◇

"Fuuh, this is the last one."
"Still, for it to be only breakable by the Dragon Spear or Master"s fist, a s.h.i.+eld created by these Fake Cores would be quite strong don"t you think."

Arisa spoke of her impression as we destroyed the last Fake Core.

"Brittle~?"
"Pochi can easily break it with her fingers nodesuyo?"

Tama and Pochi picked the fake core"s fragments on the ground and showed Arisa its brittleness.

"Master, we"ve collected several Golem Souls and a Golem Heart from the guardians earlier."
"Thank you Liza."

Liza collected softball-sized magic cores and an item specific to this labyrinth.
I put the loot into the Storage.

There were some movements on the map I had put on display at the smallest size.
Looks like the hero party has arrived at the demon lord"s room.

"Master, this is bad! Teleport and Clairvoyance have been blocked."
"--You"re right. It seems the labyrinth"s wall is preventing it since teleporting by sight is still possible."
"Item Box, 『Open』--Looks like this one is usable."

It appears we can"t get out using teleport.
Looking at the Menu, moving with [Unit Movement] is still possible.

Monsters were gathering in the room where the hero is fighting the demon lord while I was checking things.

"I"m worried about hero and the others. Let"s quickly aid them."

After telling that, I head back to the relay base with the girls.
In order to increase our speed, Arisa and Mia who can"t use Flickering Movement are being carried by Liza and Nana, and Lulu whose Flickering Movement skill level is low is being carried by me.

Thanks to using Flickering Movement and Ground Shrink alternatively, we arrived at the column-shaped magma room next to the relay base in only several minutes.
Lady Karina was slightly late, but she caught up somehow.

I recover the girls" magic power using [Magic Power Transfer] while they"re having some drinks and light meals.

"Masfhew (Master)~?"

Her words were hard to understand since there was a beef jerky in her mouth.

"That looks like an enemy."

The s.p.a.ce where Tama was pointing at warped, and a brown greater demon appeared blocking the narrow pa.s.sage.

"As decreed by my master, Brown Fifth--"
"Liza."
"Understood."

Without listening to the end, Liza"s Dragon Spear pierced through the greater demon"s magic core.
The greater demon tried to bear hug Liza as its last useless struggle, but that never came to fruition.

"Aku Soku Zan~?"
"Judgment, nanodesu!"

Tama and Pochi swallowed their beef jerkies and delivered the finis.h.i.+ng blow to the greater demon.

"Eii"

Lulu"s new accelerated cannon shot out, and blew off the upper half of a greater demon that was appearing on the wall beyond the pa.s.sage.

"Cleaning up the rest."

Arisa"s s.p.a.ce magic turned the rest of the demon"s body into dust along with the surrounding wall.

"Mwu."
"Our turn will come, so I tell Mia."
"Everyone is too strong desuwa."

Mia, Nana and Lady Karina who didn"t have any turn complained.

During that relaxed atmosphere, suddenly there"s sounds of dropping stones and something falling into water.

"This time they"re destroying our footholds huh--"

The footholds around us have begun to fall, the room becomes a > room where magic and skills that use magic power can"t be used.

"Don"t worry be happy~?"
"Good grief, if it weren"t us, we"d have been wiped out long time ago."

The vanguard group sink their toes into the wall and forcibly hang onto it.
I secure the powerless rear guard girls by the same combination of movements I used earlier.

We forcefully enter the tunnel and resume moving.

We advance through the bewildering changing pa.s.sages with the optimum route, heading to the boss room where the hero party is.
The incorrigible [Dungeon Master] kept trying to hinder us, but we easily cleared them all, continuing to advance the pa.s.sages.

It feels like I"m hearing the Dungeon Master grinding his teeth, but I must be just imagining things.

Nana who acts as the vanguard gives her report the moment we entered the last pa.s.sage before the boss room.

"Master, there"s a crowd of monsters to the front so I tell."
"Liza, Pochi, take care of the front. Tama, support them."
"Understood."
"Yes, nanodesu."
"Aye aye sir~"

I received Arisa from Liza and gave them the instructions to eliminate the monsters.

It"s a crowd of monsters with levels ranging from 30 to 50.
Every monster has troublesome abilities like paralysis and petrification, but as long as the girls are protected by my support magic, there is no problem even if their opponent is a greater demon.

I can"t say that it"s perfect though since there"s a lot of abnormal demon lords.

"Breakthru~?"
"Nanodesu!"

Tama and Pochi shouted from beyond the howling monsters and b.l.o.o.d.y smell.
Looks like they"ve arrived at the boss room.

◇

"Good, hero and the others are safe."

I grasp the situation while feeling relieved.

We"re at the entrance of the hall where the hero and the others are fighting, it"s an elevated ground where Princess Maryest, Priestess Loreiya, critically injured black knights and several members of the entourage who have fallen unconscious are located.
The black knights are fighting the monsters, piling up the bodies even while being mortally wounded.
Monster corpses and critically injured black knights are all over the slope to the hall too.
It"s probably thanks to Priestess Loreiya"s magic that they haven"t died.

Those girls are collapsed on the ground due to the unusual [Overdose] state from overusing magic recovery potion.
Apparently, they"re already at their limit just as we arrived.

In the back of the undulated hall, the hero and the demon lord is fighting, the hero is supported by Lady Ringrande the [Sky-tearing Witch] and Miss Wiyaryi the archer, while the demon lord is helped by two greater demons.
The children-like lesser demons split from the greater demons are hindering them.

And, Rusus and Fifi are being chased by three greater demons on a do-or-die marathon in the center of the hall.
I never thought that I would see a real-life spectacle of an MMO raid war.

There are flying monsters up in the air of the hall, attacking when they find a chance.

After confirming the situation in 0.1 second, I gave the green light to the girls.

"Demons! Jump in like insects if you do not fear your ruin, so I announce."

With Nana"s ranged provocation which somehow felt chuunibyou-ish, five greater demons turned their attentions toward Nana and came attacking in.
Together with the flying monster and the children-like lesser demons.

"Like moths to flames! Three consecutive Blue Inferno, for all!"

The blue flames released by Arisa burned down the demons and the flying monsters in the room.
The roaring sounds are slightly painful on the ears.

Arisa didn"t have enough magic power to consecutively shoot three Blue Inferno magic, so she drank a high magic recovery potion after every shot.
Her magic power should be replenished during the magic"s casting time.

Rusus and Fifi are screaming behind a rock, but they"re fine since they"re protected by my s.p.a.ce magic there.

The cloud of dust from the explosion is coming to this high ground so I blow it away with [Blow] magic.

"Monopoly~?"
"No fair nodesu! Pochi also wants to have a part nodesu!"
"You two, don"t let your guard down."

After Liza reproved them, greater demons who used their friends as s.h.i.+eld showed up beyond the white cloud. The one they used as s.h.i.+eld lost all its health point and disappeared into dust.
Only two have survived.

"Nn, Tempest."

The gold-colored artificial spirit Garuda who"s floating behind Mia shot out golden feathers clad in lightning.
The barrage of golden feathers blow the two greater demons to the ceiling, making a violent whirlpool that looks like cloud of blood, cutting up the greater demons.

"Pochi, Tama, let"s back up with Magic Edge Cannon."
"Aye~?"
"Roger nanodesu."

Liza is using Magic Spear Douma, while Tama and Pochi are using their True Silver magic swords to shoot a barrage of Magic Edge Cannon.
It doesn"t look like they"re serious, the power seems a bit weak.

Lulu is cleaning up the small fries who escaped Arisa"s attack with a sub-machine gun-type magic gun.

I walk to Priestess Loreiya and Princess Maryest while watching over the girls.

"I"m glad that you two are safe."
"Satou-san, thank you for your help."
"Did that little princess Arisa just use the magic that only exist in legend?"
"Yes, she did. She got a bit of help from an Artifact however."

I"m sorry for Arisa, but since Princess Maryest"s reaction was a bit extreme, I made up some story a bit.

"More importantly, please use this. It"s a recovery item I got from the queen of the fairy."
"Sir Pendragon, right now we can"t--"
"Please don"t worry."

I stopped Princess Maryest who was about to say their [Overdose] states, let her grasp a crystal pendant and pushed its tip.
Of course, since it"s merely an accessory, I use [Magic Power Transfer] right at that timing to recover her magic power.
I do the same with Priestess Loreiya and the preparation here is complete.

I head to Hero Hayato to help him.

After rescuing Lady Ringrande from an Emerald Golem that appeared out of nowhere, I stand beside the hero who"s fighting the demon lord.

"I"ve kept you waiting, Hayato-sama."
"Is that you Satou, thanks for coming."

The hero has wounds all over his body, so I sprinkle mid magic potion to heal his external wounds.
I used recovery magic at the same time since the effect would be too weak otherwise.

"Allow me to help."

After telling so, I draw the fairy sword and stand beside him.
My level is public ally 50 so there should be no problem in joining this fight.

Moreover, there is something that I must do on the front line.

"I won"t let Satou to steal all the spotlight."

Lady Ringrande takes up her [Lightning Great Sword] and stands on the opposite side.

Miss Wiyaryi is standing-by behind.
Looks like she"s focused to be the support.

"Don"t die."
"Yes, of course."

Like a willow, I parry all the attacks of the demon lord who came attacking on all fours like a mad beast, and prepare the backhands when the hero attacks.
The demon lord"s movement is agile and tricky, so it"s quite difficult not to overdo it.

"Satou! Don"t steep in too far ahead! The demon lord attack can scoop your meat even if it misses y"know!"
"Yes, Hayato-sama."

I kept close to the demon lord since there was a little something I needed to do, but since the hero warned, I took some distance away.
I should make it in time from here if I"m just ready with Ground Shrink.

"F-fast! Leaving Hayato and the demon lord aside, I can"t believe Satou can also move as fast...."

Since Lady Ringrande was very surprised, I move as if I evade the demon lord"s attacks by accident while consciously keeping my speed at the level of an ordinary person.
It seemed difficult at a glance, but it"s actually quite easy thanks to [Foresight: Antipersonnel Battle] skill.

Of course Lady Ringrande isn"t only watching without doing anything.
She hindered the demon lord"s movement using quickly chanted [Explosions] at good timings.

"Thank you for waiting!"
"Don"t forget about me too."

Rusus and Fifi also partic.i.p.ate to cut up the demon lord.
Unlike Lady Ringrande, the two who are pure warriors seem to be able to catch up to the demon lord"s agile movement.

"Hook, line, and sinker~?"
"Chop chop nanodesu."

Starting with the beastkin girls, the girls gleefully exterminate the monsters who rushed inside the hall at the entrance.
It seems the Dungeon Master has ran out of bullets, there"s no strong monster to be found anywhere.

"Satou, behind you!"
"Thank you, Wiyaryi-san."

I cut up the Dust Golem that appeared behind me using the fairy sword reinforced with Magic Edge.
The magic core that fell from the crumbling golem revives into an Ash Mud Golem.

It"s probably a hara.s.sment from the Dungeon Master.

"Tsk, don"t get in my way!"

The hero seems to be piling up stresses from this hara.s.sment.
Let"s curtail it at the source.

"Tama, please collect the magic core."
"Nin nin~?"

When I muttered in whisper, a pink ninja that appeared from the shadow made a hand signal for, "Roger", and disappeared into the shadow.
Further, a Tama doll takes Tama"s place fighting the monsters.

"Done~?"

I heard Tama"s small voice from the shadow.

"Thanks, that really helps."
"Ehehe~"

I said my thanks at the shadow, and then Tama"s presence vanished after leaving a bashful voice.
The real body changed place with the doll and resumed the battle with the other girls.

"Looks like the small fry has stopped appearing."
"Even Dungeon Master"s a.s.sistance is probably not inexhaustible."

I replied Lady Ringrande"s muttering while dodging the demon lord"s claw.

"Alright! The 『Transformation』 ended. Rin, Satou, let"s press on him!"

Checking the hero"s words, I see that the purple light that had been emitting from the demon lord since a while ago has disappeared.

--ZHWWWUUUUUUUWN.

I wanted to persuade the demon lord if he could talk, but it seems he has lost his ego already.

Lady Ringrande erases the lightning b.a.l.l.s that appeared around the demon lord with [Break Magic].
She"s pretty great considering the demon lord"s level is higher.

"Then, please excuse me for this--Magic Edge Rush (Vorpal Lance)."

Imitating Pochi"s finisher, I perform a charging stabbing attack.
The fairy sword would break if I did it seriously, so I curb the power to be at the same as level 50 Pochi.

--ZHWWWUUUUUUUWN.

I break the thick magic barrier that the demon lord created.
Stopping just before I hit the main body.

"Twin Sword Dance!"
"Great Sword Cut!"

Rusus and Fifi who showed up by slipping in hit the demon lord with two contrasting techniques.
The finishers cut up the demon lord"s body that"s been stripped off its magic defense.

--ZHWWWUUUUUUUWN.

The nimble Rusus was able to dodge the demon lord"s counterattack, but Fifi who stiffened after using the technique got hit and fell to the ground.
Her health point decreased greatly, but it was still just a normal serious injury.

"This is the end, demon lord!"

Hero"s holy sword, Arondight bursts out with intense blue light.

">"

The hero"s finisher on the demon lord--.

◇

"Fuuh, that was way too close, I thought I-chan would die."

A weaselkin with purple body hair said with a jest while looking over the small ratkin demon lord on the ground.

His voice is trembling contrary to his tone.
This place is the > located in a different map than the one I was in just now.

"--Yeah, I was worried that you wouldn"t come to help."

The weaselkin turned around in shock to hear my voice.

"h.e.l.lo, nice to meet you, Dungeon Master-dono, or perhaps--"

He saved the demon lord at the last minute, it was worth it waiting on the front line.

"--I should call you Weaselkin Demon Lord?"

Toward the last demon lord prophesied in the oracle, I asked.