Death March kara Hajimaru Isekai Kyusoukyoku (WN)

17-29. Purple Hell

※ Arisa's point of view

"Welcome back."

I turned around as Mia said that and saw Master there.

"Huh? Welcome back, Master."

Master who had gone to where god Tenion was together with some pompous nymph this morning has returned it seems.

I was gonna check on documents for pressing matters in Master's workroom, but that seems unnecessary now.

"That was fast."

"Yeah, they only needed me for model making today."

Guhehe, Master's model making. I'm intrigued.

Wonder if god Tenion would give me Master's 3D model data if I asked through Sera?

I'm super sure there's a huge demand for Master's life-sized figures.

Pochi came out of the mirror gate in the capital mansion's office room connected to the Solitary Island Palace.

"Welcome back, nanodesu."

Whoa, Tama and Pochi also got back early--huh wait? Pochi was faster than Tama today eh.

Looking at Tama, she's bending over, ruminating over something, "Nyu nyu nyu?"

That girl does that either when she's wondering what today's lunch and dinner will be or coming up with a new idea for her painting, or when she's detecting an omen of incoming powerful enemies or disasters, so it's hard to say which one.

Maybe I should check around with space magic a bit.

"Here."

As Mia murmured, an area in the capital flashed on my mind, informing me of a fiendish being present there.

This must be the effect of Unique Skill [Sanctuary Guard] loaned to Mia from god Urion.

I connect everyone through space magic [Tactical Talk]

『This is bad!』

Lulu's voice could be heard across Tactical Talk.

She's supposed to be shopping in the marketplace along with Nana and Zena-tan today.

『Emergency so I report.』

『Demon god showed up!』

It's Nana and Zena-tan who were escorting her.

Looks like Mia detected Demon God.

So it seems like Demon God has gotten ahead of the pantheon.

◇

"Gegeh, it's the real thing."

At an open terrace of a coffee shop at the main street, there Demon God was gracefully sipping a cup of blue tea.

None of the purple little girls is in sight.

"Arisa, you girls take shelter at Solitary Island Palace."

Master stepped toward Demon God as he said that.

『Wait, Master!』

I called out to Master through Familiar Link but I couldn't get any response.

Looks like he's fully concentrating on Demon God.

I ask Tina-sama and the girls to help capital populace evacuate through Tactical Talk.

The usual Master would have taken people to sub-space capital himself even if we didn't do all that, but I don't want to put more burden on Master when he's up against an opponent of equal or possibly stronger than him, Demon God.

We've got to support him in any way we can.

"So quick of you. Have you made up your mind to become a part of me then?"

"That's not gonna happen. I'm here to ask you one thing."

Demon God puts the cup away and looks at Master.

"What do you plan on doing by assimilating me?"

"That huh. Lesser goods you may be, you're still me from a parallel world. My Soul Vessel should grow bigger by taking you in."

--Should?

He's trying to absorb Master for such a dubious reason?

I hold down my welling up anger and open gates to proceed with the evacuation.

"Once my Vessel gets bigger, it should then cover the last step I needed to arrive at true godhood."

"I've heard of that already. What I wanted to know is what you would do once you became a true god."

Demon God had a look like he didn't expect it when Master asked him that.

"Obviously. I shall liberate people of this planet from the rule of those foolish gods, to grant them freedom."

--Freedom?

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So I guess the phrase [Liberty~] those demon lord adherents love to use originated from Demon God's ideology?

"I see, I understand your goal now. And, once you've abolished the seven pillar gods, what then? Would you go and eliminate the [Outsiders] threatening the people of this planet?"

Outsiders--The Endless, Invaders from a foreign world, World-Eroding Monsters.

According to what Master heard from gods, Demon God once went to challenge these [Outsiders] and came back in tatter.

Afterward, Dragon God destroyed the ringleaders, but the survivors took in the power of dragons and grew even stronger, they even managed to destroy the world once.

"Exactly. I shan't let them stage another come back. With me as a true god and my familiars furnished with true divine protections, we will exterminate those pest prowling in space."

Demon God announced in contempt.

A wave of anger leaking out of him manifested physically and created gust of winds, seizing me and the golden and silver members around in dread.

But that immediately receded.

Must be the effect of Liza-san's Unique Skill [Hero Heart].

"Now then, if you have no more regret, come to me. I loathe to mingle with lesser goods, but I cannot be picky here."

Demon God put back the cup on saucer.

That he's not even standing up is probably to flaunt just how above Master he is, but that carelessness will be his undoing.

Demon God's shadow wavered slightly, then a moment later, Master had been bound by that shadow.

Geez, did he really believe Master would get done in by the same attack twice?

He'd tear that shadow apart with his bare hands--huh?

"As expected of Demon God. Don't think you can assimilate me so easily though."

Wait hey, this isn't the time for bravado!

This should be the scene where you'd completely turn the table on Demon God and make him go all, "T-This can't be", in shock, shouldn't it?!

"Resist all you want. The moment you run away with that teleportation of yours, I shall annihilate this capital and along with it, your companions."

"Will it be that easy?"

"It will be. I see that you managed to swindle Authorities off those gods and gave those to your subordinates, but those are ultimately mere stopgaps. No matter how hastily you attempt to master those, those uncultivated Authorities only posses little power."

--Uncultivated?

Don't tell me, the reason why Demon God has been giving Authorities to reincarnated people is--.

"Ah well, guess I don't have many choices then, do I"

"Indeed. If you truly believe in your power, try to wrestle control from me inside."

"Wa-you can't! Master! Forget us and the capital, you--"

"<<SILENCE>>"

Demon God silenced me from giving advices to Master as I reflexively jumped out.

"Young girl who bears my Authorities. Companions who serve upon my otherworld self. I order you to stay silent until I have assimilated this man. I shall add you to my feuille one day."

A chill runs down my spine when I sense lust mixed in Demon God's glances.

Something that I have never felt from Master.

Apparently Demon God loves young girls.

That reminds me, he proclaimed himself as [Guardian of Little Girls] when we encountered him at Saga Empire.

But rather than a guardian, he feels more like an [Enemy of Little Girls.]

◇

『Arisa, we've finished taking capital populace to the shelter.』

Tina-sama's voice could be heard from Tactical Talk.

『Ooh, that was quick.』

『Sete used the City Core power to help with the evacuation.』

『Pretty good that king is.』

『It's also thanks to Hikaru-sama's persuasions.』

I see, Ancestor King's persuasive power huh.

『Arisa, we've taken up position. Black Dragon and Heavenly Dragon are coming soon as well.』

It's Liza-san this time.

Not sure if it's thanks to [Hermit Hide] Unique Skill loaned by god Tenion to Sera, or simply because Demon God does not perceive us as threats, Liza-san and the girls have successfully encircled him.

『OK! Operation Recapture Master, begin!』

We don't have much time left in reality.

Master is putting up some resistances himself, but he's just about to get sucked into a purple black hole-like thingy opened on Demon God's chest.

--[Never Give Up]

--[Never Give Up]

--[Never Give Up]

--[Never Give Up]

Four purple lights run over my body.

I don't know if Authorities loaned from Demon God could even be used to harm him.

It's an often used cliche.

--But!

I will take Master back!

"Aport Plunder"

Not sealing space magic off just because Master has teleport-type Unique Skill is a big mistake.

Taking advantage of Demon God's negligence, Master showed up next to me.

『Saint Prey』

『Aim and shoot!』

Bathed in Zena-tan's Unique Skill [Saint Prey], Demon God frowned unpleasantly, then right at the same time, a blue light blew away the spot where Demon God was, ground and building, into smithereens. It's Lulu's accelerated cannon.

I swallowed mana recovery potion and teleported away to a safety zone with Master and the girls.

A purple light that seemed to be Demon God's counterattack assaulted Lulu, but it got blocked by Nana's [Paladin Castle].

"Master, we're going on the offensive too!"

As I checked for my remaining mana, Master never answered me back.

I turned around in confusion and saw Master looking at me with a slightly melancholic look on his face.

Master thrust me away with his hand.

"--Master?"

Master opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, space was torn apart, a purple hand grabbed him and dragged him to the other side of the rift.

I tried to reopen the closed space with chantless magic to take Master back, but I could do nothing at all on Demon God's spell.

Moreover, even though I had been trying to activate Unique Skill without caring about getting turned into demon lord as a consequence, nothing happened.

The owner of those Authorities, Demon God, must have locked them.

Master disappeared into Demon God's body.

"Mazteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!"

◇

Master was swallowed up.

My hands could never reach no matter how hard I struggled.

--This is a punishment.

A punishment to me who made the same mistake I laughed Demon God for.

"Danger!"

Tama shouted.

"Paladin Castle. Paladin Castle. Paladin Castle."

"Armor-san, please nanodesu!"

"""Phalanx System emergency activation!"""

Nana cast Unique Skills multiple times, Pochi and the girls activated the disposable defensive system, Phalanx, together.

A moment later, Demon God burst open from the inside.

The majority of rainbow colored lights headed toward the sky, but the shockwave produced by it blew away capital buildings, turning the royal castle into piles of rubbles.

Even triple Paladin Castles and multiple Phalanxes failed to block the shockwave.

I wipe away my tears with my hand and help defending with Hyper Deracinator.

This isn't time for self-deprecation.

I gotta do what I gotta do now!

"I will absolutely protect everyone Master hold dear."

"Yes Arisa. Combination is justice so I inform."

Nana emits a vermilion-colored light.

It's the light from [Paladin Castle] Unique Skill loaned to her by god Karion.

That light permeated into the multiple layers of defensive barrier and my Hyper Deracinator, combining them into one barrier.

"Combination complete--new defensive system Paladin Kingdom so I denominate."

The combined defensive barrier clad in a vermilion-colored light managed to defend against shockwave from the rainbow.

Geez, Nana, you're looking like a protagonist of some light novel there.

Now then, it's my turn next.

I fell into panic earlier, but my link to Master hasn't been severed.

I will definitely take Master back.

I'm gonna show you the power of his sole familiar, Hyper Arisa-chan!

◇

A shadow wavered at the impact point.

"Suicide bombing is it... I see that those gods too have stopped caring about putting on airs."

Demon God was in tatter.

Most of his body has been carbonized, purple particles are leaking out of the tips of his fingers and hair.

"Give Master baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!"

Master's presence is so far away.

I somehow managed to catch Familiar Link on the tip of my finger by earnestly extending out my heart thread.

But the link is so weak.

It would likely snap if I tried to pull it unless I widen the gap a bit more.

"Futile. I have assimilated the last of his vestiges. It's futile no matter what you do. Simply put, in human term, Suzuki Ichirou--Nay, Satou is dead."

"No! He is not!"

Liza-san who rushed in at Master's Ground Shrink speed toward Demon God pierced Demon God's chest with her dragon spear.

"Ofcour~se~?"

"Master is definitely definitely alive nodesu!"

Tama and Pochi slashed Demon God with their dragon fang swords from both sides.

Demon God swung his arm, blowing the three away.

"Nn, definitely."

Using that opportunity, Mia's Fenrir cut open the wound Tama and Pochi left behind, top and bottom.

A purple core-like thing gets exposed.

The core is protected by three dark purple rings.

That must be Demon God's real body.

I just know somehow.

The hole that sucked Master in must be there.

"We're taking Master back!"

Lulu's accelerated cannon's bullet brought one ring protecting the core down.

"Dragon Rending Sword!"

The magic Hikaru unleashed after chanting cut apart the second ring.

"...■ Sacred Impact"

"...■ Divine Thunder Field."

"...■ Divine Diamond Stratos."

Three magic from Sera, Zena-tan, and Tina-sama struck the third ring, but it fell one step short from breaking it.

"KUNGFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU, KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICK!"

Karina-tan's fighting game character-like flying deathblow shattered the last ring.

A dazzling light fills the surroundings.

◇

"We did it desuwa!"

『Not yet, Karina-dono!』

His core has been left bare open but he's still unharmed.

This isn't my turn yet. That will come once the core is destroyed.

"Liza-san!"

"Affirmative!"

Liza-san rushed back in, her dragon spear was thrust at the cor--

"Impudent little!"

Purple gust blew over, smashing Liza-san's dragon spear into pieces.

"Notyeeeeeeeeeeeet!"

She threw away the broken dragon spear and switched to her trusty magic spear Douma, aiming at Demon God's core.

But an invisible wall manifested before Demon God's core, blocking the spear. It's Demon God's Divine Dancing Armor.

"Weak."

Demon God instantly reverted back to his original state.

"Mere mortals cannot possibly hope to go against me now that I have ascended to true god."

Demon God floated in the air, looking down on us.

"However, lesser goods he might be, he did gave me the impetus toward true godhood. In honor of Satou's will, I shall leave you be. Go guard your master's grave in the world of men."

No. I don't care if it fails, but if I don't do it now, he'll go away to some unreachable place.

"WORYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! GIVE MASTER BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!"

I stretch my hand toward the departing Demon God, frantically trying to pull Master back through Familiar Link.

"Futile. My dear fragment girl."

The instance Demon God said that, I could feel the connection to Master I had getting torn apart, falling off my fingertip.

"Farewell. If you wish to avenge yourselves, you are free to proceed to Netherworld through the highest floor of [Purple Tower]. If you manage to reach Purple Shadow Tower in the deep end of Netherworld, I shall play along with you."

Despite attacks from the girls, Demon God's figure wavered and vanished.

He did in the face of the space magic teleport inhibition I had deployed, no resistance no nothing.

We were made to taste the absolute gap between us and Demon God once again.

◇

"Arisa."

"I know. We're absolutely going to save Master."

The girls nodded at my word.

"Wait for us. Master."

--We're gonna rescue you for sure.

I made my vow for our reunion toward the spot where Demon God disappeared.

"You called?"

--Eh?

I turned around to see Master and his ever the nonchalant face.

He's also with Aze-tan.

"It kind of felt like Arisa was calling for me or something, so I made my way back from Realm of Gods."

"Master!"

Liza-san swiftly hugged Master, then everyone including me did as well.

Geez, oh you Master!

I looked like a fool with that vow, didn't I.

Even while complaining in my mind, I was grateful to Master's cheatness.