Leave a comment

Hmm. While they aren’t duplicitous like Kagerou and are indeed considerate—which is likely why they were appointed as sub-guildmasters—they now appear to be aligned with the enemy. At least, that’s what I assume since they didn’t refute Shima’s earlier claims. Therefore, taking their words at face value would be unwise.

Moreover, they might not even realize it themselves, but perhaps they are unwitting pawns in the mastermind’s plan. As I pondered this, Lubbock firmly grasped his swords and began advancing towards Shima.

“Perhaps our actions will convince you. I’ll handle that bat, so you should head to the control room and adjust the orbit of the Sky Garden, Hiyuki.”

“Orbit……?”

Lubbock’s words took a moment to sink in.

“As I thought, you hadn’t considered it. The Sky Garden is currently drifting closer to the continent’s inland area. I assume it was positioned nearby to align with Nidhogg’s path, correct?”

Indeed, that had occurred. We were attempting to defeat Nidhogg by deploying «Punisher» Musashi, one of the thirteen Demon Generals, when that elusive adversary found its way here. I had believed that the Sky Garden had remained stationary after losing its target, but it turns out it has been navigating its predetermined path in the sky this entire time.

“Shimamura’s target, in your terms, is the ‘Mastermind.’ I suspect his original plan involved assimilating the populace en route to enhancing his Nidhogg and launching an attack on Aeon’s capital. However, he altered his strategy upon discovering the Sky Garden—a perfect means to swiftly forge a path.”

Wait—despite his composed demeanor, did he just confirm that the ‘Mastermind’ had entrenched themselves within Faximile?

“It’s impossible for him to seize control of another guild’s home. Moreover, if the control room were destroyed, it would take some time to restore, leaving it vulnerable. During this window, a substantial explosion right above the Sky Garden could cause it to plummet and obliterate Faximile below.”

“—Princess, according to Sasaki’s report, Nidhogg has suddenly coiled itself and hasn’t moved an inch from its spot.” Mikoto quickly relayed this information, her report lending further credence to Lubbock’s assertions.

“Crap—!” No, there’s still time! I dashed toward the throne room at full speed as soon as I grasped the situation. Meanwhile, Shima, from within Jotun, began to laugh maniacally.

“What a pity. You were just a bit too slow!”

Suddenly, vein-like patterns emerged on the corridor’s floor beneath the red carpet, swiftly slithering towards the throne room. Glancing back to find the source, I discovered it was the tip of Jotun’s toes that had, unbeknownst to us, pierced through the carpet and extended outward.

“Damn!” Lubbock clicked his tongue in dismay. Subsequently, about twenty flesh-toned snakes, each as large as a human torso, emerged from beneath the carpet, their necks arching menacingly.

“Kuh!!” I swiftly decimated five or six of the larger snakes in a single strike, but this action delayed our reaction, allowing our adversary enough time to counterattack. Suddenly, one of the larger snakes emitted a dazzling burst of Holy Light, launching it towards the throne room.

Instantly, the throne room was engulfed by an explosive blast and a thunderous roar. Glass shattered, pillars of fire erupted from the floor, and a series of explosions tore through the walls, sending debris flying. The entire room was soon enveloped in smoke.

I had thrown myself to the floor just as Lubbock’s seven swords materialized into a protective barrier in front of me. Moments later, Kokuyou leaped to shield me further. Once the explosions ceased, I looked up to find the area shrouded in white smoke and dust.

Coughing, I turned to survey the throne room, now visible through a massive hole in the wall. It was utterly destroyed, clearly unusable for the foreseeable future.

“You beast! How dare you desecrate the throne!”

In a rage, Utsuho dropped to all fours and transformed into her true form—a nine-tailed fox.

“Oh my, but are you certain? I believe I’m the least of your worries right now.”

Tension gripped everyone present as Shima erupted into loud, echoing laughter.

Right, that was just the beginning. The real coup de grâce is—

Jotun snapped his fingers.

“—Explode.”

Immediately following the destruction of the throne room, Nidhogg, having coiled itself into a ball, unleashed all its stored energy in an explosion that matched, or perhaps even exceeded, the intensity of the living bomb Musashi.

Tamegoro fell, losing her balance due to a tremor strong enough to seemingly invert Sky Garden. Lubbock, meanwhile, also staggered but managed to steady himself using his sword, Zetsu, as a support.

“I won!!” Convinced of his triumph, Shima appeared over Jotun’s left shoulder, breaking into maniacal laughter with an expression of sheer elation.

“Mikoto, what’s the current status of Sky Garden?”

“The situation is dire. The damage extends from the epicenter, where Nidhogg detonated, down to the lowest layers and even the foundation. However, Sky Garden remains on its original course. It has just moved past Faximile, the capital of the Aeon Holy Kingdom, and is projected to leave Aeon’s territory heading north in about 30 minutes. Restoration of the affected area is estimated to take 24 hours.”

Mikoto responded from mid-air, having escaped there during the explosion, answering Tengai’s question, which he posed in a flustered tone.

“ “ “Huhhh?” ” ” Our voices—Lubbock’s, Shima’s, and mine—overlapped, echoing our surprise at the unexpected report.

“—Err… it’s not going to fall from the shock of the explosion?” Seeking confirmation, I asked Mikoto as I stood up, aided by Kokuyou, and brushed the dust off my clothes.

“The altitude has decreased somewhat, but there’s no immediate danger.”
“Why?”
“Because the explosion’s energy was managed effectively, enabling us to avoid the worst-case scenario.”
“What the heck does that mean!?”

Shima howled in confusion. Mikoto responded with a frosty glare before continuing—

“It’s relatively straightforward to prevent Sky Garden from falling when you anticipate the motives involved. Naturally, we aimed to minimize damage, but time constraints forced us to take more drastic measures.”

“More drastic measures…?”

“The thirteen demon generals coordinated to create an opening in the Sky Garden coinciding with the explosion, channeling the explosive energy both upwards and downwards.” Mikoto described the feat as if it were trivial, but we, the players, were left speechless by the sheer audacity of the plan.

“Nevertheless, this was the best outcome given the imminent threat to Sky Garden. Is there a problem?” Mikoto inquired again, to which I responded almost instinctively, “Ah, no. Not at all.”

“Hiyuki, your pets are truly… extraordinary, aren’t they?” Tamegoro remarked in a bewildered tone as she stood and brushed the dust off her clothing.

Indeed, it is. And it’s not just one of them; the entire group consistently engages in the bizarre, causing me untold mental strain.

“Anyway, with the initial plan failing, we’re back to square one, aren’t we, Shimamura?” Lubbock maneuvered his nine swords, directing them once more toward Shima’s exposed neck.

“Now, all that’s left is to swiftly deal with Shima, and this will be over.” I, too, stood close by and aimed my sword in his direction.

“What, what—are we doing a one-by-one playable teaser now?” Tamegoro exclaimed cheerfully as she positioned herself on the other side of Lubbock.

Meanwhile, Shima cast a reproachful glare our way before retreating back into Jotun.

Lubbock flashed a faint smile while looking at Tamegoro and me standing on either side of him, then let out a slightly melancholic sigh.

“If only Kagerou were still alive, he’d be standing with us now…”

“…” Overcome by a pang of guilt, I found myself unable to meet his gaze.