Chapter 928 – The Sound of the Witch Calling

000

The flash of light that had obscured all the party’s vision and made it impossible to see what was ahead slowly faded away.

That was not a long time after Chopper’s determined voice and the four-pronged screams calling out to her rang out.

Suddenly, the sofa that bound Cleon and his companions’ arms and legs returned to its original form, and when they came to their senses, they were able to move in place.

＂Pfft… Barely ahead… Chopper!＂

Cleon’s eyes, which finally regained her vision enough to see, quickly took in the information in front of her and transmitted it to her brain.

It was clear that it would take his brain some time to process these.

＂Chopper…＂

Cleon’s voice called her name in a voice that seemed to be angry and squeezed.

However, no answer comes back.

Instead, where Chopper was just a moment ago-

There was something legless lying on the ground with skin that seemed to be made of metal.

“Doll…? Didn’t Chopper become a demon? “

Careclaw muttered as if he didn’t know.

Just as she said, the thing called ‘Chopper’ was frozen in place and not moving, and its form, consisting only of the upper body, seemed to be modeled after a human, although it was foreign.

It was as if the original chopper was depicted as succinctly as possible.

Originally, fairies who were reduced to magical beasts by the execution platform were robbed of their forms.

That’s why it was strange that her true self remained so strong.

＂Ha-.＂

And, an annoying sound like snoring coming from somewhere.

After her companions, except Cleon, regained her eyesight, they turned their gaze towards her.

Of course, including Careclaw.

There stood Dorothea, covering her face with her hands.

“Haha… Haha! Ahahahahaha!”

And then she burst out laughing.

Unable to hold back, it was a burst of laughter that welled up from the depths of the ship.

Somehow, because of what sounded like ridicule, all the people present must have frowned.

And – the appearance that covered her face had not changed at all since before the light disappeared.

＂Ah~! I was really surprised… I was so shocked that I couldn’t do anything… But it was disappointing. Chopper… May have been trying to take control of her execution platform by throwing her own body… But if there is no one to control her, it will be of no help in the end…”

As she said this, Dorothea lowered her hand from her own face, revealing her bare face that had been covered with it.

“Now… Then? There needs to be some kind of punishment for the human guests who tried to help me rebel… Right? Care Claw? “

However, the moment he saw her face, Care Claw stepped back from her with a very surprised expression.

＂Hiik!＂

“… What? Like looking at a person’s face. “Isn’t that a little rude?”

＂That, that, no, that, the face…＂

＂Haa?＂

In response to Careclaw’s strange reaction, Dorothea touched her face and realized that the texture was strange.

“What. Is this…?”

Dorothea tried to summon the mirror to her by snapping her fingers, but for some reason the mirror did not appear.

“Tch… Did something go wrong with the flow of magic due to the explosion a little while ago…”

Then, as she looked back at her group, her face was-

＂Dorothea… Your face-＂

＂What happened!? Tell me now!”

Cleon’s hesitant words.

Dorothea’s face in his eyes could only be described with one word: ‘grotesque.’

There were vertical stripes on his face, like a watermelon or a melon.

The face divided by the stripes seemed to combine the ‘four types’ of faces into one.

Among the monsters that exist in legend, it is said that there is a monster that has the face of two people, a man and a woman, combined into one human face.

The woman before my eyes doubled that, with four faces existing in one person at the same time.

Moreover, the two pupils are split in half. Two for each eye.

In other words, the four eyes flashing here and there just felt disgusting to the person watching.

“If you want to see it that way, I’ll show you.”

As Lila said that, an illusory mirror appeared in front of her.

And then, Dorothea would look at her own face reflected there and step back, startled as she was.

＂W-what is this face! This, this…!”

None of those four faces resembled Dorothea’s original face.

From the neck to the bottom, it was the same as before, but since the faces of four people who were not at all similar were forced together, it naturally created an imbalance with the body.

＂＂＂＂This is my face!!＂＂＂＂

The next moment, the voices coming from her throat were ‘four’ at the same time.

And her group did not miss out.

And with that scream, something like a vague spirit came out of her body, and it seemed to be being pulled back into her body.

I was able to identify each of the four faces that appeared on Dorothea’s face.

＂As expected.＂

There, Lila muttered as if she knew.

“When she heard Chopper’s story, she thought it was strange. Magic isn’t something you can learn so easily just by reading other people’s research materials. Even more so… When it comes to the magic of old witches.”

Lila’s eyes become sharp.

“It looks like Dorothea, but it’s not exactly Dorothea. Four witches are living together in her body, using magic to parasitize her own soul in the bodies of others.”

＂…!＂

Everyone in the group looked surprised at Lila’s words.

＂Why, why, why! The girl’s soul can’t open her eyes properly!”

＂Why, why! Why!”

＂

＂Why why why why!＂

A dizzying variety of voices came out of Dorothea’s throat as she held her head.

Really, there are four types of voices.

Each of them had a voice like that of an old woman, and the voice exuded an evilness that could not be imagined as human.

“I guess. The magic seems to have weakened. Something that was helping her maintain her magic and power must have disappeared.”

[That’s right. That is, part of the power of the previous Fairy King.]

At that time, there was another voice coming from somewhere.

The group’s gaze returned from the suffering Dorothea to the execution table.

It maintained the shape of a sphere and a pyramid, but something inside seemed different from before.

＂Is that voice Chopper…?＂

[That’s right. My original body was lying there after being executed, but my spirit was able to move into the execution platform. And… By using the power of the moment when the execution squad was moving, she was made the target of her execution squad at the same time as me.]

The eye on the top of the execution platform spins and turns to look back at the group.

The sight was bizarre, but I could feel some peace of mind knowing that it was Chopper who was moving it.

“Ha. I was worried. If you could answer, you should have answered when I called you earlier.”

[Sorry. It takes time to take control of all the execution platforms.]

In response to Cleon’s complaint, Chopper returned a short apology.

＂Ugh… On the topic of a trivial fairy… On the topic of a fairy…!”

Dorothea – No, the four witches who were occupying Dorothea’s body were muttering like that while scratching her face with their sharp nails.

Thanks to this, blood flows from the wounds caused by her fingernails, but the wounds on her face heal as if turning back time.

＂Hiik…!＂

Careclaw, who was near her, looked at the scene and sounded terrified.

No matter where you look, it doesn’t look like a human or a fairy.

Her companions could only look at the witch who was breathing heavily with disdain.

[Like this, once again, I will execute her and retrieve her Fairy King powers from her. It will take some time. Please stop her.]

And Chopper tried to activate it once again using the control he had over the execution platform.

As her sphere began to rotate, and a hole was about to appear in it, the witch widened her eyes and raised her hands, looking at her scaffold.

＂Shall we let it happen like that? How did you get this opportunity? For hundreds of years… We have lived in this world oppressed by the Fairy King, and our resentment is still not resolved! I will destroy you first! All you have to do is build a new execution platform!”

The witch raised her hand and raised her voice like that.

The next moment, four large rocks appeared around her body.

Each of the stones possessed evil magical power, and the heat rays of magical energy generated from them instantly flew towards the execution platform.

＂Galatea!＂

The next moment, Cleon’s body intervened between the witch and the scaffold to block the heat rays.

And the moment she called out the name of her magic sword, without the slightest hesitation, she escaped from Ninianne’s hand and flew towards Cleon.

[Really, it’s too late to call!]

And, like she knows, she does what she has to do.

The moment Cleon lifted her upright and pinned her to the ground in her meeting room, her black magical barrier appeared as if surrounding her execution platform.

＂Kuh…!＂

The intense heat rays burn the surface of Cleon’s defense wall as if trying to chip it away.

＂That’s it!＂

However, Cleon was not alone.

When Lila’s voice rang out, dozens of flaming chains appeared from the magic circle beneath her feet and stretched out like snakes, targeting the witch’s body.

＂Infernal Chain!＂

Sigh! As the sound rang out, a chain of hot flames bound the witch’s body.

Then-

＂What a little kid!＂

The arms of Dorothea’s spirit extended out from her body and stretched out their hands towards Lila.

The same burning magic chain that had been cast on her was used against Lila.

＂Kuh…!?＂

＂Lila!＂

Kuon’s voice rang out.

“Are you okay! This is… Reversing the curse…! After all, witches… Seeing them using such high-level magic, it doesn’t seem like they’ve been using humans or fairies as experiment materials…!”

A magic that returns the spell cast on you to the caster.

Since it is a curse that reverses a curse, it is treated as a type of black magic. The higher the level of the curse that must be reversed, the higher the level of difficulty and the higher the magical power consumed.

Naturally, it was impossible to parry Lila’s magic with an average level of skill.

There were two more pairs of spiritual arms extending from her body.

They each stretched out their hands towards Sasha and Amelia, and each used corresponding magic to block their attacks on them.

＂Kyaaaaa!? What are these tentacles!?”

Sasha let out a scream as she saw the slimy black tentacles, like octopus legs, binding her arms.

“Ugh. My body… Is this also a curse…!”

And then, Amelia had no choice but to let go of the hammer she was holding in her hand, as her outstretched spirit body’s arms struck her in a strange doll-like pose.

This is because he was hanging upside down in the air.

It was to the point that I could tell without even listening to Lila’s explanation that it was a type of unpleasant black magic.

＂Sasha, Amelia!＂

“You are next! First, I’ll tear up and eat the ones that get in the way…!”

She speaks like that to her Kuon, completely revealing her malignancy as a witch.

Perhaps, she underestimated her by thinking that she would not have any significant means of attack.

Kudo seems to be agitated for a moment when she realizes that, but she soon regains her composure and brings out her secret weapon that she had hidden away.

“I’m sorry, but I won’t leave you like that!”

As her voice rang out, roar! And suddenly, a flame rose up from her ground.

But it doesn’t burn furniture or objects around it.

The only thing that the flame burned was the evil black magic unleashed by the witch.

＂What… Holy sword…!?＂

＂… Galatin. “I’ve waited a long time.”

[It’s finally my turn.]

While in the Eastern Country, Galatin, the Holy Sword of the Sun, contracted with Kuon, who stayed away for a while to focus on her training as a shrine maiden.

Kuon, who thought that something might happen on her adventure into the unknown world of Fairy Incense, naturally brought her with him.

However, it is not in the usual ‘phoenix’ shape, nor is it in the ‘great sword’ shape, but in the form of an ‘accessory’ like Aruru.

That’s why none of her fairies noticed that she was carrying her holy sword.

Kuon herself is a person who does not like fighting, and she understands that her original role is as a healer who heals the wounds of the group, so she may have tried to avoid using the power of the Holy Sword if possible.

But – if necessary.

Kuon’s appearance while holding the holy sword has changed.

The appearance of a girl knight wearing armor and holding a great sword.

She had a dignified appearance and looked just like Amelia or Aruru.

＂Haaa!＂

The next moment, she rushed forward and swung the burning holy sword of the sun at the witch.

Because she wasn’t used to swordsmanship, she didn’t have a very neat posture –

The witch in front of us was already concentrating on suppressing the party using all four personalities.

Therefore, in order to stop Kuon, she had to turn to one of her other personalities, and if she did that, she would end up being counterattacked by someone else.

So what she chose-

The point was to stop the attack and turn the three personalities to defense.

The tentacles that bound Sasha, the curse that oppressed Lila, and the doll that kept Amelia floating in the air.

Everything disappeared on the spot as the magic was released.

Should I say instead?

Three pairs of spirit arms extending from Dorothea formed different beast seals at the same time, creating a powerful barrier of dark magic around her and her surroundings.

A black fog, or tentacle-like thing, coalesced into a hemisphere and enveloped her body.

Thanks to you, if you can’t see the inside-

＂What, what!? Why me too!? Now, wait a minute! Help me!”

For a moment, Careclaw’s frightened voice was heard.

As she stretched out her hand to Cleon, who was close to her, she, along with Dorothea, disappeared into her black barrier.

And, Kaang! As a sound was heard, the swung Holy Sword Galatin bounced.

Galatin originally tried to cut down the witch, but was blocked by a strong barrier.

＂Wow…!＂

No matter how great the sword is, it cannot easily cut through such a thick barrier.

Kuon’s body fell back, and she had to re-center herself to avoid falling in her sleep.

The next moment, another slash follows her, cutting through the witch’s barrier.

Then, this time, unlike Kuon’s slash, it leaves a small wound on the barrier.

Of course, it was Cleon’s slash – Caliburn was held in his hand along with Galatea.

＂Kuon, together we will remove this barrier.＂

＂Ugh, yes!＂

“Amelia! Once we completely remove her defenses, we will strike her down with the hammer of her divine power!”

＂Yes!＂

Unlike Kuon, who is not originally a swordsman, and Cleon, who cannot originally handle divine magic.

Amelia, who wields divine magic and is an expert in close combat, was the most suitable force to finish off the witch.

That’s why she entrusted her with her important mission, and Cleon and Cuon looked at each other and nodded.

The place you should aim for is the place where Cleon cut and scarred a while ago.

If Cleon and Cuon pour out their full power and cut down at the same time without a split second of difference, the barrier will disappear as is.

＂Here we go…!＂

＂One, two…!＂

With an intense light, the two swords are swung simultaneously.

On one side, pure light.

On the other side, it was a hot light like the flame of the sun.

A flash of intersection!

The divine magic that poured in at once repulsed with the black magic, penetrating from the surface and even burning its internal structure.

A spark that bounces, a barrier of magic that opens and falls.

And, as if it were now.

Amelia’s body jumped high.

In her hand was a large hammer, more than twice as large as the one she usually made and wielded.

＂Light and Holy Spirit…!＂

With a short prayer, Amelia’s huge hammer was lowered and planted on top of the disappearing wall.

If the opponent is an evil being using dark magic, everything her hammer touches will be purified and turned to ash.

-There would have been no doubt.

Next moment.

A large amount of straw, extending from the inside of the broken barrier, was entangling itself, catching Amelia’s hammer as if it were a plant’s vine.

＂Ugh…!? This is…!”

At the same time that her own hammer was blocked, Amelia saw the witch’s appearance within her broken barrier.

She… Not only her face was changed by her execution, but her entire body was also changed.

Amelia had to give up her hammer and get behind her.

And immediately after that, her arm made of straw protruding from within the barrier swung horizontally and attacked Cleon and Cuon.

＂Kuh…!＂

In order to avoid being caught by the hand, Cleon had no choice but to hold Cuon’s waist with one of his arms and step back.

And, it was only then that the witch’s changed appearance was seen by others.

It was like a huge monster with a body made of straw.

Along with the same face made of melting black ink, as many as 10 arms were moving.

He’s so tall that he touches the ceiling when he stands up, and there are countless black tentacles writhing within the straw.

What made up the body was something different from dark magic.

＂… What on earth is that…!＂

It was so bizarre that even Cleon broke into a cold sweat.

＂… Buy, buy, give…＂

And, from that monster, Careclaw’s voice was heard.

＂…!＂

Come to think of it – Careclaw, who was trapped inside the barrier, was nowhere to be seen.

No, it was easier to understand if I said that the monster in front of me was a transformed Careclaw.

The monster was creaking and tilting its head back and forth, but Careclaw’s voice soon disappeared.

And, the voices of the four witches heard earlier overlapped, giving a sentence to the party.

“If this happens… I will absorb all of you…! All of you…!”

It was, without a doubt, the voice of a witch.

It was an hideous voice that suited the sight of him looking at the group with eyes filled with anger, with endless desire wrapped around his entire body.