Chapter 53 : Burning to Ashes
The monster before them was ferocious, terrifying, with bronze skin like iron, unstoppable in strength.
The silver-haired girl was petite, delicate, with white-stockinged legs that would turn into a body pillow with just a push.
Such a terrifying difference in power would make any ordinary person despair, but Lonis acted as if she completely ignored this exaggerated power gap, standing directly opposite the monster.
"Lonis, are you insane?"
The silver-haired girl's behavior not only shocked Elucia... even the monster seemed stunned, momentarily stopping its attack.
Then, just the next second...
Lonis began dancing an exaggerated dance.
And accompanying the dance, Lonis sang a strange song: "Listen to me, thank you, because of you, the driver was warmed~"
"Lonis, have you really become an idiot?"
"(Uu!)"
Being stared at by Elucia with the gaze of looking at a moron, Lonis's pretty face turned red.
But she couldn't stop this shameful behavior, because according to what the crystal head said, the memory this song represented was the only weakness of this body.
Because when he was alive, he had been a dedicated medical worker, wearing white protective clothing to carry out medical missions... but it was precisely because he saw children dancing this dance of gratitude that he got heatstroke.
From then on, he never recovered, his body getting worse and worse. Until before death, even in his dreams, his body still retained fear of that scene.
...
So...
"Thank you, because of you, the world is more beautiful~~"
Under Lonis's singing, the originally invulnerable monster seemed to feel fear. His body was trembling consciously, as if wanting to escape.
But how could Elucia give him this chance?
Originally, this black-haired girl used Lonis's shame as a source of magic power, and now with the tables turned, the monster could no longer be her match.
"Go die!"
"!"
Dazzling dark radiance shot out from Elucia's Black Sword, like a surging water cannon, striking directly at the monster's chest.
Unstoppable, unmatched.
Lonis didn't know how terrifying Elucia's power was, but in just an instant, the monster's chest revealed a huge hole, endless black blood gushing from its body, flowing gurgling onto the ground.
"Hooray!"
Seeing this scene, Lonis couldn't help but jump up... she had finally assisted Elucia in defeating an opponent, finally regained her "heroic spirit" once, showing Elucia her invincible hero side~
However...
"Lonis, get away quickly!"
"Eh?"
Victory wasn't that simple.
Although the monster's body had collapsed, from within its body, many Night-walking Puppet Worms suddenly emerged!
These disgusting bugs numbered in the dozens, charging one after another at Lonis's body... that wriggling feeling was like sewer maggots, making people feel particularly nauseated.
Lonis was immediately frightened weak in the legs, nearly falling to the ground while trying to escape.
Fortunately, Elucia provided timely support, wrapping her arms around Lonis's waist in one motion.
(P-princess carry?)
Being held by Elucia in this position, Lonis's cheeks instantly turned completely red... but with the situation critical, this silver-haired girl didn't resist, instead being obediently still like a soft girl.
...
The monster's body continued to collapse, and at the same time, more and more Night-walking Puppet Worms appeared in the room.
Even though Elucia was very fast, because she was holding Lonis, she couldn't smoothly retreat from the door—the black-haired girl was forced into a corner of the room, seemingly with no escape route.
And there were so many Night-walking Puppet Worms that even if Elucia's swordsmanship was fast, she would still be devoured by the swarm.
...
In the critical situation, Elucia just smiled coldly:
"Hmph, all come out? Perfect for my purposes."
"Elucia?"
"Lonis, summon the Crimson Hammer!"
"!"
Lonis instinctively grasped the necklace at her chest, and that crimson Flame Abyss sacred hammer had already appeared floating in mid-air.
Blazing firelight immediately illuminated this dark room.
The war hammer's surface ignited with raging fire patterns, like the lava flowing in the earth's mantle, never ceasing.
...
The first second the war hammer appeared, these Night-walking Puppet Worms let out hysterical wails as if they had seen heaven and earth.
The second second, they seemed to want to turn and flee, but Elucia had already put Lonis down and grasped the war hammer with both hands.
And finally, the third second...
"Burn, be destroyed. In the crimson flames, repent for your sins!"
Gripping the crimson giant hammer tightly, Elucia smashed it heavily onto the ground!
Blazing flame waves surged from the impact point, and the Night-walking Puppet Worms wherever they passed instantly turned to ash... whether it was the filth accumulated over the years or the headless monster's remains, everything was immersed in the flames, burning fiercely.
All, burned to ashes.
This was the power of the Flame Abyss, a power that even the Trickster Demon Lord feared.
...
Although the crimson war hammer's attack was terrifying, Lonis was almost scared to tears—because this flame was really too intense, it would soon ignite her.
"Elucia, help!"
"Idiot, that's your own magic power, it won't hurt you."
"Eh..."
"Hmph, if I could, I'd really like to give your head a good hammer blow to see if it could make you smarter."
The enormous crimson hammer was somewhat strenuous even for Elucia to wield... therefore, after eliminating the enemies, this girl didn't continue wielding the war hammer, but stored it away:
"However... not bad, you actually discovered the monster's weakness."
"Eh?"
"I originally thought you were just a vase, but unexpectedly you could still retain some judgment from your hero period."
"No, that..."
Lonis felt guilty... although being praised by Elucia made her happy, this honest girl hero didn't intend to take credit that didn't belong to her.
"Elucia, I didn't discover the monster's weakness. In a rest room, I encountered this monster's head."
"The monster's head, what did it look like?!"
Hearing Lonis say this, Elucia suddenly frowned.
"Ah, its material was very similar to a Magic Crystal, about the size of a basketball... it could speak, claiming to be a remnant of a fallen hero's consciousness..."
"A remnant of a fallen hero's consciousness, hmph, heh heh heh!"
Elucia suddenly laughed coldly, then reached out and patted Lonis's head: "Silly child, you were deceived by him."
"Eh... d-deceived?"
"That's right, that head was the fallen hero's true body, and this body was his remnant consciousness."
"!"
"Just now during the battle, we activated the immensely powerful Flame Abyss force, and this energy should have broken through the seal surrounding this place, letting that fallen hero escape."
"Eh, eh eh eh?!"
Only then did Lonis realize her naivety and became panicked: "Then... then Elucia, what should we do? Should we quickly run out and chase that fallen hero?!"
"Mm, although doing so would be correct, that guy has probably already run away~"
"We can't catch up? Then what about the villagers? Did I make a huge mistake!"
Lonis looked dejected, knowing she had been schemed against... the other party had seen through her inner desire to "prove herself," that longing to "fight alongside Elucia," so they set up this deception.
However...
"Heh heh, although watching you this maid cry is quite interesting, I'll still tell you the truth."
"Eh?"
"I already know what that guy is planning. Hmph, truly foolish beyond measure."
Elucia smiled slightly and put the Collar back around Lonis's neck: "Come with me, I'll let you... see some interesting things."