*Interlude*

At certain part of Liasr forest, the beastmen around Firth and Nelsia starts getting restless while looking at the Graize's flying battleship floating near a mountain. One of the beastmen starts talking.

"How about we attack the ship now? We can't just stand here doing nothing."

However Nelsia immediately replies.

"Don't underestimate that ship's capabilities. According to the intel, it copies relic's technology. We need at least Midora Jaeger's help to take it down as planned after he defeats Victorious."

"... understood."

The beastman with dog ears sounds dissatisfied but decides to not pursue the matter further.

(Then again, it's not like I don't understand his point. On top of not getting any news from Midora, the one who is supposed to scout the town also hasn't come back. It's understandable that everyone is getting impatient...)

Right after Nelsia thinks that, she looks at the flying ship near a mountain.

(Midora doing whatever he pleases is nothing new but Roe is always punctual with his plan... I can only hope that the Sweet World does not take over his mind...)

A white magic suddenly appears near Firth's right ear. Midora's voice can be heard from it.

"Yo, still alive?"

"Midora..."

Firth's saying Midora's name startles other people. One of the beastmen wants to shout at that magic circle. But Nelsia holds that beastman's shoulder and slowly shakes her head. The beastman with dog ears ends up not saying anything.

"What happened to Graize Els Victorious?"

"Something interesting happened so I haven't made contact with him yet."

Midora replies with casual tone.

"? What's wrong?"

"That Royal Knight made contact with the Bastard Elf."

"!"

Firth shows a surprised but he immediately regains his composure and talks to Midora again.

"Did Victorious realise about her relic?"

"Nah, I doubt that. That elf was the one to approach him first. And in the hand of a Level 0, that relic is nothing more than a durable katana."

"I see..."

Firth replies with a relieved tone while the others are watching him. Then Midora starts talking again.

"Since that elf is here, maybe I should just take that relic now?"

"I shall leave that to you. It's all fine as long as you leave her body intact and kill Victorious as planned."

"Ahh... about that plan. You might want to watch out."

"... huh?"

Firth is surprised by Midora's unexpected response.

.....

....

...

Inside the floating warship named Aegandr, the middle-aged man wearing brown military clothes is sitting while observing the monitors shown inside the ship.

"Still no contact from him?"

Elbehnna Orarorio says that while looking at the monitors.

One of his subordinates replies.

"Not yet sir."

After hearing his subordinates' reply, Elbehnna starts thinking.

(I guess something did happened at that town. Considering this continent's reputation of being the most dangerous continent with so many infamous S-rank monsters... It's quite worrying to let him go alone...)

However, no matter how much Elbehnna thinks, he has no intention to disobey Victorious' order. At least not for now.

.....

....

...

"Are you sure about that?"

Firth says that to a white magic circle near his ear while all his allies are being shocked.

"Yeah, if you don't take action soon, you might die you know~"

Midora's carefree tone shows that he does not care about his allies' safety.

Firth looks at the sky above the burning Liasr Town.

"When?"

"The System says around 40 minutes left."

"Got it. You can do your own thing for now. We'll get through it somehow."

"Hoo... so confident, aren't you? Then I'll do just that~"

The white magic circle disappears after Midora says that.

"We need to contact others!"

Nelsia says that while bringing out her tele-stone.

"Yeah, however, we won't tell them to retreat."

"Huh?"

Nelsia is dumbfounded by Firth's reply.

"I know this is dangerous but... this is probably our chance to strike at that warship."

Firth says that with a smile while also taking out his tele-stone.

.....

....

...

"Pepprica. What's wrong? You look anxious."

A Lamia girl receptionist named Linda calls the Halfling Pepprica Phalanx in the middle of forest area where most of Liasr Town people currently resides.

Pepprica looks at Linda before talking.

"I sense something is absorbing mana from leyline."

"!?"

Upon hearing that statement, Linda face starts to look tense before talking again.

"Don't tell me... Leypentvourer?"

"Yeah. That S-rank monster is the only reason I can think of. Though we never had the appearance of that monster in this area so it might be a new type of monster too. We just had an extreme change in this area's environment after all."

Linda immediately knows that Pepprica refers to the giant pillar of light that burned the Liasr Town. While it is unknown about what caused animals and plants to turn into monster, they are beings that lives purely by the power of mana. So a change in environment caused by magic that gives birth to a new type of monster is not unheard of.

"Can't you do something about it? The only person who can do something to the leyline is you."

Linda says that with a worried tone. Pepprica scratches his head while replying.

"Even if you say that... I left most of my alchemy tools back in my house. I don't have the right equipment for this..."

"But..."

Before saying further, Linda looks at her surroundings to find her kid who is staying with the goblin kids and Thesiemi. She also finds Rimikia the elf receptionist who is sitting near a tree while being watched by Stephanie the Orc Guild Master.

"We can't afford to get attacked by powerful monster now. Or else..."

"... Linda. Can you call Stephanie for me? I need his help."

"! Got it!"

Linda immediately goes to Stephanie and Rimikia's place while Pepprica starts thinking.

(It's true that I currently don't have the right equipment. But if he were to give me that thing back...)

.....

....

...

"Grrr!"

Veylene can be seen being pinned down by golden particles. She tries to stand by pushing her hands to the ground.

"!"

But her hands end up sinking on the ground due to the pressure of the particles and her hands.

While riding the winged horse mid-air, Victorious raises his sword upwards and then a red magic circle appears above him.

"Gather. The flames of vengeance."

After Victorious chants, Shion notices the red aura starts appearing around the fire in the city. The aura leaves the fire and gathers above the red magic circle forming a big red sphere. The fire surrounding the city gets smaller and smaller as a result.

(This is a fire attribute magic that absorbs heat from surrounding fire and unleash it as a concentrated ball of energy... Crimson Flame Blackout...)

Shion thinks that while looking at the red sphere.

"Dammit... what the hell is this thing?!"

The struggling Veylene says that while looking at the golden particles around her.

Shion who is looking at the red magic circle above Victorious starts thinking again.

(He intends to kill her... but unlike the Crest Force, I can overtake that magic.)

Shion tries to concentrate to overtake that magic but she stops after noticing Veylene's presence.

(No... beating him with his own magic will only releases Veylene from the Crest Force power. If Victorious was attacked again by Veylene, I won't be able to stop her attack.)

She comes to that conclusion because she remembers the moment when Griselda said that Veylene is level 0. Shion's Overtake is mostly useless against someone who doesn't use magic.

(Then..!)

After deciding on her next course of action, Shion runs towards Veylene and stands in front of her while looking up at Victorious.

"... what do you think you're doing?"

Victorious says that while still holding the red sphere at the tip of his sword above him.

"What is His Majesty's exact order?!"

Victorious is slightly surprised by Shion's sudden question. But Shion keeps shouting regardless.

"Without knowing his exact order, there is no way I can obey it!"

(That's right. If my words as his daughter can't reach him... then I'll just have to bring up His Majesty, the person that he puts above everything else...)

Shion thinks that while glaring at Victorious.

"Grr... what are you...!"

Veylene says that as she starts to get angry at Shion who interrupted her fight.

Midora who is observing while sitting at the trees starts thinking to himself.

(She actually can kill Victorious if she wanted to. But too bad... if only she is not so narrow minded to have some attachments to those npcs...)

.....

....

...

At the outer space, MRIENTO the gigantic relic cannon has already been broken to smaller pieces due to being pierced by the light that is caused by Shion's Overtake.

The pieces of that relic start getting closer to Desparia's atmosphere.

*End of Interlude*