Part 3
---Above [Underwood]. Ancient Vampire Citadel, outer walls.
There was almost nowhere left to go now. Kasukabe Yō leaned against the old and beaten outer walls of the Citadel that were badly weathered as she tried to take a few deep breaths to readjust her breathing. However, just as she was trying to catch her breath, there came a sound of something crawling across the rubble on the Outer walls that was gradually approaching in their direction.
“Uu…It’s that monster again……”
Yō immediately shied away as she felt the presence of the enemy approaching.
A black shadow that was producing a disgusting sound of slick wet matter traveling across the rubble was gradually approaching. The fellow that seemed to be patrolling the Out skirts of the Citadel was a deep red and black monster that seemed to be the amalgamation of clots of blood and moss.
This humanoid looking monster moved quickly but its body’s defense was very weak. The threat from a single monster was nothing to be fearful about.
However, if it were to be a few hundred together, the situation would be very much different.
Moreover, who she was protecting behind her back wasn’t only Kirino.
But there were a dozen or so wounded participants and children who had been caught by the Demonic Beasts and some of them were behind her now.[8]
“Where can we hide for a while?!”
“Here. Here will do!”
The people hurriedly rushed to hide behind the rubble that Kirino had pointed to, which was just beside the Outer walls. Pushing aside the debris that were scattered around, Yō led the children to hide in a crevice that led to a crater beneath the rubble before sitting at the opening to hide everyone behind her.
Yō finally found the time to catch her breath and she looked back at the residents of [Underwood] behind her.
“……Everyone alright back there?”
“Ah…Nn.”
“Yep. We are still alive all thanks to your efforts, lass.”
Kirino and an elder Beastman expressed their thanks.
Just like Kirino, all of them had been brought here when the huge dragon was retrieving its clones and they just happened to be in the grasp of the Demonic Beasts when it occurred. But they were dumped in the Out skirts of the Ancient Citadel. Originally, losing their lives in this kind of situation wouldn’t be too surprising but due to the Trial Jurisdiction in play, the Host would not be able to interfere with the participants. And hence, they were safely dropped off.
Besides Yō herself, the number of people who had successfully met up was a total of seven. And amongst them, six were children much younger than Yō.
But currently, they were now being pressured by the patrolling enemies outside of the Citadel walls and were cornered.
[……What a predicament. If only it were Kirino alone, I could still carry her and run. But with this many, it would surely exceed the weight limit I can carry. Even if I tried my best, three would still be my limit.]
She had guessed that there would be others brought here as well.
But she did not expect that there would be enemies lurking at the outskirts who would attack them.
[We are currently in the midst of Trial Jurisdiction and those reddish black monsters still dare to attack us. In other words, they are not in the influence of the Host……Could it be that these monsters are just inhabiting this area and are not monsters that are part of the game?]
Perspiration beaded her forehead and the sunlight reflected off them made them look like crystals that fell to the ground while Yō rapidly organized her thoughts.
[I should confirm the current situation first.] Yō peered from the slit in the structure where they were hiding to look at the surrounding structures.
[……Nope. That would seem strange as well. First off, this Citadel should originally be the Community grounds of the Vampires or something similar. There shouldn’t be monsters that look like the amalgamation of moss and plant litter that loiter around the Citadel right?]
In addition, this was a place that was almost a few thousand meters above ground in the skies. If it were living here originally, that would be a different matter but for them to propagate in such large numbers in a ruined castle keep, that just didn’t seem to be a plausible explanation.
Yō was sorting through all the various possibilities about the enemy’s origin.
Just then, she heard the Elder Beastman who had messy furred cat ears mutter behind her:
“That kind of plant……is probably a parasitic type.”
“……Nekomimi Oji chan, you know something about it?”
“Yep, it shouldn’t be wrong. It would seem that the moss like portion is the spores. They should be a kind of fungi that use other biological matter or carcasses as its seedbed to grow.”
“Oh? Just like tōchūkasō[9]?”
“Nn. You’re right. Because of how similar it is, it has been named as [tōjūkasō]. These strange plants had also appeared in [Underwood] in the past.”
“Is it...” Yō gave a short reply.
Since it’s a type of fungi, then its spores could have flown to this area. And since it could leech off a host as a parasite, it could also have been brought over by birds.
“Well, that line of thought would make the pieces fit…… Thank you, Ojichan.”
“It’s nothing. This small thing is nothing compared to the debt I owe you for saving my life. Anyways, don’t call me Ojichan. My name is Garol Gundark of [Six Scars].”
Garol Gundark gave a laugh and his messy furred cat ears also moved with his laugh.
Kirino who was listening from the side started to blink a few times upon hearing the name.
“[Six Scars]’s Garol…… Could… Could you be the leader of [Six Scars], Garol-dono!”
“……You know each other?”
“No, it’s not the matter of knowing each other or not. When talking about [Bakeneko Garol][10], it can only be the one who was part of the founding members of the [Draco Greif] Alliance! And he’s a famous character who had fought alongside Draco Greif to defend the peace in the South Side!”
“OiOi, how long ago was that? It’s all in the past already. I’m currently just an insignificant Sentry of the Alliance’s Gold safe box.” Garol-dono tried to be humble but he was still laughing heartily.
According to Sala, [Six Scars] were a Community within the Alliance that was focused on commerce. And that should be the reason behind him saying that he’s a sentry for the safe box as well.
Yō stared at Garol’s cheerful face and nekomimi for a while before blurting out softly:
“Bakeneko and sentry who guards the safe box……ManekiNeko?”
“Eh……?!”
“AhHahahaha! Lass, you sure are an interesting one! If an old cat like me can even reach that standard of being able to bring in an endless flow of customers, I would really be rich!”
Kirino was flustered but Garol had only slapped his knee as he laughed uncontrollably.
Perhaps he had laughed too hard for he had soon bent over clutching his injury and muttering “Ouch.”.
“……Oh right. I’ve not asked your names, young lasses.”
“I…I’m Kirino of [Underwood].”
“Kasukabe Yō, at your service, Garol-dono.”
Kirino and Yō gave a nod of respect to him[11] as they gave their names.
Hearing the introduction of their names, the muscle below Garol’s eye began to twitch violently.
“---Did you say Kasukabe?”
“Nn……Is something the matter?”
“Ah… no, nothing. Anyways, coming back to topic, what should we do in this current situation? Sadly, my leg has been injured and besides playing some tricks, there’s nothing more I can do.”
“Nn……That really is a pity.”
“Yea……using trickery to scare the plants shouldn’t be of much use right……”
Seeing how the two of them were joking around, Kirino had also joined in with a comeback albeit feeling troubled.
But the current situation was grim. The reason for Yō and Garol’s little banter should have been to put the other children at ease and not have additional tension.
[But come to think of it, the tōjūkasō is able to live on corpses……Then could the host of those fungi be---?]
Just when Yō was going back to her line of thoughts to plan for her course of action---
The slimy gait of those creatures that had sounded continuously for all these time suddenly stopped at the same time.
Although Yō had lifted her head abruptly, it was already too late by the time she noted the significance behind the strange phenomenon.
“……Crap.”
“Eh?”
“We’re surrounded! Everyone, get ready to run---!”
---*Klunk Bam!* Something flew in from the windows. Turning back to look, there stood a human shaped tōjūkasō that was slowly lifting its sickle shaped neck towards their direction.
As their eyes met, the screams of the children in fear echoed in the ruins.
Acting immediately without fear, Yō destroyed the reddish black frame of the enemy with her kick and took the chance to smash through the ruins as she shouted back at them:
“Quick! Run!”
“Y..Yes!”
Under Yō’s guidance, the children followed the outer walls of the Citadel as they ran.
“Sorry for this, but thank you Kirino-chan.”
“It’s nothing! We should hurry to catch up with the oth---“
“---PUGYAAAAAAaaa!”
Kirino and Garol turned their heads sharply to look behind them.
To see…… A few tōjūkasōes launching into the air as they targeted the injured members of the party. But at the same time, Yō seemed to ski through the air to place herself before Garol and Kirino while whipping up a whirlwind to fend off their attacks.
“Yō, Yō-san……!”
“Horrid……they sure are tough and irritating!”
Stretching out her hands to add to the spinning motion, Yō sent the attackers flying into the walls and taking the opportunity of their momentary paralysis to smash through the fungi sacs.
Perhaps it looked too good an opportunity to be missed, three other tōjūkasōes had launched themselves towards Yō’s exposed back. The first two latched themselves onto Yō’s arms while the other tōjūkasōe flung a chunk of rubble that was almost man-sized towards Yō.
Using her brute strength, Yō swung her arms to use the tōjūkasōes latched upon them to meet the incoming projectile, smashing their fungi sacs with the impact.
And before the last one could execute its next move, Yō had already delivered a punch right through its chest.
The whole act of defending and attacking had passed within a matter of seconds and Yō’s execution of that bold and straightforward combat style caused a look of surprise and wonder to contort Garol’s face.
“That’s… that’s quite a feat. Yō-san, you sure aren’t just a simple character……! The fungi sacs of the tōjūkasōes are as hard as a chunk of metal. To be so easily destroyed by your strikes…… Are you really human?”
“Nn. In terms of DNA, I’m human.”
“Huh?”
Garol-dono tilted his head to one side.
Yō smiled wryly as she had intended to crack a little joke but it would seem that the other had not understood the joke.
[…… But, it sure is strange. For I can also tell that the opponents here weren’t weak either.]
Giving the corpse of the tōjūkasō a glance, Yō tilted her head skeptically. All the opponents here were definitely not weaklings.
Amongst all the enemies she had fought till now, the level of these tōjūkasōes could be said to be around the level of the toraningen of [Fores Garo]---a Demonified Galdo Gasper.
And now she had just destroyed thirteen creatures of that level without a scratch on her. If she were to try explain the situation as being in her top form, the steep improvement of her abilities was very strange indeed.
[Could it be that I’ve befriended a strong Eudemon without knowing about it…?]
Yō cocked her head to one side as she was immersed in her thoughts but still, she couldn’t find the answer.
However, reality did not spare her more time to mull over such things for the terrified screams of the children had travelled over from a short distance away.
“Kyaaa!”
“Uu….Oh no---!”
Yō clicked her tongue as she turned about. The children who had escaped earlier were now under attack.
In an anxious tone, Yō shouted to the two of them:
“Clench your teeth and be prepared!”
“What?”
Kirino and Garol tilted their heads in confusion.
Sparing no further explanation, Yō raised her hands to release whirlwinds to lift them up.
“Ah….Wa!”
“Woaaaaah! Yō, Yan-san! Isn’t this the Gift of the Gryphons?! How are you able……”
“Stop talking, you will bite your tongue!”
Yō’s tone had taken a rare blunt and agitated edge to it, and it was evident that the situation was that urgent and pressing.
Rapidly turning around, Yō sped along the Outer walls. After all, to be alerted by the cries of the children would surely have meant that the attack had started and she might be one step too late.
The worst possible scenario was floating to the surface of her mind and Yō couldn’t stop the cold sweat that was forming on her back. But a familiar voice seemed to stimulate her eardrums as she got closer.
“ ---YAFUFUFUFUUuuuuuuu!”
Just then, a blast of hot air swept across the area.
“That voice just now…… Could it be……?!”
Yō made a left turn at the crossroads between the Outer wall and the citadel ruins and a gust of hot air swept past her cheeks.
And before her, the one who was displaying his power was the Pumpkin Ghost---Jack-O’- Lantern.
Jack was using his huge palms to smash the charred enemies while leading the children with his loud and hearty laugh.
“Yahohoho! Although I wasn’t summoned, I, Jack decided to show up here! Children, you guys are okay right?!”
“Y…Yes!”
“Good to hear that! I will be here to delay these guys, so please run quickly into the ruins over there!”
“Yahohoho!” Jack gave a hearty laugh as he swung the lamp with both hands to scatter the flames of hell in all directions. The children who were almost caught up in his flames scuttled quickly and raced each other to get into the safety of the ruins.
Ayesha who rode on Jack’s Pumpkin head confirmed in a low voice:
“All of them have gone in to hide already, Jack-san.”
“……Got it.”
The cheerful voice of Jack had gained several degrees of solemnness.
At the same time, Jack’s spiritual level started to expand and bloat up.
The steady glow in the hollows that were his eyes had also changed. In that moment, the flame that resided in that Pumpkin Head was an angry flame that was prepared to burn all its enemies to nothingness.
“---How dare you try eat these children even after seeing the flag of [Will-O'-Wisp]. Such ignorance and blatant disrespect. Looks like you guys don’t know the Cause that our Flag stands for!”
“…..Jack?”
Yō muttered his name but she was too far and Jack wasn’t able to hear her. Moreover Jack’s current appearance was clearly different from normal.
Jack who was spewing flames and emitting waves of hot air all over his body was staring at his enemies viciously---
“I shall teach you guys since you seem ignorant of it. Learn well from my flames of hell and thoroughly regret! Brand the image of our Flag with the Azure Flames into your minds---for the flag of [Will-O'-Wisp] will never leave young children to die!”
“That’s right! Let’s do it now, Jack-san!”
*Pak!* With the snap of her finger, seven lanterns[12] that burned with the flames of hell appeared above her head. And at the same time when the lids of the lanterns were unlatched, the raging flames immediately bloated and spilt outwards.
Garol who was beside Yō had turned pale immediately and started to yell:
“Oi……OiOi, are they serious about that?! To actually directly summon the Flames of Purgatory into this world, that’s not something that any normal demon can do! Are they planning to burn away the Outskirts of the Citadel as well?!”
“Huh? Are we in danger?”
“Very Dangerous! Escape now, Yō-chan!”
Just as Garol’s yell left his lips, the scene before them was swept with a blistering hot whirlwind that seemed like the opening of the doors to Hell’s furnace.
The things that were burnt by the flames from the depths of Hell’s abyss weren’t only limited to the mere weeds that were growing around the place.
The ground was charred and the air had also heated up to a blistering hot temperature and the enemies had all been vaporised without a trace.
The raging purgatory flames were spreading outwards, seeming to swallow the Citadel Outskirts in its path and had also seemed like the arm of a Demon as it seeks its enemies and burnt them to death.
Watching this scene from the sides, Yō couldn’t help but feel flustered.
“Woah, Woahwoahwoah……”
Yō rapidly flew higher into the skies to escape the heat. Although she had successfully managed to escape, a hair breath away from getting charred, the area of the spell effect was really abnormal.
“Yahohohohohohohoho! BURN FURIOUSLY!”
At the centre of the blistering hot winds, a lively and merry shout could be heard.
Seeing Jack sway his Pumpkin head and the tattered cloak that was his body, the thought struck Yō for the first time.
Jack-O’- Lantern---truly is a Herald created from a Demon.
The trio waited in the air for a while before slowly descending to the ground after confirming that the fires had begun to calm down. And now, Jack and Ayesha finally noticed Yō.
“Oh? That’s…”
“Ah, Yō-chan! What? You were also caught and brought here like these children?”
“……No. I’m here to rescue the people who have been caught.”
Yō unhappily rebuked his suggestion.
Hearing her reply, Jack seemed a little disappointed as he tilted his Pumpkin Head.
“……Aiyaya. You sure didn’t change a bit.”
“Eh?”
“Well, let’s not talk about that first. This place is too dangerous. Let’s meet up with the other participants first.”
Yō nodded her head at Jack’s suggestion. But Garol furrowed his brows in bewilderment.
“Oh so you still dare to mention that. With the purgatory flames that you have summoned, who could still survive that?”
“Garol-dono, be rest assured. We have Familiars who have already brought the contestants to a safe place.”
*Pak!* Jack snapped his finger loudly and a group of two legged candle holders and little puppets that held lanterns started to run over with the sounds of their feet pattering against the ground as they did so.
There were a total of fifteen. The blue haired puppet that seemed to be the leader tottered up to Jack and gave a bow.
“Thank you for your hard work. Are the others fine?”
“Lan~tern ♪”
“Good. Then call those people you have protected to come over. If you tell them that Garol-dono is here, they will be willing to follow you over without much hassle.”
“Lan~tern ♪”
The candlestick holders and puppets that held lanterns started to scatter away in all directions after giving the reply.
Garol backed down as he gave a witty comment.
“Oh I see. What an amazing Pumpkin Ghost.”
“Yahoho! Though that might be so, it’s still not the time to be careless. I will be leaving the call for the subsequent actions to you, Garol-dono.”
“……the subsequent actions? To escape?”
Yō tilted her head as she asked Jack.
But Jack shook his Pumpkin Head.
“Escape is only a short term solution. At least for all the people here, it would seem that we all meet the criteria for the Punishment conditions.”
“……eh?”
“Kasukabe-san, do you have a Gift card on you? If you have, please take it out to have a look at it.”
“O…Okay.”
Yō hurriedly took out the pearl emerald Gift Card from her pocket to take a look.
Upon seeing it, she was momentarily stumped for words.
“The card……seems to have a text that I’ve not seen before…?”
“That is the [Punishment Notification]. Participants who have met the criteria of the Host’s punishment conditions will have the Flag of the Host carved onto the Geass Roll and Gift Card.”
Jack took out his Geass Roll and pointed at the Punishment(s) section.
<<GIFT GAME NAME: “SUN SYNCHRONOUS ORBIT in VAMPIRE KING”>>
Punishment(s):
*A time limit will be imposed upon all the participants who have targeted and fought against the leader of the game.
*The time limit will be a continuous time loop that occurs every ten days.
*The choice of punishment will be chosen randomly from [Impaling], [Crucifixion], and [Immolation].
*The only way to be freed of the punishment would be to clear the game or during a pause in the game.
*#The death of the participant is not included within the conditions to be freed from the punishment and they will continue to suffer indefinitely.
“……? Bu……But, I’ve not fought with the game leader……against Leticia.”
“But the reality is that we have already met the criteria for the punishment. So, there can only be one possibility.”
Jack replied in a solemn tone and Yō finally realized.
If the huge dragon was the Game leader…… Then fighting with its clones would still count towards the fulfilling of the conditions.
“……That huge dragon is Leticia?”
“No idea. But there’s one thing I’m sure of.”
Jack turned his Pumpkin head towards the stormy skies that surrounded the Ancient Citadel as he gazed upon it with the flickering flames in the hollows.
“If we are unable to defeat the [Draculea Demon Lord]……Then ten days later, this place will be drenched in a storm of blood. For we would be impaled as recorded in the legends.”
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