Leviathan:Volume 6 Chapter 3
Chapter 3 - The Ring's Whereabouts
Part 1
Conferring the spiritual power of exorcism onto Hal's Bow.
After announcing that, Shamiram looked up at the sky. A pteranodon with a wingspan of twenty meters was slowly circling overhead.
The deceased covenantee summoned the ancient leviathan, Ashkelon.
"O Ashkelon, my friend who shares our covenant. Grant me the power to lead lives that have returned from the realm of the dead back to where they belong—the garden of repose!"
Ashekelon was flying ten-odd meters over the island where Hal, Hazumi and Shamiram were.
With her wings outstretched, she was gliding on the wind, circling according to the air currents. As soon as she heard instructions, she flapped her right wing gently.
Next, nine runes of Ruruk Soun descended from her right wing.
They signified "purification of evil spirits." This was the spiritual power of exorcism—The sacred mystic technique used by Shamiram and Ashkelon as a team.
From what Hal could tell using his eyes of a Tyrannos, there was nothing suspicious about this mystic spell.
Still, just to be on the safe side, Hal decided to confirm.
(Is that magic really okay?)
(Oh? You are quite distrustful, brat.)
(It's true Shamiram-san helped us out just now... But ultimately, Solomon-senpai hasn't been destroyed.)
Hal was speaking to Hinokagutuschi who was mocking him from inside the magic gun.
Since they were conversing mentally through a bond of magic, no one else could hear their dialogue.
(The battle could've been staged to win our trust.)
(Indeed that is possible. Regardless, the spell used by not-completely-dead woman seems to be above board.)
(Got it. Say, are you in any position to mock another person as 'not-completely-dead' when you're a ghost?)
In any case, it seemed fine.
Hal pointed the magic gun up at the sky. The runes of Ruruk Soun falling from Ashkelon's right wing were all absorbed by the "magic wand."
Thus, it was imbued with the power of exorcism.
"Next up is a decisive showdown against my master."
"Yeah, but we just fought a great battle."
Hal glanced at the other witch.
Hazumi had made Minadzuki use pseudo-divinity twice today. As a Level 2 witch, she could not issue the order again.
"Let's take a break for now. We need to catch our breath."
"Is that so? By the way, Lord Haruga, may I ask you for a favor?"
Shamiram suddenly made a suggestion.
"Suppose things were to progress smoothly, after we escape from this ark... I would like you to slice me with your twin blades."
"But, if I do that..."
Hal understood. She was different from King Solomon.
Once he did that, she would disappear from this world in an instant. Hoping for her own "death," Shamiram showed an aloof expresion in front of Hal for the first time.
Without any lingering attachments to "life" as a member of the undead, she showed thorough enlightenment on her face!
There was even a calm smile on her face.
"It has been over a thousand year since I followed my master to the grave. Unlike the Tyrannoi... such as my master or you, Lord Haruga, I find that these long years have been too protracted and too burdensome for a mortal like me."
"......"
"It is about time for me to make my way to the underworld."
Hal still did not trust this ancient beautiful witch completely.
However, he wanted to believe in her words. Hal was just about to nod in agreement when Hazumi spoke before him.
"N-No, you can't. How could anyone say they want to go to the underworld..."
"This is nothing. In my current state, I am no different from having one foot in the coffin."
"B-But... How about this? When Senpai seizes Solomon-san's ship, he could let you be the captain, Shamiram-san, to go wherever you wish..."
Coming with all kinds of ideas, she tried to change Shamiram's mind.
Without responding directly, Shamiram told them, "Lady Hazumi, you are truly a kindhearted girl. However, this is the one thing I cannot agree. If you wish to be a priestess serving at Lord Haruga's side, to become the spokesperson for a goddess—a 'serpent'—to aid in his grand conquest... There is one obstacle that must be surmounted no matter what."
The sudden advice stunned Hazumi on the spot.
The witch from the ancient kingdom remained composed the whole time.
"No need to worry, this is not something difficult. Lady Hazumi, your heart and soul already possesses the aptitude for it."
After that, they discussed their next move and overall strategy.
Shamiram would set off first for "a certain purpose."
Hal and Hazumi would only start moving after casting multiple layers of stealth magic. Riding Minadzuki, who had miniaturized again, they set off on a journey through the air.
However, they did not have a destination.
Their plan was to fly casually in the sky to hide for an hour or two.
"Senpai, are you still unable to trust her?"
"Well, I'd really like to trust her."
Hal replied to Hazumi, who was sitting in front. Naturally, by "her" they were referring to Shamiram.
"By saying that, you mean—"
"I... 'm not worried at all. I believe that Shamiram is a really good person."
The two of them were riding Minadzuki the serpentine dragon.
Sitting in front of Hal, Hazumi looked back on purpose, showing a smile of purity.
But right now, Haruga Haruomi was also the guardian of his adorable junior.
Once in a while, unpleasant as it may be, he had to give her the realistic view.
"Without clear evidence, it's not good to draw conclusions based on impressions."
Hal deliberately made himself sound cruel.
"We must prepare for the worst-case scenario at all times."
"Although it might not count as evidence, I think there is still a reason for believing her, because Minadzuki did not react towards her."
"Minadzuki?"
"Yes. Whenever anyone untrustworthy approaches me... She will instantly stay on alert. She is very smart."
"I see, so there's such a move huh."
Hal nodded indifferently without revealing that his heart had been melted by Hazumi's smile.
It was definitely quite like a girl to make decisions based on impressions.
Logically speaking, he ought to rebuke this sort of opinion. However, to bring up a "serpent," a supernatural being, as a reason, perhaps this could be what was extraordinary about Hazumi.
Hazumi was not only pure but also had down-to-earth intelligence...
"Oh?"
A smiling voice came from behind.
Hal turned his head back to see that the kimono-clad Hinokagutsuchi had materialized without his knowledge. Sitting on the miniature Minadzuki's back, she had her legs sticking up in the air.
"You are quite stubborn and cowardly, brat."
"I don't deny that, but can't you add cautious to that too? Say—"
Hal asked the former dragon queen who was casually appraising him.
"What's your opinion of her?"
"Hmm? Irrelevant. If she is aiding you sincerely, make good use of her. If she has ulterior motives, then use your jaws to crush her together with her trap. Brat, this is what it means to show a king's mettle."
"Thank you for your completely uninformative opinion."
Hazumi giggled after listening to Hal and Hinokagutsuchi's conversation. Then with a sudden realization, she asked, "Excuse me... The 'obstacle that must be surmounted no matter what' which Shamiram-san mentioned, how do I surmount it specifically?"
Supposing Hazumi wished to become the spokesperson for a goddess—a "serpent"—to aid in his grand conquest.
This was the prior assumption in her advice. Confused, Hazumi said, "Do I truly have the aptitude for that? It's not like I'm good at magic, so I really can't feel any aptitude in myself."
"Oh... About that."
"Hmph."
Seeing Hal nod, Hinokagutsuchi smiled with malevolence.
"It appears that the brat has deduced most of it."
"Come on, clearly you're the one who already knows everything."
Hazumi widened her eyes, very excited.
"Please do tell me! I wish to be of even more help to Senpai and all of us!"
"Hmm... Sorry, I won't tell you."
Of course, instructing her would not be hard. However—Hal shrugged.
Taking care of everything for her would not necessarily be a good thing, although he might feel a momentary sense of "superiority" as the instructor.
Conversely, it could also cause the one being taught to weaken in "comprehension ability."
Although Hal was young for someone in the workforce, he also possessed extraordinary abilities, hence, he decided to leave Hazumi to her own devices.
"Rather than having others tell you directly, it's better to figure things out on your own."
"I-I see."
"Yeah. Even more so for work and professional skills. Well, I think there's nothing to worry about."
Due to his protege looking very worried, Hal added the latter sentence.
In fact, he could have omitted the reassuring words, but there was no helping it. Hazumi was his adorable student.
"Despite her personality being like that, Shamiram-san seems to be a good judge of character. Shirasaka, you do have aptitude—or rather, I believe that your temperament is very suited to developing yourself in that direction."
"V-Very well."
Hazumi nodded resolutely. Feeling his heart and soul soothed by Hazumi's reaction, Hal then looked at Hinokagutsuchi.
Through the earlier conversation, Hal came to realize now that he thought back to it. The words casually spoken by the ancient beautiful witch seemed to be very profound—
"Sorry for suddenly changing the subject but I've got a question for you. I remember that pure-blooded dragons don't like to take human form, isn't that right?"
Pure-blooded dragons. Beings that were born as dragons from the start.
In contrast to them were the hybrid dragons. They were living creatures that were not dragons to begin with, humans for example, but guided by the path of the unorthodoxy, they had been reborn as dragons.
Currently, Hinokagutsuchi the former dragon king had materialized herself in the form of a prepubescent human girl.
"By taking this form... It means you're a hybrid, right?"
"Oh? Who knows."
"If it's not too much to ask, I hope you won't play dumb as usual."
"I am not playing dumb. I simply cannot remember."
Hinokagutsuchi haughtily tossed a casual reply at him.
She even puffed out her chest, looking very superior.
"Because it was truly too long ago. Well, I am not against telling you should I remember one day. Go ahead and wait patiently, but do not get your hopes up."
"I see..."
The cunning former dragon king had lived for who knew how many thousands of years.
Hinokagutsuchi smirked craftily, apparently finding Hal's question ludicrous. Hal fell into deep thought.
Shamiram had said this just now:
'It has been over a thousand year since I followed my master to the grave.'
'Unlike the Tyrannoi... such as my master or you, Lord Haruga, I find that these long years have been too protracted and too burdensome for a mortal like me.'
At this point, Hazumi suddenly spoke up, "Senpai, Minadzuki seems to be ready now!"
"Looks like it."
The three of them were currently riding on the back of Minadzuki the emerald serpentine dragon leviathan.
She suddenly released potent magical power from her entire body, stimulating the senses of Hal's group. The usage counter of pseudo-divinity had recovered.
Hal took out a pocket watch.
It was currently 6pm or so on August 18th.
Leviathans would recover their magical power during the night. Although one could not distinguish night and day within the ark, Minadzuki's biological clock(?) still sensed the presence of night.
Furthermore, the battle against Hannibal had ended at roughly 11pm on August 16th.
They had been locked inside here for forty-three hours—Almost two days.
"It's time to settle things with Solomon-senpai."
Hal focused his consciousness on his heart, i.e. heartmetal.
The Crimson Queen, which he had snatched back earlier, the gigantic body of a dragon king appeared out of thin air. Her body ablaze with intense flames, she arrived by Minadzuki's side. As though intending to fly alongside her, she glided at the same speed.
"We're lucky we didn't get attacked while waiting for Minadzuki to recover."
"It's all thanks to Shamiram-san's help!" answered Hazumi.
Hal had asked the beautiful witch to act separately as a "diversionary tactic."
He hoped she could buy time by drawing the attention of King Solomon and his subordinates during the one or two hours before night fell. Meanwhile, Hal and Hazumi would use stealth magic to cover their tracks until then—
"Also, it's thanks to stealing back the queen."
For the enemy, the Crimson Queen was also a trump card.
Hal now held the advantage in terms of combat strength... Theoretically speaking. However, the ark was the battlefield—The interior of King Solomon's legacy. The enemy still held the advantage of home field.
No matter what, Hal's group had finally managed to reach the endgame.
The target was their original destination—The control room. For this purpose, they ordered Minadzuki and the queen to fly faster.
Part 2
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Part 3
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Part 4
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Part 5
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Part 6
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