"What is that...?"
Kohaku Kashima widened her eyes.
A giant monster appeared, mowing down trees.
It had a slug-like appearance.
However, as usual, it did not match the original image it brought to mind.
This monster too was no exception in having a bizarre form.
Golden eyes could be seen on both sides of the top of its head.
The pupils resembled a dragonfly's eyes.
Organs similar to an elephant's trunk.
Tentacles, perhaps?
Multiple ones grew from its back.
Atsuko Chigasaki from the Asagi group turned pale.
"Wait, something like human arms are growing from both sides of its body... Uwaa~, so gross... and the appearance is way too grotesque..."
Moreover, several more seemed to be following behind.
It was not just one.
Most of the heroes who had stepped back were overwhelmed.
Part of it was due to the grotesque appearance.
But more than that, they sensed the strength of the monster.
It was ferociously strong.
Just seeing its form was enough to tell.
It was on a different level from the monsters they had encountered in the Demon Zone so far.
It made sense that the Four Holy Saints had quickly instructed them to step back.
"..."
Ssh.
Nyantan leaned her upper body forward.
A supple, graceful movement.
Her upper body was closer to the ground than her hips.
The segmented blade extending from behind her waist.
The blade glowed and stood straight up toward the sky.
It resembled the pose a cat makes when threatening.
Nyantan called out to Agito.
"I will handle the first one at the front."
"Can you manage?"
"Yes, I can."
"Then I will handle the second one following behind. Abyss, will you join?"
"O~kay."
The three in the front line showed plenty of composure.
Kashima swallowed her saliva.
(To be able to stay so calm even in front of that monster...)
"Nuuun!"
The slug-like creature with viscous skin covered in branches and leaves spread its tentacles.
Nyantan dashed forward while in her forward-leaning posture.
Tentacles attacked toward her.
(I cannot see it...!)
Kashima could not follow the tentacles whipping around like sonic-speed whips with her eyes.
At best, she could hear the sound of them cutting through the air.
However, Nyantan continued to dodge the tentacles like a nimble cat.
The tentacles could not catch her.
The next instant—the tips of the tentacles sprouted blade-like parts.
The scythe of the grim reaper.
The shape reminded her of that blade.
Dancing curved blades.
It was as if kamaitachi were dancing wildly in midair in ecstasy.
However, Nyantan's blades deflected all the incoming curved blades with even faster, imperceptible speed.
No—rather, they sliced through the monster's blades.
The quality of sharpness and strength was different.
Then, a large hole opened in the front part of the monster's body.
When compared to the position of the golden eyes, it looked exactly like a mouth—
"Orogeeeeeroroooooon!"
Goshaaaaaaaa!
Vomit and mucus.
The liquid spat out from the monster poured down onto the ground.
Then, the ground sizzled with sound.
A nose-stinging odor.
It controlled its direction of movement with the tentacles and spat strong acidic liquid toward the guided spot.
Even if it could not capture with the tentacles, it would melt them by spitting acid.
A two-stage attack.
Was that the monster's sure-win pattern?
However,
From the spot where the acid had been spat, Nyantan had already disappeared.
(Ah—)
Kashima's eyes finally caught Nyantan's figure.
"O~rorororooon!?"
When had she moved there?
Nyantan had circled behind the monster.
The monster, which had finally recognized its prey, sent all its tentacles attacking toward her in midair.
The segmented blade unfolded in a spiral with Nyantan at the center.
The full length of the blade was far longer than the attacking tentacles—
Hyu.
Right after the sound of cutting wind, multiple tentacles were smoothly sliced at the same time.
Nyantan's manipulated blades.
For some reason, their sharpness seemed to have increased even more.
With ferocious intensity like raging snakes, her blades cut through the tentacles.
The monster's soft flesh dragged blood as it fell to the ground one after another.
In an instant, the blades glowed intensely.
The blades grew even longer.
"OroUaaaAaaaAaaAaaAaaAaaAaaA—!?"
Stab.
Nyantan landed on one knee on the ground.
Behind her, snake-like blades surrounding the monster raged like a storm.
The monster tried to sweep away the blades with its giant arms.
But even those swinging arms were cut off without resistance.
It had all happened in just a few seconds.
The monster had been sliced into pieces.
(Am-amazing...)
It was not just the power of that mysterious sword (?).
Nyantan's movements themselves were tremendously refined.
Even Kashima could tell.
The fight was so captivating that she could not help but watch in admiration.
(That is the power of Vysis's disciples... That person seems far more suited for subjugating the Demon Emperor than us heroes...)
Nyantan stood up with a cool face.
The one who dashed past her side with elegance was—
Agito Angoon of the Four Holy Saints.
"As expected of Nyantan Kikikappu, said to be the strongest among Vysis's disciples."
"I am sorry. I finished it off. Considering the heroes' experience points, I should have left it barely alive."
"It cannot be helped against this monster. If you let your guard down, even Vysis's disciples could get injured."
Agito drew his sword.
In front of him, a slug-like creature appeared as if sliding.
The monster seemed to have tried to brake by planting its arms on the ground, but it could not kill its momentum.
The monster, unable to stop its momentum, blew away the thick tree that had been ahead.
Then, the monster grabbed the tree it had blown away with its arm.
Kashima involuntarily raised her voice.
"Ah!"
The monster had thrown the grabbed tree at Agito.
A wooden mallet approached the eldest son of the Four Holy Saints at high speed with a roar.
Agito easily dodged the thrown tree, and his sword glowed with white light.
The light grew stronger and covered the blade of the sword.
With his body and sword kept low, Agito charged.
(He is dodging everything...)
A barrage of blade-transformed tentacles.
Agito dodged all of them.
Without even deflecting them with his sword.
To Kashima's eyes, Agito looked like he was disappearing and appearing.
"NaaAaaAaaAaaAaaA—!?"
The slug-like creature roared in frustration.
While roaring, the monster scattered acid from its mouth.
But not a single drop hit Agito.
It could not even melt the hem of his clothes.
The sword enveloped in a blade of light.
The length of the blade had become several times that of the original sword.
With a reverse diagonal slash, Agito swung his sword upward.
A little ahead on the slightly gouged ground, the monster had been cut cleanly in two.
Finally, Agito sliced the golden eyes cleanly in half.
Slash!
"Another six... —n?"
Agito turned around.
He called out to his eldest sister, Abyss.
"Abyss, some of the monsters changed direction. It seems they have shifted their aim to the heroes in the back."
"O~h, is that so? Leave it to me."
"I am counting on you."
"Yeah."
While swinging her arms around, Abyss headed back.
Nyantan followed after her.
Agito turned forward again.
Another monster was still approaching in front of him.
"Now then, first I will deal with this one—"
"You told me to step back against a monster of only this level?"
Standing beside Agito was Kirihara.
"Kirihara."
"I will show you what is right. In short, what is right is—"
Kirihara thrust both hands forward.
"Power."
The third slug-like creature appeared.
"――――[Golden Dragonic, Dragon Roar Wave Buster]――――"
Golden energy was fired from Kirihara's hands.
The monster raged and took aim.
Its golden eyes—seemed to have locked onto Agito.
Kirihara swung his arms.
Then, as if linked to the movement of his arms, the fired Dragon Roar Wave bent.
Doshu!
The Dragon Roar Wave pierced through the tentacles that had moved to defend.
And then it further penetrated the monster's body beyond.
The monster screamed.
Like a dragon flying freely through the sky, the Dragon Roar Wave pierced through the monster's body again and again.
Before long, the monster was riddled with holes.
Large amounts of blood flowed out from the holes in each part.
Kirihara turned back toward the heroes in the rear.
"My unique skill has now reached level 4. Did you burn it into your eyes? This is—"
After giving Agito a glance, he spread both hands as if to show off.
"The power of this future king, me."
Bou!
In an instant—the monster that had been on its last legs burst into flames.
What enveloped the monster was black flame.
The monster quickly turned to charcoal.
"To turn your back without even delivering the finishing blow... Do you not think you were too careless? That was a close call, Kirihara."
"......Yasu."
Kirihara's face darkened with shadow, and he stared at Tomohiro Yasu ahead with eyes as if looking at garbage.
◇[Itsuki Takao]◇
Several male corpses lay on the ground.
Looking down at the corpses was Hijiri Takao.
"It seems something happened over there."
Itsuki Takao, still on one knee, looked back in the direction they had come from.
"We should probably head back soon."
The two of them had temporarily separated from the heroes when they saw an opportunity.
It had been quite difficult to find a gap in Nyantan's watch.
She had seemed to be approaching to search for the two of them, but something must have happened, and she had turned back.
"Itsuki."
"Hm?"
The men lying there had not been killed by Itsuki and the others.
They had taken their own lives.
Hijiri gracefully folded her arms.
"..."
Even her sister's small everyday movements looked charming to Itsuki.
"These men... what do you think? The moment they realized they could not escape after being found by us, they committed suicide... They seem like spies who had dedicated their entire existence to their master."
"Hmm, like surveillance agents sent by another country?"
"Who knows."
Hijiri did not change her expression even when looking at the corpses.
Her sister remained calm as usual.
No matter where they were, when she was with this sister, Itsuki could remain "as usual."
Hijiri stated her personal view.
"People sent by the goddess Vysis to do something to us 2-C—I see them that way."