Chapter 371 - Proxy

We were locked in a stare-down with the enemy for five minutes.

Military formations kept shuffling round on both sides.

I have no idea how many times the Queen and Trash are going to try and read each other’s plans.

I bring up my Status Magic.

The area’s terrain and personnel make me slightly confused as I follow the changes again and again.

I’ve never personally experienced Trash’s resourcefulness in war.

No, I did participate in that war, but I was sent to eliminate the enemy leader, so I worked separately. So in truth, I’ve never come to know it.

“Fortify the left flank! The Right as well… Center disperse!”

After these changes repeated countless times, Trash proclaimed something, and I stepped forward.

“Iwatani-dono, and the others, begin your assault!”

I follow the orders, and took the front.

And at the same time, I became speechless.

I mean large scale meteor magic fell and exploded on the enemy army.

I had wondered if it was going to go well, and went forth thinking failure as a possibility, but I’m surprised it actually hit the enemy so easily.

The Queen’s incompetence… no, that’s not it. It’s the competence of the ones casting the covenant magic.

Originally, covenant magic had meaning through gathering the magic of multiple people in one place. The output directly correlates to the amount of magic gathered.

But Trash deployed his magic corps all over the place, and while divided, they still managed to complete the preparations for it. I’d call it a drastic move.

I can understand things like this due to my new sensitivity to magic.

Honestly, I can only call it madness.

You don’t know where it will fall, and you can’t guarantee the output, yet he used that magic with definite accuracy, timing, and output.

The guys from Silt Welt did say you can’t predict what will happen while fighting Trash, but I guess they were right.

He probably timed it so even the Queen was unable to predict it.

No… she actually did.

That’s why she changed her formation time and time again.

And in their battle of reading each other, Trash came out on top. Will these surprise attacks keep unfolding over the battlefield?

“UWAAAAAAAAAH!”

I see the enemy troops getting blown away.

I activate Defense Link and Meteor Wall as we begin our assault on the enemy.

“E-everyone, don’t forget we have the Goddess’s protection!”

A non-reincarnator is giving orders to the army. He’s entrusting his protection to the divine.

As usual, it seems the Bitch Goddess has used some support Magic. The worn-down soldiers scattered on the ground start rising like Zombies, and their wounds begin to visibly close.

They’re even laughing about how they feel no pain. It’s unnerving.

To counter attack our meteorites, they also cast meteorite magic, and magma begins to gush out from the ground.

“I’ve read your hand!”

When the troops take on Trash’s ordered formation, they splendidly dodge the falling rocks and magma.

Just who are you, Trash!

“Iwatani-dono, it’s about time for the Enemy commanders to show themselves! I’ll leave it to you!”

As Trash shouted out, I sensed a presence.

Naofumi: “There!”

I activate Magic Cruising to float in the air, and hold up my Shield.

And immediately following, the guy with the katana suddenly appeared, and unleashed a skill.

“「Sky Running Crescent Moon」! What–”

A sharp blade of air appears, and approaches me in a shape like that of the moon as it tries to mutilate me.

As I stop that blade, a light metallic sound rings out.

The reincarnator louses his voice.

“Could it be…”

Is this the first time these guys are seeing Trash’s seriousness?

No, I don’t think that’s it.

I’ll bet he’s surprised at how easily I withstood his attack.

Or else, he wouldn’t have tried a surprise attack like this against Trash’s army.

Naofumi: “I’m not letting you run, you know.”

I grab the reincarnator’s katana, and concentrate my mind.

At that time, the magic Trash had been preparing in the rear collided with him and those around him.

「All Revelation Down X」!

Itsuki follows his orders, and uses his ability decreasing magic.

At the same time, I began casting… some magic of my own.

I interfere with Itsuki’s magic, and change its scope and target.

And emerald light follows the enemy, as it spreads over their forces.

The essence of war is to strengthen your forces, and weaken your enemy’s.

I shorten the incantation as much as possible, to make it faster than a single breath. And I use the strongest support magic I can outside of the scope of her suspecting anything.

「All Revelation Aura EX」!

The magic is transmitted to the soldiers through the Defense Link.

For all my allies on the battlefield, support magic activates.

Because of that, the forces the Bitch Goddess strengthened through magic can be combatted through direct methods.

In order to nullify our magic, a cheat ability mixed with magic begins to rain down.

Naofumi: “Ren, Itsuki, Fohl, Glass! Go stop the caster!”

Ren: “Got it! What about you, Naofumi!?”

“Me? I’ll stop this one, and…”

Against the endlessly raining nullification magic, I chant a single skill.

「De Dispel Parry」!

… The skill redirected the attack meant to nullify our supports.

Originally, Dispel Parry was a skill to protect individual units, but I tweaked a bit.

Meaning…

“Wha- Their movements aren’t getting any slower, you say!?”

Those reincarnators are shocked.

Right… I rendered their nullifications attacks null.

Of course, that’s within the rules the Bitch Goddess set.

Well, she’s just playing.

If it’s just this much, I don’t think she’ll get serious.

Ren: “Good! Let’s proceed as Naofumi said!”

“Yeah!”

Ren and the others run past me.

The effects of Defense Link don’t cut off.

While it originally had an effect time, I can make that optional and control it.

In all honesty, I can probably keep it active eternally.

Just like yesterday, even when they’re attacked with killing blows, they take absolutely no damage.

“W-what’s with these people! Even if I attack them, they don’t even dodge!”

“It’s a cheat! These guys are playing unfair! You cowards!”

I don’t want to hear that from you! Is what I want to say.

The fact doesn’t change that they’re abusing their own cheat powers even now.

Naofumi: “Now then…”

“Just how long are you going to hold that!? Let me go!”

Naofumi: “Why should I?”

The guy with the Katana started shouting at me.

He must be pissed tht things aren’t going his way.

I get quite a relieved expression when I see guys like this making this sort of face.

“Die!”

Perhaps they sensed something off, but a guy with a harpoon, and the one with the scythe stabbed at me with their weapons.

What’s more, behind them is one with an instrument in hand, and in the sky is a ship… Ah, I think they used a transport skill to get down here together.

Perfect.

Naofumi: “Atlas!”

Atlas: “Yes!”

From the Shield, Atlas answers to my voice.

She touches the Katana, and I match my consciousness with the Spirit’s.

『Ple… he… lp… me…』

Having been bound by a strange power, it was being made use of forcibly. I hear the voice of the otherworldly spirit.

Yeah, I’ll help you right away.

Originally, the Spirits that dwell in the weapons are the manifestation of the will to protect the world. In order to protect their own worlds, they oppose the spirits of others.

But right now, the worlds have become one.

Even if they’re from another world, we’re not enemies for them to oppose.

And the foundations of these vassal weapons, the four holy weapons of that world have mostly been lost already.

No… perhaps they’re out there somewhere, and are merely sealed.

I use this vassal as an intermediary to link to them.

… It seems that the four legendary spirits were able to escape their control.

But they no longer have the power left to fight.

Naofumi: “You hate being controlled regardless of your own will, right? I’ll definitely let you free.”

I… gently talk to the Spirit.

Atlas: “Sacred Weapon Spirits of another world… please listen to my words. And please lend us your power.”

The Spirit of the Shield and Atlas try to call out to them.

Through me, I restore some power to them, and they answer.

Right now, I was able to link to all the Spirits fighting on this battlefield.

“Now is the time. Let’s help Iwatani-dono, and show the power we’ve attained! 「Kenbu Mu: Zetsukage Ten」!”

(Note: Sword Dance of Nothingness: Severed Shadows Ten)

In the middle of battle… Glass converted her power to match the sacred weapons of this world, and with a fan made of magic, the size of a sword, she blew away the enemies surrounding her.

Its output was much greater than she’s displayed up ‘til now.

From the start, she possessed monstrous power, and was of a race that specialized in short, decisive battles, and she used her skill at full power.

“Guaaaah–”

The Reincarnator’s party members and comrades that were gathered around her, as well as the army soldiers were sent away without leaving a trace.

The reincarnators called out their names frantically, but that’s not my problem.

“I definitely won’t forgive you! I’ll kill you without holding back!”

Naofumi: “Sorry, but for you guys, that’s impossible.”

I proclaimed, after finishing the negotiations with the enemy’s vassal weapon.

Honestly, I didn’t think I would succeed.

But… it seems I’ll be able to manage with just the power of the spirits.

It seems the Bitch Goddess didn’t really care too much about it.

Countermeasures… it’s not like I didn’t have any, but from what I can see, I don’t think the Bitch Goddess ever thought they would be released, so she was too soft.

“… In place of the Spirits who’re supposed to lead you, The Hero of the Shield and his spirits shalt command. Lend us power. Vassals, break off these foolish restraints, and lend your powers to us!”

As I called out, the Katana, Instrument, Harpoon, Scythe, and ship changed to balls of light, and separated from their wielders. Other balls also came from them.

“Wha—”

And just as they began to let out voices of surprise, the vassals began flying towards our army.

Right… That was Atlas’s proposal. I wanted to test whether or not I could indirectly cut their forces.

I activated the Spirits, and released them from the Goddess’s curses. I stole their weapons.

First, I used the enemy’s vassal to access their world’s sacred weapons, and asked if they were okay with joint ownership.

But Glass’s weapon had already sensed the situation, and severed its link, so I could only directly hack through the enemy’s weapons.

In order to prevent interference, the Goddess put up quite a solid firewall, but it wasn’t really anything special to me.

Well, there was the danger that I would be noticed.

But I think this will greatly alter the situation.

“No! I don’t want to be a Hero!”

I heard Melty’s voice echoing from the back lines.

Firo: “Wah, Mel-chan, now you’re just like Firo. Mel0chan is good at playing instruments, so Firo will sing with you~.”

Trash: “Hoh… Now Melty has become a Hero like me. Let us overcome this crisis together.”

“Uu…”

She let out quite a defeated voice.

So Melty is the Hero of the Instrument.

She was the second princess of Melromark, and current Queen, and now she’s obtained a Heroic title… Her deskwork will increase, now.

Even so, when I was wondering how one was supposed to fight with an instrument, I began hearing music from the back lines.

「The Hero’s Melody Ten」!

That’s quite a nice sound.

Melty… so she was able to play something so refined.

In the past, when Firo was earning through her singing, she did act as her manager.

And wait, I guess even if she’s like that, she was a princess. She should be able to play an instrument or two.

As I was thinking that, my Status started to jump.

Oh, so it’s a support skill. What’s more, it even stacks over the magic.

Firo: “Firo will try hard~!”

Trash: “I’ll also put in a little effort!”

Firo and Trash first long ranged skills from the back to the front.

Ah, by the way, the vassals I released this time have all been converted through my Shield.

Right now, the Heroes they select to wield them should have a list of easy ways to use them floating in their field of vision.

「Lightning Dragon Ten」!

A pillar of light large enough to pierce the heavens extended onto the battlefield.

“Yay! This weapon is easy to use. How nice~.”

The Hero of the Harpoon, Sadina, began doing something that looked like swimming through the air, as she rampaged across the battlefield.

She was already monstrously strong from the start.

With the Hero stat bonuses, she becomes less and less human.

She’s probably… stronger than Firo.

「Stardust Blade Ten」!

As I thought, Female Knight was selected by the Katana..

“UWAAAAAAAAAH–”

Just as the name implied, a shooting star… is it a subtype of Meteor Sword?

Together with Ren, she starts massacring the Reincarnators’ companions.

Female Knight: “Fumu… It’s a bit different than my short sword, but I’ll manage.”

Ren: “Eclaire, are you alright?”

Female Knight: “Yeah, but I specialize in thrusts. Swords like these aren’t my specialty.”

Ren: “You should be fine. Thrusts are within a Katana’s range.”

Female Knight: “… I guess you’re right. 「Triple Strike Ten」!”

The Triple Strike skill activated to meet the new soldiers approaching them.

She was always quite fast, but I feel she’s gotten even faster.

That Stardust Blade she shot earlier was almost exactly Ren’s Meteor Sword.

I guess they’re similar weapons.

“Midori, now even we’ve been selected by the weapons, so don’t think you’re so special anymore!”

“I-I know!”

“Then let’s go!”

The other two of Motoyasu’s flock were also selected by weapons, it seems.

From what I can see, it’s a mirror, and a book.

Kuu was the mirror, Marin the book.

What sort of attack is that? Is what I was thinking, but they immediately started to fight.

… Kuu chucked the mirror at her enemy, and spit up a highly compressed breath attack, while Marin opened the book, and began chanting magic.

The mirror reflected Kuu’s breath, hitting enemies from unexpected positions.

It seems Marin’s book was something like Trash’s Cane, And she started chanting Group Covenant magic alone.

Trash matches her… wait, so both of them can do that.

「High Class Group Covenant Magic 『Judgement』 X, Ten」!

Lightning surged around the area, and a enemies in a radius of thirty meters were blown away.

“Rafu~.”

“Kuee!”

『Fumu… I can’t see anything besides our own victory.』

It appears that the Ship has chosen Raph-chan.

Why? No… not that it matters.

Standing on the bow of the ship with his arms crossed, Raph-chan let out a loud cry as he unleashed it onto the battlefield.

Fitoria… put her carriage out front, and changed it to something like a steam roller. She started running over her enemies. Quite a vicious attack.

Well, she usually uses her carriage as artillery.

Gaelion and Taniko work together to release breaths and skills from a high altitude, and the battle’s becoming quite one-sided.

Next is… the Scythe flew over to Kiel.

With her three heads, she skillfully maneuvered one of them to hold it in its mouth.

“Ku… you coward! How dare you steal weapons from us! You unfair bastard! You guys only exist in order to get beaten by us!”

Just how far ingrained is his sense that this is a game?

No, he’s a coward who found joy in outwitting others, and suppressing them with overwhelming power.

Now that we’ve come all the way here, I doubt there’s anyone who can stop us.

I’ll bet Trash had quite a few plans under his belt, but are they unnecessary?

No..

Medea: “Everyone… you cannot lose your calm.”

Black lightning rained down on all of the Sacred and Vassal Weapon Holders.

My body stiffens.

That Bitch Goddess, I’ve heard about it, but whenever her side gets into a pinch, she interrupts the battle from afar.

Medea: “For using an unfair ability to steal the weapons of my people, that I will not forgive. Now, please return to your original wielders. And inflict divine punishment on those who would use such vile powers.”

“Ku… my power is…”

Ren moans.

All the weapons arbitrarily rise up.

Judging from the flow of power, she’s forcefully trying to steal them.

Now then… what should I do?

It’s possible to block it, but I’lll have to cross the limits of a Hero.

Since Raphtalia isn’t here yet, I can’t go about showing my hand so easily.

Ren: “Naofumi!”

Naofumi: “Don’t go relying on others so easily! Trust in your own Spirit.”

Ren: “Got it!”

Ren and Itsuki follow my words, and grasp their weapons tightly.

That goes for all those that were selected…

The Holy Weapons and Vassals move not a single inch from the Goddess’s voice.

Medea: “You people are cheating. Please come and become my power. Leave these cowards.”

My Shield isn’t actually affected in the slightest, though.

Well, I guess its Spirit’s power is just too strong.

“Guaaa…”

As they were resisting, the lightning increased in strength.

… The Spirits begin to raise screams.

Perhaps she plans on killing everyone with the next blow, and forcefully reclaiming the weapons.

It’s not like I’m going to let my comrades die, so if she tries doing that, I’ll get serious.

Honestly, I didn’t want to get into a situation like this.

My power was made so that only when Raphtalia is here does it shine to its fullest.

Similarly, Raphtalia’s power doesn’t distinguish itself unless I’m there.

If I got serious, then I could protect this world.

But to defeat the Bitch Goddess, we need Raphtalia here.

In order to corner this goddess to the limit, as I thought, I need Raphtalia.

Or else, this bitch won’t get serious either.

Medea: “Even when you’re nothing but cowards, you dare resist me… I’ll make an example by slaughtering a few of you.”

… This is bad.

If I stay silent here, everyone’s going to die.

「Perfect Slave」

Starting with me, she used a power that selected Heroes at random, and stole their weapons and spirits while killing their owners. A Conceptual attack.

If they took it upfront, no matter who they were, they would have died.

It’s like running an electric current through a cable to her, a simple way to kill them.

There’s no helping it… Even if she runs away, after we save this world, we’ll just chase her down.

To the ends of hell!

『I, the proxy of the world, who has understood the embodiment of power command. Bend the truth, and become a, indomitable power so none shall lose』!

「Immortal Mind」!

I erase the conceptual attack the Goddess sent out, and grant the spirits the energy of the world.

Based on this, they shouldn’t be able to be coerced by anyone. They can’t be bound.

Naofumi: “As expected of the new power of that Shield. It won’t let them get taken away so easily. Everyone, with this, I’ve nullified her attack!”

Ah, I said that in an extreme monotone.

I know I shouldn’t be saying this myself, but that was an obvious lie.

It’s not strange if she notices, it’s not strange if anything happens. I mean, it’s the power of the Spirits.

Medea: “Ku…「Infinity Destroyer」!”

Bitch Goddess uses the instant death attack she used on me before.

Because she wasn’t having fun, she used quite a bit of power.

But she still isn’t serious, I see.

I need to get this Bitch Goddess serious or else.

Naofumi: “… Is that all you got?”

I just took the attack with my Shield.

The concept of death tries to encroach on me, but I repel it.

Medea: “Damn! Then–!”

The Bitch Goddess used a power stronger than before.

I guess this is the limit of faking it.

To use the power I was keeping hidden from her, I made a move.

But there… I felt the flow of time being ripped apart as a presence approached.

“… Unfortunately, your plans end here.”

Before the Bitch could do anything, a thundering roar so loud that it was as if the entire world was creaking sounded out.

A dust cloud covered the entire front lines.

Naofumi: “You’re late, aren’t you?”

Someone blew the cloud away with Wind Magic.

And in the center of it, was Raphtalia holding her Hammer.

Raphtalia: “The Hero of the Spear created quite a strange parallel world for himself. It was quite a trial to get him.”

She’s really late.

Motoyasu… what if the Bitch Goddess got away because off you?

Good grief… well, if he’s finally here, then I guess I can get serious.

“Oh! If it isn’t Midori and Kuu and Marin!? Have you been well, My ANGELS!?”

Motoyasu appears in high tension from behind her, and calls out to his three.

My Angels? Like hell.

And after cautiously looking around the area, he started sprinting towards Firo.

“FIRO-TAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!”

Firo: “Mu! Go AWAAAY! 「Spiral Claw Ten」!”

He takes Firo’s attack head-on, and is sent flying with a refreshing smile on his face.

… He hasn’t changed one bit.

“Wha…”

The Bitch Goddess’s voice is colored with surprise.

It seems she’s final realized that me and Raphtalia aren’t just ordinary heroes.

But it’s too late.

Raphtalia: “Now then, it appears that you were planning on destroying the world with your power, but that won’t be happening. From here on, it’s…”

Naofumi: “The real battle.”