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We received a report that a giant monster showed up, so we headed to that location at once on Daruagestia. 

What was there was a giant snake. No, a monster that looks like a snake? 

A gigantic body that matches Daruagestia and several snake heads coming out from there. 

It looks as if it is moving slowly, but it simply feels that way because of how big its body is. 

The reality is that it is far faster than a horse. 

The soldiers are taking distance from it as it is clearly a dangerous enemy. 

There has been no damage, but it is a situation where the crumbling of the formation stands out. 

Pit big against big. 

Blue chose to have Daruagestia clash with it without hesitation.

“Roooh!” 

“…You are kidding me, right? What’s with this snake monster!” (Blue)

Daruagestia could be called the trump card of Blue. It is strong to a degree where a Unique monster that was born naturally wouldn’t be able to do anything against it. 

That Daruagestia is attacking with all it has, and yet, that snake monster is not stopping at all. 

The claws of Daruagestia cut the necks of the snake, and its fangs were crunching their heads. 

But those wounds recovered in the blink of an eye, and it retaliated on Daruagestia. 

“To think it would have the regeneration rate of a demon despite that big frame.” (Ekdoik)

“Attacks with purification magic are no good either. The heads regenerate even when turned to dust, and I don’t think I would be able to reach deep into its body.” (Maya)

Maya landed nearby after blowing up one of the snake heads. 

The fighting style of Maya is to destroy parts of the enemy with strengthened fists, and smash that part with purification magic. 

There’s no flashiness and speed like Wolfe, but it is more polished. It most likely matches Gradona.

“It is still impressive that you can blow up that head with your bare hands… Could it be that you are the strongest within the Archbishops?” (Blue)

“I may excel in combat, but it is not something to brag about.” (Maya)

“So you won’t deny it. As expected of the carekeeper of Ilias…” (Blue)

We tried a variety of attacks while Daruagestia was keeping that giant body in place, but we are not seeing any results at all. 

Those snake heads could see even targets as small as us and are retaliating. 

There’s no issues evading thanks to the wide swings, but we wouldn’t come out fine if even one of them were to land properly. 

“Yox, how’s the state around? This snake should be a trump card of theirs. I doubt they would just release a big monster like this and do nothing.” (Maya)

“About that… I tried using mana detection in a wide range with the battle formation, but there was no such reaction in the vicinity.” (Yox)

Yox couldn’t go swinging his sword, so he moved to a supporting role and investigated the surroundings. 

Judging from the magic circle that expands the range of the detection, he must have tried detecting everything within vision. 

Maya took out a communication crystal after hearing that and finished a simple report. 

“…Blue Demon Lord and Ekdoik, can you do something about that for now? Yox and Dyuvuleori, come with me.” (Maya)

“I don’t mind that, but…is something bothering you?” (Yox)

“Ilias and the others have apparently already begun a battle against a demon. If the monster armies are being led by their respective demons, there should be one in the Mejis Nether too. But it is not around here.” (Maya)

“…So that snake is bait.” (Yox)

“That’s right. I can’t even say the formation of the army is in a pretty state as a compliment when they are fighting monsters while avoiding the snake.” (Maya)

If the demon is using the snake as bait to deal damage to our army, they would try an ambush from the flanks or the back. 

In order to defeat that snake that excels in regenerating, you would need Daruagestia to seal its movements and Blue who controls it. It would be better for me to stay if we are going to be taking measures for subjugation in all directions. 

“Understood. I will do something about that. Keep your eyes peeled for the demon.” (Blue)

“Holding it in place is enough at worst. We have the Wise King on our side after all. Strategies will pop up endlessly.” (Maya)

Dyuvuleori flew off with Yox and Maya. 

Now then, we also have to begin thinking about how to defeat those snake monsters. 

“Blue, how long will Daruagestia be able to hold on?” (Ekdoik)

“It is my best card, so it would be troubling for you to underestimate it. I am above it when it comes to potential. Also, I can heal the wounds with my mana even if it is not on the level of that snake. If I had to mention an issue, it would be…the weight.” (Blue)

Daruagestia and the snake may look about the same in terms of physique, but Daruagestia is a skeleton dragon. The snake is overwhelmingly at an advantage when it comes to mass. 

Daruagestia can’t stop the snake’s advance because of this. 

“It would be good if I could wrap my chains around its legs…” (Ekdoik)

“But snakes don’t have legs. It would be unnecessary anyways.” (Blue)

“…No, not really.” (Ekdoik)

“Hm?” (Blue)

I deploy the chains around the snake and have them burrow underground. 

And then, I activate earth magic and change the footing of the snake into a sand pit little by little. 

The speed of the snake lowered because it lost stable foothold, and its advance was stopped completely by the body of Daruagestia. 

“Figures it wouldn’t go as far as breaking its posture since it can swim.” (Ekdoik)

“By legs, you meant the footing, huh. But this isn’t bad. We should be able to fulfill the condition of buying time—?!” (Blue)

The snake that was only attacking with its heads, began to wrap around Daruagestia using its whole body. It must be prioritizing getting rid of the obstruction now that its movements were stopped. 

Daruagestia was tearing off the heads of the snakes wrapping around it with strength, but its body was steadily being covered completely with its high speed regeneration. 

Even the torn off parts were not turning to dust and were combining with the nearby parts to increase its mass. 

The posture of Daruagestia crumbled, and the ground shook greatly with that giant body falling.

“This is bad. That’s pretty much like struggling inside water. It will seal its movements instead.” (Ekdoik)

“I can tell even if you don’t analyze calmly! Argh! What are you doing wrapping around my cute child!” (Blue)

It is a dangerous situation, but stopping its movements is a good result in itself. 

In that case, we have to think of a new move from there. 

The snake is rampaging, but it is only targeting Daruagestia. 

The soldiers felt the danger and are falling back, so there’s not that much damage. 

The monsters also don’t seem to have a commander, I don’t feel that much momentum on them. 

I use gigantified chains to help out in the movements, and destroy the parts of the snake that are constricting the limbs of Daruagestia. 

But this simply serves to buy time. 

Daruagestia will be completely swallowed again not long after. 

Blue concentrated by my side, sending her thoughts to Daruagestia with her eyes closed. 

It seems like she is doing things like mana strengthening on Daruagestia by sharing its senses. 

“Do you think it can get itself free?” (Ekdoik)

“It is not impossible. But that would consume quite a lot of mana on that child. It might be better to maintain things as they are if we are going to buy time…” (Blue)

“I see… Then, keep it as it is. I will test things out while at it.” (Ekdoik)

I deploy the chains and attack while imbuing them with different spells respectively. 

I test out a variety of things like poisons and curses, but they aren’t showing much effect against the regeneration of the snake. 

The body of the snake isn’t that sturdy. 

I can cause necrosis with poison and corrode it with curses, but when it reaches a certain degree of damage, the parts around it would crumble in one go to stop the damage from spreading. 

The body would regenerate by the time the next attack happens, creating a loop of fruitless exchange. 

I return to Blue for now. 

I can tell she still has some leeway in her mana judging from her expression, but we both understand that this is not a good situation. 

“Doesn’t seem like it is working.” (Blue)

“We have to do something about that regeneration speed or we won’t get anywhere.” (Ekdoik)

“We could contact Green and have him lend us a number of dragons that can burn at a wide area. I can buy at least that much time.” (Blue)

“It is true that its regeneration speed is abnormal, but there’s a limit to its amount of mana. If we can keep it in place—” (Ekdoik)

<<Ekdoik, can you hear me?!>>

I heard the voice of Marito from the communication crystal that I sneaked into my pocket. 

Marito calling me directly means that an emergency happened. 

I take out the crystal and adjust it so that I can respond.

“I can hear you. What happened?” (Ekdoik)

<<We have confirmed with the simulated world of the Gold Demon Lord that a village near the Mejis Nether has been destroyed. I am calling Archbishop Ukka who should be in that village, but there’s no response at all.>> (Marito)

“! A demon?!” (Ekdoik)

The simulated world of the Gold Demon Lord is originally a power to observe the results of her political measures. It can see the future to a certain degree. 

But the interference of Demon Lords and the demons are not included in that future. 

Confirming that it was destroyed means that it has already been destroyed in the real world. 

The reason why it couldn’t be predicted means that there was the involvement of a demon. 

I can tell cold sweat flowed down from my back. 

A village near the Mejis Nether means that it is a village that was making preparations for the army to retreat and reorganize. 

“Wait! Natora-san was—” (Blue)

<<The civilians already evacuated before the battle began. We have confirmed that they are moving in the simulated world.>> (Marito)

“I-I see… That’s a relief… Haah…” (Blue)

Blue sighed and I sighed stealthily as well. 

But this isn’t the time to be relieved. 

If a demon has appeared and that village has been destroyed, it means one of the locations for the army to retreat has been lost. 

The formation will crumble further and the morale will lower as well. And most of all, where will the demon go after they finish destroying the village?

“Do you know where the demon went?” (Ekdoik)

<<I contacted Maya who is in the sky, but she apparently couldn’t see any changes from the back of the Mejis army. They are either in the village, have retreated, or have sneaked even deeper in.>> (Marito)

“…Understood. I will hurry and deal with things as quickly as possible.” (Ekdoik)

<<I have heard the situation from Maya. I will give my own input here. First, test out as many means as possible and obtain information.>> (Marito)

“Yeah.” (Ekdoik)

The development of detecting the demon first and defeating them before they could rampage is gone. 

It went from a situation where it would be good as long as we can buy time to a situation where we have to chase after the demon as quickly as possible to stop them. 

“I will approach one more time. Blue, support Daruagestia as it is.” (Ekdoik)

“Bringing about a result quickly even if it is breaking the deadlock or retreating!” (Blue)

I fly and move above the snake. 

The attention of all the heads must be directed as Daruagestia, there’s no changes in its movements even when I entered its attack range.

“I feel something off from this monster. What is it? I feel like there’s something decisively different from the other monsters…” (Ekdoik)

I felt something strange when I saw this monster the first time. 

This snake has something that the other monsters don’t have that’s different from the threat of an enemy. 

I want as much information as possible right now. 

Observe, analyze, and bring about the next result as much as possible. 

How was Comrade seeing through their true essence? 

Comrade could read the emotions in the monsters just from observing them. 

I might be able to get something from observing them carefully even if not to that level. 

“The reason why this monster alone is special…is because the Black Demon Lord created it with a different emotion? No, wait. Emotion? I see, it is that.” (Ekdoik)

That’s right. 

This snake directed clear hostility towards Daruagestia and is attacking it. 

The other monsters are attacking the humans with disinterest as if they were doing a chore, but I can feel killing intent from this snake. 

It is close to that of a beast devouring its prey, but it is still an emotion. 

This is a big difference, but…I can’t think of a way to take advantage of this. 

I can have Daruagestia move to lead the position of the snake, but it won’t be a decisive move.

“But it’s worth digging a bit further.” (Ekdoik)

I land on one of the snake heads and stab my chain. 

It doesn’t even react to what’s basically a needle stabbing it when it is in the middle of attacking Daruagestia. 

I slowly slip the chain deeper and concentrate my senses onto the chain. 

I can feel the sensation, temperature, and mana flow of the snake’s inside through the chain.

I narrow down to the mana and read the quality of the mana. 

Haakudoku could obtain a lot of information just from detecting the mana of someone with detection magic. 

Then, if I can feel this mana, I might be able to see something.

“!” 

The body of the snake shakes when Daruagestia tears off the biting snake. 

I tie several chains on my body and the snake head to fix myself in place. 

More. I have to concentrate more. 

What I can feel with mana is the anger it has towards Daruagestia. Deep in there’s something similar to anger towards humans… No, is this only anger? It is as if…

“A sense of…duty? This snake thinks it must kill humans?” (Ekdoik)

This snake is currently mindlessly moving forward, and mindlessly eliminating the obstructions. 

There should be no logic in this.

Can a monster have such a human-like thought? 

No. 

What I should be doing is using that as a basis and expanding my thoughts from there. 

I take on the emotions of this snake using the wavelengths of the mana, and comprehend them. 

It is something that Comrade could do despite not being able to use mana. 

If it is me who excels in mana, even if my experience is shallow…! 

“! That just now was…” (Ekdoik)

I saw something for an instant.

Strange scenery, many humans… Something in the appearance of a person kneeling.

There’s a single woman standing ahead. 

Black hair and black eyes. 

I could instinctively understand that that woman is the Black Demon Lord from the atmosphere oozing from that scene. 

Is this scene a past memory of this snake? 

If that’s the case…

“I see, you are…” (Ekdoik)

—

Author: A setting that some readers might have forgotten.

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