Part 15
Currently at the Harvest Festival’s bazaar, the rampaging tyrant’s low roar echoed from the depths of the area.
This Demon Lord did not have any goals or sanity.
Yō and Shirayuki instantly entered their combat stances as they watched the depths of the Crevice.
“…… It’s coming. Both of you, be prepared!”
Obeying Yō’s orders, Shirayuki and Lily lighted the torches in the vicinity.
The bazaar which was lighted by the lights casted by the torches illuminated the large amounts of combustible materials and wood that were stockpiled at the sides.
“The wind has an attribute of seeking light! Try your best to make it disperse and shave away at its strength!”
“Got it!
“Understood!”
With that, the trio dispersed in different directions. Lily continuously ran to light the wood smeared with oil while Shirayuki headed to the small hill of waste wood.
Equipping her Pegasus leg guards, Yō cloaked herself in a glittery wind to take to the skies.
To disperse the winds in from left, right, up and down, it would only slightly reduce the damage wrought by the ‘Winds of Decadence’.
(In the worst case scenario, Garol said that he would bring Coppelia back to the shop. We got to buy more time to prevent that end.)
Looking towards the observation deck of [Underwood] from the skies, it was the place where Garol was observing them. In the case that Yō, Lily or any others were to be in danger of being caught by the winds, he would immediately take action.
To prevent the situation from progressing to that point, Yō needed to command the duo.
(……Here it comes! )
From a tremor that quaked the earth to an explosion, the Demon Lord, who devoured all of the radiance in the shop, showed itself as it blew apart the black doors to stream out from the crevice in the land.
Just the aftershock of that blast was enough to cause the crevice to collapse and the gluttonous ‘Winds of Decadence’ erased all traces of the earth that came into contact with it. However, it would seem that devouring more earth would not be able to sate its hunger.
“Aye……?!”
“It’s actually……?!”
Lily and Shirayuki, who were lighting up the combustible materials continuously, gave cries of surprise.
Wanting to possess and have a taste of that blinding radiance emitted by the Pegasus boots, the ‘Winds of Decadence’ ignored the puny lights of the bonfires and zoomed in on Yō as its prey.
The unexpected turn of events caused Yō to panic but she knew that she should not remain in her original location in a daze.
Immediately manoeuvring in the air, she unleashed the shimmering winds in all directions.
“In this situation……!”
What should I do? Yō used all her might to lure the ‘Winds of Decadence’ into her waltz.
Unfortunately, the effect was too little. Even if it did manage to disperse it somewhat, the aggressiveness of the ‘Winds of Decadence’ in its pursuit only increased. Hence Yō finally realized the real aim of the enemy.
(This wind…… is trying to devour me!! )
No matter how blinding her shimmering winds are, they were all insubstantial and devoured like fog, unable to appease its hunger. Having had its appetizer in the form of the golden museum, the gluttonous winds were lusting after the shimmering winds that was decided to be the prey for the main dish.
In this sort of direct confrontation, it would only be a matter of suicide.
Understanding that the situation was not advantageous for her, Yō turned tail to run from the ‘Winds of Decadence’.
“This, This is bad! If she is targeted, she will not be able to escape!”
“Yō-san……!!!”
The two gave similarly pained cries.
Yō, who was chased by the rapidly nearing threat behind her back, was also shivering from the thoughts of the end that shall befall if she were to be caught by the wind. Dying without a trace as her body would be devoured to nothingness.
She released her shimmering winds towards her back with all her remaining strength. But to the ‘Winds of Decadence’, this was only an exaggerated show of might that only needed to be dyed with its own color and destroyed before discarding.
(I was too naïve……! Even if it did not have any intellect, this wind is also a Demon Lord……!!! )
Yō ran till her forehead was streaming with perspiration but the distance between them continued to close rapidly.
(I can’t make it…… It’s inevitable—!!! )
In the instant that the fingers of Death were to be clamped onto Yō’s head.
The fiercely pursued target of the dark grey winds disappeared.
“—Oi Oi. That’s too early to give up, Kasukabe!!”
The figure that moved at a speed sufficient to combust the air in the atmosphere had used the branch of the Great Tree as a foothold to make the full powered jump.
Izayoi then landed with Yō in his arms with a force sufficient to shake the 500 meter Great Tree.
Standing like a Nio in the large crater, Izayoi gave Yō a mocking smile.
“Aiyaya, that really scared me. Because Kasukabe gave people the impression of having more guts than that. I really didn’t expect you to be so quick at cutting off that bravado.”
“……Mu. If Izayoi thinks that way, why not try having yourself chased by that?”
“Well, I will politely decline that offer. Although it is just a glance, I see that it truly is a little different. I would not want to have a direct confrontation with it. — Moreover, all the players have assembled.”
Izayoi looked towards the sky. The dark grey storm that was fiercely pursuing up till a moment ago had collected itself into a slow billowing clump.
Directing its will to look at the observation deck of [Underwood].
The formless Demon Lord was looking at— with a brilliant head of silver hair that waved in the wind, the azure blue eyed Coppelia stood at that location.
“Sorry to make everyone wait. The operation has safely ended. And—“
Coppelia unfurled the goatskin parchment.
At the same moment that the goatskin parchment [Geass Roll] radiated a blinding light, it also underwent a tremendous change to become a huge Flag that flew above [Underwood].
“—The game is cleared. ‘End Emptiness”, you do not have the means to destroy me anymore……!!”
Emblazoned on the Red based cloth of the Flag were the overlapping design of Gears and the petals of a budding fantasy.
That flag was the evidence of immense wealth and glory.
Representing the undying petals of Mankind’s last fantasy.
The Flag of the Community— [Last Embryo]
“Depart with haste, ‘End Emptiness’. The ‘paradox Game’ of — the never ending dream of ‘me’ has ended. If you continue to show your presence here, you will be seen to be breaking the rules. Even if you are an undefeatable Demon Lord, you will still be hard pressed in escaping the fate of being chased out of Little Garden.
Coppelia emitted a silvery radiance as she announced calmly. There was not a shred of melancholy and it was just as though the dream doll that mankind have dreamed off in the past was now standing before them.
The formless Demon Lord stopped in the airspace above the city, shifting restlessly like its balance had been thrown off.
— Indeed, the contract had ended. But it would seem that this whole region was about to become mountain load of food.
Suppressing its havoc, the movements were similar to the licking of one’s lips, just like an internal struggle against its hideous desires.
Want to eat,
Want to eat,
Want to eat. Its stance was similar to a hunting dog that was salivating.
Looking up from the city and noticing that stance, Izayoi couldn’t bear it anymore as he clicked his tongue and roared.
“OI, You formless Demon Lord-sama. If you try to tear up the agreement and go on a one-sided rampage— we on this end will also be using a similar rule breaking ability to mete judgement on you, alright?
Instantly, a bright light was emitted from Izayoi’s right hand.
The light from his hand was comparable to the intensity of the Sun and it illuminated the whole city in the night.
Even though the Dark grey Demon Lord was a little disturbed by the unexpected radiance, it did not seem to withdraw its presence. Instead, that presence was gradually filled with a sense of joy.
—A special dish was found this time. The Demon Lord that was, logically speaking, without a form had laughed.
In the instant that did not even feel like a fraction of a second, it seem to give the feeling of having smiled in that storm but it disappeared without a trace in the next second.
Just as ‘End Emptiness’ swelled up, it then shot off in a straight light towards the centre of Little Garden—leaving towards the world Axis.
The path of ‘End Emptiness’ ripped through the sea of clouds and swallowed the starlight from amongst the clouds.
“……I guess this marks an end to this business, right?”
“I guess, so?”
Yō echoed Izayoi’s words. Although the situation had gone out of expectations, but the damage was limited to its smallest and there could be no better result than that. Izayoi stood akimbo as he looked up at the starry skies with a satisfied look while slowly shifting his gaze towards [Underwood].
Seeing the eternal buds emblazoned on the flag of [Last Embryo], he mumbled in an emotional moment.
“A perpetual motion mechanism…. Eh? Ha, although it is said to be abandoned, it sure is ridiculous. Because Mankind who had struggled to make those petals bloom have already built the twenty-first century.
Izayoi narrowed his eyes as he reminisced his past.
—The huge hydroelectric facility that towered over the Iguazu Falls which he had seen during his younger days.
To recycle the energy of the great river that circulates the planet to convert it into a form of energy for the illumination of the streets. That sort of technique is only something that Man can achieve only through the basics found in the pursuing of the perpetual motion mechanism dream.
Perhaps it is not possible to create the perpetual motion mechanism by Man’s abilities alone. But with the accompaniment of great will and the prosperity of the years, that radiance of the flag would not be too exaggerating to be called the radiance obtained by Man. Just as he was filled with the emotions from watching the [Last Embryo]’s flag, he noticed the figures of Lily and Shirayuki rushing over from the distance.
“Izayoi-san—! Yō-san—! Are you two alright—?!”
“Oh, we are alright over here.”
“Although it was a little dangerous.”
Panting as she ran over, Lily wagged her tails with a pitter pattering sound.
Letting Yō off from his arms, Izayoi then spread his arms in a smile.
“Okay, now that the problematic stuff is resolved, to substitute the celebratory dinner, would you guys like to have some Pumpkin Salty Pie?”
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