Published: September 10, 2025
Satou here. Things you’re used to and have become habitual just come out unconsciously. You could say it’s optimization, but it sometimes backfires when you change jobs or your environment shifts.
â—‡
I don’t think it was Hikaru’s seemingly like a flag line that triggered it, but a few wyvern riders from the Rumork Kingdom territory flew in.
“Pii-hyororo~?”
“That sounds like a flute I’ve heard somewhere before?”
The trees are in the way, so I can’t see clearly, but the source of the sound seems to be those wyvern riders.
“Guaaah!”
“Urrrllllrrrrrr!”
“Faooooooooh!”
As I scanned the strange voices, I saw the kidnappers we had tied up and thrown on the ground writhing in agony with pained expressions.
Parts of their bodies and faces wriggling like they belonged to another creature—it was pretty horrifying.
“Ugh, something’s really wrong!”
“Princess, come here with your little sister! Get away from these guys!”
Arisa screamed and urged the two frozen princesses, who were trembling in fear, to evacuate together with the adventurers.
“Hikaru! Take care of the wyverns.”
“Leave it to me!”
Hikaru kicked off the trees and disappeared into the treetops.
That side should be fine if left to her.
“Tama—?”
“Cover Arisa and the others.”
“Nin-nin~”
Tama, hands folded ninja-style, sprinted over to Arisa.
While we were looking away from the creepy scene, the kidnappers who had cut their ropes stood up, transformed into abnormal creatures.
I recognized this form.
It’s the appearance of someone who’s overdosed on the demonic enhancement potion.
But unlike those who just took the potion, these guys have a red glowing magic circle like a writhing rope over their bodies—probably the human version of the Monsters of the Red Rope that attacked the Royal Capital of the Shiga Kingdom.
—What a terrible taste.
Sorry to the adventurers readying swords and staffs against the red-rope kidnappers, but I’ll take them out quickly here.
I hate splatter.
I activated the advanced arcane magic Magic Arm to restrain the kidnappers, then used mana drain thorn to drain their magic power all at once.
This magic is a multi-target version of mana drain, with glowing thorny vines spreading in all directions like roses.
It drains less magic power than the original, but it’s enough against these guys.
The kidnappers’ magic gets sucked out, and they become mummy-like.
Their deformed appearance improves, but like others addicted to the demonic enhancement potion, they don’t return to their original forms.
—Hmm?
The points representing adventurers on my radar are moving toward the Shadow Castle.
Speaking of which, that female adventurer had been tasked by the weasel tribe to bring a “magical creature for investigation” into the Shadow Castle.
Probably Princess Lumia was qualified to open the barrier.
“—Master!”
I turned at Arisa’s voice and saw Arisa and the others being dragged beyond the barrier by countless black hands.
I tried to pull them back with the spatial magic item summoning, but it was canceled in vain.
—I forgot this is a teleportation forbidden zone.
Biting my lip at this foolish mistake, I used earth shrinking to approach quickly and grabbed Tama, who was caught in the nearest black hands, pulling her out.
The black shadows can be easily cut by the Holy Sword, but as soon as one is cut, another appears, so Tama couldn’t get out.
I reached out for Arisa next, but while kicking aside the wave of shadow hands, they were dragged beyond the barrier along with the princesses.
“Barrier~?”
Tama pounded on the barrier’s surface in front of us.
Then Hikaru returned, dragging beastmen who appeared to be wyvern riders.
“Satou, I’ve taken care of this side—wait, where’s Arisa and the others?”
“They were taken by shadows.”
Checking the map, it seemed Arisa and company were being led deeper into the maze-like castle.
“Wait a moment, I’ll pierce the barrier with magic soon—”
“No need.”
I cut Hikaru off.