CHAPTER 37

Hero Slayer

Izale village is no more than a shell of its former self. For a moment, I thought I had created a gate taking us to the wrong place. The village looks as if it were hit by a powerful natural disaster.

“The hell happened here?!” Mash utters in a daze.

Elulu, on the other hand, is speechless and covers her mouth.

Did the Demon Lord’s army do this?! But why would they attack such a tiny village?!

Seiya simply points into the distance. When I follow his gaze, I see a pillar of smoke rising in the sky.

“Someone’s there, but it’s probably a trap. Be careful.”

Seiya has a point. It’s highly possible that whoever did this to the village is over there. We quietly begin advancing toward the smoke.

It becomes clear where the smoke is coming from when we get close enough. The dwarf’s item shop where we bought torches before is on fire.

“Guys…! L-look at that!”

Elulu strains her voice, and our eyes are immediately fixed on the monster beside the smoldering building. It’s a gigantic turtle with ashen, hard-looking skin underneath its rooflike shell. The monster closely resembles the Great Mother of Dragons in size after she transformed into a dragon. The turtle opens its mouth, baring its fangs, as it reaches out to kill the owner of the shop.

“Th-this isn’t good! It’s gonna kill that old dwarf!”

“We have to save him!”

Mash and I instinctively lunge forward, slipping in between the giant turtle and the shopkeeper.

“Are you okay, old man?!”

When Mash looks back, the plump dwarf puts on a smile and claims:

“Yes, I’m fine. There is nothing to worry about. That monster won’t attack me, for I’m the one who summoned it.”

“…What?”

“Adamantoise. It’s a monster I summoned from another world.”

Before I even realize it, Seiya has already unsheathed the platinum sword. However, he is pointing the blade not at the monster but the dwarf.

“…Just who are you?”

With an unchanging, mirthful smile, the short dwarf introduces himself.

“A member of the Demon Lord’s army and one of the four generals… Summoner Kilkapul.”

“O-one of the four generals?!”

I grunt.

“Eek!”

Elulu takes a step back. Then Kilkapul gently rubs Adamantoise’s throat.

“Hero, I have been watching your success through my crystal ball ever since you first visited this village. And let me tell you: With awe-inspiring power like that, it’s almost hard to believe you’re human. You’re attentive and smart as well—a true threat to us.”

“So is that why you summoned that turtle?! To defeat Seiya?!”

“Oh no. This is for something else. I summoned Adamantoise for this…”

Kilkapul knocks on Adamantoise’s throat, causing the turtle to open its massive, fang-filled mouth. Immediately, something falls to the ground with a thud. The fragment that fell from the beast’s maw glitters even shinier than gold.

“The legendary armor in Mustaf’s shrine was created using adamantite, the strongest material on Gaeabrande—thus, it is also known as adamantite armor. Not even the Demon Lord’s attacks could destroy it. In fact, a way to destroy the armor doesn’t exist. That is, except for Adamantoise, whose body is made of the very same material.”

“D-don’t tell me you…!”

I cast my eyes down at the metal fragment that Adamantoise spit up.

“That’s a fragment of the legendary armor that Adamantoise just ate. I broke the shrine’s seal and destroyed the armor before you got here.”

Wh-what?! Not only did we not get the monster power weapon Igzasion but the legendary armor was destroyed as well?! Does that mean we can no longer…?!

“The Demon Lord is the strongest being in the world. However, if even the slightest chance that you could defeat him exists, I am going to need you to die.”

Adamantoise unleashes a mighty roar.

We brace ourselves in preparation for the attack, but Kilkapul cheerfully smiles while shaking his head. He places a hand on the monster’s thick leg.

“Your work here is done. You may go.”

Thereupon, the giant turtle starts fading out of existence as if it were dissolving.

“Wh-what…? Don’t tell me that you plan on fighting Seiya yourself.”

I send the tiny dwarf a piercing stare, but he calmly smiles as expected.

“Of course not. He isn’t someone I can defeat. Of course, that goes for Adamantoise as well. I told you. I have been watching the Hero and studying him.”

Kilkapul continues with a philosophical attitude.

“The final general after me, Eraser Kaiser—a god incarnate—boasts an attack and defense that exceed two hundred thousand. However, not even he would be able to defeat your Hero.”

…Huh? Wh-what is this dwarf trying to say?

“I sense a strong power from the Hero that surpasses both logic and reason. It is the same power possessed by the Demon Lord. It is hard to put into words, but you could call it the power to control the fate of the world—something that lackeys such as ourselves do not possess. That is why…”

Kilkapul picks up the two bundles by his side, then places them before us.

“Please have a look.”

I look inside the cloth, thinking he’s offering us fruit or something, when…

“Ahhhhhh!!”

Elulu screams. I am trembling internally, as well. Inside are the heads of the old woman and the small boy who we met before, at the item shop.

“These are the heads of my wife and son.”

“Th-this can’t be happening! These must be fake!” I cry out, but Kilkapul affectionately rubs the head of the young boy.

“He looks just like me, doesn’t he? These are the actual heads of my wife and son.”

“But why?! Why would you do such a thing?!”

“Because I must defeat the Hero at all costs…using the heads of the ones I love and the lives of the Izale villagers as catalysts to awaken my most powerful summoning sorcery…!”

I catch a glimpse of the madness hidden behind Kilkapul’s smile, which gives me chills.

“This isn’t normal! This is insane!”

“Yes, the only way to win is to stray from what is normal. That is the conclusion I came to, for that is how much of a threat this Hero is. Even monsters have emotions. It was heartbreaking. It was painful and nauseating. But even then, the Demon Lord said to me: ‘Kilkapul, you will be the one who kills the Hero.’ It was an honor. Of course, my wife and son understood and died for me. Please see for yourself. Look at the cheerful expressions on their faces. Isn’t it wonderful?”

“Wh-what did you have to summon so badly that warranted all this?!”

“An evil that will defeat the Hero. Intelligence, talent, and even power are meaningless before it. Even the Igzasion you obtained at Dragon Village would be powerless.”

He even knows about Igzasion?! B-but at least it looks like he doesn’t know this one is a fake!

“M-Master! We should probably take care of him now while we have the chance!”

“No, it’s probably already too late. The summoning is going to happen regardless if we kill him or not. That’s why he showed himself before us and isn’t even worried.”

“That is correct. It is too late for anything… Crossed Thanatos, I call thee forth from another dimension. I offer the lives of the villagers, my loved ones, and even myself! Oh, one who is beyond concept, hear my calls! Arise unto me, God of Death!”

God of Death…?! Crossed…Thanatos?!

Kilkapul pulls a dagger out from his pocket and slits his throat!

“Wh-what…?!”

The sinister black monster blood spills out from his gaping wound and onto the ground, creating a puddle. With a fatal wound, the dwarf falls to his knees, but even then, he gazes up at the sky with a sense of satisfaction.

“Demon Lord…! Please transform this world…into the netherworld…we have longed…for…”

Kilkapul falls facedown onto the ground, never to move again.

“I-i-is he dead?”

Without even checking the body, Seiya whispers to me:

“Rista, open a gate to the spirit world.”

“What?! Now?! But nothing has happened yet!”

“Just do it. His confidence wasn’t normal, so I’m telling you to open a gate just in case.”

“O-okay.”

But the moment I try, something suddenly crawls up out of the pool of black blood around Kilkapul’s dead body. A jet-black shadow the same color as the blood instantly takes the form of a human.

“Th-this is Crossed Thanatos?! This is the God of Death that Kilkapul sacrificed his life to summon?!”

It’s bizarre. A small body entirely hidden under a black robe. Like staring into the abyss, the part of his face that can be seen under the hood is pitch-black as well. And despite being called the God of Death, a giant iron cross is in his hand. I feel like there is something contradictory about the symbol of evil holding a holy cross.

I wonder how strong this ominous-looking God of Death actually is?

I use Scan on the enemy before my eyes…

Cr@ssd Tha tz8z
LV: umu?
HP:
ATK: %9rr6%87%…	DEF:		SPD: c8o%..!			MAG:
Resistance: #!7s& 0 arU’)#{
Special Abilities: E7s& <DSOKt-
Skills:
Personality:

“What…?”

Thinking I must be seeing things, I use Scan again, but I am still unable to decipher Crossed Thanatos’s status.

“Wh-what is going on?! I can’t see his stats! Is something like this even possible?! Seiya?!”

“It’s all corrupted text for me as well.”

“Could he be using Fake Out like you do?!”

“No, it doesn’t appear to be that. Those are probably his actual stats.”

“What?! This illegible gibberish?! B-but what does this mean?!”

“…It means it defies common sense.”

While we are talking, Thanatos sticks the bottom of the large cross into the ground. Immediately, a massive fissure tears the ground apart.

“E-earth magic?!”

While I scream, the crevice shoots straight for Seiya with blistering speed before the crack tries to swallow him. However…before it can reach him, Seiya is already floating in the air!

Wh-whoa…! Even though he doesn’t know what the enemy’s abilities are, he still decides to float! What cautiousness!

But my admiration for Seiya’s precognitive, overcautious demeanor is short-lived, for lightning immediately shoots out of the cracked ground! It’s heading right for him!

As the lightning magic roars out of the surface…

“Double Wind Blade!”

Promptly unsheathing the platinum sword, Seiya cuts through the air with a double tempest strike, creating a gust of wind that changes the direction of the lightning. Then he immediately creates another tempest and launches it at Thanatos. As if he were taken by surprise, the God of Death is easily hit, and his body is split in two.

Mash and Elulu rush over to Seiya.

“Master Seiya! Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“B-but what was that?! Lightning shot out of the ground! It doesn’t make any sense!”

Lightning magic that shoots out of the surface after earth magic is used… Elulu is right. That attack seems to have defied the laws of magic. But…

“At any rate, it looks like it’s dead.”

Despite my relief, Seiya is looking at the bisected God of Death with a piercing glare.

“Rista, what are you doing? Create a gate.”

“Huh? B-but—”

“Now. Create one and open it.”

“O-okay.”

When I finally create a gate and open it, Thanatos’s severed torso slowly rises into the air before his lower half instantly regenerates. To make matters even more surprising, his severed lower body creates a new upper body as well.

“The hell?! It split into two monsters!”

“Wh-what is going on?!”

One of the Death Gods immediately aims the cross at Seiya, shooting a ray of light similar to Shining Arrow! Seiya tilts his body to the side and dodges, but the other God of Death lifts its cross into the air and charges right for him! This time, it’s going to use the gigantic cross to hit Seiya with like a weapon. Seiya backsteps, creating a considerable amount of distance between them to dodge, but the cross expands. The ever-growing cross almost reaches Seiya’s chest until it suddenly comes to a complete stop. However, just when I think he missed, icicles begin to shoot out of the tip like bullets!

“Hmph…!”

Seiya grunts. He tries to knock the icicles away with his sword, but there are too many. A single crystal of ice hits Seiya in the stomach, powerfully knocking him back and causing him to roll on the ground.

“S-Seiya?!”

This is the first time I have ever seen Seiya hit by the enemy. However, he immediately gets back up to his feet and recovers.

The two Thanatoses slowly walk into each other as they head this way until they eventually merge back into one monster. After sheathing his sword, Seiya points both of his hands at Thanatos.

“Maximum Inferno…”

A furious explosion swallows Thanatos. Nothing can survive the power of that wicked Hellfire, but nevertheless, Seiya immediately rushes over to Mash as if he knows that won’t be enough to defeat the God of Death.

“Huh? Master…?”

Seiya lifts Mash up onto his shoulder, then hurls him into the gate I opened!

“Ahhh!”

Mash soars through the air before disappearing into the gate. Seiya immediately lifts up Elulu in the very same way…

“W-w-w-w-wait…!”

Then he swiftly pitches her into the gate just like Mash. Following this, Seiya charges at me as well.

I-is he going to throw me, too?! Okay! But be gentle! Also, if possible, I want you to hold me in your arms like a princess before lightly dropping me through the gate! Please…!

But Seiya kicks his right leg into the air. Then, at the very next moment, the ball of his long foot sinks into my stomach!

“Bwaaaaaafff!”

I am launched to the other side of the portal, nearly fainting in agony due to the vicious kick! Almost immediately following, Seiya plunges in after me. I immediately close the gate the moment we arrive in the unified spirit world.

Rolling around in the spirit world’s public square, I…

“Heeey!! What was that for?! Why am I the only one who gets treated like garbage!!” I scream at Seiya, but he isn’t himself. He clutches his stomach where Thanatos hit him, then crouches down without saying a word.

“S-Seiya?! Are you okay?!”

“Yeah, somehow. But…I’ve been seriously wounded.”

I-I’m such an idiot! Seiya was severely injured by Thanatos’s attack and was just barely able to keep himself together to escape. And yet, he brought us with him even though he could have simply abandoned us.

“This is the first time I’ve taken damage. I have to heal.”

“Let me see the wound! I’ll heal you!”

“Be quick, if you can.”

Seiya takes off his armor and shows me the wound.

“…Huh?”

I’m taken aback. Seiya’s injury looks to be nothing more than some slightly red skin, as if his armor chafed his stomach.

“Um… Seiya? How much damage did you take? Like, give me the number of HP.”

Seiya puts on a distressed expression, then utters:

“I had 300,000 HP before, but now…I only have 299,900…”

“…?! What part of that is ‘seriously wounded’?!”

I try to point out how ridiculous he’s being, but Seiya’s face is the epitome of seriousness.

“I don’t feel comfortable not having max HP. At any rate, hurry up and heal me.”

While staggered by his usual overcautiousness and astonished that he has three hundred thousand HP, I use my magic to heal his scratch.

“Although it wasn’t much, I still can’t believe he was able to damage Master Seiya at all… Just what is that thing…?”

Elulu seems to agree as well.

“That was crazy. It’s like it ignored the laws of magic and the laws of nature…”

I can sense the fear from their voices, so I decide to cheer them up.

“For now, let’s just stay here until we come up with a plan! We’ll be safe here since the unified spirit world’s in another dimension!”

The moment those words slip off my tongue…gods and goddesses in the public square begin making a lot of noise.

“Wh-what is this feeling…?”

“Is this perchance…malice? Wh-what is going on?”

The gods and goddesses start looking around with panic-stricken expressions.

“Wh-what’s that?!”

I look in the direction that a god is pointing to find a black vortex appear over the fountain.

Th-th-this can’t be happening!

But my gut is right. From the black vortex, a giant iron cross emerges, and the God of Death soon comes crawling out after it!

“What?! It came all the way to the unified spirit world after us?!”

I was just trying to cheer up Mash and Elulu, but now I’m the one pale and shivering.

Th-that’s impossible! It can break through dimensions?! This creature… This is a mythic-class monster!

Now it’s Elulu and Mash who speak up as if to calm me down.

“B-b-but…! It doesn’t matter how frightening that thing is! All monsters have weaknesses, right?!”

“Y-yeah, Elulu! There’s no such thing as an invincible monster!”

Yeah! What am I freaking out about?! We have Seiya on our side! He’ll be able to do something about this monster! In fact, I bet he has already…

“Seiya! What’s Thanatos’s weakness? Surely, you’ve figured it out by now!”

Showered in our desperate gazes, the Hero softly mutters:

“I don’t know.”

“““What?!”””

“…I have no idea how to defeat it.”

“S-Seiya?!”

“Master?!”

Ahhhhhh! Say it isn’t soooooo! What happened to the confident Seiya I know?! We’re screwed! We are completely screwed!

…The unified spirit world is filled with screams and cries at the appearance of the sudden monster.

…After it crawls out of the vortex, the God of Death picks up the cross, then slowly walks toward us. Just like the shrieking angels trying to run away in the public square, our minds go blank as well.