Published: September 10, 2025
※ Corrected typos on 2018/9/10.
This is Satou. Someone said on TV or social media that if you make mistakes in pest control methods, it can actually lead to a massive outbreak of pests. The important thing is to spread the correct information.
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“Is that the entrance to the City Core chamber?”
Together with Tama, I passed through the shadows and arrived at the underground temple where the immortal archmage (lich) is.
Countless undead were desperately trying to break into the City Core chamber, and the lich we were after was mixed in among them.
Each time the lich’s fist, glowing with purple phosphorescence, struck the floor, a spark-like blue magical barrier shattered and scattered.
“Unmakesibi!”
I called out the tongue-twisting name of the lich, but it didn’t react.
Even when I mentioned the name of its creator, “Nemo,” nothing changed.
It just kept punching what looked like a door embedded in the floor.
It seemed that this lich, who used to be a homunculus, had almost no self-awareness; it gave the impression of being a machine that relentlessly executed the task it was assigned.
Instead, behind the undead, the Wraith Lord, who was bossily directing them, noticed me and glared with hollow eyes glowing red and black.
――ZRWEEEAIYTTTZH!
The nauseating scream from the Wraith Lord accompanied by the swinging of a tin staff was followed by a charge.
――Oh?
I intended to use a purification spell or a Sacred Stele—light magic designed for undead—but recognized the face, so I stopped the purification and instead punched it with a magic-imbued fist.
According to the AR display, this Wraith Lord had no proper name, but the face was unmistakably Pope Zazalis, the head of state of the Parion Divine Kingdom.
Probably, he had lost his life during the high-rank demon’s assault.
After being punched away, the Wraith Lord stood there dazed, holding his cheek, then urged other ghosts and wraiths working near the lich to attack us.
“Nin-nin~?”
The approaching wraiths and ghosts were swiftly dispatched by Tama, who wielded a blue-glowing ninja sword.
'How is the homunculus?'
'No reaction.'
A spatial magic “telephone” call came from Arisa, who was waiting behind.
'I see, then...'
Arisa’s words stopped halfway.
'Arisa?'
'—Geh. Master, the airship—'
“Nyu!”
In the midst of Arisa’s words, Tama, who had been acrobatically dominating, perked up her ears.
The newest golden armor’s cat-ear decoration on the helmet moves in sync with Tama’s ears inside, making her look very cute.
I had been monitoring the radar blips with parallel thinking; the Saga Empire’s large airship tracking the Demon Airship was supposed to be passing over the city.
Just as I opened the map, wondering if there was a problem with the airship, a faint danger sense and a huge tremor shook the underground hall.
The ceiling cracked, and the tip of the Demon Airship burst through and gouged the ground.
Tama kicked away the flying debris, saying “nin-nin.”
It seemed the ghosts and wraiths had already been exterminated.
I turned toward the intruding Demon Airship but saw no need for special countermeasures.
From the shadowy mist where the Demon Airship vanished, Hero Meiko appeared, wielding a Holy Sword resembling a Japanese sword.
Though different from the Holy Sword she had used before, it was certainly one she had drawn from her unique skill “Infinite Armory.”
‘Master! Are you okay? Hey, answer me!’
‘Tama and I are fine. Are you hurt?’
‘I’m fine too. After this, when we take a bath together, I’ll check the places you can’t see for injuries—’
Arisa started to say something foolish, so I sighed and cut the call.
At that moment, Hero Meiko and I made eye contact.
“Tch, it’s you—you're last!”
After spotting me, Hero Meiko spat a curse and walked toward the floor door leading to the City Core chamber.
There, ignoring the tremors caused by the crashing Demon Airship, the lich kept relentlessly punching the magical barrier.
I just noticed the Wraith Lord—Pope Zazalis—was gone, likely crushed by the airship.