Chapter 336 - The Eighth

“The land…? What’s happening?”

I definitely told him about it before, but Itsuki raises his voice.

But even if he did know, there was no way he could remain silent.

The Time Icon in our vision reverts to the normal hourglass… Zeltburg’s hourglass, but now’s not the time to think about that.

Naofumi: “Quite spacing out! Right now… we have to concentrate on the monsters the wave left behind. What do you think would happen if monsters of that level were let loose on the populace!?”

Itsuki: “Y-yes!”

Including Itsuki, everybody was thinking about it.

It was… the expanse of unknown land stretching out before us.

Because the wave had died down, no new monsters were spawning, but it left quite a severe mark behind.

Naofumi: “Rebuild the formation, and kill as many monsters as you can! Keep the casualties to a minimum! Understand!?”

My voice snaps everyone back to reality, and they nod.

Glass runs off towards the unknown land, and begins helping sweep up the monsters.

A few hours passed.

We finally killed every last monster from the wave.

Itsuki: “What is happening?”

Itsuki comes, and poses the question to me.

Naofumi: “I talked a bit about it, didn’t I? Looking at what was on the other side of the crack, it’s quite clear, isn’t it?”

Itsuki: “But still…”

Naofumi: “I want to confirm it too. Gaelion.”

Gaelion: “Kyua!”

Small mode Gaelion lets me hop aboard, and he changes to his giant form.

Taniko… isn’t here.

Gaelion unfolds his wings, and begins lifting himself into the air.

The ground below us gets smaller, and smaller, and the clouds grow in size.

I concentrate on the changed earth below.

From the Shield, I bring out a map of the country, and survey the land I can see.

From here, I can’t do a thorough investigation… at the very least, by looking down from above, I can see the new expanse of land.

Gaelion: “Fumu… the worst outcome didn’t come about, but it came ridiculously close. We have to prepare ourselves.”

Gaelion seems to have a grasp of the situation.

Gaelion: “If I were to compare it to a cup, it’s already got cracks running down the middle… just how long is it before the water bursts out?”

Naofumi: “I don’t know. It’s not like we don’t have emergency measures, but…”

What should we do?

If I didn’t hold Tact back, the situation would become even worse, so I wasn’t able to prioritize one ofer the other.

I may be looking in hindsight here, but it’s good that I didn’t treat Glass as a complete enemy back when I first met her.

Well… it’s not certain that she’s our ally, and even if she’s an enemy, it’ll just be an extension of the wave.

Naofumi: “I decided to save the world. I’ll just do what I can.”

Gaelion: “That’s quite some wishful thinking you’ve got there. But I’d like to believe the same.”

After our conversation ended, we decended back down to the ground.

“…”

With the Wave’s monsters gone, we approach Glass, and her comrades; a group that looked like a form of army.

This is quite a critical situation… isn’t it?

I can’t let down my guard.

Or course. These people were our enemies up until now.

Glass: “First, I’d like to create some space for a discussion. Would that be alright with you?”

Naofumi: “Understood. There are a few things I’d like to ask you as well.”

Me and Trash act as representatives to stand before Glass.

I mean, with the King of Wisdom on our side, I think the conversation should head somewhere for the better.

Naofumi: “Let’s see. What’s become of the Heroes of your world? How about your followers?”

Glass: “Yes. That world’s four heroes have all but been reduced to one… the other three have perished.”

… This is quite troubling.

It’s not my problem, but it’s quite a dire situation.

Glass: “That’s why, I alone, to prolong the life of the world, attacked this world with my life on the line. Without the opportunity to beat a single person here, I ran out of time, and this situation came to pass.”

Glass hangs her head.

Well, it’s something I already knew.

And we did barely manage to contain it.

Trash: “It was a way to preserve your world, so there’s no helping it. Since it’s come to this, we have to think of how to bring the situation under control.”

Trash soothes Glass as he responds.

Itsuki: “Naofumi-san, what does this all mean?”

Naofumi: “I did tell you before, right?”

I mean, before the battle, I talked with all the heroes.

About just what sort of purpose the Heroes’ weapons originally held.

Itsuki: “That’s right, but I’d like to confirm it.”

Naofumi: “Got it. Glass, I’d like to confirm the difference in our worlds. Can I ask?”

Glass: “Of course, though there are few differences to speak of.”

So everyone can hear, I reaffirm the truth.

Naofumi: “Then please listen. Originally, the four legendary heroes were… the keystone the world held in opposing the wave. If all the Heroes are to die in the middle of a wave… the world will fall to ruin. Of course, there are also vassals to uphold their banner, so it won’t fall immediately.”

The Allied Armies begin talking amongst themselves.

I approached the representative of the Filo Rials, the one pulling the carriage… Fitoria.

Naofumi: “And It isn’t… Seven Stars. Eight vassals existed to offer support to the Four Heroes.”

Trash: “Eight? There are Eight Seven Stars?”

Naofumi: “That’s right. It’s likely that that Filo Rial is the Eighth one.”

Fitoria: “Kue.”

Trash: “A Filo Rial is?”

Naofumi: “Is that strange? Right now, the Axe and Claw have both selected Filo Rials, you know.”

Trash crosses his arms, and gets lost in thought. He turns to the army, and speaks.

Trash: “It was written in my wife’s memos. That there might be an eighth. And the reason why the legend of the eighth died out is… probably because they rarely interacted with humans.”

That’s how it is.

Even if it was once common knowledge that there were eight, if no one knew where it was, or what it was doing, the legend would eventually become but a rumor in the wind.

I don’t really know why Fitoria acted in such a manner, but…

Naofumi: “You’re Fitoria, right?”

Fitoria?: “Kue.”

Naofumi: “Why were you providing support fire this wave? You’re strong, aren’t you?”

She may even have every single strengthening method of the ancient Heroes.

I don’t believe her skills have dulled with age, but how is it?

Fitoria: “Kue.”

… Oy.

Naofumi: “If you’re going to respond, please do it in a language I understand.”

Fitoria: “Kue, kue.”

“Umm, she says that a Hero of the past told her to avoid speaking in human tongue, apparently.”

Midori steps forward as an interpreter.

… I tell Firo not to speak too, but it seems a past Hero did the same.

Midori: “Cooperation is important, so she decided to at least offer some support. It takes a long time to re-awaken her legendary item, so she isn’t particularly strong, she says.”

I see. It’s been too long, so her weapon has gone into a cycle of activity and hibernation.

So she only has strength around our current level…. How troublesome.

Naofumi: “Got it. Then is there any information you can hand down?”

Fitoria: “Kue?”

…Yep.

I totally got that.

Midori: “Apparently, she doesn’t really remember. It’s just that hourglasses far removed from human habitation have been placed under the providence of Fitoria and the Filo Rials.”

… So there’s a place like that too.

That means there are other hourglasses in places we don’t know of.

When you think about it, we’ve never been to Silt Welt, or Shield Freiden, or any of the other major countries with them.

Large mountain ranges, and vast forests… there are countless places we haven’t even thought of exploring.

It seems that Fitoria’s team was taking care of the wave in places like that.

To protect the world unbenounced to the populace. What sort of Ally of Justice is she trying to become?

Though it appears that her brain itself is around Firo’s level.

“FUOOOOOOH! Giant Filo Rial-sama!”

Fitoria: “KUEEEEEEE!?”

Motoyasu notices Fitoria, and drops whatever he’s doing. He goes on the offense.

He shouts countless words of affection in her direction, and sends her running.

Amazing. It looks like she’s truly running for her life there.

Does she really hate him that much?

Motoyasu is also hated by Firo. Is he releasing some anti-Filo Rial pheromones?

No, he’s built up a favorable relationship with a number of them, so it must be an issue with his actions.

Naofumi: “Midori, I permit it. Go silence Motoyasu.”

Midori: “Eh, ah, yes! EI!”

“Fugu-”

Now possessing a legendary item, Midori thrusts his axe into Motoyasu from behind.

And with that, Motoyasu falls forward, never to speak again.

No, even if he’s like that, he’s a Hero. He isn’t injured at all.

Even so, Fitoria’s also bad at dealing with that man.

There’s no doubt she’s the one who put Firo in heat.

“We’re continuing the conversation.”

Motoyasu is quiet, so Fitoria regains her composure, and returns.

For the love of god, that man really needs to read the mood more.