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While writing the book adaptation, I noticed that the eastern and western regions had been neglected, so I wrote this.

Please note that many characters from previous works appear.

In the Matara Alliance, offshore.

Due to the commander’s injury, Celica Helion and Zanastia Amamiya, who were suddenly entrusted with the command of the defense force, gazed at the city with mixed emotions.

Following the teachings of their high school classmate, Nicole, they concluded that they couldn’t defeat the Devils. As a result, they prioritized the evacuation of civilians and the military, leading to the abandonment of the city.

They managed to minimize human casualties, which, for two recently graduated from the academy, was a significant achievement.

However, they couldn’t celebrate the outcome of abandoning their hometown with open arms. Three Devils loomed offshore, staring at the city’s harbor.

Only three Devils, and yet, it was these mere three that led to the city’s defeat.

They clench their fists until their knuckles turn white, suppressing their anger at this fact.

“Target all cannons at the Devils in the harbor, but do not fire,” Celica ordered calmly, considering the possibility of pursuit.

No soldier questioned her orders anymore. They knew that without the two’s guidance, the extent of the damage would have been immeasurable.

“Yes, understood.”

Firing upon the Devils prematurely might provoke them, potentially leading to a protracted naval battle against these uncertain adversaries.

Aiming the cannons was merely a show of force. The Devils should’ve understood the disadvantage of fighting at sea, so the instruction was issued under the assumption that the Devils wouldn’t pursue them.

“The question is how much damage the city will suffer.”
“Zanas…”
“No, we can rebuild as long as people are safe. I understand that, but…”
“For now, we should be glad that everyone is safe.”

Celica returned a resentful gaze to the Devils staring at them from the harbor. For someone as mild-mannered as her, it was an unusually intense look.

“The problem is how to deal with those Devils.”
“It would be nice if they just went somewhere else.”
“Someone defeating it would be appreciated, as there’s a possibility it might come back. But can the Adventurer’s Guild handle it?”
“It might be difficult right away; it was a sudden attack.”

The Adventurer’s Guild itself had also moved to the evacuation ships. There shouldn’t be a single soul left in the city now. If anyone remained, the Devils would likely head there. Even if adventurers capable of opposing the Devils appeared elsewhere or means to defeat them were developed, there would be no city to accommodate them. It would take a considerable amount of time for information to reach the evacuation ships offshore.

“The problem is food and water, right? How much did we manage to load?”
“About three days’ worth. Even with rationing, it won’t last a week.”

Having evacuated the entire city, there were quite a few magicians who could magically purify seawater for drinking. However, the shortage of food was critical. Given the lack of time to load supplies, securing three days’ worth was considered a success.

However, within three days, it seemed unlikely that they could expect help from elsewhere. It would take well over three days for anyone to learn about the crisis in this city, prepare, and comprehend the current situation. Moreover, there was no guarantee that the Devil attack was exclusive to this city.

If other cities were under attack, the relief effort would be further delayed.

“This is tough.”

With a grinding sound, Celica forced the words out. Faced with the helpless reality, she realized that gritting her teeth was the only option.

At that moment, the Devils suddenly shifted their gaze in another direction.

Clearly diverting their attention from the evacuation ships, they focused on a narrow alley.

From that alley, a boy appeared.

Even from a distance, it was evident that he was a young boy from his slim figure. On his back, he carried a giant sword taller than himself.

When the boy saw the Devils, he silently readied the sword on his back.

Perhaps intimidated by his demeanor, the Devils, despite their numerical advantage, hesitated to approach.

The boy took the initiative.

Despite watching from the sea, Celica couldn’t perceive the start of his movement.

In hindsight, the boy’s movements weren’t exceptionally fast – a speed the Devils should easily handle. However, everyone who watched him couldn’t recognize his movements.

It was like he slipped through the gaps in consciousness, moving smoothly.

The Devils seemed equally unaware, unable to defend against a powerful strike directly to the front from the boy, hitting them without any means of defense.

The Devil, impervious to swords and spears, was effortlessly cleaved in two by the boy’s strike, as if slicing through soft fruit, much to the astonishment of Celica and the others watching from a distance.

Seeing their comrade being bisected without any resistance as if it was predetermined finally prompted the other Devils to react.

One Devil circled to the right, attempting a thrust as if to restrain the boy. However, he effortlessly deflected it and countered with a powerful kick that shattered the Devil’s knee due to the significant size difference.

Grabbing the destabilized Devil’s other arm, the boy executed a throw, rolling him to the ground. With a swift motion, he thrust the sword into the Devil’s throat, delivering the finishing blow.

The remaining Devil, wary of the boy’s strength, cautiously distanced itself. The boy lowered his sword lazily, extending his left hand provocatively.

Unable to discern his intention, the Devil crouched down, readjusted its stance, and raised its sword in a defensive posture. Suddenly, a blade pierced through the Devil’s chest.

“Gua…?”

The Devil, witnessing the phenomenon, uttered a bewildered sound. The blade rotated halfway, seeming to extract its essence with a probing motion before exiting from the back.

“Well done with the decoy act.”

Abruptly, a girl appeared behind the Devil, her beautiful appearance somewhat lacking in impression. Observing from the ship, Celica and the others noticed a strange fact.

They were quite a distance away from the shore now.

At the very least, it was far enough that a normal conversation shouldn’t have reached them.

And yet, the voices of the Devil and the serene girl reached their ears.

“Huh? What’s happening…?”

Baffled by this mysterious phenomenon, Celica instinctively looked at Zanastia beside her. Zanastia, too, placed a hand on her ear, returning a puzzled gaze.

As if in response to their confusion, the boy from the harbor raised his voice.

“The Devils of this city have been defeated by the War God Alec and the Earth God Marle! People, you may return to the city!”

War God Alec and Earth God Marle. The names resonated with both of them.

No one in this world would be unfamiliar with these names. They were the names of the gods that originated from the Alecmarle Sword Kingdom, a martial nation in the southeast of the continent known for producing the assassin Reid.

A thousand years ago, they, along with the God of Destruction Yuuri and the Wind God Hastur, ascended the World Tree and defeated the Demon King. These gods were said to have ascended to godhood based on their achievements during that time, and the land where they were born was named after them.

The legendary gods, now present right before their eyes, confronted Celica and Zanastia with an unbelievable reality. Faced with such an astounding fact, the two couldn’t help but exchange glances.

However, the boy and the girl at the harbor left the scene without answering their unspoken questions. The only remnants were the lifeless bodies of the Devils strewn across the harbor, leaving the evacuees standing in silence.

Amidst the confusion, Celica was the first to regain her composure.

“A-Anyway, form a reconnaissance team! We need to confirm if any Devils are still lurking in the city!”

There was no time to stand there in bewilderment. Celica realized this and promptly issued instructions to ensure the city’s safety.

◇◆◇◆◇

The boy who claimed to be the War God swiftly left the harbor city, heading north. Accompanying him was a girl who identified herself as the Earth Mother Goddess.

“Ah geez, just when I came down to the human world after a long time, this uproar happens.”
“Actually, we can only come out because there was an uproar, you know?”
“Doesn’t big sis Yuuri pop up here all the time?”
“Well, that’s because it’s Yuuri, after all…”

The boy, complaining with a tone of discontent, seemed surprisingly childish compared to the master who had just defeated Devils moments ago. The girl, chiding him, also appeared quite young, giving off the impression of siblings playfully interacting.

War God Alec was famous as a god who, along with the God of Destruction Yuuri, conquered the labyrinth of the World Tree. Marle, too, was one of the gods who accompanied them. As former comrades, their relationship was excellent, and Yuuri, in particular, treated them like beloved siblings.

“Yuuri seems to be quite busy now, so we need to handle things properly.”
“Trying to outsmart big sis Yuuri, they’re doing something really scary there. She’ll definitely retaliate somehow.”
“…Yeah, you’re right.”

Marle nodded with a slightly strained expression.

“More importantly, is everything okay in the north?”

They had heard that the Northern Alliance, the origin of the Devil horde, was in a considerably perilous situation. They had heard that their comrade, the Drifting God Levi, had gone to handle it.

“Levi is there, so it should be fine. It seems like she stayed in the north during the Evil Dragon strife to be able to mobilize people.”
“Is that really okay?”

There was an unwritten rule among the gods that they shouldn’t interfere with human affairs. This rule led them to live relatively isolated lives, avoiding extensive interaction with humans.

In contrast to them, the Drifting God Levi actively immersed herself in human society. Her involvement was not about actively meddling in troubles but rather interference with the purpose of talent development and tactical instruction.

One could say she was pushing the boundaries, just shy of violating the rules.

“Isn’t she currently acting as the guild master in the north?”
“Yep, she brought up some anti-Devil tactics and started gathering siege hammers and recruiting skilled adventurers.”
“Oh the poor adventurers getting manipulated by her.”
“So even you’ve come to say such things nowadays, huh?”

In terms of status, the Drifting God Levi was higher than them. Normally, making jests about her would not be tolerated. However, Levi herself had a personality that didn’t care about such things, making her an easy target for playful banter.

“And on the west side, it should be Marielle, right?”
“Yeah. Well, she’s more suited to dealing with large armies than us.”
“So, are we heading north to support Levi?”
“More accurately, the adventurers who are probably being tossed around by her.”
“In that case, we should hurry; it would be pitiful otherwise.”

With a modest and warm smile, she moved forward in front of the War God. Despite possessing a terrifying skill set of concealing her presence and seizing enemies from behind, she never displayed such traits outside of battle.

In that sense, she was probably one of the top assassins in this world.

“Maybe she’s scarier than that rumored girl Nicole.”
“Alec, did you say something?”
“…No, it’s nothing.”

Even though he thought he spoke too quietly to be heard, she picked it up with her keen ears. Alec responded with a nervous sweat, quickly overtaking her again, ensuring his face remained hidden, and swiftly headed towards the north.

◇◆◇◆◇

The Forest Kingdom of Raum, at the health resort.

Even in this town famous for its hot springs, the threat of Devils was looming. Adventurers and elves fought back with bows and magic, but it was clear that their efforts were falling short.

Mikey, the young boy whose life was once saved by Nicole, was also thrust into the defensive battle.

“Darn it, these guys are like cheaters…”

In his hands was a spear made entirely of iron, but the shaft was already bent. It was the result of thrusting it into a Devil and receiving a counterattack. He stepped back momentarily and received a replacement spear.

Meanwhile, another adventurer took over the frontline, but it seemed unlikely that they would last long.

“If it’s him, he could hold his ground…”

Mikey recalled the figure of Cloud, with whom he had once engaged in a mock battle. With Cloud’s robust defense, enduring the attacks of the Devils seemed possible. This thought stimulated Mikey’s pride.

“Damn it, I’m fine now, switch with me!”
“Are you sure!?”
“It’s fine!”

Mikey stepped forward in a less-than-ideal condition. His sense of inferiority to Cloud drove him to impatience.

However, the spear he borrowed as a replacement had a wooden shaft and was insufficient to withstand the Devil’s sword. It was snapped with a single blow, leaving him with a deep wound in his chest.

“Gaah!?”
“Mikey!”

Though he managed to avoid damage to his lungs, Mikey sustained rib injuries that left him unable to breathe properly. The Devil raised its sword over Mikey, who was immobilized as a result.

Adventurers shouted in despair for Mikey, who could only await his fate. In this seemingly hopeless situation, a cool voice shattered the despair.

“You are quite reckless.”

With a sound resembling the breaking of metal, the field turned white. No, the surroundings were sealed by ice.

“You are in the way, so could I ask you to back off?”

Crushing the ice beneath her feet, a woman with a glamorous figure approached Mikey.

The woman, with luxurious curly hair, glanced at the Devil and snorted.

“I was enjoying a leisurely life of seclusion, and now it has become so noisy.”

The Devil, wary of the sudden appearance of the woman, raised its dual swords. Ignoring the wary Devil, the woman urged the adventurers behind her to retreat.

“I shall take care of this, so all of you should return to the village.”
“The village…? No, more importantly, who are you?”

The town, famous for its hot springs, was no longer a village in size. With doubts about the choice of words, Mikey addressed the woman.

Looking down at Mikey, the woman proudly declared, “I am Marielle Blanche. Some also call me the Water Goddess Eir.”

With a wave of her arm, she activated a spell or rather… magic. A storm of water surged around, followed by a blast of cold air. The Devil’s outer layer froze in an instant, and without a chance to resist, it was shattered.

Witnessing this gruesome spectacle, Mikey’s mind went blank, and he muttered incomprehensibly.

“A… God…?”
“Yes, that is what I said. Come now, your injuries are healed, so please stand.”

Upon hearing the Water Goddess’ words, Mikey realized for the first time that the wound on his chest had completely healed. For a moment, he thought the injury was just a dream as he looked at his unscathed chest. However, the damaged chest plate served as a reminder that it was indeed real.

“Th-thank you.”
“I shall accept your gratitude. I like honest children. Now, go on, do not linger.”

Nodding meekly at the Water Goddess’ words, Mikey turned away so as not to be a hindrance. Soon after, a chilling wind swept through the deep forest of Raum, freezing it so much that even the air seemed to solidify. Feeling the presence behind him, Mikey shuddered, wondering what exactly was happening. At the very least, he understood that a situation beyond his comprehension was unfolding.