Arifureta After II   The Monsters, Chasing the Unknown

AN: Even though I'm making good on my words, why do I feel like I'm betraying the expectation……

There were two silhouettes dashing to the western ocean.

Both had strange appearance. Rather they were a bizarre phenomenon.

One was a rabbit running on the sea. More accurately, the rabbit was using dark red ripple spreading midair forming an energy platform as its foothold but because the rabbit was extremely near the sea surface and it was moving with abnormal speed, its dash caused sea spray to rise in its wake as though the sea got split.

But, Inaba whose rabbit ears were going *fuasah fuasah* from the sea breeze was a monster that possessed that kind of characteristic magic, so putting aside the reason of why he was at sea, there was no doubt that this was still within range that could be comprehended.

The problem, was about his companion.

『……Boss. Isn't that foul play?』

『Shut up. It's convenient so it's fine.』

Inaba glanced aside at his companion――the human faced fish Leeman. His straight-man soul that was welling up the moment Leeman took that out was finally breaking through and leaked out.

*KIIIIIIIII-* Such unique sound was resounding. Even though Inaba was holding back, but it still granted Leeman the speed to follow Inaba's speed.

The thing's appearance was closely resembling a delta shaped fighter jet. Its terrifyingly smooth body that was colored with sea camouflage brought the sea resistance to nearly zero. The ripple that was flowing backward was beautiful. The picture of a shark exposing its fangs painted on its prow showed the playfulness of the creator.

There was a spot that seemed to be the cockpit near the center of the ship frame. The inside of that cockpit was filled with water where Leeman was snugly settled there. A part that seemed like the propulsion device was installed at the stern, for a glance it could be seen like the propulsion method of water jet, but what was jetting out from there wasn't water but silver particle. Without a doubt it wasn't normal from that point.

――Small submarine with dual use for water and sky   Triana (v.2)

It was the strongest and fastest artifact for open sea that the demon king gifted for his lifesaver (?).

『You are already a sea monster through and through boss. You are flying. You are sparkling. A flying human faced fish, that's just too surreal ya.』

『I told you, shut up. This is more or less a submarine. It can also fly. I am a man of sea.』

Perhaps feeling somewhat awkward, inside the cockpit that was filled with water Leeman-san averted his gaze toward faraway.

By the way, this Leeman's exclusive submarine (?) was linked with Leeman's telepathy, from its activation until its steering could be performed with only Leeman's thought. In addition, a part of Leeman's scales was transformed into living mineral using metamorphosis magic and regeneration magic, those scales themselves were artifact that possessed the function of "Treasure Warehouse".

『I never thought that boss's own body would also get demonically remodeled……Ou-sama, how terrifying.』

『I already told him that I don't need it. But Ha-bou said『Lee-san is the type to get dragged into something troublesome, so just think of this as something for reducing my worry and accept it』 and requested on me. Even though it was me who was in the receiving side. Good grief, our position is all messed up. If Ha-bou requested me that far, uncle just cannot refuse it.』

'What else is there other than gratitude that I can show to him huh?', Leeman shrugged his fins with that thinking looking somewhat troubled.

Inaba shrugged his rabbit ears「Indeed」 in agreement. The ear cuffs that were attached on that fluttering rabbit ears were also not something that Inaba asked for, all of them were Hajime's thoughtfulness for Inaba who was continuing his warrior journey to become strong.

The demon king-sama was comparatively harsh to human, but it seemed he was really kind to his monster comrades.

『By the way, what's that sparkling things? That ain't magic power right? Made in earth thing? Somehow I felt absurdly strong power from it though……』

『Nn? Aa, this thing. I also don't really get it. A few years ago you see, that chap Ha-bou got lost in different world that isn't this world or earth. It seemed to be a world of sky and dragon, and this energy seems to come from there. He improved it a lot, and then he said that for this kind of vehicle this thing's convenience is better than gravity control and improved it only recently.』

『Hohee~, a world of sky and dragon huh……as expected from Ou-sama. He will go anywhere yeah. As I thought being at Ou-sama's side will be the most interesting huuh.』

Inaba-san and Leeman-san didn't know. How the energy of that world was fundamentally limited. How Triana's energy strangely wasn't running out at all despite of that. How the cause of that was the "small planet" loaded inside the ship……

After several years of research, that demon king finally completely grasped one of mankind's great problems and made it possible to miniaturize and mass produce it!

By the way, the former battleship that was similarly demonically remodeled like Triana had been reborn as an extravagant passenger ship that could fly anywhere whether to the space or the dimension sea, and it had also been unveiled already in front of a certain queen and her group.

At that occasion, the grown up queen-sama was overcame with emotion from her reunion with the demon king-sama and did this and that, then there was a dispute with the introduced wive~s but……

With the mediation of the workaholic princess-sama who for some reason seemed to be excessively getting along with the queen-sama, they all managed to avoid further problems.

And then the former classmates who were also boarding the ship and came along together said 「He didn't stop with just having mistress, now he even have local wife!?」「How far the demon king is planning to go……」 with a shudder when they witnessed that.

Now then, Inaba and Leeman were absorbed in their carefree talk while there was something strange happening in the ocean, but the next moment, they withdrew from that place at the same time.

Inaba was making water pillar from the impact of his step. While Leeman took a sharp turn.

――OOOOOOOOOOOO-

The place where Inaba and Leeman were at a moment ago was assaulted from inside the sea by a giant sea snake with its mouth greatly opened just like the sandworm before this.

The jaw closed with a snap in vain without catching any prey. The leaping out giant sea snake monster turned its fierce gaze toward the pre――

『CHESTOOO――!!』

『We got an energetic guy here. Here』

What came flying was a white cannon ball. Inaba's flying kick that accelerated with a sound as though the air was bursting the flank of the sea snake until halfway, snapping that huge body into '<' shape.

The sea snake was going to scream unconsciously, but before it could there was a projectile flying with fire line trailing behind――a small missile that hit its head directly which gave rise to the blooming of flame blast and flesh and blood.

『A hot blooded fellow huh――uoh!?』

『Chih. What are these guys?』

Inaba was about to land near the sea surface while making his rabbit ears went *fuasah* as usual, but the next moment, a monster that looked like a swordfish fiercely flew out to stab toward him.

Leeman struck using Triana's machine gun and blew it away from the side, but then a lot of monsters of the same type assaulted Leeman.

Inaba's shockwave and extending kick slash turned the monsters into minced meat one after another, Leeman was using telepathy to use the weapon loaded in his submarine――an ultrasonic wave impact and scattered the monsters.

But, Leeman frowned. It was just as his leaked out words said, the monsters' action was obviously abnormal.

There wasn't just swordfish type monster, all kind of monster were attacking toward Inaba and Leeman above the sea surface without balking at their disadvantage.

『Wait, boss! I felt horrible number of reactions with my senses though!? Is this how it always is!?』

『There is no way that's true! This kind of number is the first time! Geez, just what kind of troublesome thing is happening this time.』

Even while Leeman was spitting out his complain, monster types that was related with sea like shark, snake, squid, and so one were appearing in succession.

There would be no way Inaba would fall behind the sea monsters in an air battle. Thinking that it was safe to leave Inaba, Leeman left the front line for a moment and went underwater, there he let out an even bigger sigh.

Inside the sea, it was jumbled with a variety of monsters spiraling up like a fish swarm. Fellow monsters with different species were in a close formation without even killing each other, originally this should be an impossible sight.

In addition, monsters were marching in one after another from the west.

This was like a stampede by sea monsters. A tsunami of monster marching from the west.

『These guys are bad news. If this number pushed in all at once, even Erisen won't hold although they have Ha-bou's defense mechanism.』

『Monsters marching forward without figthin' each other――this is really, this is a nostalgic phenomenon huuh.』

Inaba was exterminating all monsters that he could possibly attack from above the sea without letting even one getting away, as though to perform one kill per second. He answered at Leeman's telepathy with a voice filled with complicated feeling.

Indeed, it was as though this was the monster army at the legendary decisive battle.

A bad premonition crossed at the back of Inaba and Leeman's mind.

『I don't know what is going on. But, at the very least it's clear what we ought to do right now. Am I wrong?』

In respond to Leeman's question, Inaba's mouth split open into a fearless wide grin.

『I'm not thinking of protecting the human until that much. Yeah but, kuku-. This is a battlefield. This is my battlefield where enemies of all choices are crowding so much. I'll kick them all flying. I'll be the last one standing. If as the result the humans are saved, well, that's fine ya.』

『……Haa. Got it, got it. I'll just casually take care of the bunches that slip through, so do whatever you like, you damned battle maniac.』

Leeman launched a line of torpedo with an exasperated expression.

When Inaba heard Leeman's words, he laughed in even more good mood.

『Hahha――!! As expected from boss! You get what I'm talkin' about! Well then, sea monsters! Let's decide a bit, just who is the strongest monster yeah! Now, COME AT ME FROM ANYWHERE ANYTIMEE~~~~~E!!』

The war cry of the battle rabbit echoed. It broadcasted to four directions and up and down accompanied with dark red ripple!

――Characteristic magic   Dance Battle Frenzy

Originally one monster species should have one characteristic magic. The characteristic magic of Inaba who was a kick rabbit was "Sky Step". It was a magic to create foothold midair, moved in high speed, or increased the kicking power, producing shockwave or extending kick slash and so on, it was a characteristic magic that was related with movement and kick attack.

But, under the strange fate, Inaba who achieved a unique evolution later on managed to master several characteristic magic.

One of those skills was "Dance Battle Frenzy". So to speak it was something like "Provoke" in RPG game. It magnified the hostility of enemy and directed it to the user.

The ripple of provocation that reached until the bottom of sea invited the monsters aiming at the delicious looking rabbit into battle frenzy.

――oOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

――GAaAAAAAAAAAAAAA

――GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-

Countless roars shook the ocean and burst the sea surface with pressure.

Aiming at Inaba who was intentionally standing near the sea surface, the swarm of monsters spiraled and assaulted all at once.

The sea surface bloated up. It looked like it could be mistaken as a volcano eruption. Right after that, monsters were charging all at once from all directions.

『SHAORAAAAA!!』

Inaba performed a handstand but using his rabbit ears while rotating in high speed to perform roundhouse kick to all directions. The technique that looked like a break dance blew away the surrounding monsters in radial area. The monsters were sent flying like pinball.

A giant shark monster flew out from right below him.

『I'm gonna send you back downnn-』

The rabbit ears went *pyon!*, the recoil made Inaba's body reversed with a beautiful front midair somersault. A heel drop kick was launched from there.

The head of the leaping out shark split. Next even the sea was split open. The monsters that were within the impact range had their body's inside whipped up and blood vomits scattered around.

『ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA ORA-!!』

Monster leaped out and got sent flying, monster leaped out and got sent flying. On the sea surface with Inaba at the center, monsters were flying like machine gun strafing to all direction. They all were turned into sea scraps while skipping on the sea surface *splash, splash* like rock skipping.

Countless tentacles surrounded Inaba from all direction and enveloped him. It was a genuine monster that should be called a Kraken with body length of thirty meter.

『Bring it on-』

From the encirclement of the tentacles, Inaba leaped out――not. He jumped up a bit and then reversed his body upside-down. He kicked on the energy foothold and aimed toward the sea!

Inaba who by his own decision flew into the sea where he would be disadvantaged made a foothold inside the sea and using the skill above "Ground Shrinker" and above "Explosive Ground Shrinker"――the "Ground Shrinker - Divine Piercing Leg", he forcefully blew away the water resistance inside the sea and passed through beside the Kraken.

The Kraken was trying to turn around with a sluggish movement to chase after his prey but,

『This is my service ya. Your first sky travel since you were bornnn, enjoy it to your heart's content yaah!!』

Inaba kicked. At the Kraken. Along with the sea.

The sea surface undulated. Right after that, *GOU* the sea flew to the sky along with an explosive sound. No, more accurately what was launched up was the kraken along with sea water clinging on it, which caused the hallucination of the sea flying up, but because it was launched up faster than the water could be shaken off, seen from the outset it looked like as though a part of the sea was wholly sent flying to the sky.

――KUEEEEEEEEEE~~~~

The kraken's scream was surely something it raised for the first time since it was born.

Aa, the sky is really blue!

『Did you enjoy it? Your life will be enough for the payment ya.』

Oh? Before it knew it at its side a rabbit-san was……

The kraken's consciousness was blew away to beyond the sky.

『Ooi, Inaba. How long you are going to play there? A lot is also straying here you know? There are also bunches that are ignoring us and going toward Erisen. If you can only finish them off one by one, then I'm going to take care of it okay?』

『Mu? Even though I had especially picked a fight, but it didn't really work? As I thought this is strange huuh. Well fine. In that case I'm going to pick a fight even more seriously yaa!』

From Inaba, a valiant war cry『MUKYUU~~~~~~~~~~~!!』 came!

――Characteristic magic   Dance Battle Frenzy   Derivative Skill   "Survival Frenzy Battle"

One of the ear cuffs. This derivative characteristic magic was limitedly generated from the ear cuff's ability that brought strengthening effect from sublimation magic. Its effect was several times the Dance Battle Frenzy, it made the enemy seethed with fighting spirit that made them threw their body into a banquet of battle.

A part of the monsters heading toward Erisen while ignoring Inaba and Leeman who was holding back their invasion underwater changed their route and gathered toward the sea surface right below Inaba.

The monsters were clamoring like carps flooding under water surface demanding food.

『My trump card ya. Eat to your heart's content and then head to the next world.』

Dark red magic power surged. Inaba's pure white fur was starting to be colored with dark red line faintly pulsing.

Inaba kicked on the air and dashed even higher to the sky. Far above the sky he suddenly rolled around. With an upside down posture, he activated "Ground Shrinker - Divine Piercing Leg". Inaba instantly broke through the sound barrier and further rolled around midair. His leg was directed to below――

『Blaze bright red, and burst open』

Just as those words said, Inaba's both legs were being wrapped with hell fire!

――Characteristic magic   Myriad Clad Leg

It was the second characteristic magic that Inaba obtained later on. It enchanted Inaba's kick with elemental magic to reinforce his strength while also enchanting the element's characteristic effect.

From really high altitude, while falling down in the speed of sound, with the super heated kick attack Inaba――

『Bla☆st!!』

the enemy!

The sea warped. A moment later, a terrific shockwave blew up the air and sea in circle shape, a fierce heat wave instantly evaporated the sea water.

A temporary crater was created in the sea. It was truly the fall of a meteor.

All the monsters that were near the sea surface were blasted by the shockwave, even the monsters who were quite deep inside the sea had their internal organs crushed by the penetrating impact and they writhed in agony.

Even the monsters that were luckily quite far away and avoided deadly wound, a part of them lost consciousness, or else they lost their will to fight and desperately escaped to the north or west.

The crater of sea that was suddenly created was finally starting to recover its former appearance with the sea water at the surrounding flowing into it. The sea was fiercely undulating in a rampage. Dark red flesh and blood were coloring the whirling sea.

『Fumu. So so I guess.』

The rabbit ears went *fuasah*. Inaba-san whose whole body was dripping wet flew out from inside the sea and then he basked in self-esteem midair.

There,

『This stupid idiot-!!』

『Abeh!?』

The Triana that Leeman controlled rammed at the back of Inaba's head hard. *gochin-* A painful sound rang out.

『Whether it's Ha-bou or you bastard, I think it's better if both of you will be a bit more considerate to this uncle's safety. I thought I was going to die.』

『Ah……I, I'm ashamed, boss. Don't tell me, was the submarine broken somewhere!?』

Inaba's previous dignity vanished without a trace. He immediately became all shook up with trembling rabbit ears. Seeing that Leeman let out a deep sigh and went 'good grief' with his fins.

『Well, I'm fine though. This will make a tsunami like this. Ha-bou was also installing tsunami countermeasure in Erisen so just this much won't be a problem but……I'm telling you there should be a bit better way of doing thing.』

『……Well, it's not like that's impossible. But, see, ain't my soul a blazing one? Then the finishing move must be a flame one ain't it?』

『Who cares.』

Leeman's cold straight-man retort burst. Inaba's rabbit ears withered.

『Well, let's just say it's all right in the end. Everything is mostly taken care of, the rests are also running away.』

『Hm~m, even so, just what in the world happened ya?』

A stamped of sea monsters. If Inaba and Leeman weren't here, surely Erisen would be attacked. This was something that had never happened before.

『We lack information. But, the scale of this is different compared to the sporadic attack by the "straying monsters" until now. Perhaps we better inform the humans too about this for now.』

『Guess so. Especially Erisen, because that's Myuu-dono and Remia-dono's birthplace ya.』

'Anyway, let's go back for now.'Inaba and Leeman were of the same opinion like that with an exchange of their gaze, however, their monster instinct notified them of "something". The two turned their gaze to the west at the same time.

『……What's this?』

『……I wonder』

From the direction of the open sea far away, there was a small black spot that looked standing out. No matter how they looked, it looked like it was floating in the air.

Inaba and Leeman looked at each other's face and then they advanced toward the black spot while heightening their vigilance.

Before long the thing became clearly visible. It was a mechanical object with the shape of a rectangular pyramid. There was nothing supporting it from below, it was floating still two meter above the sea surface.

『Somehow it look similar with Ou-sama's item huuh.』

『Ha-bou's artifact, is it? But, this is……』

If talking about a floating mysterious object, what came to mind was the artifact of a certain demon king. But, both Inaba and Leeman didn't assert that. It was only a vague feeling, but their monster instinct sensed that "this thing is different".

Just like how Inaba and Leeman was observing it, the quietly floating mysterious rectangular pyramid also felt like it was somehow observing Inaba and Leeman.

『Boss. What should we do with this? I'm only guessing, but this might be related with the monsters just now don'tcha think?』

『Must be. Something like this is best if we left it to Ha-bou. Anyway, how about we collect it for now?』

Right after Leeman said "collect", a change appeared at the mysterious rectangular pyramid.

「――ｙこｒｒにもｋｗｐ？　――ｈｐお、ｐｇ～――ｒうｄEhitoｂｌｌあ」

Right after it let out that gibberish language, Inaba rabbit ears stood straight from shock, and Leeman's listless half-opened eyes――it was like that from the start though――looked somewhat surprised. Then the pyramid ignored them and started to move smoothly toward the west.

『Wha, what was that? It talked ya.』

『Chih. Troublesome. It's making me letting go a bit more of the service time for my family like this.』

The mysterious rectangular pyramid moved away with really high speed.

Inaba's eyes that were seeing that were gradually getting brighter. That shine was exactly the curiosity to the unknown which exterminated his boredom. He was sensing the presence of strife at the destination where this rectangular pyramid object that was related with the monsters stamped was going.

『My bad boss. I'm――』

『I got it. You are going right? Can't be helped. I'll go with you.』

Not letting Inaba finished talking, Leeman consented of accompanying him with an atmosphere that if he was a human this would be where he took a smoke.

『No, it's better if boss stay behind yeah. This might be dangerous.』

『If it's really dangerous, then I have to bring back the information of what kind of danger it is. If I let you go alone and you don't come back, what am I going to do then? If I and you go together, even if we meet danger one of us can hold back the danger while the other escape isn't that right?』

『No, but still ya, what are you gonna do with your wife and child boss?』

Leeman sent a glance at Inaba who was scratching his head before turning his gaze to the east. Seeing how he was sending magic power to that direction, he must be activating telepathy.

After talking about something for two, three seconds, Leeman's body rocked and the white of his eyes was bared as though he got hit by a shockwave.

『Bo, boss!? What's the matter!? Are you okay!?』

『I, I'm okay. No problem. I only touched my wife's sore spot a bit.』

『Sore spot……what did you say?』

『No, I told her I'm going out for a bit. I don't know when I'll go home so take care of the rest please. That's all.』

『……That, even I who don't have a mate think that way of telling her is too insensitive. And, what did boss's wife said?』

『……Even if I go home, don't think that your room will still be here. This useless husband, something like that.』

『……As I thought how about going home? Right now.』

Leeman's mouth formed a small grieving smile before saying「Now, let's go. We are going to lose sight of it」 and chased after the rectangular pyramid.

It seemed the wife's stock of patience had ran out against the husband's wanderlust. In the end when Leeman went home, would he be welcomed back by his family……

By the way, Leeman's home was built by hollowing out a rock at the reef area nearby Erisen. It was a splendid home. In a human sense it was unmistakably a stately mansion of a celebrity.

Seeing the back of Leeman who was going ahead, Inaba's expression looked really complicated, but he then shrugged his rabbit ears and chased behind him.

The two monsters advanced forward through the ocean in order to ascertain the unknown object and the unknown something.

Their figures before long vanished at the other side of the horizon.

After that, Inaba and Leeman's whereabouts became unknown for a few years.

Because the two by nature had wanderlust habit, no one were especially concerned but……

One day, due to a notice that suddenly arrived, a turmoil that started from the incident this time as the impetus dragged in the demon king family and it developed into a great tumult where hell broke loose.

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

The story this time is for the extra story that I'll write someday.

For now, I'm thinking that it will be a story where Nagumo family second generation will also show up but……well, it's still in the future.

The artifact presented to Lee-san……

This is Lee-san who was once taken out from aquarium by flying cross, so when thinking that now he became able to control that by himself, it's normal isn't it? It's surreal though.

Inaba's sure kill move.

Everyone, did you recall that person from One Piece?

But, Shirakome wrote by imagining that person from D-Gray. I like the scene of Falling Technique 「Iron Shac○」.

Twin tail is also not different then rabbit ears. Both are justice.