Episode 288: Power inflation (6)

A shower of gold coins rains down over a vast area.

Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink!

It was a terrifyingly destructive force that warped the surrounding landscape.

…… but.

Vikir walked through the swirling cloud of gold dust and stood nonchalantly.

‘The Wailing Wall’. The Seventh Corpse of Decarabia.

The demonic shield that was once an insurmountable wall for mankind was now on the side of man, protecting Vikir!

[……It’s been a long time, Belial].

Belial’s eyes widened at the sound of Decarabia’s voice.

[What the hell is going on, Decarabia, and why are you coming out of there now?]

[I come out where I want to come out when I want to come out].

[That’s not what I meant. What about your great mission to open the gates, and what are you doing here?]

[Didn’t you just say a moment ago that you don’t need companions; why don’t you try opening the gate on your own?]

Belial gritted his teeth in disbelief at the tastelessness of Decarabia’s voice.

[I’m sure I can open the gate by myself when this vault is full, I don’t need those ungrateful companions!]

After all, he had just shouted those words.

Belial swallowed hard at his anger, then spoke in a softened voice.

[Decarabia, it will never be good for you to betray us in this way].

[Betrayal? The word is wrong, young one, for I have never been on anyone’s side by nature].

[Are you confident, then, that you can bear the wrath of your companions, that you can bear the wrath of one who is ‘one and all’, who is ‘all and one’?]

[……The answer shall be bound for ever by oath].

This was the end of Belial and Decarabia’s conversation.

Apparently, Decarabia would not answer any more of Belial’s questions.

Vikir spoke briefly.

“Belial is a demon of commerce, but he is also a demon of speech, and the two are inseparable, so the answer is not to talk too long.”

[I know the cunning of his tongue, human; more importantly, how does it feel to use me, isn’t it wonderful?]

Vikir stared at Decarabia’s self-praise for a moment.

The translucent shield glowed a dusky red as if to show off.

Its mana cost was staggering, but its ability to block physical damage made it one of the most powerful shields ever created.

Moreover, since the size and hardness can also be adjusted, it seemed like it could be used efficiently if mana control could be controlled in detail.

“……It’s usable.”

[Heh- usable? That’s all you can say about it?]

While grumbling unhappily, Decarabia glanced toward Dolores behind him.

[Well, it doesn’t matter, it’s nice to be able to protect a beautiful woman, and of course, a handsome man. But most of all, the person worth protecting is a handsome man dressed as a beautiful woman, or a beautiful woman dressed as a handsome man. This body that loves good, evil, and all chaos…….]

“Shut up, here they come again.”

Vikir raised Decarabia and braced himself for the attack ahead.

As if on cue, Belial unleashed a massive bombardment of gold coins from his two hands.

Clink, clink, clink, clink, clink, clink, clink-

A loud crackling noise, accompanied by sparks of fire, shook the shield of the inverted pentagram.

But Decarabia’s shields, almost unbeatable in physical defense, didn’t budge.

‘……I like it, but the mana cost is too much.’

The loud vibration of the mana hole at the bottom makes me feel extremely seasick.

It seemed that in order to build up the proficiency of Decarabia, a considerable amount of mana accumulation was required before using the Shield Technique.

Then.

“Hey, hey, hey……you can put me down now.”

Dolores covered her face and whispered in a low voice.

Her ears, peeking out of her hair, were red beyond reddening.

Vikir quietly lowered her to the ground, still clasped around his waist.

Then he spoke.

“You don’t have to be so hard on yourself. We’re colleagues.”

“……!”

Dolores’ eyes widened at the words.

Night Hound had called her a colleague.

And the moment Dolores heard those words.

…pounding!

His heart began to beat wildly.

‘Why, what’s wrong with my chest? I feel something hot inside…….’

Dolores pressed her hand firmly against her left breast.

An unexplained power stirred within.

An unidentifiable warmth began to emanate from her left breast and spread throughout her body.

‘Is this another Soul Mate effect?’

It’s similar to the feeling Dolores had before Dantalian.

Although she was too distraught now to make a detailed comparison.

Then.

[Die, you bastards!]

Belial scattered gold coins again.

A shower of gold flew in like a barrage of bullets, and this time, a black wave cannon was added that spewed out from Belial’s mouth.

KOOOOOOOOO!

A storm of gold and darkness sweeping all around!

[Oh, no, not the wave].

Decarabia blocked the showers of gold coins with ease, but seemed to be overwhelmed by Belial’s magical attack that followed.

Then.

“Don’t worry!”

Dolores cheerfully stepped forward once more.

…Pow!

A wall of holy fire, much larger and thicker than before, blocked Belial’s wave cannon.

Belial’s magic is shattered and scattered by the holy power.

But Belial would not be defeated so easily this time.

[A mere ember before a strong wind, an insignificant aura!]

As the gold coins in the vault were absorbed into Belial’s massive body, the magical energy he emitted grew thicker and thicker.

“Ugh! Such a powerful demon. How……!”

Dolores gritted her teeth as she felt her divine shield being pushed back.

Meanwhile, Vikir was gauging the distance of his sword strike, looking for an opening behind Dolores’ shield.

“Even just this amount is a big help. thanks.”

Dolores felt her spirits rise a little more at Night Hound’s words.

‘……But compared to the Dantalian battle, it’s a world of difference.’

Dolores wished she could be more helpful to Night Hound, somehow.

She wanted to share the burden he was carrying.

She wanted him to rely on her just a little more.

To be something he could count on, something he could lean on.

‘The name is the color of soul mates!’

Dolores finally stopped hesitating and turned her head.

“Night Hound!”

“……?”

Dolores exclaimed as Vikir turned his head, trying to look as confident as possible.

“Please tell me your name!”

“……What?”

Vikir scratched his head, and Dolores grunted.

“As you can see, it’s getting harder and harder to hold up the defenses!”

She was right.

Even Dolores’ divine power, which seemed to be overflowing due to her innate talents and blessings, was now slowly running out.

“I need that ‘resonance’ phenomenon to increase my divine power!”

Dolores was referring to the ‘soul mate’ phenomenon.

“If I can resonate with Night Hound even more deeply, if our bond is strengthened even a little more, it will definitely make a difference!”

A soul mate in a certain color, and they don’t even know each other’s names.

Dolores suddenly thought this was very unreasonable.

“It’s okay if it’s not your full name! Can’t you at least give me the smallest nickname that I can call you…… Could you please tell me at least one word of your name?”

Dolores asked, her eyes shining despite the difficulty of the situation.

A slender girl, holding back the immense power of a demon, how long could those thin, slender arms hold out?

“…….”

Vikir decided that now was not the time to hesitate.

And as soon as he had made up his mind, he stomped his feet and headed for Dolores.

Night Hound leaned down to whisper in Dolores’s ear as she held up the defenses.

“…….Van”

A name that catches her breath. And hot breath.

Dolores flinched for a moment.

‘……It was called “Van”.’

Dolores felt her heart beat even faster.

A common name. The process of getting to know each other by going through each other’s names.

Names are indeed mysteriously powerful.

Even if Dolores only heard a short version of the name, she felt as if the emotional and psychological distance between her and Night Hound had been shortened.

‘Maybe…… I’m the only one in the world who knows his name.’

Dolores’s heart began to beat wildly in her chest.

Thump-thump-thump-thump.

The holy fire of the divine power grew hotter and more intense.

…Passss! Kurrrrr!

The unexplained emotions that had been stirring in her chest earlier pulsated harder and harder.

The heart beating, the divine power pulsating in time with it, the white flame pulsating vividly!

It was the moment when the Soul Mate awakened once again.

“Iyaaah!”

Dolores unleashed her holy power with all her might, completely knocking back the wave cannon that Belial was spitting out.

[Ugh!?]

As his attack shattered and scattered, ultra-high temperature white flames rushed in, burning his mouth.

Belial could only gasp in horror.

“That’s it, that’s it, that’s it!”

Dolores exclaimed, looking down at her hands.

Something she could not do to anyone else and could not explain.

Only Night Hound… … No, a miracle that only happens when she’s with ‘Van’.

Vikir wanted to congratulate Dolores for once again performing a miracle as a ‘Saint of Steel’, but unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time.

“Gap!”

Baskerville 8th Form. The Shattering Tooth.

Eight air-tearing strikes fly out, aimed at Belial.

Quack, quack, quack, quack, quack!

A horrific scream erupts from the explosion.

It was a devastating final act from a demon.

…… but.

Charrrrrrr!

Once again, the gold coins began to move rapidly.

A golden serpent slithered through the thick smoke.

Having absorbed so many treasures, Belial soon laid his unharmed body on the ground.

[It was hot, but still a worthless struggle].

Belial had a sneer on his lips as if he had never cried out in pain.

“…… This is going to be an unfavorable war of attrition.”

Dolores said, flames spewing from both hands.

Vikir couldn’t help but agree.

“We just have to hold out a little longer. Time is on our side.”

“……?”

Dolores scratched her head at Vikir’s words.

She still hadn’t figured out what Night Hound, who was saying the exact opposite while becoming more disadvantageous as time passed.

Just then.

An unexpected favorable development occurred.

Quack Quack Quack! Pufffff!

Belial, who was sucking in gold coins, fell back due to a sudden explosion.

[Mmm!? What the hell!]

The gold coins that had been rushing toward Belial stopped.

Suddenly, large golden walls rose up and blocked the flow of funds.

At the same time, a large golden fist rose up from the floor and struck Belial on the head.

…BANG!

Belial was knocked back once more, spitting out his broken teeth.

“What, what, who?”

Dolores turned her head with wide eyes.

Vikir did the same.

“……!”

An unexpected figure suddenly burst into the battlefield and attacked Belial.

Underneath the messy white hair, the face that looks as innocent as a puppy can be seen gradually changing into a complex expression due to various emotions.

Fear. Confusion. Astonishment. Shock. Anger.

Sinclair.

She stood at the center of all these emotions.