Grimoire x Reverse ~Reincarnated Demon Romance Tale~ Chapter 8

Hey, this is Shuten here.

…Even if the name Shuten sounds pleasant, I have not given up on my original name and will only go by Shuten temporarily. Although it will not be revealed even if you search an amoeba. (TL: here’s that saying again. I still don’t get it. If anyone is enlightened, please share. アメーバで検索しても出てこないけど。)

I have now arrived somewhere else. After leaving the hidden dungeon in the north, when I checked there was a reaction from the pearl piece that seemed to come from the third continent. Speaking of the third continent, it contains a mountain range with plentiful resources, a free trade city, and many dungeons that await the middle of the story. It was the most prosperous continent that appeared in Grimoire Lancer I. It is also the closest continent to the Far East Island “j.a.ppon” where I was, and I think that perhaps this pearl detector activates when it is nearby. (TL: I guess he has the radar mentioned by the G.o.ddess back in chapter 4. I checked back and that seems to be the only explanation, though I don’t know how or when he got it. He also describes the detector as “beads” so I’m imagining a string of prayer beads) Although I would have to ask that G.o.ddess, since it is a part I don’t understand at all.

So I was now on the third continent. As for how that happened, naturally any fis.h.i.+ng boats aren’t going to let a demon ride, so I swam. I did not feel too confident in my physical strength, but I thought I could find the land ma.s.s pretty easily. The biggest enemy was exhaustion. Somewhere around the middle it began to get troublesome because I have been crawling through the water all this time, but I continued, knowing that if you fall into the trap of not moving forward then you will drown. (TL: If I remember correctly, when you swim for a long time and then stop when you get tired, your muscles will tighten or cramp up and you become unable to swim. In the middle of the ocean with deep water and nothing to hold on to, this is very likely to lead to death. So yeah, trap indeed)

But after swimming awhile, when I arrived at the third continent it went like this…

“Oh, it’s a demon?!” (Guard)

“Don’t be afraid, this is probably his limit!! Fight! Fight baaaack!” (Guard Leader)

I was surrounded by dozens of guards. Crouching in my direction, they jumped towards me.

Since I had almost completed my swim, first of all I wanted to find out wherever I had gone, and if the third continent was around here.

“Where is this?” (Shuten)

“Shut up! Kill that demon!!” (Guard Leader)

“Ah…” (Shuten)

I would say I was getting used to the feel of battle, but my movement was still slow. Perhaps this body’s performance is good, but it should get even better with the integrated power of the pearl pieces.

And that’s how it went.

The third continent was famous for its strong hostility towards demons. It should be said that this was due to a demon that had threatened the continent. It is a silver nine-tailed fox that the hero’s party will encounter. I remember struggling a lot in those days because it used an unreasonably strong magic on top of being a brutal level compared to the heroes’ party at the time. That reminds me, but I don’t know where the hero party is currently at. Anyway, if possible let’s pa.s.s them along somewhere else.

The moment I put my hands on the Demon Slayer, the guy who looks like the leader of the guards cried out. “Tsu!? Don’t let it go to the Alfan Mountains!! The kamiko of light is there now!” (Guard Leader)

Oh, thanks for telling me all this information.

Alfan Mountains.

It is a dungeon on the third continent where the hero will arrive at thirdly. The goal is to acquire the haze gra.s.s on top of one of the four mountains, crossing all four peaks. Since the whole mountain range is shrouded in clouds, all the roads are hazy and vision is considerably obscured.

One of the reasons to pick the haze gra.s.s is because somewhere in town a fortuneteller tells you to “go pick it up,” and once you arrive at the summit you will encounter one of the Four Heavenly Demon Kings. In addition to the game-battle with the first of the Four Kings, the hero obtains information on the significance of the “??? Key (red)” that was previously acquired fighting one of the demon king’s subordinates. It’s at this stage that the series of seven keys are revealed for the first time, and in the end, it is the same as the “key to the underground empire (orange)” that I already got by mistake.

Gathering the seven keys opens the gates to the underground empire and the Demon Castle. And this is the stage for the final battle…How nostalgic, I want to do it again.

“Anyway.” (Shuten)

It is easy to explain why I want to meet the hero. It is to pa.s.s on this stylish orange key I have. If I have it then they will never reach the underground empire, so even if it is awkward and my intentions are doubted I want to quickly hand it over. Having said that, is it better to wait for them to come down from gathering the haze gra.s.s, or climb the Alfan Mountains at a faster pace?

The Alfan Range has an atmosphere that it is a place of a fairy-tale, and so it has many kinds of demonic monsters that appear in the dungeon.

…some which are cow-like. (TL: the word here is “us.h.i.+,” or cow, which I took to reference us.h.i.+-oni which are bovine-headed demons, like a minotaur)

Shouldering the Demon Slayer, I gathered my resolve.

Unfortunately, from the reaction the location of the piece seems to have s.h.i.+fted…it certainly is a hidden item, though there should have been some Geta nearby that disable terrain damage. Demons are also weak in this way, and I don’t want to be poisoned so let’s face forward to obtain that item! (TL: I wouldn’t want to remain barefoot either. The poison is explained later on)

Once I stepped foot onto the mountain path entrance, my visibility was quickly hindered.

The dungeon of the Alfan Ranges is a type that leads upward to the top, unlike the dungeon I met the vampire girl in before this. Because the road often branches out, the capture difficulty is a little high. However, the monsters that pop up are woefully weaker than the ones in my tower, so it shouldn’t be anything of concern to the way I am now.

“Even so, a single person is lonesome.” (Shuten) I muttered to myself as I advanced through the haze.

Besides the great axe carried over my shoulder I have no belongings, so it feels a little lonely, but that cannot be helped. If there were companions traveling together at such a time, I wonder if we would be chatting casually. No wonder everyone in this kind of lonely dungeon might be serious.

But I am a demon and not an adventurer, so there’s no reason to take on the trouble of a party.

Besides, whether or not there are even people who would team up in the first place…now I’m starting to become even more depressed and lonely.

“Flare Reel-chan, I wonder when you will be able to go out into the suns.h.i.+ne?” (Shuten)

I go along the mountain path while thinking about the appearance of the vampire girl.

Surely among the boss monsters that appear in Grimoire Lancer, there are demons who can become subordinates using magical contracts. Even if I fantasized happily about having a cute vampire as a contracted demon, in reality it doesn’t work that way.

“Well, that’s how it is. Anyway, just take the sandals, hand over the key to hero-kun quickly, and finish this dungeon.” (Shuten)

Perhaps that would be the most sensible.

While thinking of such things, I found the staircase. I did not encounter any monsters on the first level. Many of the monsters that appear in the Alfan Range are made of gra.s.s, rock, or fog. Fog monsters are disadvantageous for me because physical attacks mostly pa.s.s through, but since I have the Kinagais.h.i.+ it is bad for their magic attacks as well. Even if it turns into a mudslinging contest, it will not become an opponent impossible to defeat.

“I wonder what this is?” (Shuten)

What appeared in front of my eyes were three rock-like monsters.

Indeed, I remembered similar monsters appearing on the first continent. It is the enhanced version of a different color. A common trait in an RPG.

“However, it does not matter.” (Shuten)

I pulled out the Demon Slayer, and swung. Breaking through the rock monster that is only capable of rolling, it was smashed into crimson dust. I cannot deny that it feels a bit like overkill, as it was only a single blow and while looking over it the other two escaped.

…As the G.o.ddess said, it seems the power of a dungeon cla.s.s demon is now in me.

Re-shouldering the Demon Slayer from the palm of my hand I check my senses to make sure the group has moved on. (鬼殺しを背負い直し、手のひらをグーパーと動かして感覚を確かめる。)

I will not even level up from this, the only real target is merely the Geta and the hero.

Although I have the orange key right now, it’s actually quite damaged, and probably won’t help me much. Besides, I felt that the protagonists right now were surely in the wrong place. Though, since I’m a demon this might also be misunderstood as simply excuses.

It’s not bad seeing the battle of the Four Kings, but it would not be good to involve myself in the story any more. Even if my power is dungeon cla.s.s, that does not mean I’m going to go out to kill the heroes, and with my lack of battle experience I’ll choose to be cautious.

“Now where can I find those Geta?” (Shuten)

It was certainly a pair of sandals with a high performance. Thinking about the kind of place this was, I heard the sound of the water ahead on the mountain road.

“…Ah, I remember.” (Shuten)

It’s surely behind the waterfall flowing ahead with a bridge that crosses to the other side.

I have the impression that if I return to the Alfan Mountains after awhile, then someone should have already made a bridge to pa.s.s over by their own efforts. But sadly, if the lock was already broken at this point then there would be no way to retrieve the treasure chest visible in the back.

The waterfall that flows through the mountain is quite spectacular, although it is not wide. As the sound gets closer along with the coolness, misty specks. .h.i.t my cheeks. While feeling comfortable, I walked for a bit until I arrived beside the waterfall.

“I wanted to visit the backside of the waterfall leisurely, but…is it impossible?” (Shuten)

Sorry, but it can’t be helped. Since the bridge has not been fixed, I can’t only come for sightseeing. Well, if it’s with my current physical ability I’ll manage somehow.

With a jump, I leap through the waterfall and land on the other side behind it.

It is hard to see it hidden behind the gra.s.s, but it was certainly a treasure chest.

“Open up~” (Shuten)

Once I opened it there was definitely a pair of Geta inside.

“Terrain damage disabled…in time for the Poisonous Swamp.” (Shuten)

I would never willingly enter it, but even so I had gathered the right equipment if needed.

While remembering the weaknesses of my demon tribe, I feel joy at overcoming it as I once again jump through the back of the waterfall.

“Now then.” (Shuten)

Now I just need to pa.s.s on this key to hero-kun. While spinning the key with my index finger triumphantly, I headed towards the edge of the Alfan Range.

Let’s go visit the protagonist, Crane-Fafnir!