Chapter 970
Satou here. During the final stage of a tale, it's customary for the protagonist to be stuck in a series of pinch. I wish such an unreasonable situation would never happen in real life. It's always been a life where I never got any power over the steering wheel though…
"Arisa, a.s.sist me sealing the Nether Gate."
"OK, count on me!"
Arisa immediately gave her OK to my request.
"Please maintain the s.p.a.ce around the gate."
"Gotya~"
The anti-G.o.d magic I used to defeat the Unique Skill-holding demons guarding the gate ended up completely obliterating the s.p.a.ce around the gate along with those demons, slightly destabilizing that s.p.a.ce in the process.
Bizarre purple-colored s.p.a.ce started showing up on the walls, it's kind of revolting.
I proceed inside the sub-s.p.a.ce while holding Arisa in my arm.
"Ugeeh, even the gate looks so gross up close."
"It probably wasn't like this at first."
The Nether Gate made of mysterious purple metal has reliefs of little girls engraved on it, but they look like they're suffering due to the black vein-like things running on its surface.
"That black thingy looks a lot like materialized miasma."
The fact that it doesn't disappear even after getting bathed in my Spirit Light means that it's of highly concentrated one.
"Wonder if that's the Netherworld beyond that s.p.a.ce over?"
Eavesdropping skill picked up lady Ringrande's murmur.
Oh right, these girls had never seen the mysterious s.p.a.ce under the Purple Tower's walls before.
"That is not Netherworld so I report."
"Nn, mysterious sub-s.p.a.ce."
Nana and Mia informed lady Ringrande's of the result of our prior investigation.
"Master, I've taken hold of the s.p.a.ce, the feedback felt a bit weird though."
Arisa's quick on her feet.
"Okay then, take care of this side. Dash out at once if anything happens."
"Un, you be careful too Master."
I leave the rest to Arisa and touch the Nether Gate with my hand.
You don't use this like a real gate as it's a type of teleportation gate.
AR readings told me the surface of the gate was covered in barriers, but those barriers vanished along with a gla.s.s-breaking sound when I touched the gate.
–Geh.
With the barriers gone, it's evident that the black thing on its surface is not miasma.
It's the same black sludge G.o.d Zaikuon used to power himself up back then.
The black sludge got peeled off the gate and spread out a.s.saulting me like a predating slime.
Already antic.i.p.ating that, I drew the Divine Sword and destroy all of it.
Fortunately, it was less concentrated than the sludge that took over G.o.d Zaikuon so it disappeared easily.
I waited until the near-jet black dark purple mist had cleared up before touching the Nether Gate.
A moment later, my body got transported to beyond the Nether Gate.
"–Nether Pathways?"
Checking the name on my Map, this place is not the Netherworld.
It seems to be some sort of pathways made of the mysterious s.p.a.ce.
There are around nine pathways spreading out.
Only 24 purple towers remain, so not all of them are connected it seems.
"So the Netherworld lies beyond…"
Well, there's no need to go all the way there.
Would be annoying if I got thrust into a fight as I came out.
I deploy similar s.p.a.ce magic Arisa used earlier to permeate my mana in the Nether Pathways. Getting especially scrupulous around the pathways' root–.
Once it's permeated enough, I proceed to the next phase.
I'll drive in [Dimension Smasher] using the permeated mana as a fuel and destroy all nine pathways in one go.
–Dimension Smasher.
A big bang-like light filled the pathways, then a moment later vibrations and thunderous roars intense enough to make me feel like the atoms composing my body were getting discomposed came a.s.saulting.
I managed to hold out against it with multiple Castles somehow and then I checked the surroundings.
–Smas.h.i.+ng complete.
Everything inside the Map has been completely torn to shreds you can't even tell which part was the pathways.
First Phase done.
Next, I'll erase the few remaining connections to Netherworld using Hikaru's specialized anti-G.o.d magic [Mythology Extinction].
Feels like it's even more destructive than usual, wonder if it's because of the dimensional instability here.
I overdid it a bit.
Even the remains of pathways have been completely obliterated, and the entire s.p.a.ce where the Nether Pathways were located is disappearing.
"Let's skip ahead."
I skip some checks and proceed to the sealing phase now that Netherworld is completely cut off Human World.
The spell I chose is [Mythology Jail].
An anti-G.o.d spell I improved from the magic intended to seal G.o.ds Corpse taught me.
However, this was originally a spell to simply seal G.o.ds and demon lords as its targets, so I made some rearrangements.
This trick is only possible because I have a complete grasp on the original magic code.
There is a need to recast but I can afford that much time.
[Mythology Jail] spread out, swallowing up the severed parts of Nether Pathways. This should make creating a new channel between the two worlds impossible.
"–Sealing complete, whoa"
My voice disappeared midway, probably because the dimension that held the pathways had vanished.
It'd be better if the s.p.a.ce-time distance between Netherworld and Human World could be stretched out more, but I guess I've got no choice.
I'd get lost in s.p.a.ce and time if this kept up, thus I got back to the Nether Gate using Unit Arrangement.
"Master!"
"I'm back. I'm going to clean up the rest, you
Arisa took the girls out of the tower.
Now then, I just need to completely erase the Nether Gate and it's done.
I envelop the Nether Gate in multiple Castles and barriers before driving in a powered-up [Mythology Down] to destroy it.
It's a cinch this time since I just need to destroy stuff unlike earlier.
After confirming that no trace of Nether Gate remained, I left the tower using Unit Arrangement.
I was going to demolish the Purple Tower lastly, but it crumbled down on its own, perhaps due to the severed connection to Netherworld.
According to my Map, the remaining 23 towers we didn't destroy due to the local requests have all been erased as well.
"Guess it's case closed then?"
◇
"…I see an extra."
When I turned around toward the girls, I saw someone who wasn't present when we entered the tower.
"Irregular! Please save milord!"
The pink-haired purple little girl clung to me while bawling out.
I look at Arisa seeking for an explanation.
"She was stuck inside that mysterious s.p.a.ce, see."
–I see.
Looks like the purple little girl was on her way here when she failed.
Pochi and Tama came forward in front of me with their tails tucked in.
"I'm sorry~"
"Tama is not at fault nodesu! It's because Pochi asked to save her nodesu!"
"No worries."
I pat the two's heads.
I'm not narrow minded enough to scold them for saving people.
"Master, people have started coming out of the old capital. Might be a good idea to switch location."
"Got it."
"Satou, we're going with you."
Lady Ringrande asked me to bring them with us.
"I'm hero Nanas.h.i.+. Don't start mistaking me with earl Pendragon now."
"You can drop that act now. Everyone's already found out long times ago, neither anyone going to spread it. Right then… I swear in the name of Hero Hayato. Will you believe us then?"
The other attendants also swore by Hero Hayato's name.
Well, I guess it's fine then.
I don't believe they would break a vow in Hayato's name.
"Got it. Let's go together."
I brought everyone to one of my bases.
The base in the great desert to the west of Labyrinth City should be fine, no matter what demon G.o.d and purple little girl are plotting, the collateral damage would be at a minimum here.
With everyone tired and all, I decided to take a break at this base.
And since lady Ringrande and her companions have found out about my ident.i.ty anyway, I've returned to Satou form.
"Good work out there, everyone. I've prepared your meals and bath inside the mansion, feel free to use them for refreshment."
I've put feast for banquet preserved inside my Storage on the empty tables, and taken out a bath tub that can hold 30 people at once from among my Onsen Collection inside Storage and poured milky white warm water that heals fatigue in it.
"A bath!"
"You for real, Satoun-chi you're the best ever!"
"You're going in with me aren't you, Sera."
"Ane-sama, did you ask to come with us for the sake of a bath?"
"Ah, yeah right. Okay then, I'll get in later."
Hayato's attendants and some of the girls headed to the bath.
"Soo many meat Pochi is stumped nodesu."
"Ou, aw-maw-zing~?"
"We even got Silver Skin jerky here."
"Pochi, let's take on Hamburg Steak together."
The beastkin girls and lady Karina are onto meat like always.
"Ghost Mushroom steak."
"Mia, this stew here is good too so I inform."
"Misama, do give this consommé soup a try as well."
Mia, Nana and the princess are keen on vegetable and soup.
"For you Satou-san, and here's for that girl."
"Zensan, thank you."
Zensan brought me and the purple little girl some beverages.
"Master, don't forget to get your fill on food too."
"Here, how about some nice fruit."
"Thanks, you two."
Lulu and Hikaru brought some sandwich and cut fruit that could be eaten with one hand.
After confirming that everyone had started their bath and meal, I sat down and listened to the purple little girl in the corner of the hall.
Arisa representing the girls and lady Ringrande representing the attendants are also here.
"You asked me to save Demon G.o.d earlier, didn't you? Could you tell me what you mean in detail?"
"Un."
I gave her the juice Zensan brought, then the purple little girl started talking bit by bit while drinking it.
"Someone among the G.o.ds–I think it's that idiot Zaikuon's put [Forbidden Power (Poison)] inside the Crystal!"
This Crystal must refer to the Divinity Crystal, [White Radiant Crystal], the Demon G.o.d stole from the seven pillar G.o.ds.
"And and! It's the entire [Forbidden Power (Poison)] sealed in the moon!"
Looks like all of that thing that drove G.o.d Zaikuon mad was put in the crystal.
"At this rate, the Netherworld and Human World milord was so eager to save will get all messed up!"
"With the destruction of the gate in the Purple Tower, the connection between Netherworld and human world has been severed. Human world should be in no danger anymore."
"That's not true!"
The purple little girl insisted as she stood up.
"That's not true! I mean, there's other Gates!"
–Eh?
"Where!"
"There's pathways to the moon and labyrinths. One at the Cave World under the moon and another at the Dungeon Highways!"
I've treaded on both myself, but never would have thought both would have gates–.
"Tama! Check if the moon's out!"
Arisa asked Tama who was by the window.
"Aye. A full purple moon~?"
"Moon-sama is drooling from watching the meat Pochi's got on her nodesu!"
I look up at the sky beyond the window with a bad presentiment.
A dark purple moon is hanging in the dim sky.
Even though it's supposed to be new moon tonight, it's full moon just like Tama said.
And it's weirdly big to boot.
"…The encroachment, it's starting…"
The dumbfounded Lady Ringrande murmured.
She's probably guessed right, the Netherworld must be encroaching through the moon.
『Core Two, how's the situation at your dungeon?』
『Master Satou! I've got a message from Dungeon Core main body! [Received an interference from outside the dungeon, the system was promptly shut out, thus we suffered no damage].』
Glad I had arranged a directive to immediately isolate the system anytime, thanks to the hacking during Divine Punishment.
"Master, do you think other dungeons are fine?"
『I'm heading out for a bit.』
I moved to the Dungeon Master Room of Phantasmal Labyrinth where I'm registered as its Dungeon Master.
『Master, did you receive my message from Core Two?』
Dungeon Core talked to me the instant I got there.
"Yeah, I did. Well done, Core. Can you contact other dungeons with the system shut out?"
『Yes Master. I have contacted all dungeons except for one.』
"Except for one?"
『The [Devil Dungeon] adjoining northern s.h.i.+ga Kingdom's Seryuu City's City Core has fallen to demons' hand. It rejected our communication.』
One out huh.
Just as I was about to teleport to Seryuu City with Unit Arrangement, I remembered something.
『Core, I need you to do something.』
『Yes, Master Satou.』
I asked her to create [Self-Status] orbs for all the girls which I would fetch later.
And now the girls should be able to cast magic chantlessly like Arisa and heroes do.
Now then, the moon or Seryu City, which one should I save–.
This was a no brainer, I quickly went to the rescue with Unit Arrangement.