32. You’re useless.
“….Hmm, a truly dangerous ‘intruder’ has come in as pleased~”
Demon Lord Jang was sipping sweet cocoa in front of the bustling joint control room.
Unlike the relaxed Demon Lord Jang, the joint control room of the Management Agency and the Company was a complete mess five minutes ago.
“Extraterrestrial… Void detection exceeds the limit!”
“The space-time distortion is too severe! The observation barriers are shattering…!”
“What about the spatial fixation barriers? If those break, a planet could collapse!”
“Current overload at 25%….! It’s still manageable!”
While the busy workers were bustling around, the expressions of Mikaela and Gabriel, the responsible individuals from the chaotic Management Agency, were stiff as a board.
Undoubtedly, the mischief originated from the outer universe.
“Satellite vision out! Observation not possible!”
“How many observation cameras are still functional?”
“Only two remaining attached to surviving contractors…”
“For now, quickly redirect those two outside. We need to find out what has happened. And… send one towards Yudahee.”
…Just in case Yudahee had broken her oath.
The Management Agency never fell for the same thing twice.
They hadn’t forgotten the costly lesson learned from the previous failure.
“Emergency mode activated, extending overload limit to 125%!”
“Isolation barrier ready! Exception designation for contractor activity!”
“Space severance sequence prepared… Shall we execute, Lady Mikaela?”
Procedures in anticipation of the arrival of extraterrestrial entities into the arena, as they had done before.
The pinnacle of barrier magic that permanently banishes them from this arena by cutting and annihilating space itself, a stark contrast to the helplessness faced in the previous encounter…
Yet, Mikaela was conflicted by an unknown sensation.
A feeling that something shouldn’t be done, though she couldn’t quite grasp why.
The one who caught her hesitation was none other than Demon Lord Jang.
“It’s a pity, but it’s probably better not to do it this time~”
“Do you know something?”
“Hmm, not precisely, but… I have a rough idea~”
Demon Lord Jang, with black clouds filling one side of the barrier, hinted at a vague figure. Though it was just a rough guess, it seemed to align with the assumptions.
“The opponent is likely the Earth Mother… the origin of all life, revered and worshiped even by ancient gods.”
Shubh Niguras.
Originally, just its presence would have transformed this land to the point where mentioning it would be avoided, but now it seemed to be restraining itself, as if it knew it shouldn’t.
“Some observation cameras successfully bypassed reconstruction, confirming the epicenter…!”
Revealing itself was a woman with black goat horns.
She calmly walked towards one side, contrasting with the black aura. With each step, small flowers blossomed from the ground.
“….But perhaps she hasn’t come to invade or plunder this land forcibly~, maybe… just like casually taking a walk outside, as if she came for a visit, that kind of feeling~”
Touching it could result in having the grammar book used as a handkerchief.
“Just watching quietly is the best choice,” said the Demon Lord.
“Well, all of this could just be baseless speculation. I might have just talked about what I remember according to my intuition~”
The Demon Lord shrugged and finished her cocoa.
“Devising a plan is under the jurisdiction of the Management Bureau, so you better step back~”
It was just the Demon Lord’s opinion based on intuition, but… Mikaela sighed and decided to accept her intention.
“Cancel the spatial severance.”
In accordance with her honor, the sequences that had been prepared one by one began to come to an end.
“Maintain the current situation as the top priority, but always be prepared for unexpected situations…”
As she made that decision and turned away-
[Wise choice.]
On the other side of the screen, Shub Nigras was looking directly at Mikaela with a sly smile.
Even after passing through a certain filter, the overwhelming influence seemed to cause a flickering sensation – as if noise was interfering.
“I’m just here to enjoy a little game, not to cause a big mess.”
Then the observation camera clicked off and silence filled the room.
“What the…”
From Noble mtl dot com
Everyone seemed to have forgotten what they were going to say, but one camera was still doing its job.
Following the order to head towards Yudahee issued earlier, the camera that arrived began to project the scene it was witnessing.
One of the two cameras assigned to individuals not only displayed the situation in the Management Bureau’s control room but also projected it onto the large display in the waiting room.
[“Y-y-you, you, you! Uhh…!”]
Half-undressed like Penelope, Yudahee clung to her, both hands tightly gripping.
[“Thinking of doing something violent to me? Like an erotic fanfic!”]
A black history being broadcasted live to everyone…!
And soon, the monitoring team realized it was a transmission error, hastily switching the screen, but it’s hard to undo what had already happened.
“Hmm… it’s burning…”
Balkan’s face slightly wrinkled, and Adikia, tossing a tornado potato skewer towards the billboard, spoke boldly.
“What, what the hell is this crazy bastard doing at the game!”
—–
“Thankfully, you’re not doing anything boring. hahahaha.”
Shubh Niguras smiled slightly as he took a step.
If he had engaged in boring things like spatial cuts, he might have shown some sincerity…
But since it was resolved amicably like this, there’s no need for that. It must be because of his consideration.
Initially, he decided to forgive trivial things that irritated his nerves. Everyone has their reasons.
Shubh Niguras mumbled and realized.
“Everyone has their reasons…”
A very human thought, something he would never have tolerated in his usual empty self, yet he couldn’t help but be both bewildered and delighted by this fragment of humanity.
Could it be that his humanity is influencing him…?
Certainly, the one responsible for such thoughts is probably that guy, influenced by Yudahee.
“hahahaha… hahahahaha…! I really like it so much… Yudahee. Dahee, I want to embrace you at any time, whether it’s the future or the past.”
The emotional aftermath reached Yudahee, who had just successfully escaped from behind Shub’s main body.
Yudahee, being attacked again, was embraced by Shub Niguras…!
[Ah-ahahahahaha-&^&#%! Huuuggh…. Why meee….]
However, as circumstances always have their reasons, it is right to pay the price for being made to care about oneself.
“Let’s see… the price is… this thing.”
A being slightly more powerful than others nearby, seemingly fixed in space and unable to move until the right time, judging by its condition.
From the bitter memories, it was the second participant known as the Demon King.
The purpose was to defeat other contractors… but it seemed an inappropriate role for oneself at the moment.
Not killing, or else this game would end in an instant.
It’s just a return to unity. Everything touching the ground originated from oneself.
So, isn’t becoming one a natural course?
Shub Niguras, laughing slyly, believed that it would be quite interesting once unified.
—–
Parashu descended and seemed to split Penelope’s head into two.
But blood and brain matter didn’t splatter; instead, Parashu seemed to be stuck in the ground next to the nape of the neck.
Yudahee, without killing Penelope, stood up with her and pulled out Parashu.
Penelope, whom Yudahee had thought would die without a doubt, just looked at Yudahee with a dazed face and nonchalantly shrugged as if nothing happened.
“What, you’re not happy I spared you?”
“No, this is… well, trying to induce despair after saving me with malicious tactics to let my guard down…!”
While taking a combat stance with animosity, Yudahee’s eyes showed only pity.
Thunk!
In an instant, the taste of terror struck down upon the top of the hill…!
Penelope Ho’s command tower hit…! Retreat!
“Ugh…!”
It was truly beyond bizarre.
Normally, in the arena, the sensation of pain was significantly reduced for the participants’ mental protection… But there was something strangely bone-chilling about Yudahee’s attack.
I pinched my cheek and tugged at my forearm, just to make sure it wasn’t a mistake, but all I felt was the sensation of pulling at clay.
Penelope, sensing that everything was fine, grabbed her throbbing head and glared at Yudahee as if he were swelling up.
Why did he spare himself?
“I didn’t think about killing you before… but seeing it again changed my mind.”
Yudahee pointed to the other side of the forest, where a massive amount of clouds and an unknown darkness were mingling.
And at the same time, an alarm rang out.
[Demon King… Escapes… %^^!_d%(!l^$#$%h^(& -]
[Released^&#(t)%]!@$()^_rtou&}{&}
I wondered if something had gone wrong with the match, but it soon returned.
[Demon King Shub is released into the arena.]
It would have been fine if it were just a simple alarm… but for some reason, Yudahee’s face was turning pale as snow as she looked at it.
A message displayed for Yudahee alone, unlike the common alarm visible to everyone.
[If you lose, they might take you away.]
What this meant here… was undoubtedly clear.
Remember.
Ah, sh*t…!
A future so endlessly bleak…!
Such a future was never hoped for by Yudahee, and a firm determination was engraved in her.
That’s why she carefully devised a plan.
Capturing that insane foreigner alone was impossible. And… the plan to use Dike needed a slight modification.
“If we can’t capture the Demon King, we know we’re screwed, right?”
“Hmph, as long as we’re in the final three, there’s no point deduction, you know?”
Pénélope had the skill to nonchalantly accept such words.
If she only had to endure, her ability to freely manipulate gravity made her almost omnipotent.
But then, what’s the point?
“Your next 10 seconds.”
“What?!”
“You’re useless.”
“Ugh…ugh!”
Veins bulged on Pénélope’s temple.
“Hey, roll again, again! Summon Parashu!”
“No~ I don’t want to~ Don’t you mix a legendary sword with such incompetence even if you carry it?”
Truly a disgraceful outcome…!
Pénélope, who quickly grabbed Varisada, had briefly thought of slashing Yudahee in frustration, but… she couldn’t bring herself to do it.
That went against Penelope’s beliefs.
At least, when it came to a match, it should be fair and square.
Putting everything on the line.
In that regard, there was absolutely no room for excuses in her previous matches.
It happened purely due to her own carelessness…
Judahee threw a bait, perhaps trying to glimpse into Penelope’s mind.
“Let’s fight again, properly.”
“…Really?! Then, right away-“
Penelope, who had suddenly perked up, soon deflated.
“But, help me catch that demon king.”
“…That?”
There was a strange, tingling sensation in her skin.
Even when starting the match, she had dreamed of catching the demon king alone and instantly achieving first place…! But that was a story that Penelope clearly felt was nothing but nonsense.
How do you catch that thing?
She was already struggling just to focus on surviving…
Judahee grabbed Penelope, who was losing her motivation, and lifted her up again.
“10 minutes.”
“What?”
But Judahee had his own way.
“If you endure in front of Shub for just 10 minutes, I’ll grant you one wish.”
Udahee’s gaze, lifted beyond the sky, swayed back and forth.
And finally, what she found was… significantly different from what she had seen on Earth, but unmistakably the southern constellation of Pisces.
Among them, the first-ranked star, Fomalhaut, was in her line of sight.