Chapter 39 - Ex Strongest

____________________『『『GEBAAAAAAAAAAAA!! 』』』

Inside of the barrier――

The four trolls are coming to attack Tama.

Though they’re troublesome opponents themselves, they become even more troublesome since they’re equipped with giant axes or hatchets.

「Nyan《Water Howling》!! 」

Tama invokes one of his 《Elemental Howl》, 《Water Howling》.

Just like his fight against the werewolves from before, he’s going to turn them into meat daruma.

SWISH――!!

It carved a deep wound on those trolls’ bodies.

But, unlike the time when he fought the werewolves, their bodies aren’t cut in two.

(Damn it!　As expected of A-rank monsters……… They’re tough!)

The skin of the trolls is tough due to their extremely developed muscle fibers.

Thereupon, Tama’s 《Water Howling》 isn’t enough to instakill them.

『GEBAAAAAA!! 』

The trolls screeched.

Thereupon, the newly opened wounds were healing at an extremely rapid pace.

(Regeneration ability…….. I heard about this before, but this is the first time I’ve seen it with my own eyes)

Tama remembers. That trolls aren’t all about their herculean strength, they have a regeneration ability too.

The trolls convert their own mana into flesh, in short, they can regenerate from wounds.

Basically, they’re semi-immortal monsters as long as they have their mana reserve……….. Is the main reason for them being called an A-rank monster.

『GEBABABABA!! 』

The first one to recover from it’s wounds swings down it’s hatchet towards Tama.

(Like hell that kind of messy attack is gonna hit me!)

Tama dodges that attack with a side step.

The hatched that lost it’s target hits the ground, making a deep cavity due to the overwhelming power of the troll.

(I have no choice then. Let’s release more of my power)

Despite seemingly being cornered, Tama doesn’t seem to be flustered at all.

After taking a deep breath, he invokes his (Supposed to be)new skill.

「NYAAAAAAAAAAA(Rock Howling)!! 」

The earth elemental howling is heading towards those trolls.

The howling that have the mass of accelerating heavy rock crushes the skin of the trolls.

「NYAAN(HEYA, TAKE THIS AGAIN)! 」

And now, he’s using his 《Flame Howling》.

Before the regeneration ability of those trolls heals the wound caused by 《Rock Howling》, Tama’s second skill has baked their gaping wounds.

『『『GEGIYA――AAAAAA!!?? 』』』

Even with their regeneration ability, they still can’t do anything about their sense of pain.

The trolls were writhing in pain as they’re being grilled alive.

《Flame Howling》!

《Flame Howling》――!

《FLAME HOWLI――――ING》!!

Tama is howling nonstop.

He’s baking those trolls alive till they use up their mana.

The reason for those troll’s defeat was because they were locked inside the multi-protection wall.

So, without any room for maneuvering in the box, he won the fight……

◆

「Tell me, commander」

「I leave this place to you」

「Oioioi, aren’t you treating your commander really cruel here? 」

In response to Howard and Dany’s words.

Cedric is replying with a shocked face.

「What are you talking about, these kind of monsters are within your field of expertise right, commander? 」

「Riight!　You should just release your power and then eliminate them! 」

Kenny and Marietta is supporting Danny and Howard’s idea.

Smiling wryly, Cedric is unsheathing his sword while muttering 「Ha~h……… I know that already」 in response to his subordinate’s cruel treatment of him.

And then…….

「”Dark Magic”―― Release」

Muttering those words in low voice.

Thereupon, Cedric long sword is enveloped by a jet-black color.

A sinister magical power is surging out from the blade of his sword.

「Let’s do this」

Sword in a middle stance, he bent his body to start running. And in a flash, he slipped between the body’s of two trolls and then slashes at them.

『GUGYAAAAAAAAAAA――!? 』

The trolls were screaming together.

They were screaming in pain………. Or to be exact, screaming in agony due to something.

「Fufufufu……. How’s that?　The feeling of your “Life Force” being sucked out of you? 」

Cedric says with a smile on his face.

As for the identity of the jet-black light that enveloped his long sword……… That is the magical power of the darkness attribute―― Otherwise known as dark magic.

Darkness attribute is an innate attribute that belonged solely to the archmage who saved the world from 《Ragnar?k》, and the main characteristic of this attribute is that it’ll rob the life force of the target no matter how powerful the targets defensive power.

And then, Cedric is the brother-in-law of that archmage.

「Now then, entertain me. It’s quite one-sided ri-………..-ght? 」

Cedric is flashing a sadistic smile.

◆

(Impossible!　……….. This shouldn’t happen!?)

Beryl who saw his treasured trolls being slaughtered in both of the barriers can’t help but feel impatient.

「Do you really think that you have such leeway to look away from your opponent nya~!? 」

『KUH…………』

Vulcan is rushing at Beryl, brandishing her battle hammer.

Beryl steps back, and barely dodges her attack.

「TAKE THIS!! 」

Aria suddenly appeared right at his side.

Her speed with 《Acceleration》 invoked is already at max.

『SMALL FRY OUT OF MY WAY! 』

Beryl unsheathes his sword and parry’s Aria’s knives.

The physical strength of the demon race is far stronger than humans.

Aria has no chance to win in a head on collision.

Thus――

「《Gale Slash》!! 」

Aria invokes her 《Gale Slash》 and envelopes her whole body with a razor sharp gale.

The moment they’re separated, she manages to leave a scratch on Beryl’s skin.

『HOW DARE YOU……….』

Cursing at them with an annoyed tone.

According to his prediction, by now the trolls should have been able to easily dispatch Tama and the knights, and he can overpower Vulcan and Aria while the trolls were doing their job. But, if one is looking at the result, it’s as clear as the day that Tama and the knights were just too powerful for the trolls and despite Vulcan and Aria not being as powerful as them, their superb cooperation has cornered him this far.

(No, I’m not done yet!　I can still survive this as long as I take care of these women!!)

Beryl’s 《Multi-Protection Wall》 is a powerful inherent skill.

The effect will last until the one who invokes it is unable to maintain it any longer, or they cancel the skill.

He’ll kill Vulcan and Aria, and then cancel the skill.

And then erect a barrier again to lock up Tama and the knights to create a chance for his escape.

This is an unavoidable situation.

He’ll have to abandon his revenge for now and prioritize his survival.

(I’ll get as many chances for revenge as I want as long as I’m still alive. Thus I have to kill these women first!!)

Beryl steels his resolve.

At the same time, he takes out two short swords from his bosom and assumes a dual wielding stance.

『Shi――!! 』

Beryl starts to run towards Vulcan and Aria as he unfolds his swords to the side.

He’s made his choice.

「Vulcan-san!　Let’s do that!! 」

「Rogernyan!! 」

Facing against him, the two of them exchange such words and Vulcan raises her battle hammer high into the air.

(Fool!　Such an attack won’t reach me!!)

In seeing Vulcan preparing for a full swing, Beryl is sneering inside and dodges to the side to avoid the trajectory of the battle hammer.

DOGOOOOOOOOOOOOON!!

The battle hammer that was raised high then crashes to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

(Crap!　My eyes……..!?)

Beryl’s line of sight is obscured due to the cloud of dust.

HyUn!!

A flash of light appeared amongst the cloud of dust.

That flash of light found its target on Beryl’s chest.　And lodged inside his body.

It’s Aria’s knife.

『You, Bas………… TaAAAaRDd! 』

He swings his short sword in a desperate final act.

Though it just grazed Aria’s upper arm, she immediately fell towards the ground.

「Nya~a(MASTE~~R)!! 」

「Tama!! 」

With Beryl unable to continue the fight, the barrier got released.

Tama who was watching his master slowly fall down inside the barrier dashes out as soon as the barrier got released.

But――

Thud………..

That moment, she stooped over to hug Tama who ran toward her――

Aria’s body jerks and then falls to the ground.

(W-What’s happened to you MASTER!?)

Tama is confused when Aria suddenly falls before him.

「Nyaa!?　………….This is! 」

Vulcan’s eyes open wide.

She’s looking at Aria’s upper arm.

「The hell is this!　That birthmark like thing on Aria’s arm…….. Don’t tell me! 」

The knights were approaching Aria too.

A purple birthmark-like spot has appeared on her upper arm.

『Ku-Kukuku……… My…… Short sword………. Are……….. Smeared with the poison………… Of………. Poison dragon. I……….. Will drag that woman……….. with me………… To my grave』

Beryl tells them so with broken sentences.

And then, his eyes closed after finishing those words as he dies.

「Poison of A POISON DRAGON!? 」

「THIS IS BAD, GIVE HER AN ANTIDOTE IMMEDIATELY! 」

Aria fell unconscious with a pained expression on her face.

Vulcan and Cedric exchange those words as they hold on to her.

「Even so, what are you going to do!　Don’t you know that when it comes to the poison of a poison dragon, you need the eye of an earth dragon you know!?　The difficulty of finding such a thing is……….」

「Let’s bring Aria back to Renault for now!　At this rate she won’t last three days! 」

「Understood I’m going to carry her」

In response to Kenny and Marietta, Howard carry’s Aria in his arms and runs toward the exit of the historic ruins

Waves of despair Hit upon Tama who was left alone in that place.

(Like hell there’ll be the eye of an earth dragon…….. An S-Rank monster…………!)

It’s as Kenny has said, the cure for the poison of a poison dragon is to drink an antidote that is infused with the eye of an earth dragon.

But then, earth dragon is an S-Rank monster. It’s an extremely rare raw material that definitely won’t be sold in an auction.

He’s in a desperate situation.

(Earth drago-………… EARTH DRAGON!?)

Tama is taken aback.

He recalled a place where he can find an earth dragon.

(CAN’T BE HELPED THEN!)

Tama invokes his 《Flight》and left that place.

Earth dragon――

Heading toward the place where he’ll find the thing he’s looking for, the creature who lives in the deepest part of the labyrinth and also the one who drove Tama to the brink of death.