Chapter 8
At the center of the labyrinth made by chalk stones, the first one to notice the abnormality was the World King, sitting on the throne and spectating in enjoyment.
While holding her knees on the throne, "It's nice to be young, eh~", she happily muttered those mature words that were unthinkable from her outward appearance, however she suddenly knit her brow from the gigantic pulsation that reverberated within the labyrinth.
".........Oya? It seems the wind’s direction has changed. Was the Game cleared I wonder?"
She pouted her lips. She was probably unsatisfied because the waiting time was long. As she stood up, the surrounding structures pulsated just like a human’s skin and sent waves.
As to what this signified, it was unknown to the World King who didn't know the Game contents.
The one thing she understood was that the surroundings around the throne she was sitting on were undergoing an abnormal change.
"It's regretful, but.........can't be helped. Following my first goal, I'll proceed to capture the "Bull of Heaven", I guess."
It would be fun if Eighth Avatar was here~, she muttered while turning her shoulders.
Her gown fluttered softly like feathers and she looked up at the crevice that acted as a gateway. On the other side of that crevice, the blue sky of the Mediterranean Sea was spread wide.
"Fufu. Will the winner of the labyrinth crawl out to flee from here? Or would they make a triumphant return with honor? I'm looking forward to it."
Her long, smooth hair was pulled up, spread into a conical shape and gave rise to an elegant wind. But as her hair closed with its rotation, the World King in young girl form disappeared with the wind.
On the other side, Izayoi and Bull Demon King also noticed the unusual phenomenon but they didn't show signs of stopping the fight. For them who strained their nerves to the limit and competed to their utmost limits, there was no room for that.
Izayoi swiped away the fist swung up by the Bull Demon King with the back of his hand to dodge it. The fist of the Bull Demon King that struck the ground created a huge cavity in the labyrinth, then turned into a crater and spread.
By all rights, one would die just by the pressure of this fist, but Izayoi's abnormality also did not fall behind.
The moment he was about to be blown away, he grasped the Bull Demon King's horns, then turned around and delivered a knee to his face. The body of the Bull Demon King who was thrown off balance got easily blown away and pierced through several layers of labyrinth walls.
"Hah!.........How did you like that, You damn Demon Lord.........!"
He wiped away his sweat while panting lightly. It was Izayoi attacking, but the attack frequency and tension on his nerves were directly linked to his exhaustion.
Both of their fists were deadly enough to destroy nature and split oceans.
Those fists that could originally destroy everything with just a single blow were clashing with each other.
While it was true that the opponent was a Demon Lord, if they were grasped by the horns and have a knee driven to their face, they should receive a serious injury───
"Oh man, you got me there! You are more refined than I thought! I never heard that you had skills for martial arts, Sakamaki Izayoi!"
The Bull Demon King sent the debris flying and stood up.
Unbelievable as it might have been, the Bull Demon King was unhurt.
In contrast to him who took a daunting pose with his hands on his waist, Izayoi was leaning on the wall with blood welling in his mouth. More than the abnormal situation around him, Izayoi couldn't hide his surprise towards the physical strength of Bull Demon King.
(He's too tough no matter how you put it.........! Just what kind of Gift is he using.........!!?)
Despite receiving his fists that were even compared to the movements of the planetary crust, it didn't seem like they had any effect on Bull Demon King's body. It's been three years since he has been coerced in such one-sided hand-to-hand battle.
Recalling the legend of the Bull Demon King who had superhuman strength and a giant build that exceeded the mountains, he must indeed have this much power, but there was one other thing that Izayoi couldn't hide his surprise at.
According to Little Garden rumors, he heard that Bull Demon King's strongest point was that he could freely use the Gift of "Handling every weapon on the world".
In other words, this man was still not serious.
Without even using his essential Gift, he managed to drive Izayoi to this point.
"Hmm. It seems you are superior in hand-to-hand combat. You are quite something."
"Hah! Look who's talking. It practically had no effect on you.........!"
Izayoi spitted out blood. The damage from Bull Demon King's first attack still remained.
Bull Demon King put his hand to his jaw and fixedly stared at Izayoi. It was unknown what he found amusing, but this man was like that in everything he did. Did he have some sort of motive, or was he simply a battle maniac.
Whichever it was, it would be bad at this rate.
Izayoi fixed his breath and entered into battle stance, but Bull Demon King stopped him.
"Well, wait. It seems that the situation has changed. I have another work I need to attend to. Besides, this change of labyrinth.........something might've happened to Homura's group. Those children still need your protection."
".........Wha......!?"
Izayoi was once again shocked. His current words contained clear feelings of friendliness. What's more, similar feelings were also directed towards Homura and Suzuka, rather than just Izayoi.
Speaking of the Bull Demon King, he was certainly the famous user of high level transformation, but could it be that he had met with Izayoi and others in the past? What's more, it would still be understandable if it was just Izayoi, but people who had relations with the other two were limited.
Who in the world was he? Izayoi continued thinking about it.
Person who was acquainted with those children from Canaria Home, and also suitable for Bull Demon King's transformation. And also, someone who had potential to cross over to Little Garden from the outer world.
Person who fulfilled those conditions………there was only one.
It did not take long before he found the answer.
"Y.........You, no way.........!!?"
He hesitated to say it while having obtained an almost definite answer. Be it the normal Izayoi, this conduct would be unthinkable from him. But that was only natural.
Because he heard that the person who appeared in his mind had died two years ago.
On the other hand, the Bull Demon King who seemed to be very pleased with that reaction, took out the Banana-leaf Fan[1]
from the empty space and swung it down once.
"Well, that's how it is. There are many things to talk about, but let's end it with this for today.........It seems an urgent matter has appeared just now. Right now───You'd better fly to Homura's side!!!"
"Wha.........W-Wait a minute, our talk is still not over, you shitty old geezer───!!!"
Receiving the wind that blew from the ground, Izayoi's body fluttered up in the air. As expected, since the wind blew from below even Izayoi couldn't hold on to the ground.
Banana-leaf Fan───It was a Paopei that contained Senjutsu that raised winds from the ground. Originally it was the Paopei of his wife, Princess Iron Fan, however he held onto it as a weapon for his fresh start.
Bull Demon King who saw off Izayoi who was being blown off to the other side of the labyrinth, lifted up his club with agility and muttered towards the direction of the Spirit Train.
".........In truth, I also want to rush to them, but I have no face to show them yet. I leave the rest to you, Izayoi."
＊
During that time───another battle came to a conclusion at the same time.
".........!"
Mikato Tokuteru shed large quantity of blood from his flank and fell to his knees. Looking closely, the lighting arrow was deeply pierced into his abdomen. It was obvious as to who did that. The great hero who fought with him───Arjuna who was his son, was looking down at Tokuteru who had fallen to his knees with displeased expression and gaze.
He who lowered the Divine Bow Gandiva, asked in a bewildered state.
".........Ridiculous. You are way too weak. Is this your current power.........?"
Although his voice was filled with sadness, it didn't contain a bit of disappointment.
Arjuna had vaguely understood this conclusion.
Taishakuten───Indra, being called as the Strongest War God was a thing from the distant past. In order to preserve the human history and the various gods that appeared later on, he had distributed his power to others in varied forms.
Divine Spirits who had sudden raise in their Spirit Rank starting from the final scriptures of Indian Mythology "Rig Veda", after being handed over the seat of the strongest from him, were able to form the Pantheon for the first time.
And it didn't stop at just gods.
Indra's son, Arjuna as well, was a hero who had received a part of that strongest power described in the scriptures.
Moreover, even if they were father and son, the power relationship between Arjuna who was given many prominent Divine Weapons of Indian Pantheon and Indra, had underwent a turn-around.
The King of Gods who originally belonged to the Omnipotent Domain───At this point, had a power no bigger than an average hero.
"Oh father of mine. Strongest War God who was once stronger than Shiva, and wiser than Brahma. You who were called equal to even Zeus.........Is this, truly your whole power? Could it be that some kind of seal was applied on you?"
".........You say some painful words for my ears. This is truly my current all."
Tokuteru wiped his sweat away while suppressing the bleeding. If he didn't put his all into healing now, his life would be in danger. He already spilled the amount of blood in the labyrinth that was lethal for humans.
The fact that he was still alive was probably because he was a Divine Spirit, but in the first place, it was impossible to wound a Divine Spirit with such physical methods. It should be impossible to defeat a Divine Spirit who had close relations with human history unless it was the Gift of opposing god or an ability with enough destructive power to end an era.
Arjuna's questions knew no end. But he was also a warrior with long experience.
He was not inexperienced or naive enough as to overlook a wounded enemy that bent his knees.
"Is that so. I suspected whether someone had obstructed you.........if you were serious then it can't be helped. This is also the custom of battlefield."
───Please, resolve yourself.
He grieved in his heart towards the rudeness of pulling his bow against his own father god, but he also had his objectives. Once he started the battle, he couldn't afford to back down so easily.
As he set up his Divine Bow Gandiva, the thunder roared within the labyrinth once more. Concentrating the lightning that could mow down a million troops into a single arrow, the divine lightning grew so dense that it warped the space.
Tokuteru looked up at that arrow while gnashing his teeth. That attack exceeded the current Tokuteru's level by at least one digit. By all rights, he would disappear while being delighted of the growth of his son, but currently he couldn't do that.
This child of god───was being led astray by someone.
The existence who, same as "Avatära", existed to reforming the righteous path, was scattering the calamity in the world. No matter if he was a Divine Spirit who lost his power───as the King who supervised the good deities, he had to at least prevent that with any kind of methods.
"Damnit. As a father, this was the only means I didn't want to use. But I can't afford to say that, huh. ───Sorry about this. I'll be leaving the rest to you, my follower!"
"YES! I will help you now!"
In that moment, a blow coming from Arjuna's blind spot at astounding speeds was driven into his flank.
"Gaah!!?"
Arjuna threw up blood after suffering an assault, and got blown away while leaping many times.
The Girl who came attacking while her hair that burst into deep crimson fluttered───Kuro Usagi from "Moon Rabbits", had kicked Arjuna flying at third cosmic velocity.
""Moon Rabbit"!!? There were survivors from the Aristocrats of Little Garden!?"
"YES! I'm honored meeting you for the first time, Arjuna-sama! Pardon my impoliteness, but Kuro-Usagi will be your opponent from this point on!"
Setting up the "Vajra Replica", Kuro Usagi entered the battle mode.
Arjuna became wide eyed from her enormous Spirit Rank. The "Moon Rabbit" girls being given the "Judge Master" have been bestowed one of the leading combat abilities within Little Garden. However, even if bearing that in mind, he could feel that the Spirit Rank of this Moon Rabbit was unusual. The lightning spilling from her body rivaled Gandiva, and the physical strength overflowing from her entire body far surpassed that of Arjuna's himself.
"I see.........! So father has entrusted his Spirit Rank to this rabbit.........!"
He wasn't sure what circumstances had lead it to that point.
However the Spirit Rank Kuro Usagi possessed was of an unusual level even among the "Moon Rabbits".
It would be another matter if he was an adult, but that Spirit Rank was of such a scale that the current young Arjuna couldn't even fight against it. His guess that she was entrusted Indra's Divinity was most probably correct.
With Usaa! sound, Kuro Usagi raised her usamimi and pointed the Vajra at Arjuna.
"It helps that you guessed quickly. Due to slightly special circumstances, the current Kuro Usagi has transformed into a substitute of Indra-sama and Chandra-sama. If you have something to say to your father, please enquire to Kuro Usagi for it first."
".........No, that isn't necessary. My doubts were cleared and the talk is finished. So there is no need for me to speak any more than this with my father."
Arjuna withdrew his bow and laid down his weapon. He only wanted to earn his father's understanding, and to openly participate in the Sun Authority War. However just as he had roughly expected, he couldn't earn it. However, even without obtaining his father god's blessing, as long as he chased his long-cherished desire as a warrior, that alone would be fine.
Arjuna had an old enemy that he, by whatever means───even if he had to bear dishonor, had to fight against once more.
".........Is that so. Kuro Usagi is also participating in the Sun Authority War as the head judge. Fighting needlessly with Players is not what I desire."
"Is that so. Thank you, you have my gratitude."
"However, Arjuna-sama. In exchange for turning a blind eye on this, may I give you one advice?"
Arjuna tilted his head in doubt.
While hesitating a little awkwardly, Kuro Usagi gave her advice.
"That is.........I believe it's better to cut ties with bad friends."
".......... Fufu. I will bear that in mind."
Revealing a bitter smile, Arjuna faced the crevice in the sky and jumped in it. The moment he passed through, the crevice reflected Little Garden for an instant and then it returned back into the sky of the Mediterranean Sea. At a glance that gateway seemed to be connected to the Mediterranean Sea, however it reality it was connected to the world of entrance.
Since it had a structure of returning people back to the world they came from, he had also returned to Little Garden. The exceptions were normal Players like Homura and his friends.
Kuro Usagi turned around with her skirt flaring to the sides and rushed to Tokuteru.
"T-Taishakuten-sama! Are your injuries alright!?"
"Yeah.........Sorry about this, Kuro Usagi. It is inexcusable to make the judge fight. .........Also, please call me Tokuteru."
"Ah, YES! I'm glad Tokuteru-sama is safe!"
Kuro Usagi said correcting herself in hurry and stood up while shouldering Tokuteru who finished stopping his bleeding.
"This labyrinth is dangerous. Kuro Usagi will escape together with you."
"That would help. ───But, are you sure? About not helping Homura's group."
"Kuro Usagi is a judge after all, I can't participate in Games. Stopping personal fights is the limit of what I can do. ───Besides."
Shaking her usamimi, she looked back at the Spirit Train. Her usamimi, who was the Game judge, possessed the Gift that let her grasp the present condition of the Game.
Swaying her bunny ears with an usa-usa, she laughed in apparent relief.
"I'm sure they will be fine. Homura-san.........has one quite reliable big brother after all!"
That being said───He's also the biggest problem child!
Leaving those words behind, Kuro Usagi and Tokuteru fled away of the labyrinth.
＊
The moment Homura spoke that truth, Asterius’ horns crumbled into pieces. At the same time, Keraunos lost its power and fell off from his hand.
Attacked by pain and shock, he fell to his knees on the spot.
"Gii.........Gu-gah.........!?"
Even if he tried to speak, the words didn't come out well. There were too much things he wanted to hear and had to ask. Compared to the pain from his suffering, his pain from being unable to speak was greater now.
The words Saigou Homura spoke. He couldn't die without asking about the true meaning of them.
"───You are not the Minotaur."
In that case───just who in the world was the him that was here.
Was the Minotaur not the man eating monster dwelling in the labyrinth? Was he not the prince of Crete? Was his memories of the sea breeze and skies of the Mediterranean Sea just fake?
Just who was the boy bearing the name of stars and lightning───Asterius.........!!?
While caught up in the agony of having no answer to those questions, the mysterious boy lied down on the ground and stopped moving.
Ayato still had her sword set up in vigilance. She felt that she grew dull at this point, but her once polished intuition was giving off the alarms that "This battle was not over yet".
Wind passed by along with silence. Thereupon, steadily the rumbles in the ground started to reverberate. There were also the after-effects of other people's battles mixed in, however these rumbles were resonating from an even deeper part of the ground.
Homura immediately grasped the situation and yelled towards Suzuka.
"Suzuka! Take that guy and the axe along and take cover inside the Spirit Train!"
"Eh, a-are we bringing this kid along!?"
"I'll explain the situation later! Hurry up, there's no time!"
Suzuka looked doubtful, however she quickly understood the reason. The gigantic shadow hung widely above them as if covering them. The three raised their faces wondering what was going on, but that reaction of theirs was a bit late.
Above their heads───The mass of chalk rocks extending from the labyrinth ground was hanging down just like an arm.
"Senpai, Suzuka! Fall back!"
Ayato who switched her Linked Sword to Battle Bow shot three arrows in one go. Although it was a rapid-fire, the arrows also had plenty of destructive power in them, however the mass of rocks didn't seem like it would stop with just having less than half of its body destroyed.
It would be the end with this if the enemy was a living being, but the enemy this time was just a mass of rocks. There was no expectation that it would stop with that. Fortunately however, the giant arm of rocks passed by their heads.
Suzuka who understood that the target of those rocks were Asterius and Keraunos quickly pulled them towards herself. He was indeed an enemy that had been hostile, however they couldn't forsake a young boy that was near their age.
Homura shouldered Asterius while Ayato carried Keraunos.
The mass of rocks immediately perceived them as enemies.
"Suzuka, hurry up!"
"I know!"
The chalk mass of rocks merged into the labyrinth and the throbbing started to reverberate.
The labyrinth then began to rumble, even absorbed the debris to the ground and begun to form gigantic protuberances. The form of pulsating rock surface looked quite like a living organism. Or perhaps, it really was a living being.
The chalk monster formed the skull, grew arms and produced horns.
Even to others aside from Homura, it was easy to understand what that was.
───"Minoa Labrys Labyrinth ".
Seeking the sacrifice, the ox-headed demon, clad in chalk armor howled towards Homura's group.
『GEEEEYAAAAaaa──────!!!』
A giant arm attacked them with a sideways sweep. Homura was burdened with Asterius, but he quickly threw him towards Suzuka and yelled.
"Suzuka, take that guy along and escape ahead!"
"B-But, what about you and Aya-chan!?"
"I will protect Senpai! If he is the target, it would earn us some time if you take refuge in Spirit Train! Sensei, please protect the Spirit Train with Suzuka!"
Ayato who took out the Double Spears pulled through it by instantly dividing the chalk arm into twenty four parts, but even so, the ox-headed demon immediately regenerated. Looking at that, Ayato bitterly clenched her back teeth.
It might be that this ox-headed demon, like "Bull of Heaven", also didn't have a core that would act as its real body.
In case the labyrinth itself was its body, it would be the same as them being inside the monster's stomach. Taking the compatibility difference as well in mind, the current Ayato didn't have any means to defeat this opponent.
Contrary to Ayato who felt such a sense of crisis, Scathach who had been quietly watching until now, cleared away the debris with the surrounding shadows and asked doubtfully.
"Oh, would it be fine if I don’t fight?"
"If it's Sensei's "Dún Scáith", it would be able to cover the entire Spirit Train! I leave Suzuka and others in your care!"
"Yes, that's right. Well then, do your best, my favorite pupil. Those guys are plenty strong."
See you, waving her hand, Scathach disappeared along with Suzuka. From the words she left behind, Homura and Ayato who remained at that place grew pale. And their bad premonition quickly came to light.
The "Labrys" patterns depicted on the wall transformed into ox heads in succession and proceeded to change their forms.
Three, four, five, the group of ox-heads rapidly increased in number.
Ayato changed her spear to her Linked Sword and asked Homura while spilling cold sweat.
".......... Let me ask one thing. Do you have any means of clearing this, Senpai?"
"I have two. That said, both of them require Asterius' cooperation. We have to persuade him first."
"What? I thought he wasn't Asterius?"
"No, he just isn't the Minotaur, but he is Asterius."
Ayato began to ask about it, but the group of ox heads weren't so peaceful as to wait for it. Looking at them, the number of ox heads exceeded twenty. Turning their backs on the crowd of ox heads that chased them as they increased one by one, the two faced the Spirit Train and broke into a run.
"It can't be helped.........Let's retreat for the time being!"
"Run to the passenger wagon, We should be able to get in from the window there!"
"Understood! Let's hurry up to make it before it gets covered by Sensei's "Dún Scáith"!"
The Serpens Scorpius Sword Flash cut down the ox-headed arms that were coming from the left and the right. The Sword Flash moving like a flexible whip cut through the crowd of ox-heads in succession, however this didn't act as a fundamental solution. Moreover, it had no meaning since they regenerated the moment they were cut.
(It wouldn't take much time to get to the guest wagon by myself......But with Senpai.........!)
They weren't that apart from the guest wagon, but it was the problem of numbers. In contrast to the attacks from this side getting completely regenerated, if Ayato or Homura took even a single hit, it would end as a fatal wound.
She already felt the presences of dozens of ox heads from behind.
It would be bad at this rate.
Resolving herself, Ayato stopped her feet.
"Senpai please go ahead! I will───"
Hold them back, she didn’t finish her words.
Immediately after she prepared herself for a death battle, a furious wind started to blow. Receiving a sudden strong wind, Homura crashed on the frame of the Spirit Train, and fell to his knees on the spot.
"Ugh, crap.........!"
He quickly raised his body, but one of the ox heads didn't overlook that and rushed to attack. The wind grew even stronger, however the flying thing that the sudden gust carried with it smashed down the ox-head from the top.
"────That shitty old geezeeeeer!!!"
He who came flying along with a flashy explosion───Sakamaki Izayoi, same time as he landed, smashed his fist on the labyrinth ground with enough force to pierce through it.
Although it is was an ox-headed monster that continued to regenerate, it wouldn't be able to regenerate so easily if it was crushed into tiny fragments. Homura got hit in the head by the fragments and saw stars, but he quickly shook his head and looked at Izayoi.
"I-Iza-nii!? Why are you here!! Also, what's with appearing with perfect timing just like last time, were you watching from the sidelines!!?"
"Like I'd do that! I have my own circumstances!"
The two siblings reflexively quarreled like old times, but they couldn't continue in this state of affairs. While being grateful towards the unexpected reinforcements, Ayato called out to Izayoi.
"Izayo───I mean, Senpai's Onii-san! Please run to the guest wagon that way! It's possible to get in the Spirit Train from the window there!"
"Haah?"
Izayoi looked at Ayato with a displeased face. He probably thought the blond haired girl looked familiar. From her age, she's seems to be a student like Homura───It happened as he thought so.
The moment he saw her Serpens Scorpius Linked Sword, Izayoi looked at her with an astounded face.
"Wait.........That Linked Sword..."
"Ugh, leave the talk for later, hurry up and run!"
Ayato dashed towards the guest wagon of the Spirit Train at high speed.
She cried deep down, thinking "I got found out by the one person I didn't want to notice the most.........!!!", however it was too late. The defense of "Dún Scáith" was already halfway finished.
While still confused about the situation, Izayoi held Homura on his shoulder and followed behind her.
1 The fan of Bull Demon King’s wife, Princess Iron Fan, made from banana leaves. ↩
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