“Wait… for real?”
“It appears to be ‘for real.’ It seems to reconstruct itself after taking a certain amount of damage.”
Recalling the thunder spear as it flew back to my hand, I regrouped with Garm and Nidhogg, who were nonchalantly gazing up at the situation.
Noticing me, Garm grabbed the hem of my coat tightly.
“King-kun! That… it’s that kid, but it’s not that kid!”
“Wha—what do you mean…?”
“There was no feedback when I punched it! It’s a mass of mana, but it’s not a ‘living creature’ like a spirit… I think!”
Not a living creature… huh.
But the presence Garm and Furcas felt was definitely that of a Primordial Species.
Which means…
“Corpse King-sama, this quadrupedal beast is undoubtedly the true identity of the strange mana Garm felt. In other words, it is likely the source of the curse regarding the Nightmare of the Sleepless Land. And—the main body controlling it, the one Garm felt a sense of nostalgia for and whom that Knight declared to be their natural enemy, is likely the Primordial Species itself,”
Nifl stated her personal opinion succinctly.
Yeah, even with the same materials, the speed at which she reaches a conclusion is on a different level.
But anyway, let’s move forward with that theory for now.
“The main body is… under the Guild?”
“Presumably… but before that,”
“Yeah, I know.”
The shadow finished reconstructing itself.
Even after being pummeled that much, the shadow stood back up in a state no different from before.
Its silhouette flickered eerily as it stood tall—and it cranked the output of its surrounding winds up another notch.
“Hresvelgr…”
“I-I knew it! That’s Fu-chan’s magic!”
Was she taken in, or was she devoured…?
“If we try to erase the curse like this, there is no telling what will happen to Hresvelgr. We must somehow extract or separate her.”
Nifl spoke with a tone firmer and more intense than usual.
Hearing this, Nidhogg also narrowed her eyes, looking troubled.
No one raised an objection, but the conversation didn’t progress further.
“However… the method is…”
Nothing came to mind. Nifl said nothing more, sinking into silent thought.
In the first place, is it even possible to forcibly tear someone away from a fused state like that?
Extracting… separating.
Putting aside someone like me who isn’t well-versed in the principles of this world, if Nifl can’t think of anything, a revolutionary idea isn’t exactly going to fall into my lap.
So… what do I do?
No, don’t overthink it.
First, the fact that Hresvelgr’s magic is manifesting means Hresvelgr is definitely still alive. There’s no doubt about that.
Spirits are originally mana-based lifeforms. Inside that torrent of mana weaving the shadow of that quadrupedal beast, she should exist in her mana form.
In her mana form… like that [sky-blue sphere] she was in when she was tucked inside Careless-kun’s shirt. She must still be in there.
“Corpse King-sama. The target is moving.”
Slowly, as if lifting a heavy body, the shadow began to move.
It opened its mouth wide and, persistent as ever, began charging mana.
Inside its gullet was a pitch-black darkness where no light could reach.
Its body was made of high-density mana. It had no flesh, bones, or internal organs.
In that case.
“Nidhogg, Garm, break that magic!”
“—Understood!”
“Got it!”
The moment the command was given, the two kicked off the ground and closed in on the shadow’s chest in an instant.
I readjusted my coat and pulled my hood low.
“Nifl, I’m diving into that shadow.”
“It is dangerous. The inside of that shadow is likely a raging torrent of mana. Specifically, negative mana. It is an act of folly akin to diving into a muddy rapid. It is unknown how much the Corpse King-sama’s body can endure.”
Nifl declared flatly.
It’s rare for this girl to call my actions an “act of folly.” She must be warning me that it’s extremely dangerous.
But this is the only way. I can’t exactly send these kids in.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT LOCALIZERMEERKAT.GITHUB.IO
“I’m going to apologize to Fu-chan and talk to her properly. —Don’t worry, Nifl. I’m pretty confident in my ability to clutch things in moments like this. I’m just looking for a tiny ping-pong ball inside a slightly large body. I’ll definitely bring her back.”
This isn’t bravado. This is my duty.
Well, there’s also the thought that if I don’t go this far, she probably won’t forgive my recklessness.
“…If you do not return, I will teleport to your coordinates. We will die together.”
“I’ll definitely come back! Seriously, don’t do that!”
My face paled at Nifl saying such a thing with a completely straight face.
Then, as if finding my panicked expression amusing, Nifl’s cheeks relaxed, and she bowed respectfully.
“Safe travels. I shall be waiting for your return with Hresvelgr.”
“Yeah.”
I turned on my heel. Mana conducted through the spear in my hand, emitting a pale white light.
[OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHH!!]
The moment the mana charging was complete.
“For my King—”
“Make a paaaaaath!!”
The dragon and the wolf howled simultaneously.
Nidhogg thrust her right arm, laden with catastrophic power, into the charged storm magic.
Garm poured mana into her vocal cords and released it as a [Howl].
What occurred was not neutralization, but destruction.
Normally, it would be difficult to even offset a Super-tier spell. But they slammed mana energy that exceeded even that into it, blowing away the construction formula necessary for the spell’s activation.
A feat impossible for a normal human—or even a demon—was an interference with the laws of the world that only the Primordial duo of Helheim could achieve.
A vacuum was created. The massive maw that was supposed to be firing magic was now wide open as if to welcome me in.
“—!”
Without missing the opening, I aimed for the gullet and threw the spear.
And the moment the spear was swallowed by the darkness of the throat—
Zap! Lightning crackled, and my body shifted to the spear’s current location.
■
“What… what is this, what is happening!? Gremory!!”
In the castle town, the tragedy that was supposed to unfold had steered in the completely opposite direction at the very last second.
The Beast Curse, which should have cornered their hope, Koka, to her final step… now, it was not the Sleepless Land being trampled, but the shadow that was the incarnation of the curse itself.
His mask of composure stripped away, Seere’s face was twisted in desperation, a hideous sight reflected in Kaguya’s beautiful eyes.
She didn’t mock him or fire back provocations.
Kaguya simply looked at Seere in silence, her eyes filled with pity.
That, more than anything, made Seere’s blood boil.
“Wh-at… is with those eyes!? AAAAAAGH!!”
Sludge. Seere’s obsidian left eye cracked with a snap, and mana like mud stained his cheek like tears.
Kaguya didn’t change her expression even at the unsightly display of the handsome man gasping in humiliation.
She wasn’t in a position to say anything herself. Kaguya felt no pretension in her heart.
She was simply, truly lucky.
Conversely, Seere was just unlucky.
This result was nothing more than a coincidence.
“Brat, you acted too soon… You haven’t seen my exhibition match, have you?”
“S-so what! What value is there in your doll play…!”
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