Chapter 132-134: Beginning of bewilderment

“Well then, let’s begin the meeting.”

“Yes!” “Umu.”  “Oi-ssu~.”  “Dasu!”

Returning to Apollon City, I -Kuromiya Haine- was surrounded by 4 girls.

As a review, let’s speak about each one of them.

<TLN: the following is literally character descriptions and information of past events. Completely safe to skip.>

First, we have the light hero, Kourin Karen-san.

She is the first hero I met, and has been the one I have been acquainted for the longest since then. She is diligent and kind, and possesses the most balanced personality as a hero. Equipped in silver armor, her purity as if it were straight out of a painting is fitting to describe as a saint.

Next, the second one is the fire hero, Katack Mirack.

She is a friend of Karen-san since small, and there was a time when they were in bad terms, but after the relationship was fixed, they became even closer. Being caught by the creed of the fire, she has a manly character that seeks strength. Her body is also well-tempered, to the point that one might even mistake her for a man.

The third one is the water hero, Re Celestis.

She works as an idol while she fights monsters, a unique hero. Can also be considered a skilfull one. She is good at singing and dancing along with her fighting skills, and maybe because of this, her personality is also brilliant and cheerful. Her appearance is also excelling. She is a girl that sparkles intensely.

The last one is the fourth, the earth hero, Gonbee Sasae.

She is the newest addition to the group, and is the girl that came from the faraway Earth capital, Ishtar Blaze. She is the youngest within the heroes, and thus, her body is also small and thin. It looks like she herself thinks that she is a country bumpkin and has a complex about it, but that in itself makes her a simple and cute little girl.

And so, those are all the four.

Heroes that will have their names resound around the world.

We have also accumulated a good amount of fights, and this team that has increased in numbers as the fights went on was…truly a gathering that can be considered a team.

These members are like a representation of the path we have taken and it is deeply moving.

Today, there’s something I wanted to talk to them about when we are all together.

The thing I wanted to talk about is…that’s right…

“Regarding me loving Haine-san.”

Hm?

By the time I noticed, the light hero Karen-san had come close to me.

Or more like, she is hugging me.

“Haine-san…” (Karen)

“Yes?” (Haine)

“Why are you not answering my feelings? I have said it over and over, right? I am not telling you to marry me immediately. I can tell from your behaviour that you are treasuring me. But at times, I would like to hear clear words that show it.” (Karen)

Wait wait wait wait, what’s with this all of a sudden, Karen-san?

Karen-san loving me is not something that happened recently, and I myself don’t think badly of it, but…why is she going on the offensive at this timing? Even though there’s Mirack, Celestis, and Sasae around us?

Karen-san, weren’t you barely maintaining a line in front of people?

And yet, why are you so suddenly going out of line?!

As I was getting bewildered by this…

“Karen! It is always about this man. Why don’t you say you love me as well?!” (Mirack)

And now Mirack went crazy as well!

The behaviour of Mirack towards her friend Karen gives a feeling of being further than that of friends, but she is suddenly coming out of the closet now?!

“Just how heated do you think my feelings are for you?! They are hotter than lava, hotter than the sun, you know! Are you going to treat those feelings of mine coldly?! Is it that?! Was being unkind towards you for several years the reason?! I apologize for that! Sorry! Sorry! That’s why, please love me too!!” (Mirack)

Wait, Mirack?!

Your coming out of the closet is several times crazier than normal?!

I did feel that Mirack’s feelings towards Karen-san surpassed the barrier of gender, but isn’t being this straightforward a bit too risky?!

“My dream~ is~♪” (Celestis)

While we were at it, Celestis suddenly began singing.

Is she also going to do something?!

“While being a hero~ I wish to become the best idol~ But the truth is~ I don’t care about me at all~ With my singing~ my dancing~ I wish to grant energy~ to as many people as possible~ That way~ I will also achieve happiness~ In order to share the energy~ I need to have a mountain of energy~ In order to make everyone smile~ I myself have to smile first~♪” (Celestis)

She surprisingly said something nice.

But what’s this? Isn’t the flow of things been strange for a while now?

The three of them have quirky sides to them, but today, that quirky side has lost its moderation.

There’s no doubt something has happened.

“Could it be…because of this-dasu ka?” (Sasae)

The new member of the hero party, earth hero Sasae-chan, seemed to be the only one who maintained her composure.

In her hand, there’s a single bottle.

“What is that bottle? A drink?” (Haine)

“Haine-niichan took so long in coming, so I distributed them to everyone first. I be a big pain for everyone at the previous incident, so this be a soft drink I prepared as a sort of apology-dasu.” (Sasae)

Soft drink…

But I can feel a destructive power from it.

I received that bottle from Sasae-chan to test it, and I try placing my nose close to the opening.

“…………………It stinks of alcohol.” (Haine)

No matter where you cut it, this is alcoholic. Thanks but no.

The reason for this disastrous scene had become all clear now.

“Sasae-chan, what are you making everyone drink? This is alcohol ya know. Of course it would release all the desires they have been holding inside their hearts. I wonder if it will be alright? This will definitely be etched as one of their most pained memories. It would be nice if they wake up without any memories of this thou—?!” (Haine)

“What are ya saying-dasu?! Karen-neechan and the others may look older in my eyes, but they be legit young ladies! I wouldn’t recommend them alcohol before they be adults-dasu yo! This is! Just! Grape Juice-dasu!!” (Sasae)

Grape Juice…

Why is it that it is making me feel a concrete anxiousness?

“That Grape Juice, can I ask the detailed manufacturing method?” (Haine)

“Manufacturing method? It simply be made by wringing grapes-dasu yo?” (Sasae)

I see, I see.

“But this grape juice be high quality, so there be one more step to that. They ferment it-dasu.” (Sasae)

“That’s WI-NE!” (Haine)

So it really was wine, damn it!

Isn’t that the representative of fermented fruit juice wine?!

Why didn’t she notice with the simple fact that there’s the word ‘fermented’?!

“Eh? I wanted to show that mah feelings of reflecting were as high as a mountain and deeper than a valley-dasu yo. Isn’t it more high class the more steps to production there is-dasu ka?” (Sasae)

“The more doesn’t make it better! Going too far can break the good!” (Haine)

“Did I do something disgraceful again-dasu ka?!” (Sasae)

No, it is actually Karen-san and the others that are currently in the middle of being disgraceful though.

These three who probably ingested alcohol for the first time have become a cluster of drunkards hugging each other.

“Karen! I love you! I love you dearly! No matter what happens in the future, I will protect you!” (Mirack)

“Thanks, Mirack-chan! I love Mirack-chan too! We are the best of friends, aren’t we?!” (Karen)

“You see, the number one best thing I have experienced in my life up until now was meeting you all! I thought friends were pointless things, but my friendship with you all is a treasure for me!!” (Celestis)

“Of course! If we join forces, we are invincible!” (Mirack)

“I am really am glad to have met Mirack-chan and Celestis-chan!!” (Karen)

“I definitely won’t forget this even till my death; the days I have lived with all of you!!” (Celestis)

……

I pray that when the alcohol in their system is gone, they will have forgotten everything.

What should I do about this muddy situation?

My only saving right now is that Sasae-chan is still sober.

She is the very cause of this, so it is hard to say that, but having at least one other person who still has their sanity helps me a lot in maintaining my own sanity.

“By the way, Haine-niichan…” (Sasae)

“What?” (Haine)

“Why does Haine-niichan have six arms-dasu?” (Sasae)

No good, this girl is also a goner.

Well, it would be strange for this girl to be the only one who hasn’t drunk in this kind of atmosphere, but I thought that she had resistance to alcohol. Seriously, it looks like that wasn’t the case.

“Ah, but if ya have 6, that means it be fine to cut off 5, right? Yay~dasu. I wanted to try out cutting off the body of someone with the earth scythe at least once-dasu!” (Sasae)

Moreover, only this girl has quite the darkness hidden inside her heart?!

While I was doing a life-or-death race with Sasae-chan, I waited for everyone to wake up from their intoxication.

“Okay everyone, are you all sane now?” (Haine)

“…Eh? What?” (Karen)

“My head smarts…..” (Mirack)

“What were we doing?” (Celestis)

“There be a hole in mah memory-dasu?!” (Sasae)

Good.

Looks like the alcohol has conveniently purged that memory out of them.

It is truly something good. If their memory had remained, all four of them might have taken a straight dive onto that window over there.

Or maybe, the memory actually remains, but they are acting as if they don’t remember, but if that’s the case, more the reason I should just leave it be.

“By the way, Haine-niichan…” (Sasae)

“What, Sasae?” (Haine)

“Why is the face of Haine-niichan filled with kiss marks-dasu?” (Sasae)

“Silence.” (Haine)

Anyways!!

There’s a proper reason as to why I have all four heroes gathered here today.

It is in order to talk about the things we have to do from now on.

Subjugation of Mother Monsters.

The most concrete form of disaster that covers this world, monsters, appear in the thousands because of a certain existence.

That certain existence is the Mother Monsters. Monsters that give birth to monsters.

In order to cut off that unproductive chain, there’s no other way but to sever the origin of the monsters that are the Mother Monsters.

After learning of this, I decided on wiping out the Mother Monster to eliminate all the monsters from this world.

There’s a total of 4 Mother Monsters.

The plan has already begun moving and the Earth Mother Monster, Grandma Wood, has been subjugated.

But that is simply the first step. There’s still the water, fire, and wind Mother Monsters somewhere in this world.

My current objective is to find the remaining Mother Monsters, and eliminate them one by one properly.

Because the course of events proceeded well, it could be said that the matter slid in a favorable manner.

But there’s now a new state of affairs…

“That’s right! We will defeat the Mother Monsters!” (Karen)

Karen-san roared valiantly.

“With the power of us, the hero alliance, and Haine-san!” (Karen)

……

…That’s right. Allies have intruded in my plan and want to cooperate.

Those allies are Karen-san and her jolly companions. They are all in the hero profession and have a close connection to the monsters being a danger to the world, so I understand their sentiments of wanting to join in, but…I first decided on doing this task of defeating the Mother Monsters on my own.

Monsters are a calamity that was created by Gods. I thought this was my responsibility as the Dark God Entropy.

There’s also other reasons behind it though.

But Karen-san and her group crossed over the line I drew, and in the end, saved me in my time of need. That’s why, I can’t have them stand in the sidelines anymore.

“It goes without saying why we have all gathered here today!” (Karen)

Karen-san took the role of advancing the meeting in my place.

“It is in order to have a discussion! The remaining three Mother Monsters, how will we defeat them! Thinking back on the giant tree that we fought at Ishtar Blaze, it is clear that the other remaining three won’t be an easy fight. It is important for us to wring our brains here and make a careful plan to see how we will fight them!” (Karen)

“Well, that’s how it is.” (Mirack)

“I’m shivering in anticipation. I feel like it will be the ideal stage for the idol hero, Celes-tan!” (Celestis)

Mirack and Celestis seem to be in too.

“…Now that I think about it, what about you, Sasae-chan?” (Haine)

“Yes-dasu?” (Sasae)

I try asking something that has been bothering me for a while now.

“Is it okay for Sasae-chan to be here?” (Haine)

The base of Sasae-chan, Ishtar Blaze, is faraway from the Light capital, Apollon City.

Walking takes around a month; even with a flying machine powered by ethereal, it would take several days.

If a monster disturbance occurs there…

“I be glad that yer worried, but it be okay-dasu!” (Sasae)

Sasae-chan puffs her small chest and answers.

“Mah now Founder grandma-chan said this: ‘Ye were a huge help in the incident with Great Pillar-sama, so this be our turn to help ya guys out now!’. In Ishtar Blaze, there’s the Onii-sans of the Scorched Earth Annihilation corps, and there’s still a lot of Golems remaining-dasu! If we leave it to ‘em, even if there be a strong monster appearing, they be okay even without a hero-dasu!” (Sasae)

“Isn’t that sad in itself?” (Celestis)

“Celestis-chan, don’t go further than that!” (Karen)

Karen-san scolded Celestis at her side.

“And so, please let this earth hero Gonbee Sasae accompany you all in defeating the mother of the monsters-dasu! Please-dasu!” (Sasae)

Saying this, Sasae-chan placed both hands and knees on the floor towards me, and even her forehead.

I could tell at a single glance; this girl is accustomed to doing dogeza.

“…It has been decided that Sasae-chan will be taken care of in Apollon City for a while.” (Karen)

As if sending a lifeboat, Karen-san says this.

“The Earth Founder Obaba-sama has also asked this of us. She said she wanted her grandchild, Sasae-chan, to accumulate experience as a hero.” (Karen)

“That’s right-dasu! I understood in the matter with Great Pillar-sama-dasu! I still don’t have the ability and actual results as a hero! I wanna stay under the hero I respect, Karen-neechan-dasu yo!” (Sasae)

“I think the thing that you lack the most is your ability to analyze the situation and your decision making though. Just how many big tragedies have occurred because of your rampaging!” (Mirack)

“Mirack-chan, don’t say further!!” (Karen)

Karen-san scolded Mirack who was at her side.

“…Anyways, Yorishiro-sama has already accepted Sasae-chan to stay in the Light Church. That’s why, all heroes will help Haine-san, and we are raging with the will to destroy all Mother Monsters! Haine-san, let’s do our best together!” (Karen)

In the end, it always comes to this huh.

But I haven’t forgotten that they saved me in the fight with Grandma Wood.

This fight can decide the fate of the world. That’s why, the heroes that are the representatives of humanity should join forces and fight together.

I think that the important part of obstacles is not overcoming them, but to overcome them with the help of others.

“…Understood. Let’s do our best together.” (Haine)

“Yes!” (Karen)

“Of course!” (Mirack)

“The thought of doing this without me is a mistake in itself.” (Celestis)

“Dasu!” (Sasae)

The heroes all without exception had their hearts race with determination.

“…But there’s a problem before that.”

The problem we have to deal with before subjugating the Mother Monsters.

That is…

“We don’t know where the Mother Monsters are.” (Haine)

“Yeah…” “Yup…” “Geez…” “Dasu…”

That’s right. The remaining three Monster Monsters, we have absolutely no idea where they are.

It is impossible to kick the ass of someone that we don’t where it is.

“We are back to this problem.” (Haine)

I remember being troubled by this before.

“Eh? We were filled with expectation thinking that you had all the information in your hands though. What a useless man.” (Celestis)

“I am not all-knowing, you know.” (Haine)

I return the unfounded expectations of Celestis without any strength.

“Really, rising our expectations. How hopeless.” (Mirack)

“Unreliable-dasu.” (Sasae)

These girls have been really relentless lately.

“Now now. But Haine-san, how did you learn of the Earth Mother Monster, Great Pillar-sama, then?” (Karen)

“That’s uhm…from a certain information source.” (Haine)

There’s no way I can tell them that I directly asked this from one of the four Base Element Gods that created the Mother Monsters. Moreover, that very person is the Fire God Nova that is currently lazing about as a cow-shaped monster.

…..Ah.

“Now that I think about it, there’s another piece of information I received from that source. The fire Mother Monster, only that one, I know its name and outward traits of.” (Haine)

“Hoh~, my element huh.” (Mirack)

The moment I mentioned fire, Mirack immediately bites.

“The Fire Mother Monster’s name is the Immortal Phoenix. A giant bird-shaped monster, and the fire that covers its body is always burning itself, and from those ashes, many fire element monsters are given birth, or so I heard.” (Haine)

“A fire bird… Hm? ……Ah?!” (Mirack)

Mirack raises a voice that was screaming she noticed something.

“Could it be that one?! ……Now that you mention it, that’s true. But—!” (Mirack)

“Do you know of it, Mirack-chi?! In that case, don’t just tease us and spill it already!” (Celestis)

Being pressed by Celestis, Mirack speaks.

“In Muspelheim, there are witness reports every now and then that say there has been a mysterious bird flying around the area. And its traits are just as you said just now, a bird that has its whole body covered in flames, moreover, it is probably quite big, the witnesses say that they noticed it even when it was flying from pretty far away.” (Mirack)

“Yeah yeah, and?!” (Celestis)

“From the abnormal outward appearance it has, the witnesses quickly concluded that it was a monster…but the other party is a bird. By the time the report is given in Muspelheim, and the Fire Militant corps and the fire hero arrive at the place, it has long flown away.” (Mirack)

That’s why, it seems there’s witnesses of that fire bird, thereby there have been no records of fighting it.

As expected, with wings that can let you freely fly in the sky, its whereabouts are unfettered.

It is way too different from Grandma Wood that had its roots dug in and stayed in one place.

“But there’s more information regarding this fire bird. Moreover, from here on, it will enter into the gossip territory.” (Mirack)

“It is fine, just say it already. We are in the step where we are still in between whether the Mother Monsters itself are gossip after all.” (Celestis)

“…Regarding that fire bird, there’s an occult-like story that has no positive proof about. It states that in the places where the fire bird is witnessed, a big monster disaster will definitely occur soon after.” (Mirack)

?!

“There’s no proof that they are connected though. Thanks to that, that bird is being called ‘The Bird that informs of Calamities’ and ‘the Herald of Catastrophe’. But if it is just as Haine says about that being a monster that gives birth to monsters…” (Mirack)

“It falls way too in place!” (Celestis)

That’s true.

If a disaster will certainly occur in the places that the Phoenix passes through, that’s because the Phoenix itself gave birth to those fire element monsters.

The fire bird is not a Herald of Catastrophe, it is the Bringer of Catastrophe.

“…Damn it!! That bird! If I had known that, I would have placed subjugating it as my highest priority!” (Mirack)

“But it is exactly because it is a bird that it doesn’t stay in one place. That’s why you weren’t even able to fight it all this time, right? Even if you notice the importance it held…” (Haine)

“It would be practically impossible to defeat it. Even if there’s a witness report and we use the flying machines to rush to that place the moment we receive it, it is questionable whether it will still be there. Moreover, the witness reports itself are once every several years.” (Mirack)

So it really is impossible to catch the Immortal Phoenix huh.

And while Mirack was speaking, there’s Celestis at her side that was slowly getting a more and more serious expression.

“Hey, about the water Mother Monster, you have no info about it, right?” (Celestis)

“Y-Yeah… Not only the place, even its shape and traits…” (Haine)

It is still a complete mystery.

“I have been wondering…I think that the water Mother Monster is at the sea.” (Celestis)

“Eh?”

“The water element monsters are all aquatic creatures, and the places where they appear are in a waterside or underwater. On top of that, most of the biggest ones are found in the biggest water source, at the sea. Let’s assume that the water Mother Monster is inside the sea, the monsters it spreads are from the sea, moreover, if they run through the rivers to go through the whole world…” (Celestis)

It would make sense huh.

“Also, there’s no doubt that there have been witnesses to the fire bird and the giant tree, but from what I remember, I have no memory of hearing about witnesses of a water element monster of about the same gigantic size. The only one would be the Great Sea Dragon we fought before, but that wasn’t a Mother Monster, right?” (Celestis)

“Yeah, it is not. Just that, I can say with confidence.” (Haine)

“In that case, as I thought, it is safe to say that there’s no witnesses to a water Mother Monster. The reason why there’s for fire and earth and not for water…the most plausible reason would be…” (Celestis)

“Because it is hidden inside the sea huh.” (Haine)

“That’s right. The sea is wide enough for that. Even if the water Mother Monster possesses the same size as that giant tree, the sea can easily receive it whole. And it is also possible to hide from the eyes of humans for centuries.” (Celestis)

I have lost. Celestis’ conjecture is quite convincing.

Coacervate once said: ‘The sea is greatness. It is able to store many things inside of it’. The very person that created the Mother Monster, if it is that underhanded God, there’s certainly a possibility that he is utilizing that greatness to its best.

But the conclusion that comes from that conjecture is that…

“Finding the water Mother Monster will be harder than the fire bird.” (Haine)

We would have to dive deep into the sea which is a lot wider than the land, so just imagining it is making my head hurt.

Even if I were to devote several lives as Kuromiya Haine, I don’t have the confidence that I would be able to find it.

Finding the Immortal Phoenix will be difficult.

It would be impossible to find the water Mother Monster that we don’t even know its name.

I did have an inkling that it was the case but, we are completely closed in all directions.

We only defeated Grandma Wood who didn’t bring much harm to humans. Is this how our plan will come to an end?

“Then we have no choice but to bet on the last remaining one.” (Karen)

Karen-san suddenly said this.

“The wind Mother Monster.” (Karen)

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