16-7. Holy Shell Mobile Armor (2)
16-7. Holy Shell Mobile Armor (2)
Satou here. There are times when a friend I know well surprised me with unexpected knowledge while we were talking about some geeky things. Obviously, someone's life is always going even while you're not aware of it isn't it.
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"--Goodbye, General."
Hikaru reluctantly parted with a huge gravestone.
I went with Hikaru to the hometown of Giants along with Holy Shell Mobile Armor remains.
For the sake of burying the Holy Shell Mobile Armor I had exchanged with a fake this morning.
I have put up a barrier here with my magic, but someone might discover the grave someday with just that alone, thus, I have enlisted the help of an expert.
"Can I start now?"
Yuika No.3, the first generation goblin princess called out to Hikaru.
No.3 is a way to indicate the first generation goblin princess as she has multiple personalities.
"I'm sorry, Foirnis."
"Don't worry about it, Yamato. Granting the wish of one of the few 『Tennis X Hero』 comrades I have is no trouble."
Foirnis is the chuunibyou name of Yuika No.3.
Apparently these two are fans of the same shoujo manga.
After that exchange, Yuika No.3 closes down the barrier that holds the grave of Holy Shell Mobile Armor.
"I have make it so visible ray can pass through the barrier, to let the scenery of his hometown be seen."
Yuika No.3 said that and demonstrated how the tombstone before us couldn't be touched.
"You can freely visit the grave, however, the Dragonflame Orb used as his core is something that the Seven Gods desire, it is dangerous. It isn't something you should go around telling people about."
Dragonflame Orb was an artifact that created the great desert to the west of labyrinth city wasn't it.
I don't think there's anyone who can break through a barrier that Yuika created with her Unique Skill, but it might catch the interest of the gods or someone whose Unique Skill could tear through barriers, it's probably safer to keep this from everyone.
"Un, I'll keep it a secret from everyone."
"Yes, you should do that."
Yuika No.3 nodded at Hikaru.
"Satou, could you make flowers bloom around this place?"
"Sure thing."
I answered Hikaru's request and made multi-colored flowers bloom in the wasteland-like graveyard.
We left the place after watching the scenery with Hikaru for a while.
I sent Hikaru back to the solitary island palace and Yuika to her retreat in Selbira labyrinth's lower layer.
As thanks for her trouble this time, in addition to the usual surface dishes, I also gave her a magic tool to convert mana into 100-volt AC power along with home appliances, and also cup ramens and bags of sweets I got from a parallel world earth.
After being frolic at those nostalgic items for a while, Yuika No.3 speaks to me in a serious tone.
"Satou, the one earlier was 『General』 wasn't it?"
"Yes, Yamato said so."
I confirmed Yuika No.3's query.
"Was 『Dynast』 not with him?"
"Apparently they only found 『General』 during the exploration this time."
He was the only one in the ruin according to the explorers Marquis Kelten hired.
"Is there any problem with 『Dynast』?"
"Umu, that one is a bit dangerous. A long time ago, the idiots from Furu Empire excavated a Divine Punishment Artillery installed in Lalakie Dynasty's 『Floating Castle』 you see, it could only shoot once at a time, but one shot of it had enough power to cut through a thick adamantite alloy-made armor."
Hohou, that's amazing.
Isn't that stronger than my monomorphic laser?
"It cannot be compared to something like Magic Artillery, so if your opponent were to use him, do not hesitate to destroy it. It's worrying since you have a soft side on you."
"Thank you Yuika."
I easily can defend myself if it's only against a converged laser shot, but since Yuika No.3 gave the advice out of worry about my wellbeing, I gave her my thanks.
"Hmph, it's because the current Yuika would be sad if you were to hurt badly."
Yuika No.3 averted her gaze with blushed cheeks as she said that.
I smiled back at Yuika No.3 when she bashfully told me, "If you've got no more business here, go home", and left her retreat to visit my acquaintances in the labyrinth's lower layer for the first time in a while.
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"GAHAHAHA! Run run! I'll run ya over if ya stop!"
The one riding on top of a tank that let out kyura kyura noise while laughing loudly was Armor the [Iron Stalker], Takeru.
He's a former reincarnated person, and an undead now.
"Keep at it~ Multi-legged Mushroom, Mash-san is waiting for you once you're done with Armor's tank~"
Cheering from the center of a huge open space is a blue-skinned greater vampire--Semeri the vampire princess.
"Kuh, dammit, I'll definitely make you cry someday!"
At the end of her line of sight, is the former artificial demon lord, native hero Shin boy who's getting chased by Armor's tank while cursing.
He was summoned as a commoner into this world in a hero summoning experiment at Rumooku Kingdom incited by Weasel Empire's engineers.
And then, he was given a Unique Skill through an artifact called Demon Lord Orb by his father who got reincarnated into this world by chance, became an artificial demon lord and almost destroyed Shiga Kingdom's capital, but it was all in the past.
He's finished his rehabilitation now and is steadily raising his level with Armor and vampire princess Semeri's help.
Although it's partly because of Hero title, these two teachers are really merciless.
Feels like I often see Shin in precarious situations, perhaps it's cause they think they could just revive him as a vampire even if he died.
"Kuro!"
As I was approaching while thinking that, Semeri who noticed me waved her hands buzzingly.
"What's up Kuro. Did something happen?"
"Naw, I had some business with Yuika so I thought I'd stop by to see how Shin is doing."
Shin boy is breathing roughly on the ground, unable to hold a conversation.
I took out the same home appliances and food I gave Yuika inside Armor's residence.
"Don't tell me, you managed to teleport between worlds?"
"Yeah, it needs a stupidly huge amount of mana equaling hero summoning so I can't use it thoughtlessly though."
I told the truth to Armor.
"Shin, do you want to go back to your former world?"
"nfo (no), nfo inferesfed (not interested)."
Shin boy waved his head aside while gulping down instant yakisoba Piyoung.
Come to think of it, Aoi and Yui at Echigoya Firm also didn't wish to return, are these young ones just not interested in a peaceful earth?
"Oh right, Armor. Do you know about Holy Shell Mobile Armor?"
"Huhn? I dunno no armor with exaggerated names like that--or maybe ya mean a kind of Power Suit Golem Armor I made?"
I asked Armor about Dynast since he was an engineer of Furu Empire, but the mobile armor seemed to be created after his era, I didn't get a favorable answer.
"How do you use this thing?"
"Uwaaa, stop it Semerii! Don't break the microwave's door!"
Armor who saw Semeri fiddling with microwave oven with child's curiosity stopped her in a hurry.
They look like they're having fun.
After having some pleasant chats with these my-pace bunch, I went toward the castle of a former reincarnated Japanese, [King Mummy] Tetsuo--Aka Corpse.
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"Meeting the Gods to talk with them huh...."
Corpse muttered as if reminiscing the past.
"Yes, I'd like to understand what the gods want, so a tragedy like Weasel Empire won't repeat ever again."
He once threatened the gods with nuclear weapons, so I came here to ask for his opinion.
"It'll be faster if you let them advent with 『Invoke Deity』 if you're willing to break a miko--"
"I will not do that."
I'm not gonna expose Sera and Lily to danger to do that.
Apparently I can use it myself if I level Holy Magic skill up to 10 anyway.
"--Don't even think about using it yourself you hear me?"
As if reading my thought, Corpse warned me.
"It goes without saying that you risk getting your body taken over by the god that descended, but more than that, there's a high chance of your Soul Vessel breaking."
Reincarnated people and heroes whose Soul Vessels have been occupied by Unique Skills--fragment of gods, are at higher risk than an ordinary miko.
--That was dangerous.
Getting ahead of myself and using it without thinking would have been bad.
"But communicating with 'em is difficult y'know?"
"Really?"
"Yeah, dunno if it's because they use miko as an intermediary on top of the existence of dimensional distortions between God's Realm and this world, or because god's thought process differs from that of human, it's like their words are mixed with fragmentary images, it's hard to understand those guys."
Come to think of it, that sounds similar to the Divine Punishment announcement.
"If possible I'm thinking of going to the God's Realm and having a face-to-face talk with them though--"
"Going to the God's Realm huh? Ya sure came up with something crazy."
Corpse muttered in astonishment while slurping instant ramen.
Just where does it go inside a mummy body I wonder.
"Ain't the high elves know more about that kinda thing?"
"Unfortunately, no one among the high elves has ever set foot into the God's Realm in this world."
I've tried asking Demi-God Mode Aze-san and other high elves, but there is no one among the living high elves who has gone to the God's Realm.
They only have a vague memory about the God's Realm where Creator God existed before it arrived here along with World Trees and other gods.
The reason is probably because high elves exist for the purpose of becoming god's spouse--and that is only as a substitute for when a god cannot find another god to be their partner.
Calling in a high elf is probably a disgraceful pride-breaking act for a god.
Good grief, what a loathsome story that is--.
"The only information I have are from God Parion and hero's tale in picture books, I thought Corpse would know something."
"Sorry but I dunno--"
Corpse stopped halfway through.
"--No wait, I once heard a story about first generation hero surpassing a trial imposed by Parion and getting invited to God's Palace."
The same thing is also written in the documents I have regarding first generation hero that Marquis Muno wrote.
Marquis Muno hypothesized that the palace might be referring to the temple on the [Hero's Hill] located in the outskirts of Saga Empire's old capital.
"Well, it was a hearsay story, so take it with a grain of salt."
I thanked Corpse for the important information regardless whether it's true or not.
Afterward, vampire's progenitor Ban and my acquaintances in the labyrinth's lower layer gathered here while I was talking about Lalakie dynasty with Corpse, so we ended up having a banquet.
The cabbage rolls shimmered in tomato soup made from tomatoes that Yuika successfully cultivated were quite delicious, so I'm gonna treat the girls in the solitary island palace with the same dish once I get back.
Now then, it's about time to go to Tenion Temple in the duchy capital and acquire the mean to communicate with the gods.
※ planned updates are as scheduled
8/10 12:00 In commemoration of the new publication volume release day, [16-8. Ringrande Returning Home]
8/13 18:00 Regular update [16-9. Sera's Resolution]
(The above is a plan. If I can't make it in time.... Please accept my apology.)
※ Regarding Shin boy, please refer to "13-31.Demon Lord Shin" and "14-46. War Kingdom (4) Interrogation".