Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN)
chapter-12-28

12-28. God

Satou's here. I wonder why are the protagonists of fictional worlds go against enemies they absolutely can't win?

I think it's good to run away when you need to, making another attempt with redoubled efforts.

◇

"--If your guess is correct, what?"

"They're powerful you see."

While looking at the Black Lines that look as if they've split the moon into four parts, I do my best to answer her question lightly.

It might be overly hasty of me to judge them as enemies, but something whispers deep in my heart, "They are something that cannot coexist with us."

It seem they've finally arrived in the range of Shiga Kingdom, AR readings appear beside the Black Lines.

--UNKNOWN.

It's the same reading as the mysterious existence that appeared as a little girl during my fight with the dog-head demon lord in the desert.

They're 10 meter wide, and 9 kilometer long, I thought they were person-shaped, but it's bizarrely slim....

I feel they're thicker, but I probably see that because the Black Lines are sucking in light.

They come falling relaxedly, and stay in the air about 100 meters above the royal capital.

"What are those? Hair?"

"But, I can feel amazzing magic power from them."

Mito replied to Arisa who muttered when she saw the three Black Lines above.

....Hair?

Now that you mention it, they certainly look like one.

--God's hair?

What is this anger that I've never felt before.

I wonder if this is how Office Ladies feel when they hear old men's gag.

....However, my fear has disappeared.

When I think about it, it's been proven that god can die.

Moreover, I don't know what kind of body part are those, but it's certain that those aren't the god's real body.

I'll destroy these, which are at best parts of summoned god, with the Divine Sword.

"Master, you're not angry like usual?"

"--You're not angry?"

Dang you Arisa, she's quite sharp.

How'd she know under this golden helmet.

"I'll go take care of it for a bit."

"Eh? Weren't they dangerous?"

"I'll do something with this somehow."

I hold out the sheathed Divine Blade, and let out a smile inside the golden helmet unseen from outside.

"Master, I'll accompany you."

"Pochi too, Pochi will accompany too."

"Master, hoping to follow you."

Liza, Pochi, and Nana express their wishes to follow me, but I can't nod to that.

Before, the holy sword couldn't even interfere with the god's fragments that came out of [No-life King] Zen, let alone destroy it.

The dragon spear that Liza holds might be able to get pass it but the gamble is too disadvantageous.

"No. I'm sorry but I can't take you girls along. The opponent is too dangerous."

I persuade them, and the three obediently understand.

When I look at the direction my mantle was pulled, there are Mia with pale face, and Tama who looks like she's going to cry.

"Not good, that's not good nano. Absolutely, nano."

"Letsgo home~?"

I feel sorry to let go of the two who look really worried, but I have a hunch that the royal capital would be destroyed if those things move.

I gently pull the two away from me and give them to Liza.

"Everyone stay here. It's my job from here on."

The defense of these girls will be abated if I move, but there's no time to change equipment.

I entrust Nana to judge when to pull back, and tell Arisa and Liza to not hesitate when they retreat.

◇

Crimson blaze came flying from the royal castle toward the three Black Lines.

I don't know whether it was an advanced magic or forbidden magic, but that blaze disappeared the moment it hit the Black Line.

One of the Black Lines turns around from its base and changes into spiral form--.

Using Flash Drive, I place myself between the Black Lines and the royal castle.

I was barely in time to change my title to [God Slayer].

--I block the whip-like Black Line that's trying to trash the royal capital with the Divine Sword I've hold in front of my body.

The Black Line that touches the Divine Sword split into two after scattering black-colored sparks.

When the scattered sparks were fading, I saw the true color of those sparks. That was a very deep violet color.

--Kuh, heavy.

I resisted the inertia with Flash Drive, yet I was still pushed enough to almost make me crash to the royal castle in an instant.

When I look below to the royal castle, there are Sera, and the people from Muno Barondom. Even the king and Prime Minister, I've interacted with them too much to abandon them.

The Shiga 33 Wands who foolishly attacked would have only reaped what they sowed, but I don't intend to abandon the other people.

The torn Black Lines take some distances away from the royal castle at once.

The Black Line that has been split into two are merely split, they get back to its original shape while moving like swimming.

I separate myself from the royal castle with Sky Drive, approaching the Black Lines in the sky.

I extract the magic power of Durandal I've taken from Storage and then pour that magic power into the Divine Sword.

The jet black blade lengthens little by little everytime magic power is poured.

The blade has lengthened to more than 10 meter long when I've poured all the magic power of the holy sword.

There's only one thing left until the preparation is complete now.

I knew that word after pouring a certain amount of magic power into it.

That word was conveyed to me from the Divine Sword.

I declare the last word--

"Divine Sword. Let it <>.

I probably shouldn't have done that.

--True darkness befalls the moon.

Light that comes in contact with the Divine Sword perish.

--Stillness befalls the night sky.

Space that comes in contact with the Divine Sword perish.

--And then, the part of the Black Line that comes in contact with the Divine Sword exfoliates and becomes mist, and then disappears like it's sucked by the Divine Sword's blade.

I run up the Black Line with Flash Drive, and concentrate letting the whole nine kilometer long body perish until the top.

There are two remaining.

◇

"What, it's easier than I thought--"

I speak to myself as such after feeling disappointed with how fragile the Black Line is.

However, my flighty heart cools down as if it's been poured with cold water when I see the scene under my eyes.

One part of the royal castle I see below has completely disappeared.

Fortunately the main building where the people of royal castle are gathering seem to be fine, however, if the place I used the Divine Sword's [Scripture] were the main building, I would have never got back the things that would be lost.

--Must reflect on it.

Postponing the deep reflection for now, I'll prioritize settling the situation now.

I understand from AR reading that the sword's ruination range is about several hundreds meters long.

I should take the Black Lines up high in altitude so there would be no victims on the ground.

I attack the Black Lines with the long range [Laser], I've erased the <> state of the Divine Sword during the attack.

It feels painful since the air has disappeared, but looking at my endurance and stamina gauge, I'm probably fine for one or two hours. What a cheat body if I do say so myself.

When I've erased the second Black Line, I'm bothered with Black Line's individuality, or rather its skeleton-like intelligence.

Like the non-active monsters in MMO, it won't react even if the other Black Lines are attacked as long as it's not being attacked itself.

Whether the scout's deity summoning failed, or due to the Black Line having its own role, it's too enigmatic.

My thought wandered for merely several seconds like that, however, those several seconds seem to be problematic--

◇

Faraway on the northeast, white light appears as if rising morning sun.

That light converges and becomes one bundle of white light, and then it bisects the last Black Line into two.

Even after bisecting the Black Line, the light powerfully went straight ahead, and changed the grain-producing region over the royal capital into ashes and fissure.

The light was shot from the northeast direction where the sacred mountain lies, the Fujisan mountains.

Coming here flying with speed that's not inferior to my Flash Drive, a platinum arrowhead--huge Heavenly Dragon that's over 180 meters in length.

....So Ten-chan is really a Heavenly Dragon (Tenryu).

It's probably the Heavenly Dragon that appeared in the legend of Ancient King Yamato.

The Heavenly Dragon's fangs that's said to [Pierce all that exist] crunch the Black Line, and the horn and claws that aren't inferior to the fangs also cut off the Black Line.

While observing that, and erasing the upper part of the Black Line that was bisected by the [Dragon Breath] shot by the Heavenly Dragon, I descend.

The Black Line that's become short coil around the Heavenly Dragon's body even while being torn.

Moreover, it seems part of it have assimilated with the Heavenly Dragon, her platinum scales are turning black.

When I'm about one kilometer above the ground, I absorb all the magic power in the Divine Sword and put it into the holy sword Durandal.

The Divine Sword's <> state is canceled once its magic power is below a certain amount just like how it works with holy sword's scripture, so the Divine Sword is back to its original state.

Cracking sounds like breaking boards echoes in the sky of the royal capital.

It's from the Heavenly Dragon.

『KUROOOUUUUNN!!』

The Heavenly Dragon that's been encroached by the Black Line screams.

Since I, who could speak dragon language, couldn't understand its meaning, it must have been a scream.

I grab the tail of the suffering Heavenly Dragon in order to drop her to the ground, I make giant swings in the air and throw her outside the royal capital.

I myself think that I'm treating her cruelly, but this is a necessary measure.

There's no telling how many people would fall victim if such a huge body fell on the royal capital.

The Heavenly Dragon made a deep valley on the royal capital's grain-producing region that's been changed into a wasteland.

To the farmers, I'm sorry. Please forgive me for now, I'll restore them when I've become able to chant.

◇

I mark the fragments of the Black Line that ate the Heavenly Dragon on the map, and erase them one by one with the Divine Sword.

I don't know what'd happen if such things remain.

Before long, an unfortunate mole monster that appeared touched one.

--At the next moment.

The mole's body is turned inside out, and it becomes moving slime-like thing with exposed magic core.

It takes the surrounding debris and monster's corpses, and becomes gigantic.

The mole that should have been level 20 becomes level 50 when it has finished turning big.

Apparently, this doping is the reason why the scout summoned the Black Lines.

I launch the mole slime up in the air with [Remote Stun], strike it with [Condense] and [Laser] combo from directly below, and turn its magic defense and body into small pieces.

It seems normal attack works for it besides the Black Lines itself.

I glare at the falling magic core.

The Black Line has slipped into the exposed magic core.

I jump up from the ground, and cut the magic core along with the Black Line with the Divine Sword, annihilating it.

◇

Using Flash Drive, I head toward the destroyed hill where the Heavenly Dragon is rampaging.

Apparently after parting with me, she was going toward the nearby town after destroying the hill.

I go to the direction the Heavenly Dragon is tumbling with Flash Drive, and then kicks her solid scale.

『GYURORORORONN』

Oops. Her health gauge has been decreased by 20%.

Heavenly Dragons are unexpectedly fragile huh?

Her unfocused eyes like she's lost her mind turn toward me, I evade the shot [Dragon Breath] with Flash Drive.

She was going to move her head while firing the breath, changing the firing line, but I move next to her head with Flash Drive, and kick her face from the side to turn the breath toward the sky so there'll be no victim.

According to AR reading, the Heavenly Dragon's state is [Frenzy], and [Encroachment: Demon God].

--Those Black Lines were parts of the [Demon God] huh!

The identity of the Black Line that was UNKNOWN becomes clear after it encroached the Heavenly Dragon.

There are 27 Black Lines that are encroaching the Heavenly Dragon. The majority are gathering on three places, the head, the reverse scale, and the tail.

--Then.

It'll be a rough handling, but please forgive me.

With the Divine Sword in hand, I approach the Heavenly Dragon.

The Heavenly Dragon who's lost her mind attacks me with her tail that's moving faster than the speed of sound.

It was written in the Ancient King Yamato's picture book that the Heavenly Dragon's scales repel holy swords.

It's said that the scale even blocks the magic swords of the [Golden Wild Boar King].

However, it is no different than a scrap of paper before the Divine Sword.

After cutting the Heavenly Dragon's tail, I annihilate the Black Lines that coil the tail.

I run on the Heavenly Dragon's back, and blast away the Black Lines, gouging the body together with them.

It's slightly rough, but If I do it leisurely and result in complete encroachment of her whole body, it'll be no joke. The damage that'd appear would probably be higher than demon lords'.

It's not like I'm not treating her like a lady, but I feel only little sense of guilt when it's in her dragon form.

Besides, the endurance strength of a Heavenly Dragon should be durable enough.

I harden my heart and erase the Black Lines from the Heavenly Dragon.

Even while being dyed in dragon's blood, I was able to erase most of the Black Lines in just 10 seconds.

--The only remaining ones are on the reverse scale and the head.

I can't gouge them together with the body with these.

I guess there's no choice but to grab the Black Lines and tear it off. But I could be encroached myself if carelessly touch it.

I form magic armor on the hand that doesn't hold the Divine Sword.

And then, when I'm about to grab them just like that, my thought stop.

--The opponent is a god, even though it's just the part. Careless actions lead to ruin.

I admonish myself for my conceit, and alter the magic armor.

If magic swords can be changed into holy swords by altering their composition.

And if magic edge has sub-type like holy edge.

God's power is like that too, I should be able to reproduce it, right.

I borrow the power of the Divine Sword, and dye the magic armor with divinity.

The red color of the magic armor gradually changes into jet-black like the Divine Sword's.

--It's just like the color of the Black Line.

Don't think about unnecessary things, Satou.

Right now is--.

I grab the Black Line sprouting on the Heavenly Dragon's head like an ahoge with the hand that's coated in divinity, and uproot it.

I heard an especially loud scream from the Heavenly Dragon, but now is not the time to pay attention to it.

I annihilate the pulled Black Line with the Divine Sword in my right hand.

And then, when I was pulling the Black Line coiling on the reverse scale, I inadvertently pulled the reverse scale together with it.

It seemed to be quite painful, the Heavenly Dragon let out a heartbreaking howl and then fainted.

While annihilating the Black Line pulled from the reverse scale, I apologize to the Heavenly Dragon in my mind.

>Defeated [Fallen Offshoot of Demon God]

>Defeated [Fallen Offshoot of Demon God]

>Defeated [Fallen Offshoot of Demon God]

>Skill [] Acquired

>Title [God Spirit] Acquired

>Title [One who Violated the Taboo] Acquired

>Title [Torture King] Acquired

>Title [Sadistic] Acquired

>Title [Natural Enemy of Heavenly Dragon] Acquired

There are some disagreeable titles, but it's too late to retort to the one who governs the system after all this time.

My level has become 312, whether it was because I overhunted greater demons, or because I defeated the [Fallen Offshoot of Demon God].

Was the skill without a name just a bug of the acquisition indicator, it's not in the skill list.

Even while feeling like I'd faint from the mental fatigue, I heal the Heavenly Dragon's wounds with treasured high grade recovery medicines and healing magic.

The cut tail connected itself as anticipated, but the pulled reverse scale, and the fangs, horn, and claws that were broken during the fight weren't able to be restored.

Her claws grow back after I gave her the high grade recovery medicine that had been charged with magic power to the limit, so the fang and the horn should regrow if persist.

My thought is neglectful, I wonder if it's because I'm tired.

It might be the first time I've ever been this tired ever since I came to the different world.

Moreover.... My left hand can't feel anything since a while ago.

I take off the golden armor's gauntlet in order to check the condition of my left hand.

I was at a loss for words when I saw the left hand that appeared from the gauntlet.

That hand has lost the color of skin, dyed jet black....