Volume 2 - CH 251

Ignoring all previous pace, I head for the village as fast as I can.

Every time I kicked the ground once, the soil would cracked up.

The Zenki-village, which was getting closer and closer, was in tatters.

Even from a distance, I could see it.

There is not a single building standing on by itself.

The only thing remaining as far as the eye can see is the castle tower.

The rest of the buildings are either collapsed or slanted, their weight resting on other buildings.

The buildings on which the weight is resting have also collapsed, and the scene is like dominoes toppling over.

All the building are falling like that.

This is a sight I have never seen before.

It is as if strong wind pressure had pushed them over.

There must not be such a monster around here.

“…………”

I have a bad feeling about this.

There’s a part of me that hopes it’s totally a natural disaster.

However, I already had the closest answer to that.

Princess …….

Have you become an Demonic Oni ……?

And how did that happen just then?

I have not seen any sign of it since Ouren-sama appeared.

Even after shedding tears, the Princess has not progressed in her demonization.

This is something close to a miracle, even when I saw her before, she was enjoying her time with everyone.

However, …… it is merely a miracle …….

Sweet time won’t last forever…..

“Den-sama! Den-sama! Is anyone there! It’s me! Uchikage! Is there anybody there!?”

This is where Den had always worked the fields.

The rice and crops have been crushed by the debris and wood that has been blown away.

Not a single child is to be seen.

In the distance, I could see a place to enter the castle town.

There were twin oni guarding the gate with a club, but they are gone now.

In fact, there is nothing left of what used to be a gate.

Only the base of the gate was left, but it had been blown away somewhere along with the building.

I yell several times to call someone, but there is no answer.

As I stand in front of the field, seeing the current situation, I feel a jolt in my heart.

Normally, this is where Den would come up to me with a smile, a laugh, and a goofy grin, and he would come over and talk to me.

The one who always helped me and assessed the situation instantly, is now gone.

How can I miss him so much?

“Please ……”

I started running again and entered the castle town, which was in shambles.

All of the buildings have been destroyed …….

An extraordinary force.

It must have been a single strong power, not a collection of smaller forces, that caused this devastation.

Otherwise, it wouldn’t be broken like this …….

But it’s strange.

I’ve been running up the hillside of the castle town, and I haven’t found any dead, let alone injured.

And I don’t …… see any soldiers sent from the Kingdom of  Salettana. (Garott? typo?)

Where did they go ……?

Can someone explain this to me?

What happened …….

Someone explain to me what happened while I was gone that caused this …….

My running speed is slowing down.

I wondered if there was any point in searching any further.

I found myself thinking that, even for a moment.

I don’t want to give up, but no matter how I look at it, I’ll never changge anything.

Why is no one there?

Were they eaten ……?

Have they been taken away……?

Were they buried …… or ……?

The more I think about it, the more my thoughts take me in a direction I don’t like.

I realized this and shook my head hard as if to shake off the unnecessary thoughts.

“Not yet. …..! There are still places I haven’t searched……! They are probably in the castle tower, the only one left standing ……. Please ……, I beg you ……!”

That guard said it happened two days ago.

Then the evacuation might have already been finished.

It is the castle.

I must not give up until I get to the castle.

I kicked the ground with a bang and headed for the castle Tower.

That place is the only hope.

I don’t know who is there, and I don’t know if they are there, but I must not give up until I see for myself.

At that moment.

“Nuuoooo!”

For a moment, a corner of the castle seemed to glow, and then a bolt of lightning flew toward me.

With a bang, the ground that I was just about to run on exploded.

Lightning was gushing out from the cracked ground.

I have seen this before.

“Tenda!”

“-!!”

I heard no voice.

He seemed to have found me and immediately came down from the high ground.

It would be faster for me to run from here.

Tenda must have known that.

But I could see that he was trying to get close to me and make contact with me immediately.

He must have something he wants to say.

I knew that from the way I was looking at the situation.

Bham! I kicked the ground and leapt again with my foot.

Climbing up the stone wall and through the roof, I arrived at Tenda’s place.

Tenda!　What?

At that moment, I saw Tenda…….

He lost one eye.

Without an eye patch, he just kept exposing his gouged out wounds.

How could he throw an attack to my place with only one eye?

After all, he was the young general.

When Tenda saw me, he ran and grabbed my clothes, and as if clinging to me, he said

“Uchikage……! Uchikage! Ouren-sama! Where is Ouren-sama!!?”

“Well, first explain to me what’s going on! What the hell is this? What happened! Who did this to you!”

“Where is Ouren-sama…..”

“….He is… not coming…”

“*shock !!!!”

Tenda let go of my clothes, placed his hands on the ground, and drooped down.

I had never seen him like this.

No, I didn’t even want to see it. ……

From what I heard from the guards, I knew why that ball of water was broken.

Tenda and the others were betting on it.

Just because that thing broke doesn’t mean he will come.

Only guilt would remain.

I wonder why I didn’t notice them. ……

“Tenda. Let’s try again…….”

“I can’t,…… it’s too late,……. Besides, it’s gone…….”

“It’s not impossible! Me, I came here with an order from Ouren-sama to hand this to the princess!”

Saying that, I took out the ball of water entrusted to me by Ouren-sama from my pocket.

When Tenda saw it, light returned to his eyes.

There is still hope.

He must have realized that.

“…… Does that means ……! Did Ouren-sama notice it?!”

“He did! He said that the moment when it broke, a ball of water broke! He noticed! And He is concerned about the Princess even now! That’s why he made this for her! If we break it again, He will realize our true intentions!”

“A-a- alright!! I get it!”

“But …… I couldn’t destroy this thing by myself! Tenda! Help me!”

“OK!”

I throw a ball of water high up in the air, and I retreat a few dozen meters.

Tenda, on the other hand, did not move from his spot, but held himself up with a clenched fist.

The ball of water falls.

As soon as the ball of water fell down to the area above Tenda’s head, Tenda swung his arm powerfully and hit the ball of water that came in front of him.

I started to move accordingly, and kicked at the same time Tenda hit it.

The power of the oni clashed from both sides, creating a shockwave.

“[Herculean Legs] !!!”

“[Herculean Arm!!!]”

Clang!

WHRRRRR PHANG!!!!

“Nuooh!?”

“Gnuh!?”

The moment it cracked, a tremendous pressure hit me and Tenda.

We were blown several meters off the ground and, unable to take a stance, our bodies slammed into the ground.

The first thing I did was to get up and get to my feet, frowning in pain.

“Ouren-sama, …… I beg you ……!”

I and Tenda hoped that Ouren would come soon.