san!”

“N, nya〜”

The escaping women showed no response towards our Remrona shouts . The appearances of those women were all across the board . There were various races, too . There was even a woman with a slave collar carrying a newborn with both hands at her chest while having restraints attached to them .

That woman fell over, letting go of the baby . In a hurry, I amassed mana in my feet, instantly advanced in a forward-bent posture, and picked up the baby with both hands .

The baby cried, “Ogyaaa,” but it didn’t look like it hurt its body anywhere .

Pheew, how lucky…

It might have died if it had hit its head .

I looked at the baby . The baby looked back, directly into my eyes, and stopped crying all of a sudden . It opened its cute, snail-like fist . After grabbing my hand with its palm, it extended its other hand, trying to touch my cheek .

“Is there something on my face?”

I produced a smile so as to not frighten it, but… I wonder whether it’s fine .

The baby had a rose mark on its forehead .

“Paapaa, paapaa . ” It started to say while repeatedly blinking its adorable, tiny eyes .

“Kind sir, thank you very much――” The mother, who wore a slave collar, said .

There was no rose mark on the forehead of the woman . I removed the shackles restraining her hands, and gave the cute baby, which was still babbling, “Paapaa, paapaa,” back to her .

“The escape path is dark, but you can properly get away . Please be careful . ”

“That’s kind of you . Goodbye . ”

While carrying the baby, the mother blended in among the continuous stream of escaping women . I lost sight of her in no time .

Fran was checking each and every single of the women’s faces . It didn’t seem as if Remrona was among them .

『Remrona isn’t here, is she?』

『Yes, she’s probably deeper inside . 』

Even while holding a conversation with Helme in my mind, some of the women stumbled and fell down as they couldn’t run properly .

“Are you okay?”

“Hiii!”

I extended a helping hand, but ended up scaring her instead .

“It’s fine . This person is your ally . ” Yui exchanged looks with me, telling me to leave this place to her .

I nodded silently… I guess my presence only frightens the women in this situation . I will fully entrust it to Yui .

While Yui addressed the woman gently…she bisected the shackles around the woman’s hands with a swift iai move . The women didn’t even notice the slash .

――It was a katana technique, but I got a little frightened since the blade vanished there for a sec .

But, it was definitely amazing .

Fran also asked that woman about Remrona . However, she didn’t know anything .

“Nya, nya〜”

RollodeenBlack Panther was saying something as well .

The woman didn’t have the qualifications of a cat master . No, she didn’t even notice my partner .

And then, as we were preferentially saving the women who fell down…the magic lights got closer .

At the same time, we encountered a group of black robed people who were capturing the escaping women . At a glance, they were obviously shady guys . Those fuckers had several things that seemed to be magic shackles hanging at their waist belts .

I suppose they plan to drag the women away after restraining them with those .

“What are you guys――”

“Shit, you helpin’ em?”

“Intruders, eh?”

Those guys…the women…

“I’m the executioner!” I spontaneously blurted out what just popped up in my mind that was filled with rage .

“W-What was that?”

“What executioner!? Don’t fuck around with us, you idiot!”

The robed men stared at me .

“Listen well, I shall pardon negligence and corruption . But, even All Hallow’s Day won’t permit those who kidnap women . I will chase you to the end of Hell…and execute you . ”

A shotgun of ancient magic . I spoke with the image of blowing away pumpkins .

“…”

“…”

As if having a tacit understanding, they drew their swords .

While making their naked blades reflect their lights, “Bellahozuma Vaamina!”

“Vaamina, hooray!”

The fuck?

Those guys, who drew their swords, started to shout mysterious words like some kind of slogan . Then they came rushing at me with their swords held overhead . However, they moved as if they were some random mountain bandits .

Like, way too lame . I won’t allow them to enter their sword range .

I planned to stab with my magic spear after putting strength into my right hand, but Rollodeen moved first . She jumped at an enemy while pointing her nails at him as if showing off her frontpaws’ pads . She tore apart his neck with her claws, killing him .

“Garururuu . ” My partner growled .

She bit into the defeated man’s cheek flesh as if eating an apple .

With a slight delay compared to my savage partner, I narrowed down my aim at a man in a jet-black robe closing in from the left . I simply slashed the Magic Halberd in both my hands diagonally below, giving the man’s chest the hot red spear as a present .

“Gugaah!”

The man had his chest penetrated, and collapsed while leaning against the halberd and spitting blood .

Thereupon, robed guys sidled up to me from the left and right with their swords held aloft .

I extracted my halberd, shifted the position of my hands holding it, and while letting them slide towards the position of the red spear, I stepped forward with my right foot . At the same time, I pulled the left hand holding the halberd to my side .

With the image of pushing my right hand out, I swung the lower part of the halberd to the right side . The Magic Dragon Gem, which drew a fan-shaped trajectory in midair, was zeroing in on the throat of a man approaching from the right side while endangering me with his sword .

“Guuh!”

The Magic Dragon Gem collided with the man’s neck . Alongside a dry, crushing sound, that man’s head was torn off and sent flying . The headless man collapsed to the ground like a broken doll .

With a sidelong glance at that, I made a turn with my toes as axis, and extended the butt end of the halberd straight towards a man who drew close from the left as if performing a left-sided roundhouse kick . I had him taste a blow from the blood-smeared dragon gem at his nether region . I could feel a sensation as if I had smashed a hard hull .

“Ahyaa!”

He raised a weird scream, dropped his sword, and crumbled down on both knees, groaning .

For caution’s sake, I poured mana into the Magic Halberd, sending it to the Magic Dragon Gem . Just as I had imagined, a broad-bladed sword with an icy point shrouded by white mist was created from the dragon gem’s end .

While kicking the the back of the man’s head, who was vomiting something as he groaned, like a soccer ball, I adopted a seigan stance with the Magic Halberd inverted, meaning with hidden bladeIce Claw in front and the red spear with the red ax blade at the side in the back .

――I checked my surroundings .

It was just the moment when Yui and Fran were displaying magnificent sword techniques . They continued to completely slash apart several men, who were shouting that mysterious Bellahozuma or whatever, as if mowing down grass with their long swords

Moreover, Fran used her transparent left arm, and grabbed the neck of a man who was still alive .

“I’m asking you where my big sis is!”

“Guaaaaah, no clueee . ”

“Then you’re of no further value to me! Trash has to die…<Life Drain Hidden Eyeball SealLife Drain>”

Fran apparently didn’t intend to hide her skills .

The instant the compound eyes on her left arm emitted a light, the face of the robed man was wrapped up by a transparent emblem, and immediately withered away, changing into bones .

Ugh! Fran-san, you’re really scary!

Getting drained by that might be dangerous for me as well…scaryyy .

Even Rollodeen, who had been sucking blood, returned to her cat form, apparently startled by Fran’s unknown technique, and returned to my right side after weaving her way through the escaping women . Rollo stared at Fran .

She might be cautious of those squirming compound eyes on her arm . The black dot located in her red eyes was repeatedly widening and shrinking . Though, she might just show a reaction to the insecure darkness of the cave .

I think it would be best if I don’t get Fran-san on my bad side . Come to think of it, even when I ran into her at the high-class inn in Holkerbaum, she easily avoided my magic halberd’s lower body sweep . Thieves guild, dark guild, White Nine, and adventurer; I don’t know which of them is the real her, but she’s a recluse and a strong warrior . The one thing I know for sure is only that she’s Remrona’s younger sister .

At that point I stopped sending mana into the Magic Dragon Gem, causing the hidden blade to disappear .

“We will head deeper inside while rescuing the women like this . ”

“Okay . ”

After looking at my Magic Halberd with a stabbing gaze, Fran said, “…Got it . ”

She should have seen this weapon in the past, but she’s checking it out once again? It seems to be her thieves guild job as a member of 【Gate of the Secluded Evil】 .

Without touching on that topic, we continued saving and nursing the escaping women . Mostly Yui did her best here .

On the way we encountered robed men trying to catch the women, but each time it happened, they were systematically annihilated by being stabbed, struck, or slashed down . We advanced deeper into the cave just like that .

Suddenly, within the crowd of escapees ― there might have been an enemy woman mixed in among them or something ― I thought, but there was nothing I could do .

The cave’s passage came to an end, exiting into an open space . The center was depressed . A huge, broad cave, huh?

I sensed a lukewarm wind . Next, my keen sense of smell, boosted by <Inhalation of Odor Technique>, for an instant perceived a rich blood that felt fragrant as if trembling in rapture .

Holker’s splinter that I had put away in a pocket of my chest strap vibrated .

――The smell of blood is dense . Several tens, hundreds, or thousands? The source of the smell is over there . A theater stage in the underground? I guess it’s an altar .

It was covered by a huge magic crest . Someone was fighting there .

Going by the smell of blood, it’s polluted by a god of the spirit world related to that magic crest?

The people fighting over there might be enemies of Sadeyula and Gaia of the Divine Domain Seuros .

For the time being, I’m getting sick and tired of that stench .

I blocked the sense of <Inhalation of Odor Technique> .

I’m curious about the center as well, but…

There were many iron cages lined up at the sides, as if encircling the round center stage .

Now I understand the huge number of escaping women . Since there’s such a huge detainment facility underground…

There were slaves among the running women . Maybe the number of bought slaves was bigger than the number of abducted women…

At that point I gazed at the central part with its magic crest and the lit candlestands . Thick iron smell, ammonia stench, and smell of blood drifted over from its center . There had been a battle going on over there for a while now .

On the left side was an offering table, the origin of the blood smell, and an altar which suited heretics .

『Your Excellency, a huge amount of mana is being released from the magic crest on the ground over there, like a coiling maelstrom . 』

Helme warned me .

I guess it’s close to the special space where that Kazane hag sat . I remember Kazane’s unique, black-pearl-like eyes… A picture with a circle similar to the black sun of the tarot cards and a camel-colored skull drawn onto it with delicate brushwork had been placed on the table .

The quality here might be completely different, but I think the mana here resembles the flow of mana that leaked out from the picture’s surface . Ripples of mana clearly turned into belt-shaped lines, and swirled around . The mana flow was of a different quality .

『…That’s not all…』

Flesh and bones of women who had become sacrifices were scattered around the offering table . There was also a nude woman, who seemed to be in the middle of a ritual, laying on the bloodstained offering table .

Any normal person would likely feel sick if they saw this . That’s how gruesome a scenery it was . Heretics who turn precious women into sacrifices… Even if the gods forgive them, I won’t .

…Hmm? Oh, the shoulder of the woman on the offering table is moving slightly? She’s still alive? all across her body are places where she seems to have been eaten, but she appears to still breathe . It looks like there’s still hope as long as I quickly apply potions and healing magic on her .

Or rather, her boobs are big . To hurt such a precious, big-breasted woman…I will never forgive those guys . I will crush all of these crazy heretics, no, even if it’s just the central figures .

As anger was welling up in me, I could hear a voice from the center .

“…Following the escape of the sacrifices we bought and caught, now this unexpected surprise attack…I have no doubt that the Goddess of Nightmares will be enraged…”

A man muttered while getting up…

Is he injured? He apparently went down in the battle .

The eyes of that man were blue, but black horns grew at the outer corners of his eyes, and fangs were extending from his mouth . The shape of his ears were that of a frog, but he was a demon with a well-featured face? His shoulders were square and big .

The handsome demon flung off his jet-black robe that had a hole at the chest . You could call his appearance the very definition of a demon . He had a skin costume as if combining glittering silver and rouge armor parts…

A hole with black flames at its edges had been punctured into the demon-lookalike’s chest . It looks like it penetrated him after all .

However, the wound was automatically regenerating while shrinking like a small, winding vortex .

“…Oh? I should have pierced your torso, and yet you’re alive? I sense a deeper smell of mana from you than from the cow-face I fought the other day . I wonder what’s going to happen to me if I succeed in devouring you～”

A silver-haired woman had a mystified expression as she watched the hole regenerating, but her words were full of delight instead .

“…I’m terribly sorry, Naromivas-sama . The name of this woman is Liliza . She seems to be the third apostle of an evil god . I don’t know how she did it, but…it looks like she followed me…”

That awkwardly-looking cow face… I feel like I have seen him somewhere before .

Or rather, that silver-haired woman called Liliza, who is opposing them, is definitely abnormal . In response to her words, the shape of her silver hair keeps changing .

『…That Liliza woman is of a different kind . It was just for an instant, but she released and then retracted a big amount of mana . She’s an irregular . 』

It’s just as Helme says .

Several bonefish that appeared to belong to her had been floating around as well . But, bonefish?

Don’t tell me…

The face of the tiger beauty Mamani crossed my mind .

And then the cow face, the demon, and Liliza fought deeper in . On the other side of the center…it’s slightly distant, but I see a person who stood still among the escaping women .

――Why doesn’t she run away?

I stared at that person…ah, found her . A beauty with freckles on her cheeks and scarlet hair . It’s Remrona!

Looking at her closely, she resembles Fran quite a bit .

“…Fran, the one over there is Remrona, isn’t she?”

“Ah――”

“Uh-oh . ”

Since Fran was about to shout loudly, I blocked her mouth in a hurry . We just found her, but it’s not like she’s already safe . It’s quite likely that it might turn into a short-lived joy .

“…Be quiet . Yui and you will go around to Remrona and retrieve her . And then you will quickly withdraw from this place . ”

If it’s my chosen bloodkin Yui, I can leave Remrona to her with a peace of mind .

Then I took my hand off Fran’s mouth .

“Okay . What will you do, Shuuya?”

Rollo and I will stand out in the center . If we become decoys, they probably won’t notice or lower their attention towards the Great Knight Remrona .

“…Rollo and I will barge into the fight over there while keeping the situation in check . ”

“…You’re saying you will become a decoy for us?”

“Don’t make too much out of it . I just want to greet a person I spoke to in the past . Now hurry up and save Remrona . ”

I jerked my head in Remrona’s direction, hurrying her to act .

“…Thanks, Shuuya . I won’t forget this favor . ”

“It’s fine, just get going . ”

I ordered Yui to go as well with my eyes . The black-haired assassin beauty looked at my face and smiled as if wanting to tell me something .

“Fufu, well then, Fran-san, let’s go . ”

“Sure . ”

Fran and Yui approached Remrona’s location at a quick pace .

…The sisters embraced each other in joy . It’s deeply emotional, but since the voices of the escaping woman and the voices of the evil heretics chasing after them formed a loud cacophony, I couldn’t really hear what they were talking about .

Remrona apparently said that she has something left to do here or similar while looking at the battle going on in the center, but well, Yui and Fran will probably persuade her to get away from this place .

“…Rollo, Helme, we will join the fray over there . ”

“Nya . ”

『Your Excellency, shall I come outside?』

『No, Rollo and I will fight them . I might have you come out later . 』

『Understood . 』

Rollo got off my shoulder and transformed into her black panther form . She let six tentacles grow from her neck, and looked up to me with a face as if saying 『I’m ready to go at anytime nya』 while displaying her sabre-toothed tiger-like fangs that shone with a momentary flash .

Alright, looks like we’re good to go .

After making eye contact with RollodeenBlack Panther, I turned my look in the direction of the center where the 2 vs . 1 battle was going on . I walked towards that center with my partner at my feet .

If seen from a distance, it might look as if an aura of Magic Combat Style was oozing out of me . That’s how pissed off I was .

Sacrificing many women, hurting a big-breasted woman, and if I consider the possibility of Mimi and Remrona having been sacrificed, my simmering rage…

No good, I have to act calmly .

First I will swiftly move to the location of the big-boobed woman .

“…I will go ahead . Just for the beginning, I leave my back to you . ”

“Nya . ”

I explained to Rollodeen after we had walked for a bit . At that moment I pointed my left hand towards the central area, where the ceremony had been held, with the image of targeting it with a gun . The aim was below the offering table .

I shot <Chain> from the factor mark on my left wrist . The tear-dropped tip of the chain stabbed into the ground right under the offering table . I confirmed that it was firm enough by snapping my wrist . After confirming the strength of the chain as anchor, I reeled the chain, which had extended like a piano wire, back towards the factor mark with the image of putting it away after pushing the cord button on a cleaner .

My left hand was pulled, and while flying through the air like Tarzan guided by the chain, I moved my own body in front of the central area with the offering table . Seemingly having put power into her limbs and moved them as if matching the timing of my flight, Rollodeen also landed splendidly . She stood on the right next to me in order to protect me .

The cow face, demon, and silver-haired woman, who had been fighting atop the huge magic crest, widened their eyes, diverting their attention to me who was a sudden intruder .

The demon turned his darkness words, which seemed to be sharp around the edge, at me . I ignored their looks .

Leaving the back to Rollodeen, I took out a potion . I removed its cover, and sprinkled the potion over the blond woman stretched out on the offering table . Next I activated the advanced water spell, 《Water Cure》 .

A shining, transparent water sphere manifested in a flash . In the next moment, the sphere broke apart, turning into tiny drops, which then poured down on the fainted woman like a shower .

The woman laying on the offering table…had her bite wounds healed across her whole body .

…However, it looks like scars will remain for a long time… Precisely because she has wonderful, big boobs with small nipples possessing the pointedness of a cedar tree’s top that pierces the heavens… If I consider her life from now on, I feel sympathy for her .

Since I could confirm her breath without checking her airway, I judged her life to not be in any danger . However, I ended up succumbing to my erotic urge . Her face was also that of a striking babe . She had a sexy sleeping face, and a naked body possessing a beauty that was filled with so much allure that I wanted to embrace it . Her muscles, which she had forged as a warrior, were conspicuous and she had a stout-looking body frame, but she was slender . And she also possessed fleshy, soft parts, typical of a woman .

However, right now I am an executioner . There’s something I have to do…

I removed my eyes from the woman sleeping on the offering table .