Manowa Chapter 196

Chapter 196 - Let's Take the Lead

Rewinding time a little.

At the same time that the people of Deidona City were trembling in fear, Kazane decided as the leader of the White Party to leave Param City and head for Deidona City. There was the possibility that the attack on Deidona City was a devil's trap, but if they left it alone, it was certain that all the residents would be ma.s.sacred, and they couldn't deem that acceptable.

◎ Hyvern Dukedom, Dragon Road, Toward Deidona City

「We should have detained Angus-san's group.」

Kazane grumbled inside the carriage.

Angus was an imbecile, but he was strong, at least. So he would probably be useful for the Dragon Bear subjugation, but unfortunately, it seemed the Tonfa user's party promptly returned to Dongol City on the strangely but gorgeously colored Feng Wyvern.

「Well, we'll just have to give up and consider it bad luck.」

Yumika said with a bitter smile next to the complaining Kazane.

Then Kazane and the others looked at the map spread on a table in the middle of the carriage. It was a map of the area around Deidona City. They borrowed it from the guild after they checked where the monsters were gathering with the Communication Bulletin Board for the sake of deciding the attack route for『Crawling Lightning』.

「Hmm. Well, even if we call it strategy, won't we be doing the same thing as always?」

Unusually, Jinrai was sitting inside the carriage and so replied. Naoki, Emily, and Lyle were sitting on the coachman's seat.

「What do you mean by the same as always, Jinrai?」

The person who spoke was the only non-White Party member in the carriage. The leader of the『Swordfish』party, Glorias Dean, was the only Rank A adventurer present at Param City, and he and Jinrai knew each other well.

Glorias' 22 companions were following behind on Hippo-kun High and Clear as well as normal Hippo-kuns made by Kazane.『Swordfish』was a party of 23 skilled adventurers gathered by Glorias. It seemed they had been in the middle of traveling for pleasure, and Glorias had laughed「What rotten luck」when he reunited with Jinrai.

Jinrai broadly grinned at Glorias. And he seemed extremely proud as he told him about『Crawling Lightning』. Glorias was looking at him with skeptical eyes, but the Guildmaster Benzel was riding his dragon mount Raiel beside them. There was no way Jinrai was making a childish joke, and he changed his opinion.

「And then this girl's Golem army will be attacking by throwing stones, and we'll protect them. Doesn't that mean we'll be completely leaving things to this girl?」

Glorias' mouth was turned down at the corners. Certainly, if things went as Jinrai said, the situation would possibly be turned around. But the rest of them wouldn't be doing very much. Jinrai smiled at him.

「Leave your pride for the dogs to eat. Saving Deidona City takes priority.」

Jinrai completely shut him down with his response.

「And yet, you're my escort this time, Jinrai-kun. Really, there's nothing for you to do!」

Louise delightedly said next to Jinrai.

『Don't say that, Louise.』

Mefirus turned a sympathetic gaze toward Jinrai, but that much couldn't be helped.

Even the highest ranking devil Diablo that Kazane and the others faced previously was wary of Louise. If this matter was the work of a devil aiming at the White Party, Louise was very likely to be targeted. So the one whose strength they could most rely on in the White Party, Jinrai, would be Louise's escort.

Jinrai probably wanted to gallantly hunt Dragon Bears after they were sent flying by『Crawling Lightning』, but it couldn't be helped. However, Jinrai had a dark smile after Mefirus' words.

「Well, if a devil is the opponent, I can have a redo of the fight against Diablo. I'm looking forward to that part.」

In the battle against Diablo, he was forcing his body to move with the pain after the strenuous battle against the Elder Cat. But he wasn't the same as he was at that time. Due to repeated rejuvenations, his body was enhanced, and he could handle two spears again like before. Jinrai was confident that he had already surpa.s.sed his strength in his heyday. In addition, Jinrai was thinking that with the dragonfang spears made from the Black Rock Dragon's fangs he might be able to penetrate even that Diablo's defensive field.

They would shortly arrive at Deidona City. After confirming their respective roles, Yumika and Naoki's group mounted the dragon mount Raiel with Benzel so they could head towards Deidona City

The battle had probably already begun, but the situation would be immediately turned around by Kazane and the others' intervention. It was necessary for someone to lead Deidona's soldiers and adventurers when that happened.

◎ Near Deidona City

「Alright, looking good. Yumika and the others entered the city.」

Kazane said while holding the reins.

「Kazane, please don't do anything rash.」

Tiara said as she got off the carriage while looking at Kazane with a worried expression. Kazane replied「Sure thing」with a thumbs up.

Tatsuyos.h.i.+-kun Dragoon was the only one currently inside the carriage. And Kazane was the only one on the coachman's seat. Kazane would be acting separately from her companions from here.

Yumika, Naoki, Lyle, and Emily had already flown to the city on the back of the dragon to lead the soldiers and adventurers.

The ma.s.s production models Tatsuyos.h.i.+-kun A and B would throw stones from here, and Swordfish, Tiara's 10 Flame Knights, and Kazane's 10 Crystal Knights would attack any enemies that approached.

Kazane would separately trample enemies with『Crawling Lightning』, which had already become the pattern of certain victory.『Crawling Lightning』possessed enough power to mow down Earth Dragons, but the numbers were a problem. It might be stopped halfway, but Kazane said she would worry about that if it happened. They were rash words, but Kazane had no worries about being helplessly killed. She boasted that she would confront them with her maximum strength from the start.

「Welllll then, as might be expected with numbers and abilities beyond the monsters from the Berserk Ogre subjugation. It's dreadful.」

Kazane talked with a silly tone, but her face was stiff. It wasn't that she was scared. Kazane had been watching Naoki and the others with Remote Viewing as they went and had witnessed the deaths of large numbers of people, and her heart was burning with an unprecedented degree of anger. Jinrai saw the signs and called out to her.

「Calm down. Anger will cloud your vision.」

Kazane made a startled expression after those words, which changed into a bitter smile. Then she said「As expected, I can't win against old man wisdom.」Certainly, her field of vision had narrowed, and she reflected and made a complacent smile. She could never let her own pace be disturbed. That was the secret to Kazane's strength.

「Well then, shall I carefully, slowly, calmly do it?」

But she left a calm flame in her heart. Gently, strongly, Kazane fired up her inner flame.

Then she rushed out, and purple lightning ran through the battlefield.

The sight of『Crawling Lightning』trampling down the Dragon Bears made the people of Deidona City surprised, then made them scream. Not from despair. Screams of craving. Yells to shake away the weight of death that had been hanging over them since the battle began.

◎ Deidona City, Atop the Stone Wall

「Wha, what, is that!!?」

Ruins stared in wonder as he watched it. Purple lightning was running through the swarm of Dragon Bears. How many Dragon Bears were being run over and sent flying without stopping that running?

「Yeaaah! Do it, Aneki!!!」

Iria in Naoki's arms tilted her said and said「ne-ki?」after Naoki shouted.

「Hey, stupid little brother!」

The shouting Naoki's head was whacked.

「Eees. That hurt, Yumika.」

While holding his struck head, Naoki looked at Yumika, who had come from behind.

「Stop with the s.e.xual hara.s.sment and properly do your part.」

「I know already. So then, Iria, can you walk on your own?」

「Ye, yeah.」

The situation in front of her, Naoki, the woman who struck Naoki, and while she was at it, the fact that her rival Emily was there were all beyond Iria's comprehension, but she knew the situation had changed.

「There's a hot-blooded crowd waiting below. Let's rush forward and bring them down in one go.」

Naoki replied「Yeah, sure」after Yumika spoke. Iria sensed a terrible threat from the closeness of the two and looked at Emily, and when she saw the「So that's how it is after all?」expression on Emily's face as she looked at the two people, Iria understood that the spear-wielding girl was an enemy.

Without noticing the mistaken idea of the two girls, Yumika jumped off the stone wall. She braked with Air Jump on the way, landed on the ground just after, then ran towards the monsters while using Dragonoidization with her Dragon Contract Bangle. And while s.h.i.+ning with rainbow light, she plunged into the Dragon Bears.

「Incredible!?」

Lyle stared in wonder as he observed the situation.

Every time Yumika swung her beloved spear Silky, a Dragon Bear was killed. It looked like she was practically undamaged from the Fire Breaths as well. That was the effect of the rainbow light around Yumika; it was the Rainbow Curtain that blocked attacks from all elements other than Darkness. Yumika used Kazane's Dragon Spirit for Dragonoidization this time instead of her own to block the Breath attacks.

After Yumika quickly routed the crowd of Dragon Bears in front of the main gate, the half-broken gate slowly opened. And the men inside the city, who had been resolving themselves for a final suicide attack, were now br.i.m.m.i.n.g with the will to survive and headed to Yumika's back.

「Crush them!」

Then Yumika raised her spear and shouted. The men shouted back, and everyone rushed forward at once to attack the Dragon Bears, who were shaken by the mysterious light that trampled them down. The position of hunter and hunted was now reversed. That was still mere momentum at this point, but they were no longer just waiting for death.

「Let's go, Lyle. Don't just stand there staring.」

Naoki called out to Lyle, who was staring at Yumika and the others' advance. They would also join the battle line after this. That was why they came here.

「I know already.」

Then Lyle and Naoki descended from the stone wall and started running to partic.i.p.ate in the battle. Iria saw them off, and since she was out of Magic Power, she and Ruins headed to the Adventurer's Guild, the resting point.

「Really, what is going on?」

When Ruins descended from the stone wall with Iria, he was lively, and the tragic feeling he had been feeling until some time ago seemed like a lie. The battle was certainly severe, and wounded and dead people would probably appear after this as well. But he was making a bewildered expression at the obvious change in the gloomy atmosphere that had been hanging over the city since several hours ago. The faces of the adventurers and residents were now br.i.m.m.i.n.g with desperation to survive. Iria spoke while looking at that.

「What is going on, you say. That's decided, isn't it? We were given the opportunity to stay alive. There is nothing so wonderful.」

Well then, I have to return to the battlefield after a short break... Iria thought. Apparently there was an overwhelming enemy on the other battlefield. Unrelated to the person herself, the girl's feelings were inflamed by the person she acknowledged as an enemy. And Iria was grateful that she was still able to ponder like this as she continued to walk.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Adhesion Sword『Gum』, Spell Dagger, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Acc.u.mulator, White Magic Acc.u.mulator

Level : 31

Health: 114

Magic Power: 205+420

Strength: 55+10

Agility: 48+4

Endurance: 31

Wisdom : 62

Dexterity : 39

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior's Memory』『Night Vision』『Crus.h.i.+ng Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell』『Golem Maker: Lv3』『Rush』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material s.h.i.+eld: Lv2』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Placement』『Thunder Chariot』『St.u.r.dier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Fabricated Coercion』『Stone Minotaur』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『s.p.a.ce Expansion』『Pseudo-silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』

Yumika:「Musou Mode!」

Kazane:「Bakusou Mode!!」