The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 95 – Great Forest of Demonic Haunts

Once I enter the adventurer’s guild in the 【Sole Fortress】, the hustling and bustling dies down.

Naturally all eyes focussed on me.

After all I showily rampaged around in front of the fortress.

Unbeknownst of whether she hates the gazes gathering on her or whether she got tired of it, Rollo dives into my hood as if hiding.

While feeling the precious body weight of Rollo on my back, I proceed deeper into the guild.

The guild building’s interior has the same size as the one in the city of 【Fortona】.

I continue on the grain-styled wooden floor to the inner part where I see the reception desk.

An unusual light source, namely a magic sword and a round shield on the ceiling, illuminated the central hall.

There’s also a familiar scenery.

The adventurers displaying troubled expressions as they choose their requests is the same everywhere.

They are staring at the board with the pinned request papers while showing serious expressions just like usual.

Request, request…

Almost all requests are taking place in the 【Great Forest of Demonic Haunts】.

There are many subjugation requests with ranks ranging from A to C.

Subjugation requests for grizbells, lesser demons and macquires are lined up.

There was even the name of the black-haired eyeball-monster Arbiter which I defeated.

The rank is B++.

It seems there are various others besides grizbells and lesser demons.

Subjugation requests for monsters with strange names such as Cardprepas, Reqmogue and Hapiado are stuck on the C rank and B rank boards.

Request Content: B-Rank – Subjugate 10 “Grizbells”

Subjugation Target: Grizbells

Application Period: indefinite

Search Area: Great Forest of Demonic Haunts

Reward: 5 Gold coins

Subjugation Proof: Blue pelt, hooves, eyeballs, ears

Key Points: Possessing horse limbs, they are fast. However, they have a tendency of preferring close combat. They will likely attack while bearing bows and longswords. Be careful since the degree of difficulty will rise sharply if a Great Grizbell owning a horn is leading their side.

Note: Their number of appearances is high, but they are B ranked. We will buy their raw materials such as their pelt, eyeballs, hooves and testicles.

There are many saleable raw materials.

I don’t want to loot their testicles though.

Next are lesser demons, I guess? Their numbers should be high as well.

Request Content: C-Rank – Subjugate 10 “Lesser Demons”

Subjugation Target: Lesser Demons

Application Period: indefinite

Search Area: Great Forest of Demonic Haunts

Reward: 5 Gold coins

Subjugation Proof: Horns, trident, ears

Key Points: They prefer close combat and act in groups

Note: We will buy their horns and tridents

The next is the last one with indefinite time, huh?

Request Content: B-Rank – Subjugate 5 “Reqmogues”

Subjugation Target: Reqmogue

Application Period: indefinite

Search Area: Great Forest of Demonic Haunts

Reward: 3 Gold coins

Subjugation Proof: Black claws, horns, noses, pelts, meat

Key Points: They prefer close combat with their sharp claws. They enslave rats and make them attack people. They act in groups. The like dark places. Going by their appearance, their trait apparently is to find humans by sniffing out the scent with their nose. Be careful of surprise attacks.

Note: They are B rank because of their big numbers and commonly appearing all together at once. Their appearance is that of an animal type. We will buy their black claws, horns, noses, pelts and meat.

I decide to accept a total of four requests.

Holding two wooden tags of the grizbell subjugation request, I head to the reception.

Oh, it’s a map.

Something that might be considered a map of the demonic haunts was drawn on the ceiling diagonally atop the reception.

With the fortress location being drawn largely on the side, the majority is coloured with forest.

Red x’s marked the place considered to be the points to where the subjugation unit advanced. There’s only a few x-marked places at locations slightly away from the fortress.

It’s not a detailed map?

I present my card and the wooden tags to a free receptionist while having my thoughts about the drawing that seems to show the local area.

“These requests please.” (Shuuya)

“Yes. Umm, this number by yourself?”

“That’s right. Is there any problem with that?” (Shuuya)

I squinted my eyes and looked at the receptionist.

“No, then, please place your hand on this.”

The receptionist is indifferently processing the requests without being perturbed by my gaze.

The crystal shone and the requests were acknowledged right away. After that I was handed back my adventurer card.

I put the card away.

Should I ask her a bit about the 【Great Forest of Demonic Haunts】?

Just when I tried to ask her— the guild’s entrance door was violently opened by being kicked.

“— Where is he!?”

What?

I unintentionally react with a loud voice.

Turning my back on the receptionist, I look behind.

“N, nya?” (Rollo)

Rollo shows her face from within the hood.

There was a cute female knight with conspicuously long and pink hair at the guild’s entrance.

On her right there was a macho-like man who possessed a large sword, had outstanding muscles and a tattoo on one of his dark-skinned shoulders.

On her left there was a lean man who had a scrawny face, wore a white robe and held a wand.

“Just a moment ago a spear user came here. Where’s the spear user who repelled the demon raid?”

The female knight’s powerful voice resounds.

As if it was natural, the inquisitive looks of the adventurers, who are inside the guild, gathered on me.

“Mu, over there huh—?”

The proud pink-haired woman looks at me after being guided by the line of sights of everybody.

Her hair style is that of long rolls which makes one feel an Marie Antoinette like atmosphere.

Small red and white swords, which probably depict the country’s coat of arms, were conspicuously drawn on the place where her chest bulged out and that was covered by a silver plate on top of a silver chain mail.

Her lower body is protected at her hips by a skirt-like tasset part which was made out of silver threads.

Two longswords for combat were dangling at her waist while being affixed with golden threads with a gap as if sticking to that skirt.

She’s stylish and tall. Her height is surpassing 160 cm? (T/N: That’s considered to be tall? O.o)

She walks while making her crease-less silver mantle flutter.

She advances with an elegant gait, similar to that of a model.

Silver greaves with various designs were equipped on her long legs.

She’s silver all over. Possessing green eyes, one immediately knows that she’s a higher-up female knight.

Her small peach-coloured lips move.

“You are the one who slaughtered many demons and defeated that Arbiter, right?”

I faintly smell perfume and a light make-up.

She possesses an charming beauty.

“Yeah, that’s correct. However, who are you?” (Shuuya)

“I’m the A rank adventurer Swane. I also serve as leader of the clan 【Demonic Haunt Extermination】.” (Swane)

“Princess, the way of introducing yourself properly is…”

Princess?

The spindly magician right behind her followed up on her.

I see, this beautiful female isn’t a knight but a princess?

Thinking of pink hair,

“Mu, is that so? I’m Swane Phi Arkamneris. I’m the first princess, an adventurer and the stationed officer of the 【Sole Fortress】 here.” (Swane)

She’s the royal princess after all.

Going by her name, she’s the person related to Princess Aurora as elder sister?

Her green pupils and pink-coloured hair is just like that of Aurora.

“… Princess Swane-sama, was it? What kind of business does such a noble lady have with me?” (Shuuya)

“Won’t you tell me your name before talking about business?” (Swane)

“Excuse me for this slip-up. My name is Shuuya. My family name is Kagari. I’m called Shuuya. My adventurer rank is C.”

“What? Shuuya-dono, you are “C” after such military achievements?” (Swane)

Well, that’s a common reaction.

“Yes. This is the proof of that.” (Shuuya)

“Nyanya.” (Rollo)

Saying that, I showed my card and at the same time Rollo returned on my shoulder and purred.

“Certainly, it’s yours, Shuuya-dono. That black cat on your shoulder was also actively participating in defeating the demons, I have heard from adventurers. It seems there was another woman and bone-like knights, but…” (Swane)

“Are you not making some mistake? Because Rollo is my familiar and partner. So, what might your business be?” (Shuuya)

“Aah, umm, how to say it. For the sake of exterminating demons, become a member of my clan—” (Swane)

What? It’s an invitation?

I won’t let you finish phrasing your invitation. Let’s refuse here.

“I decline. Then—” (Shuuya)

“Wh-…” (Swane)

The princess flaps her mouth open and shut out of surprise.

She’s a beautiful person, but…

I’m already against getting involved with that kind of person, right?

Hurriedly putting away my guild card, I walk through the guild while forgoing the princess with her goldfish mouth.

“Wait—”

The large sword owner behind the princess spread his dark-skinned arms while shouting that and stood in my way.

“What’s the idea about you rejecting the princess’ invitation?”

The large sword owner says so while glaring at me with lifted-up eyes.

What? Are you saying that you will have me join forcefully?

“That’s my line. Certainly you won’t force me to join, will you?” (Shuuya)

“No, I won’t do that, but upon knowing the circumstances of the 【Sole Fortress】 here, do you intend to decline the invitation to the princess’ clan 【Demonic Haunt Extermination】?”

The circumstances of them being attacked by demons?

Such stuff has nothing to do with me though…

“That’s right.” (Shuuya)

“We are the top clan of 【Sole Fortress】. We have repeatedly succeeded in expeditions into the demonic haunts to a degree that exceeds even the crusades.”

Top clan, eh?

I wonder, do they also have a detailed map of the entire 【Great Forest of Demonic Haunts】?

Well, even if they had such map, it would become impossible to go to my target location if I entered their clan. That would be putting the cart before the horse.

According to Elmes-san, the south-east forest close to the Mahaheim Mountain Range was called the Forest of Sadeyula.

In that case, it won’t suffice unless I head into the deepest inner part.

These people might be strong and reliable. However, in the end it’s only if measured in the category of humans.

It’s possible that they will become a burden.

Therefore.

“… I’m sorry. I refuse.” (Shuuya)

“Bertrand, Shuuya-dono has already said so. Step aside.” (Swane)

“Y-Yes. Understood.” (Bertrand)

The princess stopped Bertrand by talking to him with a regretful look.

Just like that I leave the guild at a quick pace without looking at the princess’ party.

There isn’t anything like a shopping street in this fortress.

There were only a Jack of all trades like store and an inn close to the guild.

In the end I wasn’t able to hear the detailed information from the receptionist.

Well, it doesn’t matter. It will probably be alright if I head south-east.

There’s an inn on the left side, but…

I wonder whether I should immediately plunge into the 【Great Forest of Demonic Haunts】 without staying over at the inn?

I was able to leave the fortress easily since the gate, through which I entered, was left open.

Since the adventurers, who were collecting the raw materials from the monsters’ corpses in front of the fortress, are returning to the fortress one after the other, we pass each other.

Each time I passed one of them, they noticed me in an instant.

They were probably considering me as strange for not having collected the raw materials although I defeated them.

Though I will collect it from now on if it’s added to the number of successful requests. As that’s not the case here, I run towards the forest.

I rushed into the【Great Forest of Demonic Haunts】.

Dark… there’s no sunlight here.

Without using a magic light, I rely on .

I’m greeted by a place with densely growing grass.

I advanced while cutting the grass with my Magic Halberd and the cursed sword.

However, the great forest swiftly shows various changes.

Turning into a place where short grass spreads on the surfaces just like moss and where the ground is covered with dark brown, huge roots, the environment doesn’t seems to be fixed.

The many bushes make the footing unstable.

The ground where it’s difficult to walk continues. There doesn’t exist a path where people pass through.

There’s only tall trees and shrubs.

However, I sense powerful magic sources from within the many trees in this mysterious place.

There were indications that different creatures were apparently lurking around here.

And there’s once again a reaction.

What is it? I felt like Grasping Perception reacted to something, but…

I look around intently while paying attention to the trunks of the trees, but nothing happens.

It’s strange, but this place is the 【Great Forest of Demonic Haunts】.

Thinking that such things might happen as well, I advanced on my own feet, without using or , even while tilting my head to the side.

… I walked for quite a long time.

I guess it’s fine around here.

Thereupon I fire a into a tall tree which is diagonally right next to me.

I cancel since the sunlight is bright once I reel in the chain.

I start moving alongside the trees while being basked in sunlight.

This is much more comfortable after all. It’s fun.

For a while I moved along the trees like Tarzan or a ninja.

I felt magic sources all over on the dark ground below the trees, but as it seems that there are no monsters who are active above the trees, I haven’t encountered any until now.

Therefore I’m able to explore smoothly.

I don’t get careless since I might just not have met monsters who move along the trees yet by chance, but… while being cautious just in case, I enjoy my travel along the trees.

Plenty of monkeys, flying squirrels, bats, owls, snakes and ants are living at the upper parts of the trees. Animals and insects using that fact lived in the global environment.

Just how many, yet unknown monsters, are waiting in the great forests of Sera (different world)…?

At that moment I discover a strangely thick branch growing from a large tree.

It has a width allowing me to lay down on it.

I land on the thick branch while placing one knee on it.

As I stand up, I gaze at the giant tree with a sky covering size as it naturally continues upwards because of its thick trunk.

It has an overwhelming taller height and thicker trunk than the trees located in the neighbourhood of the fortress.

Though it’s a great forest, I properly grasp that this was the elven empire 【Great Ancient Empire Befaritz】.

It was probably a much greater elven territory than the one in 【Teramey Kingdom】 I reached after being guided by Raglen.

… The ground has become dim.

The sunlight still reaches this place, but the ground below is mostly deprived of light.

— Oh?

I was able to feel magic source responses from below the tree.

Once I look down, I can see black horse demons walking in a line.

A group of grizbells. Their numbers are high…

However they haven’t noticed me who is atop a tree.

Although it’s possible to surprise attack them, I ignore them.

“Nn, nya?” (Rollo)

Rollo, who is on my shoulder, looks at me who is gazing below and purrs in a questioning manner.

It felt as if she’s saying: Will you finish off those demons nya?

“No, let’s prioritize exploration for now. We can hunt for the sake of the requests at any time.” (Shuuya)

“Nyaa.” (Rollo)

Rollo purrs like that and returns into the hood while yawning.

“I will wake you up once an enemy comes, okay?” (Shuuya)

“Nnn.” (Rollo)

She answers with just a throaty voice.

Good grief, she acts like a cat lord-sama with a good social position. Will she change into a stupid cat lord-sama who plasters her face with powder?

While I ponder about such stupid stuff, I resume moving along the trees.

I’m observing my surroundings with caution while recalling the gossip of Elmes and the book’s content Chloe mentioned.

A hill, a big tree and a spring, was it?

There’s probably terrain where hills rise in the forest. I think I will realize in one go once I get close.

I advanced through the forest in a straight line, with a momentum at the level of crashing into the Mahaheim Mountain Range, while investigating the environment for the sake of searching for those three landmarks.

Since it became late at night, I once again land on a thick branch that grows at the upper side part of a large tree.

I take a break on this branch.

For the first time I use the Magically-built Home I received from the princess.

The instant I said 「Deploy」 after touching the crystal, it results in a sound of *bum* and a tent with a luxurious curtain appears in front of my eyes.

I immediately passed through the cloth door and tried peeking inside.

Different from the Magically-built Home used by Princess Aurora, it’s sufficiently wide though the number of beds is low with just one.

It’s satisfactory. Even except the bed, there’s space where sleeping is possible.

Well then, before lying down… I left the Magically-built Home.

Let’s have the burning knights stand watch.

I activate my ring magic tool, Prison of Darkness Bone RidersDark Hell Bone Knights.

Something like black and red threads originate from the ring.

The threads cling to the thick branch.

It’s a branch, but the places, where the threads stuck to, created a smoke with a sound similar to boiling and the burning bone knights appeared.

“Your Excellency, it’s the black burning knight Zemetas.”

“Your Excellency, it’s the red burning knight Adomos.”

Two pairs of red pupils with a helmet on their bone heads.

It was the entry of the burning knights who were kneeling down on one knee.

“Yo, thanks for earlier. The reason I summoned you is because I’d like you to stand watch here.” (Shuuya)

“Yes!—”

“At your command!—”

They have deep, harmonizing voices.

Let’s ask them about the tear as well?

I had previously heard that even the spirit world has turned into a place of strife, but I will ask them once more.

“… It’s abrupt, but the tear is a place that connects the surface world Sera with the spirit world Sebdola, right? Although I heard about it before, please tell me once more.” (Shuuya)

“Yes, there’s always dispute over the tears. There are many cases where tears are occupied by groups who wield authority in the spirit world, but there are also cases where fixed agreements are made.”

“Agreements?” (Shuuya)

“Yes. There are cases where several households or demons tie alliance agreements to not fight with each other in order to place priority on expanding Sera. Though there’s no coordination since there are also demons among them who aren’t as flexible.”

You might even say that it’s kind of demon-like for there to be no coordination.

“Hee, I wonder whether the demons, whom I happened to encounter, were allied? It’s the opponents you guys fought the other day. Though the black horse types called grizbells and the human types with two long, black horns on their heads who are called lesser demons are monsters.” (Shuuya)

“Your Excellency, grizbells are dependants connected to the Hunting Magic God Bofun.”

“Or it can be surmised that they are demons holding a position close to that.”

They knew them after all?

Hunting Magic God Bofun.

I saw that name in the picture scroll of gods.

It should have been a picture of a centaur holding a bow going by its appearance.

“Arbiter. There was also a huge, round, black-haired eyeball monster that released a green beam and which I defeated, but what about this fellow?” (Shuuya)

“It seems to be a dependent of the Evil God of Demon Eyes Desalobia. It’s a powerful demon with a nature of easily going into a frenzy, but many of them aren’t overly bright.”

I see, I can agree with that as the black-haired eyeball needlessly attacked the other demons without questions asked.

Well, let’s stop the questioning around here.

It’s not like I got particularly tired, but I want to lie down lightly inside the Magically-built Home.

I have to refresh myself mentally, don’t I?

“Well then, since I will go rest for a bit, I leave the lookout to you, although this place is on top of a tree.” (Shuuya)

“Ha!—”

“Leave it to us!”

The burning knights reply with voices filled with fighting spirit.

I nod. At that moment the Crystal Spirit of Everlasting Darkness appeared in my field of vision once again.

『Your Excellency, won’t you make use of me…?』 (Helme)

『You mean as lookout? No need.』 (Shuuya)

『Got it.』 (Helme)

Helme vanished from my field of vision.

I stepped into the Magically-built Home and took a rest.

◇◇◇◇

After that, taking two days, I arrived at the foot of the Mahaheim Mountain Range.

They are huge mountains. They make the Baldok Mountain look cute.

Ahead, on the other side of this mountain range, should be the plateau area, the Goldeeba region, where my master and the others live.

It’s quite strange that they had come on the other side at that time.

Should I look from above once more in a sightseeing mood?

Using and , I run up into the sky as usual.

Exceeding the tall trees, I created a foothold at a height around the abdomen of the Mahaheim Mountain Range with its high altitude and looked down with a bird’s-eye view.

The Mahaheim Mountain Range continues unbroken like a wall of the world.

Hey, this is amazing. Once I look at the upper regions of the mountains, there are huge dragon shaped monsters and human shaped monsters with flat faces like mirrors flying around in swarms… those are scary.

Or rather, don’t come over here, okay…?

It might be best if I ceased staying at a high altitude near the mountains.

I stop observing the Mahaheim Mountain Range and stare at the 【Great Forest of Demonic Haunts】 continuing endlessly on the left side.

My current location should be south of the 【Sole Fortress】.

If I head east along this mountain range, it will probably be a south-east direction more or less.

Even when I look east, the forest continues into the far distance like a carpet and seems to melt with the sky. I don’t know where I can find the Forest of Sadeyula.

Should I head east while combing through the forest?

I descend from the sky.

Firing a into a tall tree, I resumed travelling towards the east.

This time I consciously move in a zigzag while turning my view all over.

I considered getting the help from Helme, the burning knights and Rollo, however since it’s not like we can communicate over a long distance, it’s faster doing it by myself.

At that time I found yet another tall tree with a thick branch that looked as if it could be used for resting.

However, something’s different?

Nuoh? What is it?

Just now the bark of the trunk wriggled for an instant?

It looked like the tree’s bark moved for a moment there…

Landing on that thick branch, I approach the thick trunk to investigate it.

— Eh?

— Uwaah.

Scary! Eyes! There are several eyes.

In-between the bark several things similar to human eyes moved squirming around in cracked, dark parts, of which countless existed.

Moreover, those eyes all at once stare at me…

“Small one, noticed, by us, noticed…”

Once the monsters of the barks form such words, they start moving all of a sudden.

The barks with the eyeballs attached roll up with a splintering sound while being peeled off the tree.

The contents of the trunk, which were peeled off by the bark, completely fell off. A part of the tree’s interior became hollow as if it was gouged out by emptiness.

— Uwah.

The rolled up bark becomes one unified cluster and transforms into a giant.

Eventually the thing which was a single cluster, changed into a wooden, human-shaped monster.

It’s length is around 3 meters?

The thick branch creaks.

Four root-typed feet support the heavy-looking trunk.

The mouth-like parts, located at the trunk part, moved while causing a jerking sound.

“Small one, you, demon, different. What thing you are?”

A tree monster, huh?

The eyeballs in-between the barks are gross as they restlessly roll around.

However, even if you are referring to me as a thing…

“You too are a thing”, I wanted to say assertively, but I held back.

“I’m from a race called Lucival which resembles humans.” (Shuuya)

“Jin race? Lucival? Unknown, unknown name… Small one, Lucival, delicious? Demons, delicious.”

I was astonished. It’s preying upon demons?

“I’m not tasty. As for demons, do you eat black grizbell or such?” (Shuuya)

“Right. Red, eyes, delicious. Horse feet, by chance, tasty… other, demons, eat. Horn horn, over there, delicious.”

By chance…

It seems I made no mistake with the grizbells.

It’s no wonder that there are no monsters on top of the trees.

These guys probably ate the demons which came close to the tree…

“What kind of race are you?” (Shuuya)

“We are… Torrent. Rather than that, hungry, stomach empty. You, might unappetizing, eat, fine if eat you?”

Torrent, huh?

Or rather, it still intends to eat me? Do I have to fight?

『Your Excellency, can I submerge it in water and freeze it with magic?』 (Helme)

Helme enters my visionary field.

She appears to be angry since her cheeks are slightly puffed up.

『No, not yet. It’s fine to not fight. Currently I want to try negotiating with it.』 (Shuuya)

『Understood.』 (Helme)

The ones called Torrent; are they the same thing as demons?

Oh well, let’s try talking to it?

“I taste badly. Besides, there’s no way that I can let you simply eat me. … I might end up eating you guys in reverse?” (Shuuya)

“Us, eat, you say, bubobobobo…”

Several branch-like thing spouted from its thick trunk in an instant. They repeatedly stretched horizontally and vertically, and then contracted.

“— What is it?” (Shuuya)

“Small one, amusing, interesting. Now, I will not eat.”

It reacted with a laughter?

I ended up feeling slightly frightened.

Moreover, it won’t eat me? Mmh, wait…

If demons are its food, would I possibly be able to obtain some information if I prepared food for it?

“You won’t eat me? Then, will you eat a demon corpse if I bring it to you?” (Shuuya)

“Ooooh, demon, demon, if bring, will become meal.”

“Alright, please let me ask you about this area if I bring you a demon corpse.” (Shuuya)

“Bubobobobobo… understood, got it. Promise, promise. Demon, fast, fast.”

“— Nn, nyanya.” (Rollo)

Rollo woke up due to the strange laughter of the tree monster.

She moved from the hood on my shoulder.

“That, beast, demon?”

“No, this guy is my familiar. She’s no food.” (Shuuya)

“Nya.” (Rollo)

“Hmm… misleading. Hurry, demon, want.”

Well then, let’s kill a demon and bring it over?

“Got it. Rollo, get down, we are going to hunt.” (Shuuya)

“Nyao.” (Rollo)

Leaving such words behind, I jump off the thick branch.

I deploy in the air.

Creating several footholds while descending, I’m falling while dampening the impact.

At the end I pierce the ground diagonally ahead by expanding a . I splendidly landed while reeling in the chain.

There are magic sources right close-by.

I approached the place, which triggered the magic source responses, in a quick walking pace while using .

There, there they are. I can hear their footsteps.

Twigs and fallen leaves get broken by being stepped on with hooves similar to that of war horses.

It’s a group of grizbells.

A group of at least more than 20 grizbells is moving.

Let’s assault them by going ahead.

“Helme, come out.” (Shuuya)

『Yes, Your Excellency.』 (Helme)

Helme, who transformed into a liquid, is released from my left eye.

She appeared with one knee on the ground.

“Rollo and Helme, you will follow this noisy group from behind. I will go ahead and attack them. Rollo and Helme, attack the grizbells from behind.” (Shuuya)

“N, nyao.” (Rollo)

“Your Excellency, it’s a pincer attack, isn’t it? Wonderful. Rollo-sama, let’s go.” (Helme)

Helme and Rollo move while taking a detour.

I begin to act as well.

I continue while in a crouching stance.

I run under the cover of the night as I observe the demons.

In front I discover a large, thick branch, where I can hang from.

I can use that. Shooting a from my left hand, I twine the chain around the branch. I head towards the thick branch while contracting the chain towards my left hand.

Hanging from the thick branch, I activate in mid air while having an upside down point of view.

The transparent magic hand of grabs the thick branch.

I hung down from that thick branch in an upside-down posture.

And then, making disappear, I shoot it a second time.

Creating a loop by manipulating the chain, I suspended it towards below after turning around from the thick branch.

My current state is that of dangling while my body is covered by the overcoat as I take advantage of the darkness…

If I was seen by someone else, I would completely look like a large bat to them, I guess.

I’m Ba○man. Do I have to protect Arkham City?

While revealing an evil smile, I lie in wait for the grizbells to pass right below me.

They came, they came.

I place my aim at the neck and head of the grizbell walking in front.

It went past directly below. Now—.

As planned I make the chain, which is twined around the branch, move towards below by having it take-off swiftly.

The chain plunges downward while grinding and shaving off the thick branch’s edge.

I also swooped down towards the ground while summoning the Magic Halberd in my right hand.

Once I hook the boss of the grizbells walking in the vanguard after it entered the ring-shaped chain, I reel in the chain in one go. The grizbell gets pulled towards the top of the high branch.

The grizbell struggles in mid air while suffering because of its constricted neck, but it couldn’t move while it hung from the chain.

Although it looks like batma○ as well, you can call it a deadly Endg○e-like chain technique…

While feeling the chain extend from my left hand, I stretched out my right hand that held the Magic Halberd to the side and landed while holding the red axe blade horizontally.

It’s a stance where I extend my knee to the side as if my right leg is following the magic spear.

— If it starts well, it will end well, too.

The demons seemed to be confused by my sudden attack. They are late in dealing with me.

Are the other grizbells trying to save the grizbell that stopped moving on top of the branch? They repeatedly jumped up using their pseudo-centaur-like horse legs as they screamed.

I close the distance to the grizbells with Magic Step.

I mowed down the Magic Halberd from right to left in a fan shape.

One grizbell transforms gets sliced up due to the red axe blade’s flash.

Next I mow it down in the reverse direction, from left to right, while advancing.

Two grizbells, three grizbells, I chop up the leading group by mowing them down with lightning speed. I slaughter one grizbell after the other.

The grizbells get attacked from behind by Rollo and Helme.

The demons, who were caught in a pincer attack, are unable to put up a proper resistance.

Helme swings her left hand, releases dark mist at the grizbells and steals their sight by plunging them into deep darkness.

At that point Rollo extended her tentacle bone swords and stabbed the skulls of the grizbells who became confused after being hit at their head and hands.

While advancing, I erase the chain once, make it appear again and change its shape.

My image is that of a thick three-section staff.

Stretching out the three staffs like a nunchaku, a spear staff was completed.

I thrust the magic spear into the muscled chest of a grizbell. At the moment it faltered from having its black hair burned, I swung down the fake three-section staff, I grasped with my left hand, from directly in front while jumping. The twisted, curved iron chain made the skull of the grizbell cave in and its blood-stained four eyeballs popped out vigorously.

Another grizbell attacks me with its longsword, but the range of the three-section staff chain is wide.

The three-section staff chain, which extended loosely like a snake spear, blows into the bulky chest of the grizbell approaching from the front.

“Guoooh!”

Releasing a muffled voice, the grizbell holds down its chest and stops moving.

Erasing the magic spear in my right hand at that timing, I reform the three-section staff chain on the spot. The three knuckles wriggle and the three-section staff chain twines itself around its neck with a movement similar to a snake twining around the grizbell’s neck. Tightening it in one go, the thick neck of the grizbell was torn to pieces.

Furthermore, transforming it into a chain spear and extending it right ahead in order to use the spearheadPure Drop against a grizbell nearby, I stab towards the head of the grizbell with as if feinting and make the spear chain disappear.

At that timing the scenery of Helme shooting spells was reflected in my field of vision.

“Ahahahahaha! Butts, butts, buttttttsss.” (Helme)

While laughing, Helme defeats a grizbell by shooting ice pebbles into its black butt. Magnificently jumping towards a tree after creating a sheet of spray from her feet, she uses a trajectory similar to a triangular leap. While twisting her body in mid air, she released an ice sword from her right hand and reaped the head of a nearby grizbell.

Trampling down on the severed head with her blue feet, she unleashes yet another peculiar posegradually standing up different from the other day as if showing off to me.

“Your movements are far too dull—”

Once Helme, who showed an expression of ecstasy, shouts that, she takes her unique trampling posegradually standing up as if crushing the grizbell’s head to death with the water she made appear from the tip of her toes. Producing an ice mist in her right hand after erasing the ice sword, she encloses her surroundings in ice.

A shining, small rune with a gradation of the two colours blue and bluish black revolved inside the circle while moving.

“Fufufu.” (Helme)

While laughing, she creates sheets of spray from her entire body and approaches a frightened grizbell while maintaining the circle of ice.

The instant the grizbell touched the circle of ice,

“Gyaaaaa.”

Being dyed in a blood-coloured thick pattern with broad horizontal stripes, half of its chest was severed.

Uwaah, that’s the defence and offence of one ice circle?

I advance while hunting in order to not lose either.

Because of Helme’s and Rollo’s pincer attack, the grizbells are hunted down without any room to escape.

In this way the demons were annihilated in little time.

Did we easily finish off more than 20?

“Nyanya~o.” (Rollo)

Rollo comes back running while purring as if telling me that she finished her hard work.

“Your Excellency— I defeated plenty! Were you able to watch?” (Helme)

Helme also returns while swinging her arms in a peculiar manner.

The F-cupped pair of hills, which were wrapped up by beautiful blue leafs, shake with a springiness.

“… I saw. Helme you can even move at such a trajectory. Rollo was great as well.” (Shuuya)

“Your Excellency… I’m happy. Your feelings make my body tremble.” (Helme)

Her entire body with its bluish black and blue leafy skin was really trembling, but I didn’t point that out.

“Rollo, can you carry the corpses by stabbing them?” (Shuuya)

“Nn, nya.” (Rollo)

As Rollo confirms, she pierces the scattered corpses on the ground with her tentacle swords.

“Helme, return into my eye.” (Shuuya)

“Yes!” (Helme)

Helme returns into my left eye. Before transporting the corpses to the Torrent, I strip off the grizbells’ ears as they are proof for the request.

Cutting off the ears from the corpses hanging down from Rollo’s tentacle swords, I complete the collection.

I also entwine the corpses by shooting towards some of them and carry them.

I carried the corpses by making them float with and transported a large amount of demon corpses in front of the tree monster.

“Oooh, demons. It’s demons. You, kept, promise. I eeaaaat, I, heads, bite whole.”

Once the Torrent releases a delightful voice, it began to eat the black grizbell corpses.

It spreads a part similar to a stomach mouth and swallows the corpses.

It’s strange, but the bodies vanish without any chewing sounds.

“Occasional, smelly, delicacy, satisfied, satisfied. … Me, keep, promise. What, want know?”

I stay utterly indifferent to the part about occasional.

“Do you know where I can find the Forest of Sadeyula? It seems to be a place that has a hill, a spring and a large tree.” (Shuuya)

“Forest of Sadeyula? Name, don’t know. But, hill, spring, large tree, know. Place, not able enter. From here, east, always east, is.”

Hill, spring and large tree. Oooh, it knew. East, huh?

Elmes-san said that it was south-east according to the rumours, but that means I didn’t make a mistake, doesn’t it?

“The Torrent can’t enter? Is some spell or barrier at work?” (Shuuya)

“Spell. Transparent, wall, there is. We, Torrent, and demons, can’t enter, can’t enter. Root also, couldn’t enter, over there, something delicious, is?”

Hoo, doesn’t that mean that there’s a powerful magic barrier where demons can’t enter and entering through the underground doesn’t work either?

It knew the place. Let’s thank it for the time being.

“Well, I don’t know. It’s in the east. Torrent, thank you.” (Shuuya)

“Bubobobobobobo! Small one, keep promise. Full stomach, full stomach. Got, sleepy, sleepy. We, sleep. Farewell—”

Once it says so, the eyeballs between the barks, start moving little by little.

The monster which was human-shaped, returns to a single cluster and goes back as if being absorbed into the tree cavity.

Going by its appearance, it has returned to being an ordinary tree.

It’s a common, thick tree with a large trunk…

There isn’t much of a magic source response either.

The strange magic source, I felt from the tree in the beginning, might have been that Torrent which was inside this tree.

It doesn’t really matter either way though.

Well then, shall I try heading east?

Kicking off the tree, I quickly use chain and magic hand guided by thought as I head directly towards the east.

Soon it will be around 10 days since I left 【Holkerbaum】, right?

There’s around 20 days left until the promised date with the major company.

I’m also worried about the movements of the dark guild 【Owl’s Fangs】.

The intelligence about me, who crushed their branch, should be quite extensive…

Well, that’s after I finish my business here and return, I suppose?