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Chapter 10: Introductions
TENTACLES burst through the ceiling, snaking into the church and attacking from various trajectories, each with a mind of its own. Sludge Atou noticed the tentacles first. She prepared to intercept the attack from the ground, knowing that the consortium of deadly feelers was exactly like her own.
“Everyone, behind me! Now!” she shouted. “Damn feelers! I’ll show you who’s superior!!”
Tentacles erupted from Atou’s back and whipped around to protect her comrades. The two sets of tentacles clashed, producing an eerie metallic clang that hardly sounded like it came from something organic. The shockwaves produced by the impact destroyed what little remained of the chapel.
The three women being protected by Atou leaped into action as well.
Fenne repelled and severed dozens of tentacles with an invisible shockwave emanating from her eyes. Soalina incinerated the tentacles flopping around on the ground after Fenne’s attack. Meanwhile, Erakino and the Game Master tried to get a grasp of the bizarre situation so they could handle it better.
Е n̊ u ḿ_а̀. і d̃
“Master! Can’t we do something?!” Erakino shouted. “Damn it! You’ve gotta be effin’ kidding me!!!”
“What’s going on, Erakino?” Soalina asked. “Why isn’t the Game Master’s ability working?!”
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From the way Erakino kept swearing, the GM’s powers seemed completely sealed. That had to have something to do with the declaration Takuto Ira made before he vanished.
Erakino had long since filled Soalina in on the details about the GM’s powers and how they possessed abilities from a type of pastime called a tabletop role-playing game. The only way to figure out what was happening was to ask the pair about it, but…
“He called for a session pause! That little shithead!” Erakino cursed. “He’s come to flip the script on its head, that prick! TRPGs proceed through dialogue and rolling the dice! The Players have as much right to stop the session as the GM!”
Takuto’s counterattack was calling for “Pause this Game.” As Erakino explained to Soalina, discussions between participants are an integral part of a tabletop RPG. So, when one player asks to pause the game, all participants must temporarily stop playing and hear them out. Like everything else, the system governing this world reproduced that part of the game, too.
Е̌ñ um̃ӓ
In other words, it was possible to temporarily restrict the lawless, absolute power exercised by the Game Master. But this move was a double-edged sword.
“But… BAHAHAHA!” Erakino buckled over laughing. “What a moooooooron! You’re so done now that you’ve used that, noob!” She paused for effect, and then declared, “Slurping Witch Erakino asks on behalf of the Game Master: state a valid reason for pausing the session!”
The Game Master and Erakino promptly discovered and pointed out the hole in Takuto’s strategy.
Pausing the session is possible but needs a valid reason. Pausing without reason is cause for a penalty. In this case, Takuto Ira would be penalized. No matter how much he altered his existence with his powers as the Nameless Evil God, he made this request from the Player’s dimension, not the game board. The system wouldn’t mistake who should be penalized.
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“Wowie-wow, here I thought you were gonna do something big with how cocky you’ve been, and this is it~♪? I mean, sure, I’ll give credit where credit is due. You did temporarily lock down the Game Master’s Authority. But as the good ol’ rulebook says, pausing the session without a valid reason is prohibited! Nobody’s allowed to interfere with a good game! You’re finished, loser~♪!”
The likely penalty would be compulsory expulsion from the game.
Е̌ǹ u m̆ а
The loss wouldn’t be placed on the King of Ruin, who’d established an empire of evil forces in this world, but upon Takuto Ira, a human who had already died once and been given a second chance at life in this world. It was anyone’s guess what would happen if he was forced out of the game. He would lose everything and never be able to get it back again—that much was clear.
“C’mon! C’mon! What’s it gonna be? How are ya gonna talk your way outta this one? Luck ain’t on your side. Sucks to be you, doesn’t it, lil’ powerless Takuto IRAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!” Erakino jeered, her voice filled with victorious elation.
Is this the end of the road? Atou wondered, noticing something had changed when the tentacles abruptly stopped attacking. A voice suddenly came from directly behind her, declaring in an eerily familiar voice:
“My introduction.”
The four women spun around and jumped back. But…they cringed when they saw who was behind them.
None other than Sludge Atou silently loomed there, tentacles swaying behind her. Or rather, it was Takuto Ira’s imitation of her, with the face fully blotted out by darkness.
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Erakino sensed something was amiss. The feeling of her abilities being limited hadn’t changed since his declaration. The session was still paused.
“Erakino,” Takuto said, speaking with Atou’s voice and persona. “You might not know this, but the Elemental Ward 4th Edition you and the Game Master brought into this world has a unique feature to its gameplay.”
“What?!”
From the way this nasty creature wearing Atou’s skin worded it, he clearly had just cause to keep the session paused. But what stumped Erakino more than anything else was that…he spoke the name of the rulebook—which only Erakino and her Master knew of—that dictated the mechanics of their game.
“This specific edition is unique because it dedicates pages upon pages specifically to player ethics. For example, it goes into great detail about how to enjoy playing with others, what you shouldn’t do to other players…and how you should greet them.” The shadowy face seemed to smile there.
I know that. I know that better than anyone! Erakino screamed internally.
Ёǹ ú_ṁ а́
Erakino had been born from the game mechanics laid out in that rulebook. Over twenty-one failed versions of her character sheet had been scrapped from this world. After finally receiving life as a finished product, she thought that she and her master had overcome all odds and finally threw themselves into a battle for the world.
Who leaked the title? How did it get out?
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As Erakino became absorbed in asking herself questions without answers, Takuto continued his monologue.
“This particular edition is controversial because people think it’s sanctimonious. I’m personally fond of it.” The shadow’s smile stretched wider.
Yes, the rulebook gave him just cause to pause the game.
“I mean, this rulebook starts off in big, bold print with, ‘You can’t start the session until all the participants finish introducing themselves.’ Wonderful, isn’t it?”
Е̊ num̊а .і ḋ
This was the only way to stop the session and halt the Game Master’s invincible powers.
“Introducing yourself is very important,” Takuto said in Atou’s know-it-all tone. “Even a preschooler knows that.” He wiggled a finger at them the way Atou would.
It was the most ridiculous method at that.
Erakino gnawed at her bottom lip as she tried to come up with a countermeasure. She couldn’t think of a greater bombshell reveal than him figuring out what rulebook governed them. Their TRPG abilities were entirely based on that rulebook.
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Tabletop role-playing games are characterized by their rulebooks and are known for their strict adherence to the settings, lore, rules, and mechanics laid out in them.
The rulebook was their greatest weapon, and that was why it was their most confidential secret. Having their secret exposed was a lethal blow, as proven by the fact something as retarded as an “Introduction” had completely turned the odds against them.
Е̄nu m̀.а. i d
“Oh dear, why do you look so shocked, Erakino? Ooh, now I see. Are you distressed about how I could possibly know the exact name of your game?”
A perfect guess.
Erakino needed to gather as much information as possible while her opponent was happily prattling on and on. She had no idea how much he knew, but she had to acknowledge he had an overwhelming advantage on the information front.
He was toying with them all along.
“You messed up the moment you placed monsters on the continental border. It certainly works wonders to prevent invasions from the Dark Continent, but it was like you were just begging me to guess what game you’re from, you know? Besides…this particular game has online sessions that I had the pleasure of playing myself. Isn’t it only obvious that I would figure it out? Wouldn’t you agree…Sludge Atou?” The shadowy figure imitating Atou giggled as it sought agreement from the real Atou.
“You dare imitate me next?!” she thundered, furious with what he said. “Your impudence knows no bounds!!”
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“You are the most talented combatant of the lot, Atou. It only makes sense for me to choose you… Oh, should I have asked for your permission first?” He tilted his—her—head.
He was provoking her.
They might’ve become enemies, but Atou had a hard time believing Takuto would use this tactic against her, which inflated her concerns and caused her to panic.
This thing was obviously not the Takuto she knew.
“No need! I’m happy to allow my King Takuto to do it! As long as it’s my King Takuto!!”
“Oh my, that’s quite the suggestive word choice. Something on your mind, me?”
Ẃ е́ b̆ńö v̈ e̊l̇ Еṅům а̀
Yes, there very much was something on her mind. It had plagued her waking thoughts since she learned that Takuto had the powers belonging to the Nameless Evil God. Ever since she realized he possessed that ability from the start of his time in this world and that she’d only forgotten about the possibility.
When it came down to it, what scared her more than anything was—
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“Could it be that you believe Takuto Ira never existed from the start? That he was merely a skin the Nameless Evil God was wearing to have some fun?”
Takuto Ira—no, the shadow being—hit her with the words she didn’t want to hear. With the reality she didn’t want to face.
Something broke inside Atou.
Her body trembled, and she felt her knees buckling beneath her.
W̊ ӗ b nӧ ṽ еĺ Е́ n̊ u m а̂
Fenne and Soalina tried to close the distance with her out of concern, but…
“…?! Crap!”
Takuto Ira wasn’t kind or weak enough to let such an opportune moment pass by.
“Ahaha! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! You’re losing your touch!”
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“Damn it! Damn you!!”
The consortium of tentacles homed in on Atou again. She swiftly intercepted them, but her vehemence was squashed by the mental blow she’d been dealt, making it difficult to deflect and counter the attacks as she had before.
Ŵё b́nоv̆е̂ l̄ Еnu m̄a
Fenne and Soalina intercepted the onslaught with their Miracle Artes as well, but it was nigh impossible to parry and dodge the full-strength strikes unleashed by Takuto in Atou’s form, since she was the strongest combatant.
Lenea’s defeat was set in stone if they didn’t act fast.
The myriad of tentacles out for blood would eventually destroy them all.
As the three combatants bought her time, Erakino prepared to bet it all.
“Master! Introduce yourself! Say your name and rip this cocky, imposter shut-in off his high horse and smack him dead!!” Erakino screamed.
If a self-introduction was all it took, then they should just introduce themselves. Of course, if the other Player refused to return the greeting, they could penalize him for obstructing the session’s progress.
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There were a handful of ways for the Game Master to project his voice into the game world. The fastest was speaking through Erakino, or he could use his GM Authority to speak directly to this location. All that was left was for the GM—who seemed to be hesitating for whatever reason—to give his name and self-introduction.
He just needed to man up and do it.
“Oh, right, I forgot to tell you,” Takuto-imitating-Atou casually addressed them like they were having small talk at a café, rather than him trying to impale them at lightning speed with a legion of wildly whipping tentacles. “Brave Questers has a special kind of magik that lets you curse a person to death using their true name. Isn’t that nice?”
The Game Master’s hesitance stemmed from the instinctual fear of death. It bound him, staying his hand.
Erakino gasped. She shot Takuto a glare harboring all her hatred for him, but from beginning to end, he cackled like he was having a mighty good time.
Yet again, they had lost to him on the information front.
Е n̂ŭ ḿ а̂. і d́
A lethal loss… Their very lives literally hung in the balance based on who had more knowledge.
“Y-You’re bluffing!” Erakino challenged in a high-pitched shout.
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They had already experienced him using Events from Brave Questers to interfere with their abilities. This meant that Takuto Ira could imitate any character capable of activating Events from an RPG. So it wasn’t too far-fetched for him to be capable of using some mysterious curse from Brave Questers. And yet, something about how he told them about it now seemed suspicious.
They had been tricked by the changeling-like King of Ruin’s bluffs far too many times. He couldn’t do anything himself, so he borrowed the strength of others and then got into their heads with his lies.
The jig was up.
I’m sure he’s just using his loner craftiness to get into our heads and seal off Master’s abilities, Erakino concluded.
Е̌n̈ū m̂ â
“D-Don’t do it!” Fenne cautioned.
“Fenny! Why not?! Liar’s just gonna lie!”
“It’s over for us if that leads to the Game Master’s defeat…” Fenne pointed out. “We should prioritize him and his ability to resurrect the dead!”
Few are capable of facing invisible horrors. Even a Saint occasionally makes pessimistic decisions.
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Erakino sucked her lip in between her teeth and bit down. She was torn. She felt like Fenne was being a coward, but she also agreed with her. Even Erakino understood that a deadly risk accompanied revealing the GM’s name in the heat of the moment.
“Atouy! Know anything?!” Erakino looked to Atou for help.
Е n úm̄ а́ .і́ ď
“I’m sorry, I don’t!” Atou replied. “I-I’m nothing more than a character from Eternal Nations. Other games are outside my area of expertise. I know a couple of the characters we fought to some degree, but not in great detail…”
Erakino clicked her tongue. She knew even less about Brave Questers than Atou did. Atou had mentioned the game to her before, but the detailed settings, system, game mechanics, and the like, were outside her realm of knowledge. They had no way of knowing if the game had a spell capable of killing someone just by learning their true name.
“MASTER!!” Erakino begged the GM for the answer.
Unfortunately for them…
“Do you know about Brave Questers?” Imitation Atou asked. “I can’t imagine your Master would. He’s nothing more than an ordinary man with little knowledge of games—he was just randomly picked by the dice. Or at least that’s what I heard… Yes, I was told directly all about it.”
The GM had absolutely no idea about that, either.
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“THAT TIME!” Fenne wailed. “You were already among us…!”
What time exactly was Fenne referring to? What conversation had Takuto Ira taken part in? Only the man in question could know for sure, and the knowledge was consigned to oblivion unless he deigned to tell them.
The one truth they could glean from that shadowy creature’s awfully satisfied grin was that they had handed over a great deal of information about themselves without ever knowing it.
And with it, the dominoes began to fall one by one.
“That’s right, Veiled Saint Fenne. You foolish, foolish woman who teamed up with a Witch for the sake of your own happiness,” he taunted.
“How dare— AAAAAGH!”
Е̃n̄ũ m ӓ. ìd
“Fenne!”
Did she lose concentration in her moment of unbridled rage? Or did her nerves fray during the unending dance of offense and defense?
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Either way, Fenne fell first.
A tentacle whipped her side, sending her flying into one of the still-standing walls. Seeing as she’d staggered in place, the blow wasn’t fatal, but her pristine saintly armor rapidly turned red. She wouldn’t be rejoining the fray any time soon.
“You won’t be able to keep up with us with that mutilated body you hide under the veil. Please stay there and enjoy the show from the sidelines,” Takuto ordered, seemingly losing interest in her enough not to finish her off. He shifted his gaze back to Erakino. “Oh, right! The most important thing completely slipped my mind. Forgive my tardiness.”
He clapped his hands together as if he had just remembered something and used Atou’s superhuman speed to zip over to the pulpit.
Е̂ n̆ u m̌а̊ . іd
“AAAaaaaa…ngh…ah-ah-ah…”
The four women gasped.
It happened all so suddenly.
The outline of Takuto in Atou’s form warped for a fraction of a second before inky darkness burst into existence. As if rejected by the world itself, the darkness seemed to rip open the fabric of time and space itself to be there. Deep within that inkiness was an ocean of black darker than the darkest night. It was impossible to conclude that what they were looking at was a living, breathing being, but with the slightest movement, it made its existence known to the world.
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“Agggh…oof…koff…coff…Nnn!”
It held a hand to its throat and let out the most unbearable noises. It almost seemed like it was trying to speak for the first time. The sound of it clearing its throat and trying to tune its voice to the right frequency was undeniably the work of an evil god about to make its mark on the world.
Eṅ u̇ m̌ä
After what felt like a dreadfully long time, it seemed content with the result…
“Hello. My name is Takuto Ira. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to playing with you.”
With a voice that instilled fear in all who heard it, the King of Ruin introduced himself, his body a shadowy blur of darkness.
THE King of Ruin had manifested in the Holy God’s Divine Nation of Lenea.
The Saints and even the Witches were frightened to their core by the nauseating true darkness put on full display before them. The pressure emanating from him in imitation form was incomparable to the presence crushing them now.
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Atou had witnessed Takuto in this form once before, and she had been his loyal subordinate and confidant then. The shadowy being looming before her emitted an imposing pressure, leading her to believe this was the King of Ruin’s true form.
Was Takuto Ira, clearly directing his dark intentions toward them now, always such a terrifying being?
No one could stop themselves from trembling at the presence before them.
“All right…it’s about that time, isn’t it?” Takuto crooned in an inhuman, spine-chilling voice.
A cadence of heavy footfalls arrived at the former site of the mostly destroyed cathedral as if lured there by his words.
“Saint Fenne!” someone called.
Е̃nũ m̆а. іd
“Commander Fjord!” Fenne responded.
Paladin Commander Fjord, who the Game Master had revived while his powers were still in effect, had arrived with an army in tow. He must’ve filled them in on the most important details, for the elite unit of Paladins were fully armored and carried themselves like men prepared to die for their just cause.
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“I’ve gathered as many Paladins as possible,” Fjord said. “I’ve also ordered the soldiers to evacuate the nearby citizens. We are prepared to save the world from disarray with the knowledge that this might be our final resting place.”
“Fjord…”
None among them feared death. And not just because they could rely on the GM to revive them. Most Paladins were unaware of his ability in the first place, and even if they knew about it, there was something even more important than their own lives. Namely, the King of Ruin responsible for slaughtering many of their comrades and all the innocent lives that hung in the balance with his continued existence.
The holy warriors were dead set on eradicating Takuto Ira, no matter the cost. It’s a pity that the unbridled wickedness of the being known as Takuto Ira trampled their resolve like a weed in the middle of a busy road.
W e b̃ ñȯvе̌ l_ Е n̊u m̌ а̄
“Then please exterminate that Witch first, Commander Fjord,” Soalina commanded from the pulpit before anyone realized she had moved there.
“Damn it! Back to your old tricks!”
Was it Erakino or Atou who’d cursed?
Once again, Takuto disguised himself as Soalina and began to toy with the Order of Paladins as if he’d found the next way to amuse himself.
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“Saint Soalina of Blooming Burials…”
“Wh-What’s going on here?”
Е̃ ǹumӓ
“There are two Saint Soalinas?!”
“Could one of them be a fake?!”
“But I can’t tell which!”
“How do we proceed then…?”
Confused voices rose from the Paladins. Only a select few among them could guess what was going on from what they had been told beforehand. The majority couldn’t comprehend the strange phenomenon they were witnessing, leaving them flustered by the presence of two very real Soalinas. With the GM’s ability sealed, there was no way to immediately bring them up to speed.
Yet one confident voice sliced through the confusion.
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“You’re wasting your time, King of Ruin,” Soalina said. “The easiest way to deal with an imitation is for the real person to overpower the fake. Even if that results in my untimely end, I’m content if it keeps the next generation alive.”
One of the two Saint Soalinas declared she would sacrifice her own life to end the chaos. Was she just being reckless? Or was this the will of a holy Saint? Regardless, her strategy was the best tactic to employ in this situation.
“But then you might die, Soali!” Erakino cried out, horrified by the prospect.
No one could remain calm if their friend were suggesting they throw away their own life…especially if that was the first friend they ever made.
However, contrary to Erakino’s flustered state over how to divert her friend away from something she had already set her mind to, Atou saw a spark of hope in Soalina’s suggestion.
“No, you’re looking at it all wrong, Erakino,” Atou pointed out. “Have you already forgotten that we can bring back even the dead by using your Master’s true power? Put simply, if we can defeat the King of Ruin and put an end to this Pause business, then we will be victorious on all fronts!”
Wе b_n̊ о v̂ е l Е n û m̈а
Even if it took all sorts of sacrifices along the way, they would win in the end.
Erakino sucked in a sharp breath. Atou was…planning to destroy Soalina along with Takuto Ira. She had to be grieving for the master she loved and adored. She of course had a million regrets and lingering attachment. This wasn’t the ending she wanted—she longed for the day she could peacefully return to Mynoghra.
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But that was a dream that would never come true.
Atou had been completely absorbed into the TRPG forces, and her return to Mynoghra was rendered impossible because there was no way to undo what had already been done. Moreover, she’d already lost the Takuto Ira she knew. The question he’d posed shattered her heart into a million pieces, vaporizing her ability to think calmly.
The one sure thing was that, in this moment, she’d finally come to terms with how to prioritize her adoration for her former master and her desire to ensure her new friends’ safety and victory…
And so, the battle between the two Soalinas commenced.
Е̂.n ũ mä.ĭd
“O Lord, our maker! Grant my hands the holy flames to purge evil!” both chanted in unison.
◇◇◇
THE clash of holy flames sent forth by the Saints left no room for anyone else to get involved. The holy blaze consumed the church and spread to the surrounding buildings. Everyone incapable of keeping up with this high-level battle, such as the Under Paladins, dashed off to contain the fire.
Takuto Ira didn’t change forms. No, he was being kept in check by Soalina’s do-or-die barrage of unrelenting attacks. With no leeway, he was forced to concentrate solely on dodging her determined onslaught.
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The only difference between the two Soalinas was…the amount of heart they put into the battle. That alone had become the key element to deciding the victor, and that alone was the only reason Takuto couldn’t beat Soalina in a one-on-one match.
That alone was the weakness behind Takuto’s ability to imitate everything with a sneer.
Ӗ ṅ ŭmа̌
…After a long clash of fake vs original, a certain scene played out for the second time.
Soalina’s Holy Staff plunged through Takuto’s abdomen, consuming him in a pillar of ceaseless flames.
“Yes! I did it! I’m the one who slayed Takuto Ira! The King of Ruin! Me!”
Soalina stood victorious. The real Soalina, that is. There was nothing fake about her, nor did the fake have the desire to overturn the result.
An imitation can never perform as well as the original in extreme conditions.
Hellfire was about to consign Takuto Ira to oblivion for the second time.
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“No living being can survive the Blooming Burial Flames!” Soalina exclaimed, her voice elated with success. “Not even me, the caster! You have met your end once and for all, King of Ruin!”
Witnessing that scene…made Atou believe everything was over. She understood that her master had been defeated. The moment Atou fell prey to Slurp, Takuto suffered an irreversible setback. As much as she hated to admit it, Atou and her master’s second chance at life had come to a pitiful end here.
How she wished she could have been the one to put an end to him with her own hands.
She wanted to settle things with the Takuto she knew, not the Nameless Evil God. Now, even that possibility had been stripped from her. And so, Atou wept, dedicating her thoughts solely to apologizing to the boy she’d failed.
…Sludge Atou’s biggest mistake in this moment was letting her judgment get clouded by none other than Takuto. He had riled her up until she lost the ability to think straight. That’s why she misread the situation. That’s why it took her much longer than usual to realize the most important and basic fact…
Takuto Ira had survived these very same circumstances once before.
E n um а . і̇d
“Kihehe!”
Misanthropic laughter rose from the shadowy figure caught in the center of the raging cone of hellfire.
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“Kiheheha! Kuhehehe! HYAHahAHaHA!”
The vertical flowing flames suddenly flicked inward. Similar to the effect seen when watching a movie in rewind, the flames converged in one spot, morphing into a single mass with a mind of its own.
Eventually a man formed from the flames. A…strange-looking man.
“Mm!” He stretched his arms high over his head and cracked his neck. “Damn, that’s refreshing. I’m a free man again, after only the evil god knows how long!” he cackled.
W̌ е b̊nо́ v ĕľ Ӗǹum̆a
“It can’t be…you’re…FLAMIN?!” Atou cried out in horror, the only person who knew what they were looking at.
She hadn’t fought him herself, but she had heard what he looked like enough to be able to identify him now. His sickly thin body, shirtless, shabby attire, the eerie gleam in his dead eyes, and the unceasing flames encasing him from head to toe highlighted his abnormality.
Yes, all of that defined none other than Flame Demon Flamin, one of the Four Generals of the Demon Lord’s Army that had tormented Mynoghra and stole one of their dearest from them.
“Oooh, hot damn, totally forgot about the pesky flies still buzzing ’round the place,” Flamin said when he noticed the Paladins staring at him as he enjoyed a good stretch. “Well, I was the one who lured ’em here… Time to reduce the population, eh? Shoo fly, shoo.” He made a swatting motion toward them with his hand. Hundreds of fireballs formed around him and launched toward the Paladins with an oddly lyrical sound that belied the lethal punch they packed.
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None of his enemies realized Flamin had just launched one of his AOE fire spells at them. All they could tell was that a good number of Paladins had sustained damage and lost their lives to a single attack.
“ATOU! What in the blue blazes did your master imitate this time?!” Fenne bellowed.
Еnù ṁа̃
“One of Brave Questers Four Generals of the Demon Lord’s Army!” Atou shouted back. “He’s a flame demon! Don’t tell me he used Absorb?! Shoot! That’s how he survived the attack!!”
How did Takuto come back from the damage he had sustained from the surprise attack in Dragontan?
This was the answer to that riddle.
Flamin is a flame demon with complete fire mastery. In Brave Questers, he can absorb all damage from fire spells and use it to recover his HP.
Takuto had transformed into Flamin at the last second and healed the fatal damage to his heart with the cone of flames enveloping his whole body.
Surprised gazes converged on Flamin. He pulled a face and clicked his tongue with disgust over their needling stares.
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“Don’t ya have anythin’ better to do than stare at me like a buncha sheeple? Ya make me sick. Just die— Aah!” Takuto-Flamin put a hand to his head. “…Hmm, I see. I’m so friggen strong, my personality becomes dominant, eh? Hot damn, I come with a lotta baggage.”
Seemingly having gotten control of the situation, a cruel smile brimming with hatred and greed stretched across his skeletal face. He opened his arms wide and announced, “Addressing all the stupid ladies with flowers for brains who don’t understand a friggen about my awesome plan! Here’s a question for ya’ll stuck with a dumb look on your ugly mugs!”
Flamin—Takuto Ira—was presenting them with a challenge.
“What am I about to do, hmm? Since you’re too dumb to think for yourselves, here’s a little hint: it’s got something to do with a special skill used by Brave Questers’ Demon Lord Army! Tick-tock, tick tock!”
Atou racked her brain for the answer.
An Event…didn’t fit the situation. There couldn’t be too many Events that triggered during a battle. Besides, Events were designed to be completed, ending in the Demon Lord Army’s defeat. So Takuto had no reason to activate an Event now.
W̆.еḃn о v e̊ l̈ Еn u m̂ ǎ
The real Flamin had triggered his Event simply to screw Mynoghra over and take them down with him. It ended with his death and the birth of a new Witch with two sets of Hero traits, so obviously Takuto wouldn’t choose that path.
Even the Event he had used on them ended with them exposing the culprit behind the Paladin Murder Case and entering battle.
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No, his plan didn’t include an Event.
“Well, I guess I asked too much of ya ladies. You ain’t got nothing but air in yer heads. You’re so damn absorbed in what’s in front of you, ya don’t see the big picture.”
What other cards does he have to play? How else can he overturn this situation to defeat this many Saints, Witches, and an entire Order of Paladins? Atou wondered, her mind not coming up with a good answer.
“I had a speck of hope ya’d at least be able to guess at it with all those worthless joke-of-a-council meetings ya held, but looks like you were just playing pretend, eh?” he continued his taunting. “Here’s hoping you get some brains in the next life, if there is such a thing.”
We ḃnоv̈ еl̆ Е n̆ ũm̆ ă
Atou was the only one who made a move. Her years of experience and instinct as an elite unit of darkness told her she couldn’t let Takuto seize the initiative, driving her to attack.
Her action succeeded. She was faster.
Flamin might’ve been one of the Demon Lord’s generals, but he was a mage-class character with an emphasis on offensive spells. In terms of speed, he had no way of besting a close-combat character. If both took action simultaneously, Atou would always come out on top. Furthermore, Atou’s current combat abilities and skills easily surpassed Flamin’s. The fight should’ve ended in a matter of seconds.
“Without much ado…”
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The moment her tentacles were about to smash Flamin’s face, his skeletal frame warped and transformed into that of a strange man covered entirely in ice, standing two times taller than an average adult male—he had transformed into Frost General Ice Rock of the Demon Lord’s Army.
“…Time’s up,” Ice Rock’s gravelly voice declared.
Wе̂ b́ ṅо̌v е̇ l̇ É nǔmа
Ice Rock takes the Initiative!
Ice Rock Summons his allies!
“Shoot!”
The army of ruin had been summoned to sentence the Divine Nation of Lenea to its demise.
Long-legged Bugs answered his call.
Headhunting Bugs answered his call.
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Brain Eaters answered his call.
Dark Elf Riflemen answered his call.
Gia the Assassin answered his call.
Curse Sage Moltar answered his call.
Witches of Regret, the Elfuur Sisters answered his call.
In the fire-engulfed capital of Lenea, a frenzied bout between the minions of the Holy and Evil Gods commenced.
Е́ n u mа
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