Chapter 141 - Chapter 141: The Saint Descends
I was flung to another world and started living in Tetsuo's mansion.
There was also a beastman girl named Nina who took care of my daily needs.
Life with her was enjoyable, bringing vitality to my sudden life in another world.
Life in the other world wasn't bad, but I intended to return to Japan.
For that purpose, I gathered information about the other world and searched for a way to return, but――the results were not favorable.
――On such a day.
Tetsuo burst into my room.
A certain noble used a Forbidden Curse to create a horde of Undead and attacked this city.
According to his story――originally this world was worshipped by a different god, but Tetsuo overturned it all by himself, and it seems the God Izal became the main religion.
He said it might be the work of nobles dissatisfied with that, but……
Before returning to Japan, it would be troublesome if I lost my place to live.
I also participated in the Undead extermination, but――the horde of Undead was too numerous.
The phrase "a few against many" fit this situation so perfectly it was rare.
In the battle that dragged on like a swamp, the soldiers' faces were darker and more sullen than the dust.
Arms swinging swords felt heavy, and the breathing of comrades was rough.
Wherever you looked, the surging horde of Undead approached as a mass of black shadows.
Despair slowly rose up to the chest, and everyone began to think "Are we going to be crushed like this?"――that was the moment.
A dazzling pillar of light rained down as if splitting the sky.
Light rushed out like ripples spreading on water surface, swallowing the shadows of the Undead in an instant.
『Daisuke-san!』
A voice heard from within the light, a voice left behind in distant Japan.
"Eh?!"
I let out a surprised cry.
The pillar of light slowly converged.
In the center of that dazzling light, a vague human silhouette floated up.
At first, it seemed so fleeting I thought it was an illusion, but gradually the outline became clear, and particles of light outlined her form.
Appearing before us was a single girl――.
A dress as white as snow wrapped her body, and her full chest was boldly exposed.
Illuminated by soft light, she even felt holy, and the curves of her rich chest stood out elegantly and naturally.
Thin cloth extending from the hem and sleeves of the dress danced lightly, catching the afterglow of light.
That movement was like wings swaying in the wind, and every time the white cloth fluttered, one even felt the illusion that angel wings had spread on her back.
In the silent battlefield, there was almost no sound of her landing.
All that remained after the light vanished was the fantastical figure woven of white and silver, and a silence that made everyone hold their breath――.
The soldiers lost their voices, unable to judge whether the existence before their eyes was reality or a dream, they stood frozen――.
The girl standing there seemed like a savior truly sent from heaven.
"Daisuke-san!"
The girl jumped straight into my chest.
"Sana?! W-why are you here?!"
"I came……"
She lifted her face and showed a slightly mischievous expression, but I felt she seemed a bit more grown-up than the Sana I knew.
It seemed her height had grown a little too.
Well, if it's been two years, she would grow.
"You came~"
She shouldn't have been able to come so easily.
Tetsuo riding on Shazam's hand descended there.
White light had repelled nearby Undead, so it seems there was some leeway now.
"Daisuke, this deed is surely the work of a god, right?"
"Ah~ I think there's no other choice but that……"
"Sorry for the suddenness, Sana-chan, can you handle those guys?"
He pointed to the surging horde of the dead.
"Yes! From the god, the details are……"
"Alright!"
While glancing at me and Sana embracing, Tetsuo rose up riding on Shazam's hand.
"Everyone! Rejoice! By our god, Izal, a Saint has been summoned to this land!"
"「「「……」」」"
At Tetsuo's sudden words, everyone around exchanged glances, but……
"A Saint...?" "Saint-sama...?"
At first, confusion still lingered in the surrounding air.
Even after the dazzling light subsided, people just stared blankly at the girl in the white dress.
Everyone seemed to say "Is it really okay to look at this?" as they held their breath, hesitating to even speak.
"A Saint! A Saint-sama!" "Saint-sama!"
Like emotions held back suddenly bursting, those calls gradually spread ripples.
Confusion turned to joy, fear to fanaticism, and everyone nodded at each other's faces.
"A Saint! Saint-sama!"
Voices overlapped and swelled, finally becoming a grand chorus that shook the entire plaza.
It was a cry seeking salvation, and also cheers of those who regained hope.
"「「「Wooooooo!」」」"
"……"
I couldn't hear the words, but Tetsuo, from above, put his hands together toward Sana.
"Um, I have so many things I want to say to Daisuke-san…… but for now, let's get to work."
It seemed she who came here grasped the general situation.
"You bastards! The Saint-sama residing here will unleash Turn Undead on those dead men! Buy that time!"
"「「「Wooooooo!」」」"
Until just now, expressions of resignation and despair floated on people's faces, like shadows with bones removed.
Their steps were heavy, hands gripping weapons lacked strength, and dark shadows of anxiety fell on each other's faces――but.
With the appearance of the Saint, everything changed at once.
As if a light lit deep in the chest, light returned to exhausted eyes.
Soldiers whose knees were shaking suddenly exhaled briefly and stood up, those whose legs had given way brushed off sand shamelessly and picked up their weapons.
"I'll do it!" "We'll continue too!"
Voices rose from somewhere, and those voices spread to the surroundings one after another.
The group that was silent until just now became lively as if boiling in just an instant, pushed forward as a wave of living people, forward, even further forward.
There was no longer hesitation on their backs.
Morale that had been swallowed by terror, once regained, burned up like flames, and with hope to protect right before their eyes, their bodies were filled with power.
"Let's go! Push them back!"
Responding to someone's shout, everyone ran out at once.
"Tetsuo! We're going too!"
"Roger!"
Tetsuo rode on Shazam's hand and went up.
Behind everyone who jumped out, Sana prepared to repel the dead men.
"……God……"
The moment she put her hands together as if gently interlacing her fingers before her chest――.
As if responding to that gesture, the surrounding silence deepened even more.
She closed her eyes and regulated her breath.
As a faint prayer voice leaked out like a single strand of wind, pale light blurred along the outline of her body.
Warm light that was neither gold nor silver.
Just looking at it made your spine straighten and your heart feel purified; there was a holiness like that.
Light also spread at her feet, and a circular pattern floated up as if small flowers bloomed.
Standing at its center, she was like the very medium connecting this world and the world of gods.
Truly a miracle of the gods.
"Rock Summon!"
A rock about the size of a kei car taken out from my Item Box was grabbed by a giant black hand.
"Shazam, go!"
When the giant rock thrown clumsily by her rolled along, it swept away the Undead like bowling pins.
If Turn Undead activates, everything turns to powder, so no worries even if crushed.
"Weapon Summon!"
I took out all the weapons stored in the Item Box.
These were weapons collected during previous dungeon clearings.
I had hoarded them because selling them was troublesome.
"If you need weapons, take them all!"
"Ooh~!" "Got it!" "Give it to me too!"
Muscular, buff cat-beastman men took big swords and charged into the enemy horde.
The beastmen were only cat-type; there were no dogs.
There are monsters similar to dog-beastmen, but they are not humans, they are monsters.
"Alright! I'm going too!"
I took a sword from the Item Box, kicked the ground, charged into the monster horde, and slashed sideways in a flash.
After securing a spot, I thrust the sword toward the sky.
I poured magic power into the raised weapon.
『Gurorororo……』
I released the sword's ability toward the approaching dead men.
"Oraaa! Namu Thunder!!"
The moment I raised the sword high, pale blue light welled up as if pushing up from inside the blade.
That light swelled instantly, bursting forth as a dazzling aura covering the sword's outline.
The pale blue radiance was not just light――it was the presence of thunder shaking the air, accompanied by a metallic growl.
The light changed into a sharp flash and extended from the sword tip like a chain.
As I thought a thin, continuous flow of plasma was burning the air and a pale blue line rushed――.
It writhed like a snake and simultaneously attacked the Undead ahead.
The plasma chain did not target just one, but wrapped up the whole horde together.
It tightened like gathering skeletal arms and bodies covered in rotting flesh; the more they tried to escape, the stronger the light chain became.
Sparks flew from where the Undead bodies touched, and scorching purple smoke rose.
Each time, the light gained more momentum, tightening as if it had the will to not let the prey escape.
The pale blue radiance enveloped the entire horde like a spiderweb, dragging even those making roaring sounds into the net of light.
"「「Woooo!」」" "Sooooo cool!"
Cheers also rose from the town residents fighting alongside us.
"Daisuke-san! Here we go!!"
"Everyone! Move aside! The Saint-sama is unleashing it!"
"「「Ooh!」」"
As the warriors and magicians pushing back the dead men suddenly retreated, the Undead surged forward like a tidal wave.
"Turn Undead!!!"
The radiance wrapping the Saint's body spread as if a transparent membrane burst at the same time as her words.
Light released from her feet ran quietly along the ground――but with a certain speed――sliding across the earth in concentric ripples.
Every time it passed over sand and stones, a thin golden film seemed to stick to the surface, flashing light, and the place touched by that light wave became bright like daytime for an instant.
When the light reached the horde of dead men, white particles floated up like smoke from the surface of rotting skin, followed by the outlines of bones and flesh beginning to waver.
There was no time to raise cries of agony or roars.
From the parts touched by light, they crumbled down like sand, turning into fine particles like ash and dancing into the air.
Even corpses lying prone, or even flesh masses crushed by giants, were no exception.
Remains that should have emitted slime and rotting stench, before the light, seemed not even allowed to maintain solidity; they kept their outline for an instant, glowing faintly, then broke apart into small particles of light and scattered.
The moment touched by the Saint's light, they were returned to their proper form――the peace of death――.
The light ripple was quiet, but its purifying power was overwhelming.
The expanding concentric circles swept away the negative presence accumulated on the battlefield, clearing even the air carrying burnt soil and rotting stench.
The Saint standing at the center shone like a single lighthouse.
"「「「Wooooooo!」」」" "「「「Saint-samaaa!!」」」"
Town residents gathered under Sana all at once.
"!"
I thought "I must protect her!" and tensed up a bit――but.
Everyone suddenly stopped moving and knelt beneath her.
"「「「「……」」」」"
Everyone silently put their hands together, offering prayers to Sana.
Soldiers, militia, and town residents who had rushed over, all covered in blood and dead men's entrails, not a single person spoke.
Each held an inexpressible prayer in their heart, simply entrusting themselves to the Saint's presence.
If you strain your ears, even the sound of wind seems to have faded.
The silence was not oppressive, rather warm.
The faint afterglow emitted by the Saint gently rained down on the heads of those offering prayers, appearing as if a soft light lit in everyone's heart.
The thick clouds hanging overhead split slightly as if someone quietly reached out from above, and through that gap, a sharp bundle of light fell to the ground.
In the world sunk into gray, that single strand of light drew a vivid platinum line.
The light spread while slowly changing angle, as if being drawn without hesitation to where the Saint stood, enveloping her whole body.
Shadows stretched softly only at her feet; even the desolate earth around and the remains of broken weapons blurred like part of a set losing color before that light.
Only Sana stood there like the protagonist chosen by the sky.
The light from between the clouds maintained a constant thickness, continuing to illuminate her like a single searchlight.
It was so quiet, solemn, and perfect that for an instant it made you forget this was a ruined battlefield――truly a perfect scene as if a movie scene was cut out directly.
"Phew……"
When I stored my sword in the Item Box, Tetsuo descended riding on Shazam's hand there.
"Sana-chan, you saved us~. You were told by the god, right?"
"That's also true, but when I said I wanted to meet Daisuke-san, I was flung here."
"Ah~ah, since you became a Saint, things like this might happen often, you know?"
"If it's with Daisuke-san…… I don't mind even that."
She whispered that shyly, but……
"「「「!!!」」」"
The gazes of the people kneeling before her all turned toward me at once.
It feels like there's hostility in them…… am I imagining it?
"Sorry~ Sana, disappearing suddenly."
"We heard where Daisuke-san was from the god, so I wasn't worried…… but everyone was angry!"
"Well, that's natural."
"Leaving us behind like that!"
"Even so, as us old men, we didn't want young people to suffer such things."
"Even so!!"
"Sorry."
When she said that to me, I had no words to reply.
It was just the selfishness of old men.
"Sana-chan, okay?"
Tetsuo cut in.
"Y-yes."
"Probably, other cities are in this situation too. Sorry, but could you accompany us to other cities riding on Shazam?"
"I understand."
She had no hesitation either.
Including that, it must be a trial given by the god, and she cannot abandon other cities.
"Alright, I'll accompany you too."
"That's natural! Daisuke is an Apostle too. Hahaha!――though, I wanted to say that."
"Is there something?"
"There might be enemy Saints or angels, so be prepared when that time comes."
"I…… I understand."
Tetsuo is worried because I let Ren escape during the final dungeon clearing, I suppose.
Even though she had fallen to the enemy side, she was a former comrade――.
Indeed, this is not Japan, but another world.
If I don't discard sweet thoughts, I might not be able to protect Sana.
"Before that, is it okay?"
"What is it, Sana-chan."
"I want to treat the wounded…… do you have any Magic Stones?"
"Oh~ yes, yes."
Tetsuo tried to take out a Magic Stone, but……
"U-um, if possible, with Daisuke-san's Magic Stone……"
"Ah~ yes, yes, hahaha!"
He elbowed my side, and the gazes of the men around pierced me.
"Here, Sana."
I handed her a Magic Stone glowing with blue light taken from the Item Box.
Since coming to this world, my magic power has increased, so I can now pour in magic power similar to Tetsuo's.
"Thank you…… mmm~"
She gripped the Magic Stone with both hands and began chanting a prayer quietly.
Her clear voice spread like ripples, and each word touched the principles of the world.
The power sleeping deep within the Magic Stone pulsed in response, and pale light leaked from between her fingers.
Soon the light gathered at her chest, beating in time with her breath.
White-gold light floated through her skin, as if being purified from within.
"Area Heal!! 《Area Heal》"
Light overflowed instantly.
Like morning sun shining from behind, but with a clearer radiance, it wrapped her body, dancing as fine particles at the edges of her clothes and the tips of her hair.
The holy light spreading centered on her enveloped the kneeling wounded people.
"「「「Ooh~!」」」"
Cheers rose from the people.
Unlike game healing, wounds don't close immediately, and lost limbs don't grow back――but.
Bleeding stops, and healing becomes quite fast.
Seeing this magic, it seems Sana's power has also increased considerably.
"Hey, are there any magicians from the Tower of Magic~?"
Tetsuo was searching for magicians.
"Y-yes."
A girl wearing a black long one-piece and a black hat answered.
"Please convey a message to Misra and Her Highness the Princess."
"Yes."
"We will visit other cities with the Saint-sama. Perhaps the Imperial Capital is in this state too."
"Understood."
She bowed deeply.
Tetsuo is an Apostle of Izal――that is, a Saint, and he is close with Misra, so it is natural he is respected.
"I didn't hear the details, but who is the Princess?"
"Ah, she is a descendant of the kingdom that ruled this area long ago."
Although the country has already been annexed by the Empire and there is no kingdom, everyone calls her Princess.
It seems her status from the Empire is Duke.
She is entrusted with local autonomy in this area.
"Shazam!"
At Tetsuo's voice, the black giant body was sucked into a black hole, leaving only the hand.
Everyone jumped onto it.
"「「「Woooo!」」」" "「「「Saint-sama~!!」」」"
Warriors, magicians, and beastmen on the battlefield gathered and waved toward Sana.
"Hahaha, you've become quite popular."
"That's because she's a Saint-sama."
"……"
Hearing that, Sana blushed and looked shy.
"Highyo~ Silver!"
At his shout, Shazam flew high into the sky.
"Wawa! High!"
Sana is surprised by the flight altitude, but it's not as high as an airplane.
It's probably a few hundred meters at most.
"Both of you, sorry, but let's head to the Imperial Capital first."
"If something happens in the Capital――will security worsen again?"
"Well, yes. Small states of nobles will proliferate, and minor skirmishes will continue."
Even without that, there are nobles causing trouble like this time.
The Empire also seems to intervene little in disputes between nobles.
Of course, if it's a rebellion against the Empire, the national army is deployed, but otherwise they take a wait-and-see stance.
"Honestly, I don't care about the Capital, but I want to protect the place where I live."
If the country becomes unstable, it will affect that city where we live.
Shazam continued flying straight toward the Empire's capital, cutting through the sky.
Deep, inexpressible anxiety settled heavily in my chest and Sana's.
Honestly, I want to know what happened to Japan, but I'm not in the mood for that now.
I must deal with the crisis right before my eyes.
Below, countless small cities and settlements spread sunk in black darkness.
Occasionally, red-black scenes of chaos peeked through breaking that darkness.
In one town, Undead tumbled in through gaps in collapsed city walls, and the screams of fleeing residents reached faintly on the wind.
Ash from fires piled in the plaza danced chaotically, and soldiers desperately raised spears to fight back, but the violence of numbers was clear.
"I want to help……" "Y-yes."
We could have landed there and saved them as much as we wanted, but Shazam's trajectory did not waver.
Following the single will of the pilot Tetsuo, the wings of magic power vibrated even stronger.
"Sorry…… if the Capital falls, the chaos will become worse."
That cold judgment grew heavy in the depths of my chest.
As altitude increased, the earth was gradually illuminated by spots of light like red scars.
Districts engulfed in flames, fallen fortifications, interrupted roads.
It seemed as if all the paths leading to the Capital showed traces of war.
------◇◇◇------
――Flying continuously, reaching the sky above the Imperial Capital.
As expected, the Capital was also being attacked by a horde of Undead.
Since there is a national army here, they held out better than other cities, but the Capital has many people.
Attacked by Undead, more Undead are born, and the enemy increases exponentially.
"As I thought!"
"Isn't the Capital the worst?"
"Since there are so many people――let's go!"
Diving sharply and unleashing Shazam at full power, we swept away the horde of dead men.
Naturally, my "Namu Thunder" was also at full power.
"Daisuke-san! Do you still have Magic Stones?!"
"Yes! Use as many as you want!"
I took out a large Magic Stone from the Item Box and handed it to Sana.
Inside the Magic Stone, blue light swirled, packed tightly with magic power.
"Turn Undead!! 《Turn Undead》"
Undead caught in Sana's miraculous light turned to ash one after another.
As expected, the quantity was too large, so it didn't end in one shot.
Fortunately, there was plenty of Magic Stone stock.
If my Magic Stones run out, Tetsuo has Magic Stones too.
In the end, we unleashed Turn Undead about three times and turned the entire horde of dead men to ash.
"「「「You saved us!」」」" "「「「Wooooooo!」」」"
Cheers rose from everywhere, but this was not the end.
Other cities were also being attacked by rotten enemies.
"Daisuke-san! Let's go help other places too!"
"Is Sana okay?"
Even if magic power is sufficient with Magic Stones, fatigue should have accumulated in her body.
Proof of that was the color of fatigue seeping onto her face.
"It's a promise with the god."
"……I understand."
Probably, that was the condition for her coming to this world.
We jumped onto Shazam again and rushed to other cities.