Chapter 56

The Shining Head group continued to fend off the approaching army.

“Huff, huff... Is this the end?”

“I hope so...”

After smashing dozens of them with their axes and swords, their weapons were already in tatters. Their armor was also damaged in several places.

But finally, the demons stopped emerging from the ground of the plain.

“Phew...”

So the bald man finally took a breather. At that moment,

“Leader! Behind you!”

“Huh!?”

From behind him, a Servant Demon leaped out of the forest. It already had a fireball in its hand and had thrown it.

“Gah... Damn it!”

The fireball hit his shoulder directly, searing it instantly and rendering it immobile. Despite this, the bald man tried to turn and slash at it.

However, the Servant Demon was already in the motion of throwing another fireball.

He wouldn’t make it in time if he turned.

“Damn...!”

He gritted his teeth, determined. In that instant,

“Fire Lance!”

A flaming spear flew from afar, impaling and pinning the Servant Demon. It writhed but couldn’t throw the fireball.

“Hya-ha! Chance!”

The bald man turned and sliced through the Servant Demon’s body.

The demon, bisected, turned into a black stone and rolled on the ground.

After seeing this, the bald man looked in the direction the flaming spear had come from. There stood a witch, equipped with a staff, robe, and hat, beads of sweat on her forehead.

“...Phew, I made it in time.”

“Hya-ha, thanks! You’re the princess from the town who gave us the quest, right?”

“My name is Dianeya. I should be the one thanking you.”

Dianeya bowed and then looked around.

“It seems most of them are already taken care of. I rushed here, but I was too late. I’m sorry.”

“Hya-ha. It’s for the town that’s been good to us. We just put in our best effort.”

“That’s good to hear. I’m grateful.”

Dianeya and the bald man laughed and shook hands.

At that moment,

“Gah!”

One of the adventurers, who had been on guard, was sent flying.

“!?”

The adventurers and Dianeya saw it.

“Grrrrr...!!!”

A huge black demon emerged from the forest, lumbering forward.

●

“What... is that...”

It was a massive, muscular monster with a goat’s head and beast-like legs. The club it had used to strike one of the adventurers was covered in blood.

Furthermore, it was continuously spawning Servant Demons from its thick, muscular body.

“Hya-ha... Seriously? A Dungeon Master here...!”

“A Dungeon Master!?”

A monster that spawns Dungeon Monsters, hence called a Dungeon Master. They usually reside in the deeper levels of dungeons. Dianeya knew this much.

However, this was her first time seeing one in person. And,

“Yes, and since it’s spawning demons, it must be a master from a very deep level. Given our exhausted state, this is bad...!”

“Hya-ha. We’ll either be worn down by the Servant Demons or beaten to death by it...”

From the way the Shining Head group spoke, it was clear this was a formidable enemy. They were already in tatters and could barely handle a few Servant Demons. They were in no condition to fight such a large creature. So,

“I’ll take it on...”

“No, don’t, Princess. That thing is dangerous! Even the Servant Demons are tough enough that we need to work together to take them down.”

“Hya-ha... You can slay dragons, but this is beyond even you, Princess!”

The adventurers tried to stop her, but she couldn’t run away.

“This is my town. I can’t just leave.”

She couldn’t let it go.

So she went all out from the start.

She used the new magic she had learned from that person.

Recalling the sensation when that person had empowered her, she cast the spell that could kill even a dragon.

“Take this! -- Volcanic Lance!!”

A thick, fiery beam shot from Dianeya’s staff, advancing in a straight line,

“Grr...!!”

And hit the Dungeon Master’s body.

The sound of burning flesh was heard, followed by an explosion and a cloud of dust.

“Hya, Hya-ha! Amazing! With that power, even a Dungeon Master...”

“Yes...!”

A hit that even a dragon couldn’t withstand. It should have killed it for sure.

But when the smoke cleared,

“...Grr...!!”

The Dungeon Master was still standing, with only a slight wound on its shoulder.

“What... Why? I hit it!”

“Damn... Look closely, Princess! It used the spawned monsters as a shield...!”

At the Dungeon Master’s feet were several magic stones, which had been Servant Demons.

...It had been defended!

“Then... one more shot...!”

She prepared to cast again. But,

“Princess, watch out!”

“...!?”

Before she could, the Dungeon Master punched her in the face.

She guarded with her staff and arm, but was still sent flying across the plain.

“Ugh... Physical attacks hurt...”

Feeling her face swell, Dianeya stood up.

Even with magical defenses, the impact was immense. It was clear she couldn’t win in a physical fight.

Moreover, her fire magic was ineffective, and the Dungeon Master had the advantage in numbers with the Servant Demons.

“Gah...”

The Shining Head group was also being taken down one by one.

...This is bad.

This Dungeon Master was stronger than a dragon and couldn’t be defeated.

...We can’t win.

It was that powerful.

--Still,

“You, take the injured and run. Shining Head.”

“Princess...?”

“I have to do this...”

Even as blood covered her face, Dianeya kept her eyes on the enemy, standing in front of the Dungeon Master.

“Even if I can’t win, even if I can only buy some time... I have to do this...”

Holding her staff, which could produce flames,

“To protect this town and its people, I have to fight! -- Volcanic Lance!!”

She launched the spell at the Dungeon Master. But,

“-- Grrrr!!”

The Dungeon Master blocked the flames with its club and deflected it. Despite the momentum of the swing, it still struck Dianeya’s body.

“Gah...!”

Dianeya was sent flying, spitting out air from her lungs, and landed in the forest.

“Whoa, whoa. Are you okay, there?”

“Huh...?”

“Flying out of the forest, covered in blood... What kind of joke is this?”

She landed in the hands of a wooden giant that had emerged from the forest.

●

“Sakura, do you have the medicine Anne gave you?”

“Yes, here it is.”

I took the medicine from inside the Wood Armor and decided to use it on Dianeya, who had flown into my chest, covered in blood. I deactivated the upper part of the Wood Armor, opened the vial, and a faint floral scent filled the air.

“Is it an ointment? Can I just apply it?”

“Yes, I think so.”

I applied the liquid from the vial to Dianeya’s face, and the bleeding stopped immediately. It was scary how effective it was, but then again, it was the Dragon King’s medicine.

“Ugh... S-Sorry...”

“Don’t strain yourself. But... good job. You did your best.”

Hearing my voice, Dianeya closed her eyes and fainted.

“Huh? Did I emit some kind of magic aura again?”

“No, she probably just felt relieved.”

“I see. That’s good, then.”

Her breathing was fine, so I let her rest. Her wounds seemed to be healing, and she would wake up soon. There were other things to do now.

“Well, what’s going on is a bit unclear... but that guy seems to be the boss.”

The black, goat-headed monster in my line of sight was apparently spawning Servant Demons.

Indeed, it was still spawning and sending them my way.

“Annoying.”

I shattered the approaching Servant Demons with a single Tree Bullet. But that wasn’t all.

“The minions are annoying too.”

I fired Tree Bullets in rapid succession, wiping out all the demons around the boss.

“--!?”

The boss, surprised by my actions, stumbled back. It was a good feeling.

As I observed the enemy,

“You... the Master of the Earth... Why are you here...”

The Shining Head group had approached me.

“I just had to take care of those Servant Demons. I ended up coming out of the forest. But you guys took out a few too. Thanks.”

I could see from the black magic stones on the ground that they had taken out about three. It was very helpful of them to assist in the extermination.

“You took out the Servant Demons we worked together to defeat with one hit?”

“Hya-ha... Unbelievable. But, you’re amazing...! You’re amazing...!!”

The bald man was looking at me with sparkling eyes. I wasn’t sure what was so amazing, but...

“Leader! The Dungeon Master is moving!”

Suddenly, one of the adventurers pointed at the boss. The Dungeon Master was spawning demons again.

“-- We don’t have time to talk. Get out of the way.”

“Hya-ha! Clear the path! And protect the princess!”

“Got it!”

The adventurers quickly moved away from me. Now, only the Dungeon Master and I were left on the field.

“Well, you’ve caused me a lot of trouble.”

“--”

“I don’t mind if you run wild, but this forest is my home, my sanctuary.”

So, be prepared, Dungeon Master.

“I will defeat any enemy that threatens my home and my sanctuary with my power!”

I channeled my power to recreate the Wood Armor.

“Let’s go, Sakura.”

“Yes, whenever you’re ready, Master!”

“Wood Armor. -- Mode: Immovable Vajra”

And then, -- the wooden giant was reborn.

Sorry, it got a bit long.

Next time, a bit of serious carnage.