Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (WN)

Chapter 548

The Hero’s Summer Vacation of Hell Second

Author’s Note: I’m sorry I couldn’t update last week. The pain behind my eyes and my headache and the spasm of my eyelids didn’t heal that I abstained from PC.

Kouki and co returned to the abandoned city where Hajime set up a simple Fairy Ring.

It was quiet as though the huge conflict right after they arrived was just a dream.

It was thanks to the former heavenly demon and a maid candidate Kara using her authority to guide the wild rampage of the low rank demons to “Let’s all commit suicide together rather than watching the illusion of getting punished by demon god-sama!” and brought it to an end in an instant.

Also, this abandoned city was also the place where the abyss lord stormed hell for the first time in the past to take back the saintess from the greater demon who named himself Unknown.

The location they were at right now was a corner at the abandoned city’s outer edge――where the abyss lord’s group who had just finished their decisive battle against Unknown and wanted to go home faced a huge army of demon and a fierce retreating battle began……or that was what about to happen before the shocking sight of “Shia smashing through the ground from underground” unfolded.

「There was no time to sightsee when we teleported here because of the low rank demons but……this is the “rabbit hole” that Nagumo mentioned huh……」

Kouki was standing at the edge of the big hole while fearfully peering down below. His expression was twitching.

The hole was given a name related to the story of Alice in Wonderland but, the hole was leading not to a fancy world but hell that got harsher the deeper they went down the hole. Perhaps that was what befitted the demon god and his rabbit wife.

「It’s leading to hell’s second layer right……? ……I can’t see anything.」

「That must be how deep it is. ……Oh? Come to think of it how? I can imagine if it’s digging down, but digging from below……?」

Moana and Aularodde were similarly peering down like tourists visiting a famous sightseeing spot. They unconsciously looked at each other before the pitch black large hole that was like abyss.

They had heard how Shia smashed through but, thinking carefully there were many things that didn’t make sense.

They were talking about the bugged miss rabbit who embodied the saying of Power is Justice. Power is the one true power. Most things can be solved somehow by clenching your fist! but, the hole was so deep they couldn’t see the bottom. Just, how in the world someone could smash through such massive bedrock……

Of course, in reality it was thanks to Vire Drucken’s divine envelopment mode. Shia didn’t smash through solely with just her physical strength.

She didn’t but……

To Moana and Aularodde who didn’t know about that detail, this story felt like “a scary story when you realized what it meant” and they couldn’t stop themselves from shuddering.

「What a really incomprehensible strength isn’t it ssu. Even the wives of the demon god……as I thought, a bug like me, no, bug is still better seeing that they have wing to fly. I;m just a maggot squirming on the ground……」

A self-abasement so natural like flowing water. It felt like it would only drag them to plunge into mud to listen to her so Kouki’s group all pretended to not listen.

Just as planned, Kara-san remembered her role as a “guide” and started explaining like nothing happened.

It hadn’t been long at all, but they had understood quite well how to interact with her. Kouki and co stole a glance at each other and nodded.

「The divider between the surface and the second layer is especially deep ssu. I think there must be several kilometers between them ssu. Apparently they were also originally shelters created for the sake of escaping from the completely ravaged environment due to the war on the surface ssu, so the gap between each layer is also considerable ssu.」

The layers of hell weren’t “dungeon” like the great dungeons of Tortus. Apparently they were placed as vast “subterranean world” that often appeared in movie and the like.

And so the space’s size and the bedrock’s thickness between layers were also literally in different scale compared to dungeon.

「Aa, we heard that from Nagumo. He said that originally hell was a verdant world just like earth and was also as developed as modern earth. He also said at that era there was even interaction between earth and hell.」

「Ssu. The residents of hell and earth also weren’t that different from each other ssu. Though we also had other races like winged race or beastman race, and even animals that could speak words unlike earth ssu.」

In order to do preliminary investigation of the hell world for the “World Tree’s branches Revival Plan”, Hajime once again did interview survey about hell world’s history from the Seven Deadly Sins demon kings, noble demons who governed over knowledge and record, and so on.

Kouki too had listened to it before this trip’s departure, though it was only briefly from hearsay. Moana who was similarly listening at his side looked around at empty air to recall the content of the hearsay.

「If I remember it right, it was the result of “earthlings with magic power” and “sacred treasure owner” like Claudia and others, “residents of earth and hell mingling with each other right?」「Right ssu.」

「That’s surprising. At that time the “avatar of great tree”――a goddess also existed wasn’t it? And yet, for her to permit interaction between worlds……」

「Nagumo hypothesized that perhaps earth and hell are so close that they could be described as being adjacent dimensionally was because the goddess at that time made it so. That originally the two worlds were as distanced from each other like with the other worlds.」

Hajime was thinking that perhaps, that was the result of the goddess of earth being the one who sought the interaction.

It was just a hypothesis in the end. Because people who knew about that era didn’t exist in the current era.

The fact that wasn’t known even by the demon kings of the Seven Deadly Sins who could be considered the oldest demons and the demons with noble rank governing over knowledge. That was to say, the existence of the “Dragon”.

What was confirmed after applying sublimation magic at Aularodde to daringly access the world tree’s record even at the risk of making her head went *Papparapaa*.

The “Dragon” was suddenly born in the fairy world, half killed the goddess of the fairy world at that time, and then it went to earth. There it got sealed by earth’s goddess. She barely managed it with the assistance of the fairy world’s goddess from over the world. That fact.

The seven demon kings didn’t know about this history. Because even the seven kings who could be considered as the oldest demons were existences who were born long after that.

Hajime gave a simple designation to each era. The era of gods who were talked in earth’s legend was the “mythological era”, the era where the two worlds interacted was the “pre-mythological era”, and the era when earth’s goddess clashed with the “Dragon” was the “ancient era”.

「Even the oldest demons, the demon kings of Seven Deadly Sins are existences born at the closing days of the pre-mythological era. There isn’t even any record so they apparently doesn’t know the actual fact but……」

According to the seven kings, the earth’s goddess who they knew was practically in a dormant state. Due to her deathly battle with the “Dragon”, the earth’s goddess at that time must be considerably weakened.

If such hypothesis was the premise, then this kind of assumption was also possible.

「If only there was one more goddess to help out, the “Dragon” could be sealed more firmly……no, they might be able to finish it off. In that case it’s understandable that the earth’s goddess wished to have an interaction with other world’s goddess in preparation of the worst case.」

Aularodde nodded with a meek expression. She was a former goddess who had experienced getting driven to the wall until she was at the death’s doorstep. There would be nothing more reassuring if only there was goddess of another world lending her a hand.

But, originally that was something impossible.

――A world, should be completed within that world

That was the common understanding of the goddesses. It was even one of the things given to them when they became an avatar of a great tree, together with the authority and knowledge from the great tree.

What should they do when they needed help beyond that? Of course that was obvious. The exception called “hero” existed for that.

The earth’s goddess at that time understood that, even so she sought connection with hell because there was no doubt that the “Dragon” was a threat that had to be dealt with together with other worlds.

「If there’s something to add, perhaps the goddess’s management of the world didn’t go well because of her considerably weakened state and so she sought assistance……or perhaps, she anticipated the worst case of the “Dragon” escaping the seal, and wanted a place for earth’s residents to escape……that Nagumo also made those hypothesis.」

The goddess of the hell world also understood that and accepted. Maybe. Perhaps that was the reason of the closeness between hell and earth.

「But……in the end, war broke out wasn’t it? Between earth and hell. From there hell lost……and became the hell right now, with the people……turning into what we called demons wasn’t it?」

Moana murmured with a very conflicted expression.

An interaction between worlds that should originally be impossible for the sake of protecting the world. For the result of that to lead to the ruin of one of the worlds, it was truly a tragedy. It was no wonder that such action was listed as one of the reasons why goddesses weren’t enthusiast with having connection with other world.

「True ssu. But, there was no clear divide between residents of earth and hell you know? There were also a lot of hell residents who sided with earth, and earth residents who sided with hell ssu. And naturally ssu, there were also the ordinary people who didn’t get involved with the war ssu.」

And so, the demons didn’t consist of only residents of hell. There were also a lot of former earthlings among them.

The defeated side――which was to say the hell side didn’t simply meant the residents of hell, it meant nothing more than one of the factions of a war where both sides got jumbled together.

Though of course, proportionally speaking the number of earthling at earth side and hell residents in the hell side were overwhelmingly the majority.

「In the first place why did war break out……Nagumo said that he didn’t know the clear situation. As expected, Kara also doesn’t know why don’t you?」

「When we were born, many of the central personages from the early stage of the war had died ssu.」

「You weren’t curious?」

In respond to Kouki’s question, 「An incompetent maid who couldn’t be bothered about things that should be bothered with. Yes, that’s me ssu……」 she naturally became self-abasing and continued with a gloomy tone.

「It was a worlds war that continued for long ssu. The scale was different from war between nations ssu. Also, something like reason to continue a war can be found as many as you like in the middle of war ssu. The number of people involved, the number of factions within both sides, and also the expectation of each individual kept growing bigger as many as the stars in the sky. It was just a complete mess ssu.」

Nobody was even bothered by something like the “trigger”. They simply wanted to survive, or perhaps raised achievement to obtain authority and rule……that was natural. Apparently it was a state exactly like the Warring States period of Japan.

But, there was exception. The seven kings and the oldest demons who governed knowledge. They were bothered. And so, they sought hearsay from the generation before them, and also things that were apparently hidden intentionally, but other than that they also asked around about a lot of things.

By the way, the current Kara had knowledge. It was because she couldn’t answer when Hajime asked her, and yet she didn’t even get insulted. Hajime only said 「I see. Then it’s fine」 and turned his back on her.

Hajime surely just simply wasn’t bothered because he could just ask the seven kings but, to Kara it was an event that made a crack in her heart.

It would be better to be hurled with insult like you damn useless trash ssu! But he just looked away immediately like I’m not even worth a thought-……a pebble at the roadside! A weed that’s just around there! Kara’s existence has no meaning! Uwaaaaahn.

She bawled like that at a demon who governed over knowledge and begged to be taught.

Normally a demon would take advantage of such weakness and demanded tremendous amount of compensation in exchange. Rather that was the etiquette in hell.

But it was a shocking sight――a heavenly demon performing a jumping dogeza without any hint of shame. It was something the demon never saw even through his long history, he had never even imagined it before. Such sight apparently made his brain suffered damage and he answered all her questions while being in a daze.

Getting back on the subject at(Who cares about that).

「When the hell world was still verdant, and the city civilization was advanced and developed, there was a group called the “Transcendents” ssu. They surpassed even the seven kings. Yes. they were irregular existences exactly like the master and his wives right now ssu.」

They didn’t try to obtain influence by all means. They disliked conflict, protected people from any kind of calamity, put effort in developing civilization, mediated in conflict, and most of all they were obedient toward hell’s goddess.

Apparently it was also them who set up the court rank and created system of government in hell.

「It seemed they were called as the goddess’s apostles and held in high esteem ssu. Although, they were merely humans in the end.」

Haughtiness that befitted a demon sometimes went 「You called?」 and peeked out from her. Really, what’s the deal with her……Kouki thought, but he sensed that it might be a landmine. If he pointed it out she obviously would go 「Kara is a bad child!」 and punished herself while falling down a negative spiral.

And so, he stayed quiet and urged her to continue.

「I’m not aware of what exactly was the impetus ssu but, the opinions among them were divided after the interaction between earth and hell had continued for several centuries ssu. Apparently some of the Transcendents wished for something to the goddesses of both worlds ssu.」

「Aa, I heard that from Nagumo……and, the goddesses didn’t allow them.」

「Ssu. Other than that……at that time there were also a lot of descendants born inheriting the power of the Transcendents ssu so, well, maybe the ambition of those lot also played a part ssu wasn’t it?」

Desire♪ Desire♪ Kara-san sang with her eyes sparkling in joy. It seemed human’s depravity made her delighted from the bottom of her heart.

In any case, apparently the war of worlds happened due to various motives entangling with one another.

In fact, most of the surviving powerful demons were people fighting for their own self-interest. They were born in the middle of war before they became demon, they were raised along with war, and so they became a generation where that way of living was the norm.

In a sense, them becoming demon might be just a matter of course.

「The goddess of hell and the great tree――in this world it’s called the Hell Tree huh. Both of them were lost in that war wasn’t it?」

「Correct ssu.」

Aularodde shook her head with a grim expression. As a former goddess, she couldn’t help but feel indignation from hearing such story. She even got so worked out she stood up from her chair so fast her chair fell when she heard of this story from Hajime.

Putting aside the earth’s goddess who was mostly in a dormant state during the long war, just what in the world the hell’s goddess was doing?

Was she just quietly watching the world being ravaged by war? Such thing was unimaginable.

She wasn’t not doing anything. She couldn’t do anything.

Because the Transcendents of the hell faction sealed the goddess. And then, at the end,

「To think, they murdered the goddess and rob her authority……」

Why, a goddess who should enjoy an absolute advantage within her own world could be defeated by children of her own world even if they were the Transcendents group?

The answer was simple.

「The Transcendents weren’t native of the hell world. Their root……was the same with Ehito. They might be from the calamity world, huh.」

Even if it was most difficult for people of the same world, what if it was existence from a different world?

The goddess’s advantage no matter what it was got dimmed.

The Transcendents apparently never talked about their own root no matter what but, it seemed they had disclosed something like a hint to their direct descendants.

Of course, if that was true then the hell’s goddess must have known. That they were visitors from a different world.

「Thinking carefully, it’s strange why only hell and Tortus have the same “magic power(energy)”. But, if the Transcendents were people who escaped alive from the calamity world just like Ehito then that explains it.」

Their mighty power went without saying. However, the source of that power was magic power――which was to say only the magic power within their body. With the world being different, they shouldn’t be able to replenish their energy with the hell world’s inherent energy.

Their power was might but, it had a lot of limitation where it would take time for them to recover if they used their power.

It was also the same after there was interaction with earth. Earth’s inherent energy was “willpower”, so even the power of magic that the descendants of the Transcendents inherited was surely restricted.

「But, if that was really the case……」

In the end it was just Hajime’s hypothesis that they were the same existence like Ehito. There was no definite proof.

But, if that hypothesis was actually true, it made Kouki wanted to praise Hajime’s naming sense. Beyond any doubt, calling their world as the “calamity world” was fitting.

「The war progressed in earth side’s advantage ssu. The majority of beings with exceptionally great power even among the Transcendents sided with the earth side after all ssu.」

「Kara……you were with the hell side weren’t you?」

「Of course ssu. After all the final objective of the Transcendents who sided with earth was the extermination of Transcendents along with their descendants ssu. They spouted things like how they shouldn’t exist or whatever……what kind of joke is that ssu isn’t it?」

Even though her default was self-abasement, it was only at this time Kara showed an expression of wholehearted condescension, and yet there was also indignation oozing out from her.

The force at the hell side. They were the people who made a demand of something at the goddess, and most likely they then started the war in order to make it come true.

The force at the earth side. They were the people who aimed to do a group suicide at a grand scale.

Which one was the side of justice?

Nobody knew at this point of time.

In any case, the cornered hell force finally committed the taboo. They abandoned their debt to the goddess who permitted their migration and murdered her, stole her authority, and changed the inherent energy of the hell world to “magic power”. (TN: Fun fact, the kanji for magic could also be used for demon or evil. So the energy here could also be read as demon power or evil power)

It wasn’t a usage method like filling the hell world with magic power.

Apparently it was a usage method like how Hajime supplied his comrades with unlimited magic power, or like how the “apostles(Neunte)” were supplied with magic power from “Holy Precinct(Ehito)”, magic power was supplied to only their troops from the occupied hell.

Therefore, even when the battlefield took place in the hell world, there was no benefit gained by the Transcendents of the earth side.

Limited power no matter how mighty it was, and nearly unlimited power with overwhelming recovery power even if it was a step below……the difference was enough to decide the flow of battle.

But, there was no way no problem occurred by changing the world’s rule so drastically like that.

「Even if we called it stealing the authority, there’s no way one can become a great tree’s avatar unconditionally ssu. Or rather those people obviously couldn’t possibly become one, so there was no way they could wield equal power like the goddess ssu.」

But, they could at least forcefully meddled with the tree and wielded a part of the authority against its will.

「It was an extremely dangerous act. If one is careless it would disrupt the principle of the world. If that happen what could happen……no, it had actually happened.」

「Ssu. The state of this hell world is the answer ssu.」

So to speak, what they did was like forcibly cutting off thousands, tens of thousands of complicated and mysteriously wired cables before connecting them haphazardly to forcefully generate the phenomenon they wanted.

If such thing was done, naturally errors and bugs would be formed everywhere.

Those errors and bugs appeared in the form of numerous calamities in world scale.

「At first it was only the weather that became unstable, before anyone knew what was happening everything changed ssu. Even the hell side that was vigorous by the reversal of the war situation couldn’t help but came to a stop as expected ssu. There was also a lot of desertion ssu.」

At first they all thought it was just a coincidence. In the first place it was a devastated world where power of the age of god magic level clashed in daily basis.

But, the frequency and scale of the calamities were gradually increasing. The auto purification activity of nature was also fading, growing plants became harder, or even impossible in some places, polluted water increased……

Something, something fatally out of place was forming in the world.

The hell had already started when they realized that.

Great earthquake, volcanic eruption, earth cracking, poisonous gas spreading rampant……

Storm that didn’t stop, and not only that cosmic ray poured down like a squall……

「Many died ssu. Especially the ordinary people who had little means to protect themselves. I don’t know the accurate number but, half, no, around seventy percent of hell’s total population must be swallowed by the calamities ssu.」

「……It’s amazing you can say that so calmly.」

It was truly, a tragedy at the level that could be described as mankind’s downfall without any exaggeration.

Perhaps because he had seen movie of that kind of genre, the image of the hellish situation at that time naturally flashed at the back of his mind. It stricken his chest tightly.

And yet, Kara was speaking dispassionately like she was simply reading from a history schoolbook, so Kouki reflexively let out a low groan from his mouth.

Immediately, Kara-san’s whole appearance became heavily gloomy.

「T-that’s right isn’t it ssu……my apologies for acting like that despite being a mere dung beetle ssu……I’m sorry for getting carried away ssu……」

「Ah, geez, really Kouki!」

「Even though you must have known what will happen with Kara-san if you talk to her with that tone……」

「Aa~~~, sorry! Certainly that was my fault just now! There’s nothing that can be done even if I said that at this point isn’t it! That’s why raise your head! Stop sidling up toward the hole while staring fixedly at ittt!」

It wasn’t like she would die even if she jumped down, and even if she did she should be able to float in the air easily but, with the mood like it was Moana and Aularodde reflexively pinioned her from behind to stop her.

Like that they dragged her away from the edge of the big hole with her legs trailing on the ground while whispering 「Continue! We want to hear the continuance!」「Kara-san is really good at storytelling isn’t it! We want to listen more!」 to butter her up a lot.

Eh? I-is that so ssu? Fuhih, if you all really want it that much then I need to give it my all ssu isn’t it~, Kara’s face looked like she was saying that.

Kouki and co thought, Easy……is she really an archdemon who was feared as a heavenly demon.

「Cough. In any case, the situation was like that so the majority of the hell force also stopped fighting the war or even surrendered ssu. They tried to somehow stop the disasters, searched for the next goddess, evacuated the surviving hell residents to earth……」

But, the “deviation” of the hell world didn’t settle down.

That was why, the earth’s goddess woke up. No, perhaps it should be said that she was slapped awake.

But, even a goddess had no authority to meddle with the great tree of other world. Not to mention the earth’s goddess was in an extremely weakened state.

The earth’s goddess had no power to correct the “deviation” of the hell world. Even the power to continuously hold that “deviation” in check, and also continuously preventing the disasters from affecting earth that was so close to hell that they overlapped each other, were impossible for her who found it difficult to even maintain her awakened state.

Therefore, the goddess made her decision.

Those who could be saved should at least be saved, and those who should be punished had to be punished.

And then,

「The earth’s goddess sent the people who supported the war to hell, accepted the surviving ordinary people to earth, and then, divided the worlds once more by forfeiting hell ssu. She expended her whole being for that.」

She dragged those who resisted to perish together. But, it was said that the majority accepted the decision and let themselves got sealed. Not only that, the Transcendents at earth’s side, and also a lot of the descendants who bore the responsibility of being at the center of the war apparently also voluntarily went to hell.

「Although, the division couldn’t be completed perfectly due to the weakened power of the goddess ssu.」

「Aa, so that’s the reason why earth and hell are close even now.」

The “whisper” using water as medium, the “Mirror Gate” in Omnibus’s possession, the summoning magic called “path creation technique”, etc. All of them wouldn’t allow demons to manifest in earth unless they got invited from the earth side but, there was no end of way for demon to get involved with earthling.

「Now that you mentioned it, that’s exactly why the seven kings――Demon Rangers too apparently sent a type of divided spirit to Tortus.」

Demon’s whisper, or perhaps temptation was in the end just “word”. It wasn’t a magical mind control. As long as human on earth couldn’t receive it, there was fundamentally no magical effect on them.

But, of course it was a different story for the seven kings, the great demons of the highest class.

There were various conditions depending on each individual but, apparently they could send away a type of ghost body, or clone, or mental body split from their real body and used those as medium to also use magic to some degree.

The seven kings also did that that day.

Yes, the day when Hajime and co got summoned to Tortus by Ehito. Actually that day the spiritual bodies of the seven kings also got summoned together.

Originally, Ehito’s magic was a crude teleportation magic that aimed at the hero while also including the whole area around the target. Because of that, the boundary of the worlds wavered, and also because the source of their power was the same, the seven kings were able to detect the happening and sent their spiritual bodies along the trip. And then they successfully slipped in without Ehito finding out.

「It’s a bit half-baked work for a goddess even if she was weakened isn’t it ssu. There are various loopholes available. Or perhaps……it was a form of mercy from her ssu.」

「……Mercy, huh.」

「In the first place, originally, us people in the hell faction were fated to rot in hell. It was the Transcendents who gave their life to apply life-support measure to this world ssu but, I can’t imagine the goddess had overlooked that ssu. Then, it must be her intentionally overlooked it ssu. Isn’t that mercy? Or perhaps, well, guilt maybe ssu?」

It went without saying, she was referring to the “undying soul” and “wind of lamentation” ――which was to say, the soul that wouldn’t disperse even without flesh body, and hell’s bloody wind that created transient flesh body for demons.

It was the Transcendents who applied those measures but, in the end could not being allowed to die while being imprisoned in a prison of a mad world that rejected life be called mercy?

「At the very least, the Transcendents said that as their last words ssu.」

They didn’t understand what kind of meaning that “mercy” had.

Was it expressing that being able to atone for their sins was mercy?

Or, did it mean that at the end of this hell, there was hope that there would be restoration?

Their direct descendants and also their youngest children, the seven kings said this.

At their last moment, they couldn’t be called as Transcendent at all, they looked completely like worn out old men. To they very end they kept speaking of nothing but regret and penitence.

And, the earth goddess too looked as though she was showing sympathy to them.

「Either way, even reduced into demons it doesn’t change the fact that we managed to survive here ssu. I think we ought to be thankful ssu.」

She didn’t look like she was thankful aaat all. Even now she had the atmosphere like someone who was going to start digging in her nose. Should she be called as a total piece of shit, or someone who was completely a demon?

Kouki and others could guess the reason why Hajime didn’t immediately accept her as a maid despite possessing power at the level where she got applauded as a heavenly demon.

Hajime was swamped in work previously, but now he had overcome that period. This was just their guess but……this maid candidate, would definitely have a hard time after this.

There was no denying that she was a useful personnel, so surely a “super harsh education” for demon, no, for demon maid that would be even harsher than normal was waiting for her.

「But well, in the end, even earth’s King Tree was lost in the war of gods at the “mythological era” wasn’t it? And, these gods must be the people who descended from the Transcendents right? ……It doesn’t matter whether one is demon or not, humans might be utterly foolish creatures regardless……」

「Moana……」

Kouki had no words to object. He casted his gaze down, looking like he couldn’t possibly do anything to argue against those words.

「Yes, truly. Every living thing is all foolish. Whether it’s the apparitions, and also, even us goddesses.」

Kouki and Moana were startled and looked toward Aularodde whose kindness could be felt from her voice in contrast to her words.

She patted Moana’s head, next she jogged toward Kouki and also patted his head.

「Because they’re foolish they can make mistake. But, without fail there will also be people who try to correct that mistake. Right now, we are all doing this trip to do exactly that correct?」

Aularodde said that while smiling softly. Truly, she certainly looked like a goddess only at this kind of time.

Kouki and Moana for some reason felt intensely embarrassed from the treatment.

「Tsk」

「Oi. Why did you tsked just now?」

「I’m not ssu. You just misheard ssu.」

This damn demon-. Kouki unconsciously wanted to give her a gender equality punch but he pushed the feeling down with effort. In exchange a grumbling slipped out from him though.

「Even though you’re a related party with such history even though only at the latter part, don’t you feel any repentance even if just a little?」

「Do you know ssu? A healthy mind resides in a healthy body you know ssu.」

The first several centuries at the beginning was still fine.

But after not even having flesh body, no civilization and no society, living in a hellish place that was far removed compared to the time when they were humans for millenniums, and even tens of millenniums to this day?

To expect them to be pure and righteous after that? To be humane?

「Even if you ask such unreasonable thing from us ssu-」

「Guh, that’s……certainly you have a point but……」

Perhaps at first they even felt remorse. However, after getting immersed in endless conflicts with their souls completely exposed, that’s, well, it was natural even if they lost things like “human’s common sense” and “conscience”……maybe.

In hell right now, there wasn’t even a single being who managed to keep their mentality to stay the same like in the past. They all had truly been reduced to demons.

As expected, it wasn’t a mercy wasn’t it……or rather, even if it was mercy it didn’t actually work like that……such thought that was unbecoming for a hero crossed inside Kouki’s heart for a moment, but he immediately shook his head to chase that thought away.

「Hell’s influence huh? Somehow it feels like I’ve become more violent since coming here……」

「Eh? Is that so? I don’t really feel anything like that though……?」

「Kouki-sama, you are just tired. Let’s quickly finish our business so we can rest for a bit.」

Aularodde patted Kouki’s head gently once again.

「That’s true……or rather, we shouldn’t keep standing around in this kind of place having a long talk. Let’s enter the building already.」

Kouki smiled wryly and quickly turned around just as he said.

Even though there was no such influence, as expected it couldn’t be helped even if one became mentally ill by staying too long in hell outdoor. Moana and Aularodde also followed behind while feeling slightly relieved.

Behind them,

「Now then……they talked about world’s revival but……what is that person’s final plan for us who has been reduced into demons both in mind and body I wonder?」

A gaze that felt mocking, that felt like there was excitement and curiosity as driving force behind it, or perhaps like a crafty sage testing youngster, or like a clown making fun of a traveler travelling to carry out a great cause, a gaze that was very hard to describe was poured on their backs. A mind that was truly inhuman was oozing out from that gaze.

The heavenly demon’s words were muttered with her original tone, however, those words were swept away by the raging bloody wind and didn’t reach Kouki and others.

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The building that Hajime chose as the temporary setting place for the Fairy Ring was beside the “rabbit hole” and had no window, however, other than that characteristic it was just an ordinary building.

It was about five-storied high and compared to the surrounding it was relatively low. Without exception it was damaged but, even then compared to the surrounding it looked considerably better including its deterioration rate.

It was clear that its construction was tougher than others. Perhaps originally it was something like a shelter. Though that was exactly why Hajime chose it.

The reason Kouki and co retuned was of course, to set up and activate the artifact for preventing time difference between worlds.

There was a place like an auditorium at the deepest part of the room.

A part of the ceiling had collapsed and the walls were crumbling and rubbles were scattered around but, the platform was still firmly remaining. Kouki could be found on top of it.

On the floor a metal foundation with diameter around two meters was placed. A magic circle was engraved on its surface, and further twenty jewels that looked like garnet were inlaid orderly in a ring shape.

It was a Fairy Ring. Also, the main part was the foundation and there was no meaning to the jewels. The artifact was named Fairy Ring, so it was simply designed to have a look befitting that. As always, it was simply for romance.

「Eerr, according to the manual……you do it like this?」

Kouki was crouching beside that Fairy Ring (foundation) while holding a table in one hand. His other hand was fiddling with a dial or button of an artifact that looked like a car’s battery.

Moana and others were below the foundation. They were watching Kouki working. They looked a bit bored.

In fact, they must be bored. Kara opened her mouth while striking the head of the parrot (?) on her shoulder with her fingertip.

「Shitty he……cough. Hero-dono.」

Kouki reflexively stopped moving his hand and looked back. Of course, his eyes were really staring.

「Just now, you was going to call me shitty hero right?」

「No way, don’t be absurd ssu.」

Kara quickly averted her eyes and lied but, even Moana and Aularodde were staring fixedly at her and her heart instantly broke.

「My deepest apologies ssu……master often called you like that so……I unconsciously……」

「I knew it!」

「Usually I called you like that only inside my heart properly ssu! Just now it……I was a bit careless ssu……」

「I wished you would keep it only inside your heart until death-」

「M-my apologies ssu……no, even just begging forgiveness is too presumptuous for the like of me……what is your preferred method for my suicide? Or perhaps you wish to do it on your own? Please punish me using the way that you see fit ssu……」

Thinking really really carefully this was a nasty situation. Because, although she was just a candidate she was still the demon god’s maid. In fact she was the caretaker of his mansion in hell.

Him punishing someone like that without asking? It was simply impossible.

If, Kara suggested so knowing that……only feeling of tragic sadness and self-abasement could be seen from her expression but, she was a demon of the highest class with authority of illusion. Perhaps she……Kouki thought.

「……It’s fine already. Or rather, you can easily revive, so is there any meaning in punishing you……?」

Kouki lightly waved his hand with a sigh. Dealing with this person would just tire him out.

「……In other words, you’re saying to make up for it with my body? My deepest apologies ssu. I know that a mere bug like me has no right to refuse ssu, but, this body already belongs to master-. Please I beg you to spare me of that ssu-」

「Your misunderstanding is excessive though!?」

Kara-san shook her head while saying No no with a face that looked like she was going to burst into tears. Her gesture of hugging her own body looked excessively sensual. Like, how her fiendish breasts changed shape *munyu*, or her waistline.

As expected from the incarnation of worldly desire. His gaze felt like it was going to get sucked in even though he didn’t have the slightest intention for that. Kouki hurriedly averted his gaze.

Where his gaze moved, he found the bright smiles of Moana and Aularodde who were being on guard against the surrounding.

Kouki slid his gaze away like flowing water and smoothly looked toward the far away.

This useless maid! She’s really troublesome! He did that while swearing inside his heart.

「Or rather don’t get in my way! This isn’t a difficult work but, that’s exactly why I don’t know what Nagumo will say to me if I actually made a blunder with it.」

He raised his head half for changing the topic and half speaking his true feeling.

Moana shrugged while speaking in Kouki’s place.

「So, Kara. Why did you speak out just now.」

「I wished to ask what is everyone’s plan after this ssu.」

In that case just ask us rather than Kouki who’s in the middle of working……Moana thought but, if she actually said it then Kara would once again go 「Kara is a bad child!」 and fell into a self-punishment spiral.

「As expected, will everyone head to the mansion? I heard that everyone’s activity in hell will take several months, and depending on the situation it might take more than half a year ssu. In that case you will need a base ssu right? Many demons of repute have expressed how they’re ready and waiting――cough. How they wish to hold a welcoming party for everyone ssu.」

「You aren’t deceiving anyone like that! Just what in the world you all are scheming, you damn demons!」

As expected from hell. Even though the demons should be their ally right now, they couldn’t let their guard down at all. Something like a banquet of hell felt like it might become their last banquet so they absolutely didn’t wanted to participate.

Kouki stopped his hand once more and sent Kara a wary gaze.

「Just like I mentioned at the beginning ssu. I wish for mater to receive a good report about me ssu. Well, if it’s a bother then I’ll do something about it ssu. ……It’s enough for me alone to be highly evaluated after all ssu, fuhih」

They could also clearly heard the last words that she muttered to herself, but they didn’t make any tsukkomi because it would just be troublesome.

Moana waved her hand to urge Kouki to resume working while continuing the talk.

「I’m sorry, it looks like there’s a slight difference in information here. We came here in a hurry, so we weren’t able to properly notify anyone here.」

「By that you mean ssu?」

「……I think you don’t need to force yourself to add ssu each time you talk though.」

Moana’s expression turned really conflicted even as she told Kara.

Their visit to the hell world this time was just temporary in the end. Originally, their plan was to spend several more months for observation in the sky dragon world where the Dragon Tree had just gotten revived.

But, the problem of time difference between worlds occurred at that timing.

Right now there was no such problem occurring in the hell world, but seeing as they still didn’t know the cause, they were unable to relax yet.

And so, the objectives of their temporary visit this time were two.

One, to set up the time difference prevention artifact and activate it.

Two, going to the site of the Hell Tree that Hajime had specified with his compass though he himself had never gone there, and in the small chance there was a time when they would need the power of the Hell Tree, Kouki and co should secure a base there that could be used for anyone to immediately teleport and work there.

Naturally, the “revival of world tree’s branches” that they ventured into only after the very careful investigation result wasn’t included in their visit objective this time.

The plan was for them to return back again to the sky dragon world for observing the situation there as soon as they accomplished their objectives here.

Hajime himself was also flustered during the first emergency contact, so Kouki too was completely under the impression that they would accelerate their activity in the hell world, but after that, Hajime apparently got admonished by Yue and co and contacted him once more. In the end, the plan became like that.

Just before coming here he had told Roze and others 「Let’s meet again one day」, so he was just a little bit embarrassed that after this he would need to retract his previous statement saying 「As expected we are back……」. But we are digressing.

「If we hurry we’ll be able to return while Nagumo’s group is staying in the sky dragon world. In that case I also might be able to play Ma*io Cart-」

Kouki’s expression was resolute. Moana reflexively said 「Just how much you want to play it……」 with a slightly exasperated face.

By the way, both Moana and Aularodde had also tried game when staying in Japan, but it didn’t really resonate with Moana. Rather than that, her feeling was Isn’t moving your body more enjoyable? with how varied sports were at earth. It seemed she was extremely moved by it.

Conversely, Aularodde seemed to take a great liking with game. She even got completely addicted to the type of game that kouki wasn’t good with――so to say a highly difficult game where players were likely to die frequently. She even almost got in a straight line of being a shut-in that Amanogawa family joined hands together to drag her out.

This put a broad grin on Hajime’s face. It put him in a kind mood that against his better judgment he even secretly sent her a great amount of specially made energy drink.

That also put a big grin on Aularodde’s face.

Also, Kouki and others didn’t know about that fact.

Getting back on topic.

「That’s why, we have BD for our base of activity, so I think we don’t need to go to the mansion this time. We want to head to the Hell Tree right away if possible.」

「Is that so ssu. Even though I had put in effort to prepare a surprise ssu.」

「I think we aren’t going to ask what’s the surprise.」

It absolutely wouldn’t be anything decent. Moana thought as she ignored that part while acting extremely naturally. She progressed with the talk quickly.

「From what we heard, the location of the Hell Tree is apparently outrageously far underground isn’t it? Furthermore, just going there will put our life on the line or something.」

「It’s just as you say ssu.」

As the result of questioning the seven kings and investigating, even Hajime who possessed the Crystal Key decided to postpone checking out the site. He also didn’t leave the base construction to the demons.

The place was just that troublesome.

「Are you aware of the structure of hell’s underground ssu?」

「I’ve heard how this surface is the first layer and in total there are nine layers.」

Aularodde’s gaze wandered around as she ruminated inside her head on what she had heard from Hajime.

「Certainly this world is in the shape of a giant conical. The land size becomes smaller the deeper layer you are at. In exchange the area become controlled by powerful demons……isn’t that right?」

「Yes ssu. There’s not much difference until the fourth layer but, the fifth and sixth layers are territory controlled by demons with court rank, while the mansions of the seven kings and master are at the seventh layer. That layer is in effect the lowest layer ssu.」

It seemed that this nine layers structure was created by the Transcendents but, even that lowest layer apparently had the same area size like Hokkaido if Japan was used as example, so it could be seen just how tremendous the power of those Transcendents were.

「I heard that it’s harsh even for demons to live in the eighth layer and below.」

「Ssu. After all the magic power in the eight layer and below is dispersed ssu, and there’s also no bloody wind there ssu.」

If the eighth layer had to be given a concise description than it was the “graveyard”, while the ninth layer was the “jail”.

Especially the ninth layer, it was the jail of hell that froze anyone who stepped in without exception for eternity――it was famous as the Cocytus.

However, different from the myth apparently Cocytus wasn’t a jail but a type of processing plant.

It wasn’t merely a land that was extremely cold, but more like a region that was extremely inert magically. So to say, it should be described as the ice and snow version of the sky dragon world’s black rain.

Even demon with court ranks who were sent there would be weakened in the blink of eye, then their soul frozen, and then died at the end. There would be no hope for them to revive for the second time.

「The seven kings took up residences in the seventh layer where it’s the deepest one can go is to display their strength, and at the same time to also serve as guards ssu. They are the grave keepers of the eight layer, the administrator of the ninth layer, and……also the gatekeepers for the “forbidden area” further than that ssu.」

「The area even further below the ninth layer that isn’t even mentioned in earth’s legend, huh. That place is the former site of the Hell Tree right?」

「No(Ie) ssu.」(TN: In Japanese, no is “ie”)

「……What did you say just now? Yes? Or, did you say no (ie) which sounded like yes because of that “ssu” you added at the end?」

「Negative ssu……. I’m hard to understand ssu isn’t it. What a useless maid……I should go as far as changing even my tone “Yee~~ess ssu” to sound more distinctive……」

「Sorry that I didn’t get what you say! I think it’s fine for Kara to stay as you are!」

「Yes, that’s true! Rather than that I wonder if you can told us what do you mean by negative!」

「Yes ssu」

They didn’t get it. The person herself must be trying to speak properly by adding subtle nuance to her tone just now, but they still felt it was unclear whether she said yes or no just now.

But, she would just become an excessively bizarre existence even if she changed the way she replied like a certain monster of pocket Meow*h because of that, or rather that they wouldn’t understand what she was talking about if she added too many character traits into herself.

And so, for now Moana ignored it and urged her to continue.

「Spreading below the ninth layer is a vast lake of magma ssu. It’s unknown where is the former site of the hell tree is located in there ssu. It’s said that the Transcendents moved the former site along with the whole land around it, or that they only the core of the Hell Tree is constantly in the move in there ssu.」

It wasn’t just that. According to the seven kings, some kind of protection was applied to the former site of the Hell Tree or just the core so demons apparently couldn’t meddle with it at all.

It seemed the Transcendents were thorough in taking measures for preventing demon’s interference toward the Hell Tree. The eighth and ninth layers too must be one of those measures.

「Well, in the first place, Nagumo also said that a branch of the world tree located that deep underground itself is strange.」

It should be on the surface in the past. But, the compass was pointing below.

In other words, there would be no point even if they used regeneration magic at the surface where the Hell Tree was located in the past. If they didn’t regenerate it from the “former site” or the “core”, even if they managed to revive it, it would be nothing more than a giant tree that was similar but different from the actual thing.

That was Hajime’s opinion.

「Also, I think you all have understood already ssu but……different from the nine layers, the place below there is an “underground” in the literal meaning you know ssu?」

Kara looked at them with eyes that asked 「Are you all really going there ssu?」 as though she was looking at completely suicidal people. Even a great demon of the highest rank who got called as a heavenly demon couldn’t help but think that about that place.

「Aa, yeah. I was told that hell’s underground layer is environmentally preserved so human can survive there after a fashion. Because if that’s not the case then when Nagumo and Shia-san got teleported to hell, they would get cornered into quite the bad situation right after the teleportation regardless of the bloody wind.」

Originally, the air pressure and temperature became higher the deeper underground it was. Naturally there was also the problem of air but, the depth where flesh and blood human could be active at wasn’t that deep.

The highest record of excavation at earth was about twenty km. The reason people gave up going deeper than that was as expected, because the temperature underground reached as high as 180 degrees there and other reasons.

Even Tortus’s great dungeons must’ve overcome that kind of problem with magic. By using artifacts, or maybe turning the great dungeons themselves into artifact.

Even so, even if it was the Orcus Great Dungeon that was the deepest dungeon, its deepest depth was around ten-odd km, or perhaps it didn’t even reach ten km.

Then, what about hell’s layers?

There were nine layers in total but, the height of each layer was wildly different from a great dungeon. Layers with particularly vast space like layers 5 to 7 even had gorge and volcano and the like even though it was underground. If the bedrock in between was also included, even just one layer might easily surpass five km.

As expected the layers couldn’t possibly reach until as deep as the planet’s mantle but, there was no doubt that the ninth layer was located fairly deeply even within the planet’s crust.

Then, the place even further below that went without saying. If it was a true underground where there was no magical adjustment done to the environment, it would be a genuine land of death that denied the existence of life.

「But well, I think it’ll be alright. After all Nagumo has properly prepared the artifacts for us. Nagumo isn’t the kind of person who’ll make a blunder for this kind of thing――there, it should be okay with this.」

It seemed he finished his work at that moment. Kouki cut off the talk for the time being and stood up.

The time difference prevention artifact looked like a car’s battery. It had an unrefined shape that was slightly unlike Hajime. The artifact was tinged with crimson light.

But immediately after, *kashun*.

A part of it slid. Next the parts here and there started moving *kashun kashun* in succession. Metal parts rose up from the inside and interlaced together in a complicated way while growing bigger.

Kouki and others went 「Eh……?」 with their eyes shrinking into dots. But even while they were reacting like that, the battery shaped artifact moved, changed shape, and combined together like a complicated and mysterious three-dimensional puzzle……

At the end, it became a humanoid robot with total height around three meters, an object that looked like an analog watch fitted in its chest, cannons on its shoulders, and a tower shield and a great sword held in its hands.

「「「「No, that’s just impossible-」」」」(TN: Use Kansai dialect here)

Their tsukkomi matched was surely because Moana and Aularodde had also learned Japan’s culture proactively, no doubt about it. Though it was a mystery how Kara had also matched them.

Or rather, for even a heavenly demon to be made to genuinely tsukkomi……

As expected from demon god quality. Even certain Trans*rmers would definitely get startled. How does that work with the law of conversation of mass? They would ask.

「Don’t tell me, he plan to prevent time difference physically……?」

The robot’s equipment made it not unreasonable for one to think like that.

The robot stayed quiet and didn’t say anything. It stayed standing stiffly upright. Apparently it wasn’t the type where it had a demon inside it.

「That person’s thinking isn’t something that can be comprehended by ordinary people. Let’s not worry about it. We’ll be able to maintain a healthy state of mind that way.」

What’s this former goddess who could be genuinely said as the representative of beings who weren’t ordinary people was saying but, the others could fully agree with what she said.

「It activated……right?」

Kouki muttered slightly hesitantly, but after that there was reaction. The robot’s eyes flashed bright. And then, it looked at Kouki. It stared fixedly *jii* at him. There was no other reaction, and they also couldn’t feel any emotion or will from it……

It was plainly scary.

「Y-yosh! The first job is finished! Let’s head to the Hell Tree next!」

Everyone fully agreed.

Kouki took the lead in turning around. Moana and others also followed after him. Even Kara left that place with quick walking steps while sending concerned glances behind the whole way.

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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.

It’s an explanation chapter. I’m sorry that the story hasn’t progressed. I plan Kouki’s summer vacation to end the next chapter.

Also, I revised [Abyss Lord Second Arc Epilogue First]. the speech that said Shia and Hajime climbed up from the ninth layer. I changed it to sixth layer.

※Meme introduction

– Yee~~ess ssu

From Meowth of [Pokemon].

– Aularodde’s favorite highly difficult game

It’s FromSoftware. It seems the feeling of getting cornered in the Dark world send shivers into her spine or something.

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