CH 52

[The Collection of the Bill]

“——Wha!? Eh!?” (Amanai)

Seeing Sakurai suddenly appeared on the stage, Amanai regained his intoxicated consciousness, getting surprised that Sakurai given out his name.

When he looked around to grasp the situation, he found that the audience, whose eyes were shining red, were bellowing and rampaging.

The people were attacking each other with canes, opera glasses, accessories, bags, and some even go as far as using simple stakes they created by breaking off the armrests of the seats.

They did not try to stop fighting even when they bled and got their bones broken; it probably was only a matter of time before the mobs that were rampaging everywhere attack Amanai.

“Dammit! What the hell is going on!?” (Amanai)

No matter how much he believed that ‘it wouldn’t happen’, he should have paid attention to the surroundings to some extent, but when he noticed, the pandemonium had broken loose.

Not knowing when the blood mist had appeared, Amanai began to intercept the mob coming to attack while being puzzled.

In any case, if he did not move to a safe place, he won’t be able to calm down.

“God’s Sacred Raiment!” (Amanai)

Along with the shout, a golden aura appeared surrounding Amanai, blowing away the surrounding enemies.

The aura wrapped around Amanai’s limbs, taking the forms of gauntlets and armor.

‘God’s Sacred Raiment’, an armor of magic power worn by priest warriors who fight bare-handed.

Although it had some restrictions, it was a type of ‘enchant magic’ that enchants the status value correction of weapon and armor set in advance to oneself as is.

In the original game, because ‘there is an upper limit to the quality (rareness) of the weapon that can be set’, ‘the magic power consumed is not worth it’, ‘in the latter half of the game, a certain amount of numerical value become calculation error, making it inferior to the normal buff magics that increases one’s status by percentage’ and others such reasons, it was hard to say that it was a useful skill.

However, in this world that had become reality, it had a certain decisive advantage, that was ‘one can arm themselves anytime and anywhere’, Amanai decided to acquire this skill because of that point.

Amanai, who had gained the same status value as when he was equipped with real armor thanks to the ‘God’s Sacred Raiment’, immediately took a stance and hit a nearby gentleman, before making use of the recoil to knock a lady coming to attack from behind off her feet.

He knocked a man tackling his abdomen to the floor with his elbow, jumped on his back, treating it as a foothold, and kicked the big man ahead flying.

Catching the hand of a woman brandishing a knife and fling it away.

The unavoidable attacks he received with the gauntlets and armor as shield, and while moving in a smooth gait through the narrow gap between seats as if nothing were there, he skillfully manipulated his limbs to repel the mobs attacking from the front, back, left, and right.

All the movements were smoothly connected thanks to training, he used no skill there.

“That’s right, Reika!” (Amanai)

Regaining a little room after repelling the surrounding people to some extent, Amanai’s thought headed toward the safety of Akano Reika.

However, he could not find the figure of the childhood friend who should had been next to him.

It indicated that she too had become Luisina’s dependent and was rampaging somewhere, so he could not move to a safe place yet.

“Dammit, where are——!” (Amanai)

“Hey! Stop that!! Just what the hell is happening here!?”

“Ethel!? Are you there!?” (Amanai)

“Save me, Amanai! I’ll even pay you money, I’ll even pay you money so please be quick—!!” (Ethel)

After turning his eyes to the familiar voice, he saw Ethel Tyner desperately repelling the attacking mobs with her rosary, which had turned huge the size of a one-handed ax.

Toward Ethel who acted like a small-time villain begging for her life, Amanai kicked down the mobs, stepped on their backs, walked across the crowd, and joined up with her.

“Just what the hell is going on here!? Everyone suddenly went rampage! That man suddenly attacked Luisina! Moreover, that Luisina casually intercepted it; what the heck a diva actually is!!” (Ethel)

“It’s okay, calm down Ethel, one by one the mob isn’t a big deal! Let’s run upstairs at once! There should be fewer people there!” (Amanai)

“We’re not going out!? There should be a window or something, right!?” (Ethel)

“There’s no window that fits for people to pass through! And there is that at the doorway!” (Amanai)

Amanai pointed while beating back the mobs.

Ethel, looking there, saw a muscular huge man standing in the way to block the doorway.

Although he was humanoid, he was nearly 3 meters tall and had a huge tail on his green skin covered with scales.

When he noticed Ethel’s gaze, the monster, looking like a mix of a monster and a human which provoked physiological disgust, flexed the muscles of his whole body, displaying it to her, as if to show off his existence.

“What, the heck, is that!? He’s neither a monster nor a human——!?” (Ethel)

“If you’ve got the situation, then let’s move! As long as we don’t provoke him first, he won’t come attacking us!” (Amanai)

Amanai rummaged the information of the event from his memory, remembering the overall flow of the event.

There was no time for free movement until you moved from the 1st floor that had turned chaotic to save point on the 2nd floor, while Van Dead should be killing the guards that had not turned into dependents as he paid attention to the protagonist. If he were to follow that flow, he should be able to ensure their safety for the time being.

If he could secure even a bit safety, he would be able to think things through more clearly.

Then he should be able to figure out how to weather through this situation, how to find Akano Reika, and how could he did not realize the appearance of the mist.

Having made that conclusion, Amanai decided to give priority to withdrawal together with Ethel first.

“G-got it. Or rather, where’s Reika!?” (Ethel)

“I couldn’t find her! She might be rampaging with other people!” (Amanai)

“Haah!? What the heck were you doing!!” (Ethel)

“I know I was wrong! Save the verbal abuses for later, I’ll listen to it as much as you want, so let’s make a break now!! If we get done in here, everything would come to nothing!!” (Amanai)

“~~~~~ahh mou, this is the worst!” (Ethel)

Amanai’s bellow chilled the overheated head of Ethel.

Amanai was naturally thinking of searching for Reika, but it could be said that it was too reckless to do that in the current situation.

At that figure who subdued his feelings and chose to do what need to be done, Ethel decided to obey even while clenching her teeth.

But unfortunately, when it rains it pours.

The bill of the exchange he agreed to in front of the opera house finally came.

“Hey, ‘Sakuraiii’! It’s time to carry out your words! I’m leaving that guy to you!” (Sakurai)

Along with Sakurai’s voice, someone flew to Amanai from the stage.

No, it would be more correct to say that they were thrown away by Sakurai.

‘They’, who landed before him with an impact to the point of blowing away the surrounding people, slowly stood up while lightly shaking their head.

“Dammit, what’s with that guy… he doesn’t even have anything noteworthy, so uninteresting. Is it safe to leave him to Diva-sama, I wonder… eh, hooh?”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me…” (Amanai)

“What is it this time!? What’s this guy!?” (Ethel)

The one there was one of the bosses at this event.

The Comrade Killer Yang Lan, who had turned into the demon-kin form.

Dim gray skin as if the blood of his whole body was dried up, and in place of his sunken flesh, his bones had become enlarged.

His bulging bones stood out like a distorted and terrifying full-body armor, and there was a pitch-black tunnel-like ‘black hole’ in the place of his mouth.

“Heyy, heyy, what’s with that rosary? It can become a weapon? Looks amazing, is it unique? I want it so much; hey, can you give it to me?” (Yang)

Its voice echoed out from the ‘black hole’.

Yang showed an interest in Ethel’s rosary; facing his sticky gaze, Ethel hid her Rosary while having goosebumps.

Confronting Yang who squinted happily at that, Amanai began to inwardly curse Sakurai with all his might.

(T-that bastard! I did say I’d help, but how could he push the demon-kin (mid boss) to me just like that!?)

Certainly, among Luisina’s subordinates, the immortal species demon-kin, Yang Lan, was the easier one to fight for him.

Most demon-kins inherit the weakness of the monsters they adapted, even among them, immortal species demon-kins were particularly weak against skills and magic of the holy attribute.

Roughly speaking, the damage of the holy attribute attack on Yang in this state doubled, and if one activated holy attribute defense skill, the damage of Yang’s attack would be halved, so his weakness was actually glaring.

(But there’s no way I can bridge the simple stats difference, dammit!!)

With Ethel, he would be able to do holy attributed attack and defense.

Also, with the battle skill group of the priest warrior, ‘Virtuous Priest Fighting School’, that Amanai had mastered, he could enchant most of his skills with holy attribute. Just in terms of affinity alone, it could be said that he held a large advantage.

However, he originally should be fighting Yang in September… speaking in game terms, he was a boss who appeared in the middle stage of the game.

The recommended level for fighting him was about level 40 to 50; at least for the currently level 25 Amanai, even with the advantage he held, the difference in base stats was so big to the point it was doubtful whether he could win.

In particular, the realistic difference in ‘speed’ that did not exist in the game was astounding, no matter how big his upper hand in terms of attribute, whether his attack could land and whether he could avoid the enemy’s attack were also whole different matters.

“Aaahhhhh geez!! You bastards are so annoying, don’t get in my waaaaaaaay!!!” (Yang)

“Ethel, get dooown!!!” (Amanai)

Even though he was one of the perpetrators, Yang was furious at the mob who attacked indiscriminately; he opened his mouth wide and released a roar-like shockwave.

The shockwave that passed over the head of Amanai who pushed Ethel down in an instant sent the surrounding mob flying.

“Phew, that sure was refreshing. Now then, Miss, hand me that rosary.” (Yang)

“In your dream! There’s no way I’m giving it to you!!” (Ethel)

“Haah? Did you not understand that it was not a request, but an order? If you hand it to me, I’ll let you and your boyfriend off, I’m kind, am I not?” (Yang)

“No! No way! Absolutely no!” (Ethel)

Ethel’s rosary was a keepsake from her mother.

Though she did not even know her mother’s face for some reason, she would never let go of it no matter what.

As for Yang, since he was rejected, there was only one action he would take.

With the mob filling the surrounding, and another demon-kin guarding the doorway, battle was inevitable.

Naturally, there was no room to look for Akano Reika.

“Dammit! Dammit!! Dammit all!!” (Amanai)

“Amanai!? (Ethel)

“Ethel, we need to beat this guy first!! I’ll stand in front, and I’ll also make up for your items later! So use everything you have, and don’t spare anything!!” (Amanai)

“You’re the best! Alright, I can’t stomach this guy either, so I’ll go all out!” (Ethel)

“Fool, you should have just hand it over obediently!” (Yang)

Ethel casted ‘Holy Magic: Blessing’ on Amanai to increase his physical ability and also to bestow holy attribute to his suit.

Yang held the sword he took out of his black hole mouth in one hand; when he slid the blade in front of the hold as though licking it, the sword transformed into a vibrating sword that ignore all matters.

(A vibrating sword that ignores the defense power of equipment! But against an opponent who have holy attribute, its damage would be halved, so it’s not that big of a threat! It’ll hurt if I get hit, but that’s all!)

“Now, let’s start, brats! Don’t regret your choice!” (Yang)

“Uuoooooooohhhhhh!!” (Amanai)

Amanai shouted to conceal his impatience and fear, and break into a run.

The only thing filling his mind was to defeat the enemy before him, things like his childhood friend and the surrounding mob were already thrown to the corner of his head.