LS – Chapter 354: Thus, undying

“And so, Rakura Salf is back!”

The newly added member of the raid team in the border between Gahne and the Gahne Nether, Rakura, was the same as before… No, she is overflowing with more motivation than usual.

Rakura and Wolfe negotiated with the Green Demon Lord, and succeeded in getting back what they lost.

Even though you would be able to understand just how despairing it is to negotiate with the Green Demon Lord if you were to meet him once.

“I am impressed you managed to negotiate with that guy that’s always in a bad mood, and looks like a Taizu King that would execute you on the spot if you are rude.” (Haaku)

That’s exactly it.

Haakudoku put into words how I felt. I can’t ever say something like that as a knight…

“It is the opposite. It is because he is like His Majesty that I managed to negotiate.” (Rakura)

“I don’t get that Demon Lord. He healed me while at it after all.” (Haaku)

“Uh, even though we properly negotiated…” (Rakura)

Haakudoku jumped lightly in place.

The leg he got injured when fighting against Murshto has recovered completely, and there’s barely anything left of the wound against Zahava.

Ekdoik and Haakudoku went to check on the treatment just when we were returning from the place of the Green Demon Lord.

It seems like the Green Demon Lord was in a pretty good mood at that time, and apparently healed the legs of Haakudoku without any resistance, and left.

“I think Girista is the unlucky one.” (Haaku)

“I think that’s what’s normal though?” (Rakura)

Girista was resting for the sake of medical treatment, so she couldn’t meet him.

The Green Demon Lord can treat anyone as long as they are alive. But he won’t sell his power cheaply even in a situation like this one. However, it is something necessary.

Many people are being injured and losing their lives in this war, just like how me and Rakura are worried about Rakura, Maya, and Lord Leano.

If everyone ends up relying on the power of the Green Demon Lord, that very same Demon Lord won’t be able to face his own battle in a satisfactory state.

“Well, I did promise to rampage her share.” (Haaku)

Haakudoku has been entrusted the demonic sword of Girista.

A super heavy greatsword that he wouldn’t be able to swing properly without his devil arm.

Haakudoku didn’t heal his right arm in order to use this.

“Is that okay, Haakudoku? That was the perfect opportunity to return the arm of Gestaf.” (Ilias)

“Ha, I know better than anyone else that I am weak. As if I would do something as stupid as throwing away power. Also, just think about what would happen if I were to return the arm of Bro out of pity, not only would I be punched, he would burn the arm right in front of my eyes.” (Haaku)

“…I easily imagined it.” (Ilias)

“But I am happy that Rakura has joined… Arcreal left instead though…” (Haaku)

A big reason as to why I managed to fight Zahava was because of Arcreal. The back of that man, who isn’t scared of slashing at the enemy no matter how much of a threat they are, was extremely reliable despite being my first time fighting together with him.

“Uuh, I can’t argue with that…” (Rakura)

“Aah, sorry. Don’t worry. Anyone would end up like that if they were compared to Arcreal. It was my mistake for complaining. My bad.” (Haaku)

Haakudoku has fought against Zahava too and felt the strength of a demon with his own skin.

That’s exactly why he can’t hide his nervousness from a reliable ally like Arcreal being gone.

“Don’t worry, you two. I managed to grasp the sensation after fighting Zahava. I will fulfill the role of frontline by myself.” (Ilias)

“Sis…” (Haaku)

I am certain I have grasped something in my battle against Zahava, just like how people learn techniques against humans by continuously fighting humans.

That sensation was even more prominent in my body after holding this sword.

There’s no such power in this holy sword, but I will acknowledge that this sword is granting me power. That would make me happier.

“…! We have received a report of a giant flying creature heading this way!” (Rakura)

“If the prediction of His Majesty is correct, it would be Lazarikata and the fallen demon…” (Ilias)

His Majesty predicted the movements of the demons and changed our positions.

He saw through the relationship between the monstrosity that hasn’t appeared in the battlefield and Lazarikata, and declared with certainty that it would be showing up here.

The appearance of His Majesty at that time overlapped with that of that man for an instant. That was enough for me to believe him.

“…Hmm, so there was a human who predicted that I would choose this path, and that I would stop after seeing you.”

A giant crow.

The woman that was riding on its back…there’s no doubt it is the Lazarikata that was in the reports.

Zahava’s eyes had the madness of someone who had the objective of offering everything to one person.

In contrast to that, Lazarikata’s eyes have haughtiness hiding a single truth she is trying to cling onto obstinately.

His Majesty said: Lazarikata is not living for the sake of her selfishness, but to act it. That’s why she will definitely stop for people who are challenging her.

She will definitely try to eliminate the people that are showing clear hostility towards her in her path.

“Hmph, so you are aware that you have been read. Despite that, you still accepted the bait because of your pri—” (Haaku)

“Brain, explode.” (Lazari)

“That’s dangerous!” (Haaku)

She opened her mouth the moment her mana reached.

I carried Rakura and took distance together with Haakudoku faster than she finished opening her mouth.

I moved as a reaction to the movements of Lazarikata’s mouth and the flow of her mana, and Haakudoku reacted by leaving it to his own instincts.

We already know the power of Lazarikata.

She can kill us by simply speaking within the range of her mana. It is like there are always invisible naked blades flying around.

But her mana won’t fill up this place where there’s nothing, and it is possible to blow it away if need be.

We should be able to deal with her well enough if we maintain the distance.

“So annoying. You think you have made a countermeasure after analyzing my power?” (Lazari)

“Let us. If we don’t, we wouldn’t even be an opponent.” (Haaku)

“You are really looking down on me… Melvis!” (Lazari)

Lazarikata jumped down from the giant crow…Melvis…and Melvis flew at us at the same time.

The speed may not be on the level of the transformed Zahava, but it is still pretty fast.

I may not have problems with it, but Rakura and Haakudoku would have a pretty hard time avoiding it…

“You are not the only one whose attack range is the reach of their mana!” (Rakura)

The body of the diving Melvis was split.

It seems the barrier magic of Rakura has already been prepared to deploy in a set range.

Even so, I can only say that’s just like her being able to accurately land an offensive spell against an enemy above Unique.

Rakura normally specializes in wiping out a large number of enemies at once instead of one against ones. She has more actual experience than even me when it comes to enemies that move by instinct.

“—I saw it, Rakura! There’s a core a bit deep inside the throat!” (Haaku)

Moreover, we have Haakudoku who excels in detection.

Haakudoku couldn’t do this at the time when Zahava was maintaining her core in her head, but he learned under the tutelage of the Purple Demon Lord to detect the location of a monster’s core.

The Purple Demon Lord learned that it is necessary to target the core with precision after the battle against Nektohal and was thinking of ways to detect the core in battle.

The core is inside the body of the enemy. Moreover, in a state where it is clad with mana.

It may be possible if you touch their body directly and search it with mana, but it isn’t easy to search for it when there’s distance.

Even so, the Purple Demon Lord found a way to locate the core from the peculiar flow of mana from the other party.

But that method is extremely delicate, and it is almost impossible to accomplish when facing the target. More so the case if you are in the middle of combat. Even Rakura and Ekdoik couldn’t bring out precision from this.

But Haakudoku was the only one who managed to learn that method.

According to the person himself: ‘I somehow managed to do it after putting the feeling of Instinct-sama on my own body’. It made no sense to me.

“Understood! There, right?!” (Rakura)

Rakura deployed a barrier to follow up, and landed another slash on Melvis.

Melvis fell to the ground just like that and raised a painful cry.

The whole body began to crumble and was about to return to dust. Looks like we managed to destroy the core with precision.

Being able to defeat one enemy before the battle lengthened is big.

“Yosh! I was scared since it was a pretty big crow, but it is not on the level of Zahava when she turns into a spider!” (Haaku)

“—Right. Melvis is an incompetent man. It is natural for him to be below Zahava in all fronts when she has managed to awaken.” (Lazari)

Lazarikata looked down at the crumbling Melvis and sighed lightly. But I can’t see any emotion in that face of hers.

His Majesty said: ‘Melvis is special to Lazarikata. Therefore, she will choose the location where she can fight together with Melvis over settling matters with the Green Demon Lord’.

And the reality is that Lazarikata showed up here with Melvis. Then, His Majesty must not be wrong.

And yet, why is she not moving a single brow at having the core of Melvis destroyed and is on its way of disappearing?

“I also don’t feel as much of a threat towards you compared to Zahava. It is true that your power is troublesome, but you are done for when countermeasures are made.” (Haaku)

“Right. I honestly am not that strong. I would die if I were to fight either Zahava or Ofaro.” (Lazari)

“……What, be more confident about yourself. It feels as if I am saying something bad here…” (Haaku)

“You are simply stating the truth. I am just all bark and Melvis is a man not even worth talking about. Yeah, it is fine that way. That’s good.” (Lazari)

Lazarikata raised her head and looked at us. There’s not a single hint of resignation in her eyes.

What’s there is pridefulness and unwavering resolve with no openings.

I am feeling something similar to the ominous sensation I felt at the end when I fought Zahava going down through my spine.

“…Sis, it is the same as the time before Zahava retreated. I don’t know what it is, but it is similar to when I was in front of the Demon Lords. Instinct-sama is kicking my back like no tomorrow…!” (Haaku)

“Haakudoku-san, it is not only your instincts, I am feeling it too!” (Rakura)

The mana around Lazarikata is getting dense to a degree where I could see it with my eyes.

It got color and was like a black liquid that was trying to paint over even the scenery.

Change happened in the body of Lazarikata as well.

Strange protuberances began to appear from the exposed shoulders and arms. The same protuberances began to appear on her forehead, neck, chest, waist, calves, and several other parts of her whole body.

Mouths. There were countless mouths. Mouth had appeared on the whole body of Lazarikata.

A monstrosity that turns lies into truths; her body had been changed to represent this.

She felt so deranged that it felt as if the world would warp just from her mere presence.

I could feel that this was her perfect awakened state.

“There’s no need to fear. I am in the end just a lying woman even if I awaken completely. A fool who can’t even lose my sense of self. That’s why I will just…single-mindedly…put my heart into warping stupid lies into truths.” (Lazari)

The voice of Lazarikata resonated from all the mouths.

Even though it should only be one voice, there was this creepy feeling of countless voices overlapping and it made me feel goosebumps.

The transformed Lazarikata stretched her hand towards the dust of Melvis.

“Now, Melvis, get up.” (Lazari)

“?!”

I have seen the dead come back to life a number of times before.

The necromancy that Dokora, Raheight, and Hilmera used. An outside force that ignores the dignity of people.

What I felt when I saw that in front of my eyes was anger and disgust.

But I felt a kind of excitement when I saw Melvis come back and take shape from the dust.

The realm beyond necromancy: resurrection magic. No, if there’s no curse of making the dead into Demon Lords, you could call that true resurrection.

The lord desires it, and the servant desires it too. The chains of fate of the two that desire eternity. A miracle that paints lies into impossible truths.

The undying bird answered the call of its master from death.

“Oi oi… The core was completely destroyed… Moreover, doesn’t it look strong…?” (Haaku)

Haakudoku’s impression is most likely not wrong.

Melvis didn’t just resurrect here. It has taken the desired form of Lazarikata.

Lazarikata jumped onto the back of Melvis and gently patted its head, and it let out a ferocious cry.

“You can die however many times you want, Melvis. You are an incompetent man…but I will forgive those pathetic displays. I will bend the truth for your sake…just like you did for mine. You are the perfect servant that protects me. You won’t die. You will continue fighting for my sake. For eternity…until I am satisfied!” (Lazari)

—–

Author: Lazarikata is not suitable for direct combat because it is easy to make countermeasures against her, but she is the strongest as a support.

She is strong with a partner, but she has a bad personality, so there’s no one she can easily partner with.

But she was extremely blessed…because there was a peculiar man that coincidentally was willing to offer everything to this woman that was all bark.

Previous Chapter l Next Chapter