Foreigner Volume 7, Chapter 129

Volume 7 Chapter 129, Magic Sword ~ 37

　In the midst of such a scene, there was a person who, from a considerable distance away, had been watching the tree that arose from the seed of the World Tree, where Satoru and his group were temporarily staying, since midnight. It was Zelphys, a member of the Holy Sword Clan.

　The 【Farsightedness】 consumes a lot of magical power and cannot be used for a long period. Taking naps several times, he watched from afar, trying to keep himself out of sight.

　The tree that arose from the seed of the World Tree, which stands a little off the road, is one head taller than the surrounding trees. Although it was not clear that the tree was generated by the seed of the World Tree with magical power, the discomfort suggested that Satoru, the target, was using the tree as a tent. The tree in the center of the crater had disappeared completely at the time of their departure. One can imagine that it was moved by magical means.

「...... But I wonder what kind of sorcery it is.」

　The Holy Sword Clan has a deep knowledge of sorcery, having developed their own unique sorcery specialized for the physical body, even if it is not as advanced as that of the Academy of the Wise. The most obvious way to do this is to use 【Enlargement】 and 【Reduction】, but it is unlikely that a single tree would be transported in this manner, and even if it were, it is unlikely that the 【Enlargement】 tree would be firmly rooted to the spot and become a bedding tree.

「...... Hmmm?」

　Zelphys, who had been hiding behind the tree, noticed that someone was moving at the side of the tree. He took advantage of the opportunity to use his 【Farsightedness】 to look in that direction. He knew immediately who it was.

「Satoru, huh」

　Satoru, the target, is a rather large man, even for a man of this world. Zelphys is 5'3" (159cm), which is slightly taller than the average man in this world, but Satoru stands out because he is a head taller than Zelphys.

　Satoru, who had been looking around with a furtive glance, turned his eyes toward where Zelphys are and stopped moving. Zelphys was flustered by the sensation of being stared at.

「......!」

　There is a considerable distance between Zelphys's position and Satoru's. Thanks to his 【Farsightedness】, he can understand the movements of people, but an ordinary person would not be able to find him. Despite this, Satoru is still staring at his location. Zelphys felt a cold sweat dripping down his back. If he made a poor move, he would increase the risk of being detected.

(Don't tell me he noticed me here ......?)

　Zelphys had heard from the chief of the West, Sayasute, that the target, Satoru, was somewhat out of the ordinary. Normally, he would not be aware of this, but Satoru is not normal. Zelphys stops 【Farsightedness】 for a moment and becomes more conscious of assimilating himself into the surrounding landscape.

(No. ......)

　Slowly, he felt Satoru move away from the trees, and with relief, Zelphys used his 【Farsightedness】 again. However, Satoru seemed to be hidden behind the trees, and he could not see him.

　Even for Zelphys, who had used his abilities to sneak into the royal palaces of many countries, this was the first time he had been so nervous about watching and scouting.

　Zelphys, who had continued his watch for a while, was surprised to see the tree where Satoru and the others were temporarily staying shrinking. I can't confirm what is going on from here, though.

「The tree ...... must be some kind of sorcery, after all.」

　With this realization, Zelphys also resumed carrying his own load.

　They were on the move. Remembering the topography of the area, he needed to get ahead of them to a place where he could monitor their movements so that he would not be detected.

　Satoru had been watching his hidden place earlier. Perhaps his keen senses had caught a glimpse of Zelphys, who was supposed to be cutting off his presence.

　Come to think of it, one of their members was a woman who was using Mimicry from a flying dragon named Minerva. Zelphys let out a sigh as he realized that he had to take the direction of the wind into consideration as well, since flying dragons have an exceptional sense of smell, and depending on the direction of the wind, there was a risk of being detected if he tried to keep his distance.

　Around Zelphys's neck hung a small whistle.

　This whistle is to be blown around the time they enter the circle. If the timing is too late, they will not be able to chant in time to capture Satoru and the others. He could not let his own mistake ruin the head of the clan's plans.

　Zelphys nervously began to move.

　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊　＊

TLN: Sorry I made a mistake translating this art 縮地 before I translate this as Shrinking. This 縮地 should be translated/literal meaning as Reduced the Earth Law, Shrinking the Earth, or something like that. For now and in the future I'll use 縮地 (Shukuchi=is a Japanese-language term for various techniques of rapid movement. The characters in the word literally mean "reduced earth". Once more I'm sorry

　They all continued their journey on foot at their leisure.

　After consulting with each other, they decided to walk in the morning as they did yesterday and to travel in a 【Shukuchi】 in the afternoon. Traveling in a 【Shukuchi】 consumes a lot of magical power. Even though they had a large stock of magic stones, they could not use them as much as they wanted, considering that they had to 【Fill】 them up again each time. And although it is not so bad compared to running at full speed without magical power, it takes a lot of energy, and above all, it puts a lot of strain on the ankles and knees. After all, Rico has an excellent sense of balance in this area due to her familiarity, but this is not the case with Satoru and Minerva.

　After two breaks, they began to move using 【Shukuchi】. Their speed is about as fast as a marathon runner. With the assistance of their magical power, they are not as fatigued as if they were actually running a marathon.

　If Satoru uses 【Shukuchi】 at full power, he will move so fast that even Rico can pull away from him in a blink of an eye. It is just a good handicap to carry Liz, who is not able to use such means of transportation. Yesterday, Liz was surprised and frightened by the speed at which she was carried, but today she shows no such signs.

　After the third rest stop, they started to move down the valley, which had been up and down so much before, and gradually started to go downhill only. It was half-past three koku (16:00). Clouds still covered the entire sky, but the sunlight coming through the clouds was turning reddish.

「Hmmm...」

　Minerva, who was moving lightly with a thump, frowned. Sensing a slight slowdown, Satoru and Rico also slowed down.

「What's wrong? Minerva」

　Satoru raised one hand, stopped moving in 【Shukuchi】, and looked back at Minerva. Satoru is still holding Liz in one hand.

　Minerva sniffed and nodded her head.

「Minerva can smell people again. It's a little far away, but...」

　Satoru shouted, "Ngeh" Minerva in the open air was originally a flying dragon, and her sensing ability was high. Even before yesterday's battle, she was able to smell people.

「It's not an army or something, is it?」

「There aren't that many of them. It looks like they are a distance away, so she wonders is it okay?」

　Minerva's voice gave Satoru a small sense of relief. He did not know where the seeds of the trouble lay, but if that was the case with Minerva, it was probably safe. However, it is always better to be on the lookout.

「I hope so......Hmm, then, let's walk a little. Just be on the guard.」

　Satoru carefully lowered Liz, who was in a one-handed carry, to the ground. Liz bent down, releasing her hand from around Satoru's neck. It is also tiring to be held in silence for so long.

　Then, Liz gave a cry of "Hyaa!". When she turned around, she saw Leia, who had emerged from the shadow of Satoru, holding Liz's ankle. It was just a small prank―Satoru smiled bitterly. As it was, Leia pulled Solor's hand and stepped out of the shadows.

「We should go outside too.」

「Are you sure? There's still a lot of sunlight.」

　Satoru looks back at the sky. It is not until the sun goes down that Leia really comes into her own. If the sun shines directly on her body, her ability is reduced by half.

「It doesn't matter. It may be too late if something happens」

　Satoru thought for a moment and accepted Leia's opinion. If you are going into town, it's no big deal, but this is a rural road, even if it is a city road(?). It may be because of that crater, but they have never passed or overtaken anyone other than that army. As long as there is no one to spot an 【Immortal Family】 walking outside in the first place, there will be no problem with them walking outside.

　The six of them, led by Satoru, Rico, Minerva, Liz, Leia, and Solor, slowly made their way down the mountain path. Satoru was relieved when the terrain below him became a little more open.

「Oh. Finally, the end of the mountain road.」

　After all, walking along a mountain path is tiring. The descent also added inertia and put a heavy strain on his legs and back. It was a relief to finally reach the end after spending two whole days walking the mountain road.

　Although the terrain is open, there is no sign of human intervention except for the road. The plain is not the dense green of a Deep Green Forest, but it is just a plain of low plants and trees growing wildly. If human power increases, this area will probably become a breadbasket. The grass and trees swayed in the gentle breeze.

　Satoru relaxed a little at the sight of such a quiet scene. Minerva said she could smell people, but there were no people within sight, and Minerva did not raise her voice in alarm.

「Pheasants?」

　Satoru glanced back when he heard what sounded like a pyui, a high-pitched bird call. Other than the poorly maintained road running through the town, the rest of the area is normal and natural. It is no wonder that birds are chirping since the area is probably within the beast race's sphere of influence. The sound of birds chirping is no surprise, but it is somewhat disconcerting, and Satoru slowed his steps a little. He was a little nervous.

「Somehow―the atmosphere is....」

　Leia also noticed the change in Satoru and looked up at the surroundings. There is no change in appearance ― no, a change has occurred.

「W-What is it?」

　Suddenly, a line of light rose in the distance ahead.

　The ray of light that suddenly appeared made a high-pitched kyiii and began moving at high speed, circling around Satoru and the others in a wide area in the blink of an eye.

　The magical slaves, including Satoru, deepened their tension and readied themselves for battle.

「This circle formation──?」

　Leia, an expert in sorcery, knew exactly what that line of light looked like. It was a different form of the 【Warding】 art that Leia excelled at, ritual sorcery performed by multiple people.

　However, Leia could not read what kind of effect this circle formation would have.

　At the same moment, a thin light came up from the entire ground.

　A pillar of light rose up into the sky in a wide circle around the entire area. It was about two majors (18 meters) high.

　A chill ran through Leia's heart.

　She saw the surrounding vegetation slowly fade away, and she was convinced that it was a reversal magic circle.

「―A reversal magic circle!? And on such a large scale ......!」

　The light shot up for a moment.

　Leia's magical power is reduced as she feels as if it is being sucked out of her, and at the same time, she feels dizzy. Rapidly, the surrounding vegetation shrivels up and withers away.

　It was such a bizarre sight.

「Uaahhhhh!」

「Minerva-san!? Kuh, aahhh!」

　Minerva screams, and at the same time, Liz stumbles to her knees. Satoru was chilled by the strange sight of his companions. Rico, too, looks pale, though she herself is honestly nothing to worry about. Satoru's eyes widened when he saw Minerva's abdomen glowing faintly.

「Minerva! Liz! Nuuu, 『Isolation Barrier (Shutout Field)!』」

　Immediately, Leia raised her hands above her head and used her sorcery. A bright red light spread across the sky like a large umbrella. Liz, who had been kneeling down due to the unexpected shock, took a breath and looked up with a shudder, while Rico's complexion improved a little. Solor also seemed to be slightly unsteady.

　This can't be normal―Satoru looks around.

「A-Are you all right!?」

「I-I can't hold on for much longer! The forbidden art, the one that sucks up magical power, at this rate, even with my magical power, it will be about one hour (40 minutes)」

「What!?」

　In this world, magical power is very important. Without the mysterious vitality produced by the soul, no living being can survive. The rapid withering of the surrounding plants and trees is also due to the forced deprivation of magical power. The fact that the soul is finished when it collapses is also because it cannot hold the magical power in its vessel.

　Leia raised her voice with a hint of urgency as she held up both hands.

「There's no time to explain! There must be sorcerers outside the circle! We must kill them!」

　Satoru immediately thought. This situation is a trap. They must have fallen into the trap without realizing it. It is not clear why Minerva's lower abdomen glowed faintly, or why she was damaged more than Rico and Liz, who should have a lot of magical power but only as much as an ordinary human, but that will have to wait.

　The damage Liz and Minerva had sustained even in that short time were considerable, though they were able to endure it now after Leia put up a ward. These two cannot be moved. Leia, who protects them, also cannot move. It is my role to protect them. If that is the case.

「Solor, Rico! You two, get out of the circle! Find the sorcerers and finish them off!」

　Satoru, despite a trace of uneasiness, sent out his instructions without hesitation.

「Understood!」

「O-Okay, leave it to us.」

　Solor nodded condescendingly, while Rico nodded firmly, a little unsteady but with a small sword in her hand. Aside from Solor, Satoru was hesitant to let Rico out of the ward, but the damage she was taken was less than that of Liz and Minerva. And although Solor's magical power was enormous, two people would be better able to deal with any problems than one.

　Solor took Rico, who was a little unsteady on her feet, by the armpits. Rico looked at Solor with surprise.

「Rico-sama, put your hands on my shoulders. We're going to fly. Hold on to me. 『Flight』!」

　Solor's feet float up, and just as she is about to take Rico and fly out of the ward, a strong feeling of fear comes over Satoru.

　Following his intuition, he turns around and readies his Giant Killer.

「!!!」

　Gyiin! and there was a sickening sound of metal clashing with metal. Cutting in toward Solor was a woman with a slender figure. A sharp blow with an old long sword was interrupted by Satoru, who caught it with a Giant Killer.

「Hou, you noticed me?」

　A calm and composed woman's voice ― her face covered by a frightening mask. The swords crossed, and the woman, stopped from moving, moved easily, and kicked Satoru in the stomach. Satoru, however, did not move an inch. The masked woman moves away with the momentum of the kick. Her quick and fluid movement is something Satoru has never seen before.

　Feeling Solor stop moving due to the change in the situation, Satoru yelled at the woman relative to him without turning around.

「Leave her to me! Just go outside and take care of it!」

　Solor and Rico fly away with a roar. The woman who hid her face in the mask did not show a single gap in front of Satoru while she looked in that direction.

　―This one is different.

　Satoru's senses were telling him that the woman in front of him was no ordinary person.

　The Mithril Golem that guarded Solor in the Labyrinth of No Return, and the Ingolshenes, the boss demon of the Labyrinth of the World Tree. The intimidating feeling that Satoru could not feel even against those who are undoubtedly the strongest enemies in this world, resides in her slim body. If Satoru is even slightly distracted, she will pounce on Satoru and cut off his head―That's why Satoru can't relax.

「Tsk ......, It is indeed difficult in front of you, huh(?)」

　As the masked woman took a step back, Satoru, with his Giant Killer in front of his eyes, caught her in the front of his body. There was no doubt that she had the objective of keeping Solor and the others out of here. However, her plans failed.

　As a trap to eliminate Satoru and others, she was probably the most powerful.

「I see you are the Demon King Satoru.」

「......I've never called myself that」

　Satoru said to the woman who had regained her grip on her sword without missing a beat. Satoru himself has never called himself a Demon King, nor does he think he is one.

　The woman sat down as if to say, "That's a trivial matter". Her standing posture, with her sword poised in a waist-high position, is graceful itself. It is a behavior that is simply stunning. She is definitely a first-class swordsman, or even better.

　Satoru shook his chin at her, who was unperturbed by the rising torrent of gold.

「You seem to be fine.」

「You are the one who looks fine.」

　Somehow, she has managed to maintain a resolute appearance even amidst the torrent that is sucking up her magical power. There must be some kind of mechanism. Satoru himself does not feel any particular change. Perhaps some magical power is being sucked out of him, but it doesn't bother him at all.

　Satoru took a breath and lifted the Giant-Killer a little, holding it in his right eye. Even if this situation is a trap, and the force that tries to cut through him is this woman, it's only a matter of time before he eats through the whole trap(?).

「Leia, take care of Minerva and Liz.」

　Without looking back, Satoru took a step forward. If he had had time to look back, he would have seen Leia's shuddering face. Perhaps that is why Leia's restraint was one step short of reaching him.

「My Lord no! That guy's sword is ......!」

　The woman wavered as if to control Satoru's moving tip, the moment he thought she was going to move.

　The positions intersected at a speed invisible to Leia and the others, and fresh blood splattered.

　The one bleeding was Satoru.

　『Soul Eater』――It is a sword that feeds on magical power.

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