Arifureta After II   I am, Maou-san. Right Now I'm Right Behind You, You Know

(TN: Maou=demon king)

The first move of the battle's opening was a roar that shook the atmosphere and a jet black flash that tore apart event the world.

『Bre, break up-. Brea――』

『I won't make it in――』

The army's sky battlecrafts flying about in the twilight sky. The evasion order that pilot yelled vanished in vain due the jet black flash that was mowing down immediately after.

It was like a swing of a large sword that was wielded by a giant in myth. Tio's breath attack that finished charging in less than a few seconds annihilated three squads of five planes squad altogether with just one attack.

They couldn't resist or anything and didn't leave even wreckage behind. They were literally "annihilated". Just like swatting irritating flies, the veteran sky battlecraft pilots vanished like a joke.

If anyone looked further, they would see the sea of clouds split into two. It was the scar from Tio's breath attack. An ocean trench was created in the sea of clouds.

『-, don't falter-. Crush them with quantity!』

A command that was filled with reprimand was given. The sky battlecrafts were commencing hit & run without pause at Tio and Hajime who was riding on her back. Their Vulcan cannons were spouting fire and countless missiles were rapidly approaching the two.

「Tio, let's go. Beat into them just what kind of being the supreme ruler of the sky is.」

『Very well. Then, thoroughly witness mine flying technique that I fostered and evolved in earth. Don't fall off no matter what, Goshujin-sama!』

*gagagaga-* Without even caring one whit at the bullets of Vulcan cannon that hit her body, Tio roared.

It seemed that the dragon scale of black dragon that was the most superior in endurance among the whole dragon people race couldn't even be scratched by the like of Vulcan cannon. After all it was something that only ended getting whittled on the surface even when it got hit by Hajime's railgun, so this could be said to be only natural.

The approaching missiles were drawing near from all directions like a cage, giving no place to escape.

But, Tio's figure vanished before those missiles could arrive and hit.

『――【Fang of Flame】』

Immediately after, it that was whispered along with a solemn voice manifested and accomplished its meaning. Around Tio who was flying with a motion that should even be called as rhythmless, four brilliantly blazing flame clusters appeared.

When all those were launched simultaneously, they accurately swallowed the missiles approaching from the front without leaving any and demolished them. While flower of flame blast was blooming in the sky, Tio who was flying while producing shockwave instantly took a sharp right turn.

She caught the back of a sky battlecraft that was trying to fly past.

The sky battlecraft pilot took a steep turn in panic to shake Tio off, but she followed closely behind as though mocking that wonderfully sharp turn. She launched a breath attack once more and blown up the sky battlecraft.

『Shit-, this bastard-. Eat this-』

Perhaps this one was a squad mate of the one just now. The sky battlecraft circled at Tio's back in order to save his comrade that was followed by Tio, however, unable to save his comrade he got driven by rage while firing his missile.

But, that missile that looked like it would hit based on the timing and position was evaded right after that along with an unbelievable scene.

『Thy movement art monotone.』

『Somer, saultiiing――』

Yes, it was a somersault. Of all thing, the large black dragon before his eyes were somersaulting midair while flying with a speed that was nearly the speed of sound. Naturally Tio was losing speed, but the missile was unable to react to the impossible maneuver and passed through below her in vain.

And then, in a stroke of misfortune the pursuing sky battlecraft was tore apart by the black dragon's claw when they crossed each other, and ended up as a scrap.

Tio used the momentum of the somersault and descended below while recovering her speed. While falling, she rolled her body 180 degree and reversed her movement direction. By doing that, the sky battlecraft formation that was about to pass in front of her right at that timing……

Naturally, breath attack and compressed exploding flame bullets hit the formation as though the attacks were absorbed toward them. Five flame blasts decorated the sea of clouds simultaneously.

『Thi, this is hopeless-. I cannot shake it off-. Someone help――』

Tio rolled her body 180 degree from climbing steeply into the opposite direction. She once more took the back of another plane with the opposite of the previous maneuver and blown up the sky battlecraft that was desperately escaping.

『The aiming won't get fixed-. I cannot get a lock on-』

Even though this pilot had taken her back by sacrificing his comrade, he couldn't lock on Tio who was flickering left and right with terrific speed like an outstanding aircraft.

And then, Tio spread open her wings and raised up her body. She instantly decelerated by receiving the wind pressure to her heart's content. When the pilot noticed his plane already passed over Tio. And as expected he got annihilated with one attack from behind.

『To, too fast-. What the hell is this monster-. Is this really dragon!?』

There was an impact sound as though the air ruptured. Next white wall of air was generated. Tio who was easily rushing into the world of the speed of sound while making a steep climb rolled over midair.

『Use the Synthesizer-. Match my timing!』

Three squads were approaching Tio from below as though they were going toward the summit of a pyramid. Their plane's frame was starting to get enveloped with silver color. From that, this "Synthesizer" was most likely referring to that sound wave attack.

Although, Tio didn't even look concerned seeing that indication of the sound wave attack that could grant fatal action obstruction effect to the dragon species. Instead she began to swoop down.

The sound wave attack was fired. The air was undulating. Tio charged into that raging sound wave without any hesitation. Something like a free fall was lukewarm. She spread her wings while falling and with an elegant movement she rolled. Right away, a jet black typhoon was generated from that movement.

『Insolent. Fall altogether all of thee.』

It was like a divine spear that broke through a great wall. The black dragon moving in the world of speed of sound clad with black typhoon easily blew off the wall of sound wave and merely passed straight through the center of the formation.

A beat.

The sonic boom that arrived late instantly pulverized their plane's fuselage and drowned them into the sea of clouds.

Without stopping Tio opened up a great distance from the approaching missile using pure speed and maneuverability, she then blasted away one more squad with a mowing down breath attack.

And, it was at that time a large scale attack was fired at Tio from the mother ship. It seemed they couldn't get a lock-on because of Tio's overwhelming mobility, but 80% of their ally's sky battlecrafts had fallen anyway. Surely they were thinking that in that case they would just bombard the very airspace itself in a limited area.

It wasn't a high firepower that pierced through a point like the main cannon. What was approaching was a swarm of missiles that might reach a thousand in number. That swarm which was a bit too brutal to be called as a squall prided a size that couldn't be compared with the missiles launched by the sky battlecrafts. It was clear that it had an uncommon power without compare.

In front of the display of power of blowing up an airspace, Tio flapped her wings once and hovered in place.

And then, she bent her body greatly backward while sucking in air. *hyugoo-* She was making that kind of impossible sound while sucking in air, which caused Tio's chest to swell up rapidly.

The missiles that were approaching in a number that even hid the mother ship itself behind them were……

――GURYAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!

The wind died. The air ruptured. The sea of clouds was blown away in radial shape, the atmosphere shook.

It was just a roar. And yet, it was a roar of the dragon king that granted terror to anyone who heard it without question. Therefore, the mere roar became a violent shockwave that spread through the whole airspace. The approaching swarm of missiles was pulverized by the wall of shockwave.

It was as though there was an invisible wall there, the missiles swarm exploded one after another in the middle point between Tio and the mother ship.

The sky where the curtain of night was already descending was illuminated dazzlingly by orange flame blasts.

「Oi oi, I don't get any turn at all from the start here?」

『It was Goshujin-sama who ordered me to show the status of the sky's supreme ruler correct? For now, I tried doing it with only using pure dogfight technique, breath attack, and a bit of magic but……was it satisfactory for thee?』

Turning back, Tio was directing a gaze that looked vaguely mischievous toward Hajime who was calmly standing on her back regardless of the heavy action.

Hajime was showing a half-amazed expression while,

「Those were midair battle maneuver things right? Kulbit and Split S, then Immelmann Turn and Cobra Turn? You also did various other maneuvers but, since when did you learn them huh? Well, it was splendid.」

『The fighter aircrafts in earth art wonderful. However, the sky art mine territory. Putting aside pure speed, mine pride wouldst not forgive myself if I lose in dogfight technique. I fished up various materials, played game, went to aerial show and learned. The most important thing art that it seemed that it satisfied Goshujin-sama.』

'gururu♪' Tio-san sounded her throat joyfully.

Because Tio could freely flew in the sky without anything like flying technique just by directly manipulating the wind, it was really bone-breaking for her to make the way of thinking like kinetic energy or potential energy to sink into her mind but……there was no doubt that her flying skill had rapidly risen up from earth's aeromechanics, so she was really happy to be praised by her master when she unveiled the result like this.

With scales that deflected Vulcan cannon, excelling in speed and maneuverability that were even better than missile, possessing unrivaled powerful attack method, pulverizing the opponent just from the sonic boom, and on top of that she even had super first class flying skill that didn't rely on her spec……

If the pilots of earth knew that their skill was stolen by a flying tank, there was no doubt that they would get teary eyed.

The flame blasts were gradually getting cleared by the wind flow.

At the other side, they could see the mother ship was charging its main cannon. The two didn't know how the enemy was planning to make the attack hit, but there was no other way of calling them other than foolish that they still hadn't escaped. The were overestimating their own existences too much.

The chosen people, the people that ruled the sky. The country of god.

Seeing words that dangerous lined up like that, it was clear that their pride was even higher than Everest, even so they couldn't avoid getting evaluated as being a bit too thoughtless. Or else, perhaps they still had some kind of different trump card…….

「Well, just because of that doesn't mean that we will just expressly wait for them though.」

Hajime was looking at even more air battle squad launching from the mother ship while the corner of his mouth rose up in a grin. Tio's body that didn't even twitch against Vulcan now twitched.

「I wonder, how does it feel to have your flank gouged out?」

The moment Hajime whispered that, the mother ship that was going to fire its main cannon anytime――wholly lost a part of its rear bottom.

It wasn't a destruction, it was a loss. Like joined together blocks had a part taken off from it, a part of the ship's bottom at the rear was coming off. While scattering crimson sparks.

The mother ship tilted violently. Furthermore there were a lot of people falling from that loss part. They couldn't hear anything due to the distance, but they understood clearly that those people were screaming with expression of despair.

『Go, Goshujin-sama. Just what hath thee done?』

「You see, while you are fighting, it was boring doing nothing so I fired a single shell at them. Inside it was packed full with spider type living golem.」

――Special shell   "Squirm Shell"

The shell that was fired didn't even explode, but the shell that invaded into inside the mother ship was so to speak a cocoon. Inside it had a lot of super small spider type golem packed in, and they would be born inside the body of the enemy.

This time it was against a gigantic battleship so it was still better, but if this was against a large living thing…….

By the way, the shell could be filled with various things other than spider. Your favorite insect-san right to your position☆

『Ho, how terrifying……or rather, thy hath created something nasty there-. I'm getting goosebumps!』

「No, right now you got no skin right? You have dragon scale all over. Well, anyway, I transmuted a whole lot inside the ship through the arachne bunches and forcefully purge only that spot, that's all.」

『Avoiding the topic so smoothly……cough-. Ri, right, that place over there art……fufu, I see. As expected from Goshujin-sama. Normally thou art a heinously cruel savage and sadist bastard without compare, but the kindness thy show in this kind of time art just unbearable. I'm falling in love all over again!』

「Thank you. I don't feel like I'm praised, so after this I'll give you your savage punishment.」

While his forehead was twitching at Tio's words, Hajime used pencil Cross Velts to cover the entire purged part――the place where the dragons were captured and treated as fuel――with barrier.

While the mother ship was recovering its posture somehow, perhaps with the intention to protect the mother ship, about forty sky battlecrafts were charging recklessly toward Hajime and Tio as reinforcement.

Tio flapped her wings once to begin the dogfight once more, but Hajime stopped her.

「Any time now they are going to struggle while holding delusion(hope) like "there is no way we can lose" or "we will surely win if we use this". It will be too unsightly to watch, so we are going to crush them all in one go. Along with their heart.」

『Fumu, certainly. Shouldst I mow them altogether with a breath attack of maximum power?』

「I'll work out a bit too. At this rate, I'll be seen as a strange guy that is only riding on your back.」

Tio chuckled at that really childish line. The sky battlecraft squads were approaching closer even while they were doing that. Even seen from afar, their expression looked damned desperate. But, a hope that they would manage it somehow if they could pull through here also could be seen dwelling somewhere in them.

「I'm telling you that it's merely a delusion. Engrave into your soul, just who is it that you have turned into enemy.」

Right after that, what appeared was a swarm of black crosses decorated with crimson pattern. There were about two hundred of them lining up orderly midair behind Hajime. The scene of the swarm floating while clad in faint crimson light instigated a pure and bizarre terror. Despite the location being in the sky, the sight caused a vision as though they were lost in a graveyard.

Hajime's eyes could see the figure of the pilots whose eyes were opened wide. Without taking his eyes off from them, Hajime's hand elegantly waved like a conductor baton, pointing straight forward. The fingertips of that hand mimicked the shape of gun.

At that moment, the two hundred crosses rotated, the tip of their longer side faced forward.

「This is how to crush the enemy with quantity.」

A beat later. A thunderous roar.

The electromagnetically accelerated Burst Bullets fired from two hundreds Cross Velts were mercilessly launched in a rate of 1500 shot per minute. That was already like a wall of bullet that appeared in the sky. The battle of resource amount  that was done by the army side before this was now returned back to them exactly as it was.

If they knew that if Hajime actually got serious, he could summon Cross Velts in the number of more than three times of now and several hundred Grim Reapers, just what would they think then?

The sky battlecrafts that got hit by the first attack fell into the sea of clouds in pieces. Even the planes that fortunately could dodge direct hit got their wings plucked by the Burst Bullets that were spreading lethal shockwave of crimson ripple midair and they fell.

It was just a round of offense and defense. Just from that, the sky battlecraft got their battle strength reduced until thirty percent.

『Something like this, is not battle anymore-. This is just massacre-』

『Just what the hell is that-. Where did he take it out from-』

『Is it still not yet-? The Negrade cannon, it's still cannot fire yet-?』

The pilots were in a state that could be called as pandemonium. But, that kind of composure immediately vanished. Because the bringer of death the two hundred crosses flew out all at once. With sharp angling and irregular movement that ignored aerodynamics, and sometimes while even generating something like afterimages, they were shooting down the sky battlecrafts one after another.

Indeed, it wasn't a battle anymore.

Amidst that situatin, the mother ship that succeeded in controlling its posture finally aimed its main cannon's turret at Hajime and Tio. It was focusing silver light, however, it seemed to be slightly different from its attack before. Inside the silver convergence, a muddy black was mixing like coffee dripping into milk. Looking really closely, the silver part also seemed closer to being white.

In a amoment, the white light mixed with black was fired along with a thunderous roar. Its power instead looked lower than the attack before, but Hajime's instinct that was backed by experience told him that it was something more repulsive.

In front of that unknown that was likely their trump card, Hajime wordlessly made his "Treasure Warehouse II" shined.

The sun had mostly set, while the blackness of night was covering the world, it appeared beside Hajime who was illuminated by the white light.

「I'll stamp it out from the front.」

Like that what was fired was the greatest light. The color of light shining brilliantly as though it was denying the night that it was still too fast for it to arrive, it was truly the color of sun that illuminated this world.

――Sun convergence laser   "Burst Hyperion"

The horizontal firing of Burst Hyperion that finished charging. That was the true identity of the light. The sunlight energy that was converged and compressed to the very limit expulsed the world of night in the blink of eye.

The white light of the mother ship's main cannon collided with the thick light of Burst Hyperion right from the front.

The power of the two lights rivaled each other, a fantastic phenomenon of lights blooming wildly that seemed unthinkable to be something of this world was occurring at the point of collusion.

『……How can an individual, rivaled the main cannon of a warship……』

The amazed whisper that leaked out from telepathy surely came from the ship captain. Hajime scoffed at that and replied back daringly.

『Rivaled? How long you are going to hold your delusion? Just this much ain't enough at all.』

Hajime spoke the release keyword.

「――"Second Compression Furnace" release.」

Burst Hyperion was loaded with exclusive "Treasure Warehouse" that converged and compressed sunlight inside, but no one said that there was only one of it inside. It wasn't strange at all even if multiple "Exclusive Treasure Warehouse" ――"Compression Furnace" were loaded inside.

What would happen if that second energy was liberated?

The answer was simple.

Something like a state of rivalry could be broken easily.

The attack of the mother ship's main cannon was swallowed, terminated, and got pushed back gradually.

『-. Attack-. Attack that man! Use bullet that focused in speed! The surviving sky battlecraft squad too, attack that guy from behi――』

He was unable to finish saying that command until the end.

『――"Third Compression Furnace" release.』

This must be how the death sentence of the death god sounded like.

Like being swallowed by a raging stream, the main cannon of the mother ship was swallowed by the extreme thickening of the sunlight laser without being able to show anything that resembled a resistance. The advancing light of Hyperion kept pushing and swallowed a third of the front deck along with the 3-gun turrets, and pushed on until the sky at faraway in the distance.

Perhaps it was an instantaneous judgment, or perhaps a coincidence, it was unknown which was it, but just before the mother ship got hit it suddenly descended that it avoided the fate of being the Titanic of the sky.

However, it didn't change that it was greatly damaged. It wholly lost its front and rear part as though something had taken bites from it. Seeing it tilting, with fires and black smokes, and also small secondary explosions rising from it, it was obviously in a tragic state, even so it was in a condition where it was barely hanging in the sky.

The mother ship was starting to turn around while spouting out silver light even with its altitude that kept descending.

「So they finally felt like run away.」

『I don't know what kind of effect that last attack hath, but that was surely their genuine trump card. And that trump card was defeated crushingly from the front and in addition they art almost shot down. If they don't run away even after that, then that art the realm of lunatic.』

The sky battlecraft pilots who were desperately running away even while getting chased by Cross Velts were also following the mother ship in panic.

The battle was over. The army's gigantic mother ship that boasted great fighting strength was chased away just by two people.

While holding back the emotion that was overflowing from that fact, the air pirate's girl and small dragon were approaching along with their airship.

「Piih. PIIIIH」

「E, excuse me-. Kn, knight-sama-. True dragon-sama-. In this chance, we are saved from danger――」

When they were trying to call out like that,

「――"Fourth Compression Furnace" release.」

「Eh?」

「Pi?」

The extremely thick light blown off the rear of the mother ship that was running away in all broken up state. Along with the girl's words.

In addition,

「The flies are……around ten. Then I guess it's enough with this.」

Saying that, what Hajime taken out was anti-material sniper cannon Schlagen AA. Hajime who captured the desperately escaping sky battlecrafts through his scope pulled the trigger at the interval of his breathing. The shells that drew a beautiful crimson line in the night sky were shooting down the sky battlecrafts that were performing random evasion without even a single miss.

「……hiu」

「……pii」

The side profile of Hajime who was dispassionately performing blood festival using the escaping pilots without looking particularly emotional caused the girl and the small dragon to tremble in their boots while hugging each other. With a plop, the girl fell to sit on the floor. The attendants blonde hair duo were also staring at their falling enemies with pale expression. It was only the surviving pilot who was whistling「hyuu~」in admiration.

『Goshujin-sama. That aircraft carrier art unexpectedly tough. It's still flying. Shouldst we pursue?』

「No, there is no need of that. I'll shoot it down after harassing them a bit.」

Hajime who finished shooting down all the sky battlecrafts put Schalgen on his shoulder while grinning broadly. Voices that said things like「Dragon knight-sama……not?」, or「De, demon……」, or「Ru, run away quicklyy」could be heard, but for Hajime who was making that wicked smile, all those were trivial things.

Seeing such Hajime, Tio said a sentence.

『Fumu. That is to say, they couldst not escape from demon king-sama is it?』

It went without saying that the words demon king caused the girl and others to tremble even more.

On the other hand, around that time in the mother ship……

「Those two!? Are those two chasing after us!?」

「N, no! The targets aren't moving! They are letting us get away!」

「Be careful of what you are saying-. They aren't letting us get away! It's our strategic retreat that succeeded-. The next time you said something like that, I'll consider that as betrayal!」

「M, my deepest apology.」

The atmosphere was completely rough. Everyone was gulping their saliva as though their throat was parched while their face was tensing from the terror of wondering if they would be shot down anytime now.

The captain was also in the same state, he was saying thing like「strategic retreat success」from his mouth, but his face was twitching uncontrollably as though he caught a bad sickness.

「We have to, we have to inform our country quickly. If we challenge them using a fleet, then next time for sure……. Oi, how long until we enter the range where we can contact the country?」

「The range is about 1500. But, our propulsion is lowering, and in our current situation where we cannot resupply, it will perhaps take two days.」

「Chih. Those two, just how did they scoop out the whole supply room……no, in the first place how did they know the location accurately? …………is there, a traitor?」

Excessive paranoia was gnawing at his mind in this extreme situation.

But, at that time, a communication entered the bridge.

『This is the launching and landing station! Higgs is trying to launch in his sky battlecraft! He is armed and caused many casualties among the mechanics who tried to stop him! Someone, please send reinforcement! That guy, he isn't sane!』

The bridge turned into uproar from the sudden notification. The ship captain snatched a mike and pressed the communication button toward the sky battlecraft's landing and launching station.

『What is happening!? What's Higgs's objective!? Why is he trying to launch in sky battlecraft in this situation!?』

『We don't know-. He is talking incoherently……we really don't get it! He is babbling 'that guy is coming, if I don't run away quickly, the "demon king" will come. That guy is here already!'. He won't even listen to our words!』

『How ridiculous. Shit-, we have no time to be concerned with a crazy idiot in this kind of time. I give permission to shoot. If he is not going to listen, then I don't care just kil――』

The captain was going to give instruction even while he was feeling some kind of intense bad premonition. It was at that timing.

He heard it.

――I'm, Maou-san. Right now, I'm on the deck you know?

「!?」

The captain suddenly sensed a presence and he turned around swiftly. However, he saw nothing there but the door that connected to the corridor, there was no one there. He returned his gaze to the front thinking if he was hallucinating, but right after that, he gulped his saliva unconsciously.

「Ca, captain. Ju, just now……」

A helmsman was looking back with a pale expression. No, not just him. All his subordinates inside the bridge were looking back just like him.

「Wha, what are you looking at! Carry out your own duty! Right now we need to hurry even for――」

It was a hallucination. It was just a coincidence that all his subordinates were looking back. The captain was persuading himself like that while erasing the sensation of a bug crawling on his back by yelling angrily. He was trying, to erase it.

――I'm, Maou-san. Right now, I'm in the central passage you know?

「Wh, who-」

「Ca, captaiiiin-」

He couldn't trick himself anymore. The resounding voice, the presence he felt behind him, they caused the captain to look behind him, but as expected, there wasn't anyone there.When he returned his gaze with a stiff motion, as expected he found the pale figures of his subordinates.

――I'm, Maou-san. Right now, I'm in front of the elevator you know?

「He, he is, approaching here?」

「Captain-. The, the elevator number 1-. It's moving!」

「Who is using it!? The image!?」

「No one is inside it! There is nobody! Just why is it moving-」

The subordinate that was in charge of remote controlling the facilities nearby the bridge was staring at his monitor looking like he was going to cry. His monitor was projecting the image inside the elevator that connected toward this bridge. But, inside the elevator that was indeed moving and climbing up, there was no one there at all.

The elevator stopped and the door opened. The camera in the passage that continued toward this bridge didn't catch the figure of anyone. However, the elevator was moving by itself, then stopped in this floor, the door opened, and then at the timing when it seemed one person had gotten off the elevator, its door closed once more.

――I'm, Maou-san. Right now, I'm in front of the first room you know?

The first room――Defense room number 1. In case the mother ship was boarded by enemy, at the area from the elevator and the stair until the bridge, there were three rooms prepared for the sake of holding back any attack toward the bridge. Those rooms were toughly made with a lot of cover so it would be easier to intercept the intruder.

「Defense room number 1-. An intruder in front of the door-. You are permitted to open fire!」

The captain used the radio to give instruction to the soldier standing by in the defense room number 1.

But, there wasn't any reply coming back.

――I'm, Maou-san. Right now, I'm in front of the second room you know?

A shudder of fear ran on their spine. The captain's gaze question his subordinate who was monitoring the place, but he didn't say anything and only shook his head with unfocused eyes as though he was losing sanity.

――I'm, Maou-san. Right now, I'm in front of the third room you know?

Even the defense room number 2 was easily penetrated. No, it was unclear whether it was fine to call it penetrating or anything. It was as though the door of those rooms didn't even exist, as though there weren't any guards inside those rooms from the start, "something" was smoothly infiltrating without any difficulty.

――I'm, Maou-san. Right now, I'm in front of the bridge you know?

Silence returned inside the bridge. Before they knew it, the damage reports and communications that asked for instruction toward the bridge that were coming like a storm from every posts in the mother ship had gone silent as though they were holding their breath. The only sound that they could hear, was the faint breathing sound, and the humming of the power reactor working earnestly to keep this gigantic ship floating.

The captain slowly pulled out his handgun from the holster on his waist. Inside the silence where even the sound of rustling clothes felt nerve-wracking, he gritted his teeth that felt like they were going to clatter, and slowly aimed his gun barrel toward the door.

「I, if you want to come then come. The moment you open the door, I'll shoot you to de――」

「I'm, Maou-san. Right now, I'm right behind you, you know?」

It wasn't a voice that came from far away. It was a raw voice of someone. That voice could be heard right beside his ear, as though it was said from a distance where the speaker was clinging on him.

Something like sanity couldn't be retained anymore.「aaAAAAAAH」In the end, no one knew just whose scream that was. When *pan* that dry sound rang out, the one who collapsed first was the helmsman.

What shot through his chest was the captain's handgun. The captain whose reasoning was blown away and fell into a panicked state shot the moment he turned around. After that, it was like a stone rolling down a slope. Everyone without exception heard the voice whispered right beside their ear. In a panicked state, they fired or hit each other unarmed. The bridge fell into a scene of carnage.

Such situation was also occurring in every section of the mother ship. Everyone had their mind's equilibrium crumbled against the approaching something. Their heart was broken from terror, those who ran and hid survived. But, those people were constantly feeling it. No matter where they were, no matter what they were doing, they still felt the faint presence of someone behind them.

People who didn't turn mad were less than twenty percent of the whole.

「That's the situation there right now.」

『For now, explanation pleeease』

After hearing the current situation of the mother ship that had escaped to far away from Hajime, Tio whose expression was skillfully convulsing even when she was still in black dragon form was asking for explanation with voice tone as cheerful as possible. If she didn't hear the explanation, then it felt like she would see nightmare from hearing just the end result.

「Look, there are the arachne bunches that infiltrated before this remember? Using them, I carried out one of me-style Harassment 108.」

――Demon King-style (Third Person) Harassment 108   "I'm, Maou-san. Right now, I'm right behind you, you know?"

This was demon king-sama's version of a certain urban legend "Ma○y-san's Phone Call" using super small living golem. While using telepathy to forcefully make the listener experienced of something "gradually approaching", their sense of fear was also amplified using soul magic. Furthermore, while making a show that something was getting closer, but actually from the start the golem that was lurking on the target's collar was using "Presence Manipulation" to produce "a presence of someone that was constantly behind them". And then the finishing touch was naturally the recording of Hajime's natural voice that said "I'm right behind you, you know?".

It was one of the wonderful harassment skills that would beautifully made anyone insane with certainty. If "Peek-a-Demon King!" was a sudden harassment, then this one was a harassment that was showing its effect gradually!

『……The idea art just too terrifying. Or rather, I think that the horror or urban legend of Japan art foul play. Before this Myuu searched the internet out of curiosity and then she didn't come out from her futon for one whole day.』

「About Japan's horror, it's persistent like this, or perhaps I should say it has damp atmosphere……it has a characteristic atmosphere that doesn't exist overseas after all. Well, for now, leaving that aside, let's just use this to 'kaclick'.」

Hajime who smiled wryly while shrugging suddenly took out something that looked like a switch, and then without hesitation he pushed that switch.

『……Just in case, I'll ask but, just now, what did thou do?』

「Hm? That's, it'll be troubling if my arachne got carried away, so I spread them to the important places inside the ship――and blew them up.」

By the way, the arachne-chan(living golem) just now that was the size of a pinky could become a force that was about as much as 10 kg of C4 explosive. And then their number aboard the ship was around two hundred.

Not to mention the power reactor, the arachne also aimed at other places focusing at the bridge and other important facilities. And then they went *BANG* not from the surface but by using transmutation to infiltrate inside the machineries first.

Surely the crews who were beautifully in great chaos from the "I'm, Maou-san. Right now, I'm right behind you, you know?" were unable to deal with this.

The power was lost, the bridge was lost, resupplying was also impossible, and most of the crews were in the middle of madness☆. There was no doubt that the ship was falling right now.

If after this they were still able to return to their country without crashing, then that would be worthy of praise.

Seeing Hajime who was saying「An explosion at the end――that is romance」while making a really refreshed expression, not just Tio, the girl and little dragon who were still trembling, the blonde hair attendant duo, and then the pilot-san whose expression was twitching as expected,

『「「「「You demon-」」」」』

「Piih」

They gave a splendid straight-man retort with their voice as one.

If there were the classmates in this place, surely they would reply like this.

――He is the demon king you know?

Like that.

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

Actually, I just wanted to write simple dogfight.

If a dragon used air battle maneuver in a dogfight……won't it be super romantic?

By the way, Shirakome isn't that knowledgeable regarding fighter aircraft.

Because all my reference source come from Blue Knight. No, it was really interesting that I got totally engrossed. I especially super like chapter 22.

Now then, a report for a moment.

Looks like the sale for the fifth volume will be at 25 December.

You can also see the cover illustration if you go to Overlap-sama's homepage you know!

Please go take a look if you can.

Please take care of Arifureta from here on too.

AN:

「The data……vanished?」

Just like that person whose spirit pressure really vanish, the data didn't revive.

I'm sorry, right now I'm in the middle of rewriting. I should be able to update tomorrow afternoon!

Although, the chapter this time is something like the exposition turn, so the story is not really interesting.

Anyway, as an apology that the update will be late, I uploaded the artifact catalogue.

Arifureta After Story II

Artifact Catalogue

This is a catalogue of Hajime's artifact.

Please read it to kill time.

Shirakome himself doesn't grasp the whole thing, so perhaps there is still other.

For the artifact of other members, I'll eventually add them in the list.

(TN: I made up all the German word here because I'm too lazy. Leave a comment if you know the correct word and I'll edit it later.)

Donner & Schlag

Total length 35 cm. Rotating style magazine with 6 shots. Made from composite ore of Tauru ore, Shutaru ore, and Athantium ore.

The origin of the naming was from German language「thunderbolt」or「lightning」, something like that.

Schlagen

Total length around three meter, single shot, electromagnetically accelerated anti-material rifle with zero caliber.

The naming origin was from German language「Scheaschlagen(Pulverizing)」……I think.

Schlagen AA

The successor of Schlagen. Its power and range were greatly improved. It surpassed the framework of sniper rifle and reached the level of sniper cannon.

AA was the abbreviation of「Acht Acht」. I don't know the detail of the spec, but language nuance was wonderful. It seemed that the power was also amazing. Therefore I adopted it.

Metsurai

Gatling railgun. Six rotating gun barrels, 30 mm caliber, it could shot about 12000 shots per minute. The cooling of early day version couldn't follow along and it could only keep shooting for around five minutes.

Metsurai Disaster

A six barreled gatling gun where each barrel was formed from one Metsurai. The power was simply increased six times.

Orkan

Missile & rocket launcher.

Agni Orkan

A winged cross with total length of 3 meter. It could simultaneously fired 300 pencil missiles.

Pile Bunker

Romance

Gatling Pile Bunker

Super Romance

Cross Bit

Flying cross. It could become shield, it could also fire exploding bullet. It could also form a barrier by connecting to each other with wire.

Cross Velt

The successor of Cross Bit. It had black color with red pattern. The culmination of chuuni.

Pencil Cross Velt

Alias "Don't touch, you pervert!"

Hyperion

Sunlight convergence laser. It went *chudon* from the sky.

Burst Hyperion

The successor of *chudon* from the sky.

Mirror Bit

The machines on board the sky *chudon*. It could explode sunlight energy using Treasure Warehouse.

Chakram

Chakram. Its central part turned into gate.

Variable style chakram   Orestes

Wire was installed inside the chakram. It could deploy an extra-large gate by splitting into three parts.

Grim Reaper

Mechanized monster. Fully loaded with ordnances inside.

Meteor Impact

A mere rock. The opponent die.

Magic power cannon Grantschen

It's non-lethal so it's fine!

Treasure Warehouse

Anything could enter

Magic power 4-Wheel Drive  Brieze

A car that looked like Hummer. Fully loaded with gimmicks like blade, caltrop, hand grenade, sniper rifle, etc.

Magic power 2-Wheel Drive  Schutaif

A bike that looked American. Currently it was demonically remodeled into Shia's wheels. It seemed it could also fly in the sky.

Bola

For binding. Recently it was used exclusively for Tio, or for Hajime mommy to dry clothes.

Artificial Arm

Kuh, be calm my left hand-

Olneis

Bird shaped reconnaissance plane. There were also various other shapes.

Large Shield

Coffin shaped. It could let out a stake from below to fix it into the ground. Made from the composite of three kinds of ores.

Variable style large shield   Aidion

It could turn into sphere shape that defended from all directions.

Hour Crystal

Slowing down the flow of time of a certain range.

Skyboard

Eu○ka (TN: Refer to Eureka Seven I think)

Ferner

Manta shaped airship. It used gravity control so it could make abnormal maneuver.

Submarine

It could endure even magma.

Hand Grenade      *chudon*

Flashbang Grenade      *kats*

Burning Grenade      *goo*

Paralysis Grenade      *abah*

Tear-Gas Grenade      *nngih*

Frag Grenades      ……

Telepathy Stone   Another world version mobile phone

Specific Stone   Another world version GPS

Distant Viewing Stone   Another world version telescope

Reaction Stone   Another world version remote control device

Magic Eye Stone   Chuuni

Sealing Stone   It dispersed magic power. The block that sealed Yue

Crystal Key

The key that opened even the door that crossed worlds

Compass of Guidance Crossing

It could find anything

Magic crystal series

It could stock up magic power. There were various shapes like ring, earring, bracelet, etc.

Cheatmate

Basic ability increase. It could strengthen the body to endure Limit Break. Cheat is your friend!

Novum Idola

It can make illusion.

Delischanors

Something that bestowed a duplicate soul. It obstructed the soul interference from the opponent. By using it in conjunction with living golem, a pseudo clone could be created.

Lob Regenschirm

Three stages assault lance that rotated in high speed. With the sealing stone, unique unevenness, and high speed rotation, it would dig through and disperse the magic itself.

Special bullet   Living Bullet   A living bullet. It would listen to a simple order of the user and crushed the target.

Special bullet   Burst Bullet   A bullet that was accompanied by shockwave.

Special bullet   Exise Bullet   It could switch the coordinate along with the space between bullet and bullet, or bullet and the user

Special bullet   Vision Bullet   By using it in conjunction with Novum Idola, it could launch illusion.

☆Addition.

Living Golem   Arachne

Spider type golem. It could launch things like sleeping drug, paralysis drug, weakening drug, and so on. Even transmutation is OK. It's relatively all-purpose

Satellite type   Bel Agarta

It poured down light of regeneration magic.

Special bullet   Squirm Shell

A shell that could be packed with various things and fired. Large creature would unavoidably get teary eyed.

Torpedo

It could dye an oasis red. It could also kill an ancient monster quite a bit.

Tent and Kotatsu

The height of civilization that Hajime created

Camping Kit

Right now it was 3LDK with system kitchen attached by using space expansion

Dryer

It increase the glossiness

Impact Grenade

hidebuh

Mask series

Mask pink is retired uniform. Greatly increased battle ability

Gate Key & Gate Hall

Anywhe○ Door without door (Limited to a place with Gate Hall)

Gran Farensen

It increased gravity by several times over.

Last Zell

Limit Break for everyone

Doryukken

Shia's war hammer. It was changeable to become bombing mode.

Vire Doryukken

Doryukken's successor. It could become 100 Ton Hammeeerr

Black Slavery Whip

Tio's whip. It could mass produce black dragon. There were also times where Hajime used it on Tio.

Demon Sword of Circle Calamity   Anima Erunte

Kaori's twin large sword. Drain type demon sword.

Holy Sword of Gospel   Bel Rexion

Kaori's twin large sword. Healing type holy sword.

Shutzengel

Installation type. It deployed Kaori's barrier magic in large scale.

Black katana

Shizuku's beloved katana. The first present from Hajime. At night, she give it maintenance while grinning broadly. Lightning Clad - Wind Claw - Gravity Cut, etc.

Will demonstrating katana swarm

Anyway, it's a swarm of black katana that moved by themselves. I'm lacking in chuuni power. Naming under review.

Twin Iron Fan

The user is Suzu. A tiny kid will look slightly elegant with this.

Air Force Boots

You can soar in the sky

Living golem   Demon Rangeeerr

Myuu's golem squadron. They had ego before anyone knew it. Myuu christened them "Belfegoor" "Satan" "Asmodeusu" "Lusife~r" "Mamon" "Leviatan" "Baalsebuf"

Recently, the small golems that she received by begging at papa were christened with names like "Agaresu" "Sitrii" or "Marubas" and so on……

Donneer - Schlaag

The small version of Donner & Schlag exclusive for Myuu. It could also perform electromagnetic acceleration using magic power battery

Kotetsuu - Muuramasa

Short swords exclusive for Myuu. Recently it felt like they were starting to have awareness……

This is Weapon Desu

Myuu's exclusive black whip. It could exterminate terrorist's "son"

Don't Touch, You Pervert

Myuu's exclusive pencil Cross Velt

Pikko Piko Hammeer

Myuu's exclusive piko piko hammer. Its tip had rabbit character.

Yue-oneechan's Love

Myuu's exclusive jewel magecra○.

Artifacts enchanted with concept magic are excluded. Because it only used that one time.

'Other than that there is also something like this right?' If you remember something like that then I'll add it if I can bother you to write it at the review.

Pardon me if the artifact explanation is atrocious……