Published at 9th of August 2020 7:49 am

Chapter 389 Arifureta After IV Demon King & Hero Arc Sequel⑧ Hero, Returning Home

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

「Just why……」

There was an echoing murmur. It sounded like someone trembling with fear, as though they were lamenting the absurdity of the world.

The location was the capital――no, the settlement located at the foot of the “east small Heaven Tree”.

The wooden houses standing on a row there were all slightly dirty all over. There were houses with holes, half broken houses, or houses with planks covering them like a cobbled out clothes.

It was a desoleta sight that would make anyone accepting even if this place was called as a deserted village.

In the past it was a capital whose name was synonym with luxurious, gorgeous, and bustling, but now it was in this state.

Naturally the state of the small Heaven Tree protecting it was also horrible. It was already filled with a lot of cracks that it wouldn’t be strange even if it crumbled down anytime now. The light it was clad with was also weak like a candle fire in front of blowing wind.

However, even though the surviving fairies living there were in the brink of destruction――

「AnikiiiBig brooo! Do iiitttt-」

「Aweeesome! As expected from aniki-!」

「He is facing anegobig sis even if she is weakened……just what kind of person are youuu! This is electrifying yeah-」

「As I thought aniki is the strongest-! I’ll follow you for my whole life-」

「Aniki’s technique is number one in the worlddd!!」

「Oo!? Just now, a good one landed square! This is the first time I saw anego got sent flying!」

「「「「A – NI – KI! A – NI – KI-!!」」」」

They were extremely energetic. It didn’t feel like there was even a shred of despair here.

「……Just why」

Kousuke’s mutter that was mixed with half-laughter spilled out once more. His gaze was turned to the far distance.

He felt like a bodyguard who was facing on an enemy who came to raid the place. It was like when some thugs begged an expert 「Sensei-, please take care of this guy-」.

Because, the fairies here,

「Why……why……why are there are only some hyahhaaa guys with appearance like thugs at the end of the century here!」

「「「「「HYAHHAAAAAAAA!!」」」」」]

「You guys are annoying-」

Yes, they had excessively punk fashion with Mohican hair or skinhead or no eyebrows like it was only natural that gave a really bad vibe.

Their height was also like a normal person with muscular large build. They were excessively belligerent and provocative. All of their faces were aggressive, they were constantly walking with a swagger, and they glared at everything meaninglessly.

They were a bunch of thug no matter how he looked at them. Paired with the desolate surrounding and a settlement that was no different from a deserted village, they were completely a hyahha bunch like in a certain lawless end-of-century world that was ran with the law of the jungle.

There was only one characteristic trait that they all shared. They all had a small horn growing on their forehead.

「These guys, they said that they are from the lineage of “oni” after all. Should I just accept it, or should I say there is no way……」

Yes, the hyahha fairies were all born from the “oni” apparitions or fairies from that lineage.

It seemed that their belligerent disposition was a disposition that was shared by the fairies of the oni lineage, but their transformation into hyahha bunch like this was surely the result of cultivating a unique culture in this world.

Also, when Kousuke first came here, they said 「Who the hell are you bastard eeeh!?」 or 「What do you wanna do in our territory huuuh!?」 and attacked him without hearing his argument but……

Speaking from the conclusion, they were weak. They were just hopelessly weak.

The hyahha fairies had nothing but appearance. Like some thugs or bandits who were in a tale only to serve as the main character’s stepping stone.

And yet they wouldn’t listen to other people’s words at all. They wouldn’t learn just from getting beaten up slightly and rushed at him while yelling OU OU……

And so Kousuke could only knock them down until their eyes rolled back. But after that Kousuke became their “aniki” for some reason.

「Aniki♪ Aniki♪ Your clones are almost getting annihilated you know? Come on, bring out the new ones, the new ones, bring out a lot of the abyniki! Get heated up more! Pupuh」

「……Etemp-san, how about helping out? Using your fairy mode.」

「You can just turn into the lord isn’t it? Rather isn’t it better to do just that!? It’s fine if you show them the multiplying abyniki isn’t it!」

「T-this damn bastard……she is completely planning to record my shameful sight……」

Even so, soon it felt like he would only repeat things uselessly if he only used the clones that he was able to produce in his normal state.

Right now, the existence that was trying to devour this small Heaven Tree of the east was exasperatingly tough. There were also a lot of the oni type at the previous great invasion to the main Heaven Tree, but this enemy here made those guys looked like they only had paper armor.

Normal attack felt like it didn’t have any effect. He was able to finally inflict a noteworthy damage after using artifact or magic at the same time.

But, the enemy didn’t look like the damage bothered them at the slightest. Furthermore the damage healed after a bit of time passed.

And yet the enemy would erase the clones with one attack. It didn’t matter even if the clones defended or they were just getting grazed.

The ground shook just from a step of the enemy. The air was blasted and shockwave was created just from a single punch.

The three horns that grew on the enemy’s head showed their identity.

That apparition was displaying overwhelming physical might and toughness that resembled a certain bugged rabbit. They were definitely the unreasonable existence that was talked in legend――the very definition of “oni”.

According to Aularodde, they were the king of oni that ruled the prosperous capital around the small Heaven Tree of the east in the past. If talked in the term of earth’s legend, it seemed that their origin was from the legend of “Shuten Douji”……

「Really, I wonder why……」

Kousuke muttered while glancing at the scene of another of his clone getting caught and crushed to death. Etemp-san who was riding on his shoulder was recording everything with intense focus. Her leg was thrusting repeatedly to Kousuke’s neck. She was extremely annoying.

「Abyniki, what is your impression? Hey hey, what is your impression from being hugged so passionately that you burst? Hey, come on tell meee!」

「S-shut up! I had cut the sense sharing with them! I-it’s not like I’m thinking of anything about it!」「Then, why have you been averting your gaze since some time ago? Why won’t you fight and only left it completely to your clones!? Teeell~ mee~?」

「S-shaddup……」

Even though he was saying that, Kousuke was clearly agitated.

That couldn’t be helped……perhaps.

After all, the legendary great oni who was famous as the strongest……was an owner of a terribly heinous breasts. It must be not just his imagination that the clone who got hugged to death looked slightly happy.

She had three black horns that grew on her forehead and both sides of the head and long white hair and golden eyes. Her appearance was beautiful with nothing to complain about.

Her height was around two and half a meter, but her appearance wasn’t like a certain muscular fairy by any means. Her kimono that was worn casually looked sensual due to her voluptuous and splendid style. Her bare legs that were exposed generously each time she kicked were radiant.

Yes, the one who was called as “anego” by the oni fairies, the oni king who originated from the legend of Shuten Douji――was a terribly beautiful woman.

Kousuke wondered just what kind of legend from other world got mixed that Shuten Douji who was famous as the strongest oni could become a woman.

「Or is it because of that? Does the Japanese people’s moe soul or gender flip soul reached here across the worlds even without the King Tree?」

It was impossible based on the chronological order, but when he thought of the depth of sinfulness of the Japan’s otakus, it was possible that the conception from them might even crossed time and twisted the legend.

「oOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!」

While he was thinking of such idiotic thing, his clones were sent flying altogether. Her mere shout was accompanied by shockwave that pulverized everything in all directions.

He couldn’t hold back anymore to face her.

He had to look straight at her.

Even if,

「Rana, Emily……also, tentatively, Claire. This is simply unavoidable!」

Even if the kimono of the Shuten Douji-san was getting too loose that her amazing breasts were magnificently spilling out!

Even if each time she kicked, her beautiful legs became visible along with the fact that she wasn’t wearing underwear below!

He had to look no matter what! It was unavoidable! Overwhelmingly unavoidable!

「The recording is taking everything perfectly!」

「Why are you saying that now!?」

The oni was beautiful even with her face distorting viciously. That face was looking toward Kousuke and the small Heaven Tree that was covered behind him.

Kousuke sighed. Even so he took out his sunglasses.

Shuten Douji leaned forward as though she was taking a crouching start posture.

Kousuke pushed up the sunglasses on his face and turned!

「Oi, you guys! Peel open those eyeballs of yours and watch closely! Abyniki is getting serious!」

「「「「「HYAHHAAH!!」」」」」

The excitement of the hyahha fairies was also reaching the peak. Etemp jumped down from Kousuke’s shoulder and landed on the Mohican of a hyahha fairy.

And then,

「oOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!!」

「Fuh. O beautiful oni. You better remember this. My name is Kousuke E Abyssgate! The one who shall exorcise thee――and return a smile on that beautiful face-」

The hyahha fairies cheered loudly 「So cool anikiii-」「That’s mind numbing!!」「I’m in love-」, while Etemp were rolling around in laughter.

Right after that, at the foot of the small Heaven Tree that was increasing even brighter due to the Heaven Tree’s branch that had already been set up on it, the beautiful great oni and the abyss lord raised the curtain of their head-on battle.

____

Like that, at the palace of Synclea Kingdom where the screening result of cameraman Etemp that even Hajime was seeing for the first time was being displayed, the battle at abyss lord side within the recording was concluded――

『What are you doing even though you are facing an oni? Furthermore when this is a body that is going to vanish anyway』

『You are still a lady even if you are an oni. That is even truer now that you have regained your sanity. Then, even if it’s just for a brief instant, it’s only gentlemanly to treat a lady with the suitable manner, o strong and beautiful one.』

The abyss lord was turning on the spot while putting his overcoat on the Shuten Douji who was crumbling into particles.

The kimono that became even more torn through the battle with the lord wasn’t hiding her body anymore, so the lord’s chuuni soul and gentleman conduct (directly taught from everyone in a certain national security department) must be aching seeing that.

Although there was a difference in height between the two, the trench coat that looked like what a spy would wear that the lord bought due to his taste (from a long standing shop that was recommended by the members of a certain national security department) was able to properly hide her important parts.

Shuten Douji was leaning on the wall of a crater that she created with her own fist while staring at the coat that was lightly put on her body’s front with a puzzled look. She was able to regain her sanity although only just before her vanishing might be because the small Heaven Tree had regained quite a lot of its power.

Before long, most of her lower body had been swept away by the wind and only her upper body remained. Shuten Douji turned her gaze to the lord who was making another meaningless turn with an embarrassingly cool pose and she suddenly started chuckling.

『What’s with that. Are you trying to sweet talk this me?』

『It’s a show of respect, o beautiful king of oni. The victor is me. So accept it graciously.』

『Really, what a strange man.』

Her abdomen had also vanished. However, Shuten Douji’s mood was at the peak. Her eyes that were smeared with demonic aura now squinted peacefully with a faint elegance coloring it.

It was as though her atrocity not long ago was just a lie. She really didn’t look like someone who the hyahha bunch looked up to as “anego”……no, well, a certain bugged rabbit was also courteous just in her way of speaking, but her whole family was a hyahha bunch……

Anyway, the oni queen who looked like she was more suitable to be called Onee-sama rather than anego stared at the lord with a composed bearing.

And then she turned her gaze leisurely toward the fairies who were peeking at the two of them from the edge of the crater. She muttered a question with an expression that looked sad and lamenting.

『Will you save them?』

There was no imploring in her tone. However, there was expectation in it.

In that case, the abyss lord only sighed ‘fuh’ and turned with an embarrassingly cool posing.

『You can look forward to the next time you open your eyes. You will stay as you are even in the future.』

『Well now』

She let out a sigh ‘fuuh’. Finally even her chest was crumbling. Shuten Douji stared at the lord once more while that was going on.

『You are the first man who defeat me right from the front. Please, I ask you to show me your eyes.』

Unexpectedly, her tone of voice was terrifyingly alluring. Heated and boiling emotion was overflowing from her eyes.

The lord was assaulted with a sensation that staggered him as though he was drunk. When he noticed he was already taking off his sunglasses……

Kousuke suddenly returned to the driving seat! Ah, no good, the shame is sweeping me away like a surging wavee……

But before that happened,

『――Tsu, what are you!?』

Shuten Douji who finally became just a head suddenly moved and bit at Kousuke’s neck.

Kousuke immediately tried to shake her away thinking that she might have lost her sanity again, but before that Shuten Douji’s head easily let go and floated in the air.

*Lick*, her tongue licked her lips with an excessively lascivious atmosphere.

『I put on a mark on you. So that we are always connected no matter where.』

『Eh? Mark? Connected?』

Shuten Douji didn’t answer the question of the bewildered Kousuke. She was finally in the verge of disappearing. She put on a sweet smile that looked really captivating and yet also girly while saying.

『Engrave it inside yourself, mine name is――』

『――?』

For some reason Hajime and others were unable to hear that name. Perhaps that name was conveyed through conception, or perhaps there was a different reason. Anyway, it was clear that it had a meaning that was more than simply being a name.

『If you call for me, then next time I shall be of assistance for you. No matter where you are in the world――my beloved.』

『Eh!? Wai-, wait! What do you mean by that just――』

Shuten Douji vanished. Kousuke was left behind with his hand stretched to thin air.

It seemed that what happened was completely unexpected for the fairies too. They were dumbfounded with their mouth hanging open. A silent time elapsed for one, two beats……

『You did it, Aby aniki! You got more wife with this!』

Etemp-san’s voice of blessing (lol) was echoing very clearly. The small Heaven Tree also completely recovered at that good timing and a grand pillar of light shoot to the sky. It was as though it was giving its blessing.

The hyahha fairies also comprehended the situation with that and they all cheered simultaneously. 『Aniki, that was seriously cool!』『I can’t believe you made anego fell for ya-. As expected from aniki!』『With this aniki has practically become our king ain’t it?』『You said it!』『Let’s change the village’s name with aniki’s name too!』『It’s the birth of Abyssgate Village!』『『『『『HYAHHAAAH!!!』』』』』 they were showing that kind of revelry.

And then, *gigigi* Kousuke who turned his gaze with a stiff motion like a doll that had never gotten maintained,

『H-hand over that dataaaaaaaaaa!!』

Said that and leaped at Etemp whose eyes were shining red in recording mode.

The recording suddenly died.

The expression of Moana and Koone and the others was slightly convulsing. Their gaze moved from the empty air to below where they caught sight of the two people in question who were currently in an indescribable state.

Kousuke had also tried grabbing at Etemp in the reality because of shame and also his attempt to not let that last scene getting displayed. But he got hurled away by Shia and in the end he got Drucken placed above his back at the corner of the room so he couldn’t move.

Hajime too had attempted to stop the unedited version with Enti’s scene that he should have edited out, but the adult version Yue hugged him *monyu* right from the front and he ended up like a marionette that got its strings severed.

「……It’s good that both of you seems to have a lot of fun over there.」

「「We are really sorry. 」」

Hajime and Kousuke’s words were splendidly in harmony.

「……I understand that the two of you weren’t saying all those things in the recording with that kind of intention, but you two should choose your words more carefully. Understand?」

「「Aye.」」

The figure of the very obedient demon king and abyss lord could be seen there.

Koone turned a gaze of aspiration to Yue.

Yue had already possessed peerless beauty and charm even at the normal time, but her adult appearance mode was in a sense putting her charm attribute in limit break state. She possessed a calamity level charm. In front of such Yue, even that demon king and his right-hand man got scolded 「Bad-」 and became very meek.

So naturally she became like this.

「Y-Yue-oneesama……」

「!?」

The gaze of Moana whose cheeks were blushing from looking at Yue snapped toward Koone as though she had woken up from a dream. Her beloved little sister was staring at Yue with blushing cheeks and moist eyes.

「Koo-tan!? Your Onee-sama is me you know!?」

Moana pulled at Koone’s sleeve and appealed to her but……

The adult Yue who nodded 「Nn」 and sat back down on her chair suddenly met the gaze of Koone who was looking at her and she tilted her head slightly 「Nn?」. Koone opened her mouth as though her actual big sister didn’t even exist within her eyes.

「Is it okay for me to call you Yue-oneesama!?」

「Koone-tan!?」

「……Nn~? Nn, it’s fine I guess?」

「It’s not fine!」

Moana glared at Yue with teary eyes, but it was already too late. Koone-tan’s face had become the face of a step little sister in rapture. Also, other than Koone, Lilin, Anneal, Spenser and others were also staring at Yue with blushing face.

Hajime who received the strongest binding that was Yue’s embrace went 「Hah!?」 and returned to his senses. At the same time at the corner of the room,

「Enough, please become able to at least limit your speech and action when in abyss lord mode already. This is really a pathetic state as a Hauria desu! Abyssgate!」

「Please call me Kousuke ssu.」

「Shut up! It’s Rana-san’s domain regarding the new wife so I won’t say anything about that but, please talk properly to Emily-chan and Claire-san too about it okay?」

「A part of me is hoping that perhaps that matter was just some kind of exaggeration or something……」

「You are underestimating too much how easily Emily-chan and others can suffer. What if Hauria broke down from inside due to their carnage……no, well, Hauria already often have internal conflict concerning Hajime-san though……anyway! I’ll go Level X at you if you make the two of them cry!」

「You’re going to kill me!? Shia-san, I think it will be okay you know? Our world is different after all. I also won’t go to the fairy world anymore after this.」

「That’s what they called a flag desu.」

Kousuke who received the scolding from Shia-senpai as the next head of Hauria clan finally had Drucken removed from his back and stood up. Although the word flag was making him a bit anxious, 「There is no way, right……」.

「Even so……hey, Kaori, Tio. What do you think we should do about Hajime?」

「Really.」

「Indeed.」

On the other hand, Shizuku, Kaori, and Tio, the three of them were sporting a really nice smile. They were the victim trio of Super Miledy G in the past.

「I-it’s fine right? Look, it’s overflowing with romance, and I also managed to capture――I mean securing the promise from the fairies to migrate. At the very least Rune and Cino are already moving to the treasure warehouse together with Enti, so I’ll be able to show you a real fairy later you know? Okay, Shizuku. Don’t you want to see a cute fairy?」

「W-what’s with that. Don’t tell me, you aren’t saying that you won’t show them unless I allow the robot’s development aren’t you……」

「Wait a second Hajime-kun! Trying to entice us starting from Shizuku-chan isn’t going to work I’m telling you!」

Shizuku’s gaze was wandering around as though her heart was wavering. Kaori immediately hugged her while sending a protesting gaze toward Hajime.

Tio made a wry smile.

「Good grief, goshujin-sama immediately become like a child when it come to thy hobby. But, doing it secretly like that is not that good. Goshujin-sama should have just tried to persuade us honestly and upfront.」

「Eh? You are going to accept it if I persuade you even though you were that angry?」

「Kaori, Shizuku, and also I art only slightly feeling offended because goshujin-sama art hiding this from us. We wouldst not deny goshujin-sama from something that thy really like.」

It seemed that he was overthinking it a little bit too much. Hajime made a really bright smile.

「It was my bad. I won’t hide about my creation plan anymore. I’m also planning to develop things like mecha black dragon or mecha divine black dragon, but I’ll show the blueprint for those too later to you.」

「M-mine mecha version, goshujin-sama said?」

「Because, it’s common sense that there is a mecha version for giant monster right? Defeating the real thing with that is teh romance of scientist.」

「Goshujin-sama art planning to defeat me!? Just where art goshujin-sama heading toward!?」

「Hey, Tio. As expected, don’t you thing that at least the three of us should be watching him with strict eyes so as to encourage him to restrain himself?」

「But, Shizuku-chan……this is Hajime-kun we are talking about, so perhaps, he will only getting better at hiding things if we do that. He might even do something like creating a world exclusively for research or something.」

Kaori and others could only be at their wits’ end facing this MAD transmutation master who didn’t know where to stop. The first wife-sama would be wholly agreeing with Hajime at this kind of time. The only way left to stop him then was Shia’s pro-wrestling technique.

「Even so, that Enti-san, since when she……Hajime-san, you aren’t doing anything strange with her aren’t you?」

「What do you mean by something strange, don’t make it sounds scandalous like that.」

「Well, I guess so. Those divine spirits, they are all a bit like that……so perhaps, there are also the “affection” of some among them that is following me around too?」

「There is definitely some following you. Perhaps I’ll try researching an artifact to be able to see the conception. If there is the affection of several divine spirits on you……perhaps we will be able to see a sight of you having an aura covering you like a grudge?」

「What’s that, it’s scary.」

Shia recalled the representative of the divine spirits who was a bit like that――Soare, how she usually acted and shivered. Surely a conception from her was coiling around her stickily like a slime, no doubt about it.

Also, right after returning back to this side, inside the treasure warehouses that got connected once more, Enti (she already returned back to being a slime) was doing things like reporting the detail of what happened to Soare and others.

――Being Hajime’s goddess meant that I’m also Shia’s goddess! I have become an existence that is in different plane of existence from everyone now! Sorry everyone! It’s because both Hajime and Shia said that it’s no good unless it’s me! It’s really troubling for me too! Eheheh

She was saying that with a horribly smug face. She was exaggerating the story a little bit.

In addition, the sisters Rune & Cino were also agitating them up by saying things like 「Enti-sama is none other than the god of the new world! You guys, your head are too high! Bow to the goddeess~!」 or 「We are Enti-sama’s first followers! We are big shots!」.

Anyway, it was just a matter of time before Soare and Udar snapped. Most likely the nature inside the treasure warehouse that had been raised with much effort and time would become an empty land before the creation of the Treasure Tree.

「Either way, we got to go meet Lutria soon. Shia too, you want to meet with that maid friend of yours right?」

「Yes desu! I hope Dahlia-san is doing well……putting that aside Hajime-san, you mustn’t treat even Lutria-san like Aularodde-san okay?」

「How can you think that of me. There is no way I’ll do that.」

Hajime’s eyes narrowed seeing Shia’s blank stare toward him. But, he had many things to ask Lutria, like confirming the consistency of Aularodde’s story, or asking how to create the divine spirits, etc.

Shia’s blank stare deepened. It reached Yue’s level.

「…..This is just for example but, what is Hajime-san going to do if by any case all the divine spirits have the aptitude to be avatar because of that method of their creation?」

「I’m going to politely request her, come on, create more of them.」

「Rejected desuuu! Hajime-san’s “polite” is no different than “threatening”!」

T-this guy, he is seriously a fiend……Koone and others were sending him a gaze that was saying that. Because, Aularodde had said that even an avatar might be in danger of dying to create a family that had the aptitude.

「Then, I’ll ask the divine spirits to share themselves just a bit more.」

「Don’t you remember their scream that is like their death throes when creating the offshoot spirit!?」

「Because……it’ll be convenient if we can use the offshoot spirits as the avatar of the revived World Tree’s branches……and I also want to keep the current offshoot spirits as Shia’s trump card……」

「……Hajime, as I thought do you want to grasp the world? You won’t feel satisfied with just the “Miniature Garden”?」

The demon king averted his eyes. Koone and others trembled. Don’t tell me, he won’t also try to replace Foltina-sama right? That was what inside their mind.

Kaori, Shizuku, and Tio were starting to have discussion with each other, that perhaps as expected the three of them should at least be strict to Hajime.

「Master will become the new god of all the worlds! Isn’t that fine!」

「Etemp-san, please don’t instigate Hajime-san. I’ll make your stomach collapse once more with my crimson warhammer you know?」

「……Ii」

She was formerly Erst, so the memory of her stomach getting concaved by Shia must be remaining in her mind clearly. She was shivering in her arachne figure while her legs were rubbing her stomach.

While they were making such conversation……the atmosphere of Hajime who was averting his gaze suddenly changed.

He smiled thinly and turned his gaze toward empty air.

「He is back.」

After Hajime and Kousuke returned back early, Aularodde was doing various preparations to temporarily left the Fairy World like creating the sacred treasure for the manly goddess, hailing the small Heaven Trees at the four directions to purify the continent’s conception, selecting the great apparitions who could be entrusted with protecting the Heaven Tree, etc, etc. Kouki & Netemp Mother were entrusted to protect her during her preparation, but it seemed they were returning now.

Everyone followed Hajime’s gaze to the empty space he was staring toward.

Right after that, a space distortion was created above the terrace. Yue lightly waved her finger to use gravity magic and moved the cups and snacks away. After that a gate opened as though it had been waiting for the right timing.

「Oops」

「Kyaah」

「Netemp-san is here!」

Kouki landed firmly on the table. Aularodde fell hard on her butt. And then Netemp Mother who landed on one knee with one hand stretched to form the hero landing pose.

「Kouki!」

「Moana.」

Was it just his imagination? Moana’s expression turned all smiles with joy at Kouki’s return, but just for an instant it felt like she was directing a gaze that was like a murderer toward Aularodde. It really just for an instant, so surely it was just an imagination, no doubt about it……

Moana jumped on the table deeply emotionally. Kouki was going to receive her with a gentle expression――but before he could,

「Here I pray-, scatter away the wicked! ――”Surging Wind”!!」

「Ababah!?」

The super localized whirlwind that Lilin fired scooped up Moana and dropped her to the other side of the table.

Anneal raised her voice 「Lilin!? No matter what she is still the former queen you know!?」, while Koone was saying 「L-Lilin, you are really serious!?」 with a shudder. But Lilin-san ignored them and immediately leaped on the table.

「Welcome back, Kouki-san.」

「L-Lilin? Why did you blow away Moana……」

「Because I want to be the first one to say “welcome back” to Kouki-san?」

「What are you thinking blowing away someone just for that!」

Moana crawled up from below the table. She was absurdly angry.

In respond to that yell of Moana, Lilin brushed away her hair *faasah* while declaring with a cool look.

「It’s my creed to always act like I’m in the battlefield. That won’t change even when it comes to love. I’ll simply gain victory in everything with the use of force-」

「T-this battle idiooot-」

Moana leaped toward Lilin who was leaning close to Kouki.

The current Kouki wasn’t so dense that he couldn’t guess Lilin’s feeling after she was taking such blatant action. And so, his eyes rapidly turned dead seeing the scene of carnage that swiftly unfolded in front of him despite finally being able to return back.

He suddenly felt some gazes. When he looked there,

「「Hyuu~♪」」

The demon king and the lord were pointing their fingers at him with both hands while whistling. They were smirking widely. The hero’s hand touched the holy sword’s handle.

But, before another kind of scene of carnage unfolded,

「Hero-sama? These women……」

「Eh? Ah, they are――hih!?」

Kouki reflexively screamed. Because, he found an avatar of yandere there when he turned around. Her head was tilted so steeply there must have something that snapped in there. Her pupils were expanding out. A strand of hair was stuck on the corner of her lips. That figure was producing a bizarre intensity.

「Goddess-sama from another world? Allow me to introduce myself! I am Moana! The woman……yes, the woman who Kouki is going to take back together with him!」(TN: In the raw, the words that are used has the implication of bringing a woman home to have sex with her.)

「Moana!?」

It wasn’t wrong. She had retired from being a queen and decided to come along with Kouki. Kouki too was wishing for that. But, the way she said it was just bad.

Aularodde’s gaze was gradually turning even more murderous. That was how it looked like.

「Kouki-san.」

「Lilin? Listen to me, I’m――」

「I’m sorry, I still can’t allow myself to be taken away by you yet.」

「I’m not going to!?」

「I wish to pour my efforts for the revival of my country. There must also be remnants of the enemy, so I also still have the mission to protect Koone-sama.」

「Y-yeah. Well, that seems to be the case.」

I’m glad, Lilin is normal……he thought. But it was only for a brief moment.

「But, please resolve yourself next time when you come to this world again.」

Lilin? Kouki’s expression convulsed. Certainly, thanks to the Fairy Key and Ring, it had become easy if he wanted to come and go to this Desert World. He also intended to come here again to check on the situation before long but……

「I swear I’ll snatch you away.」

「……」

He wondered why. Lilin’s eyes looked like the eyes of carnivore that was targeting a herbivore. He wanted to start anew with forming the schedule of his trip……

He also was feeling as though Aularodde’s aura was rapidly turning ominous……

「……Hero-sama is going to go to a trip alone with me after this. This is a very important mission. My apologies but, allow me to say this despite everything. Can you two please not bother hero-sama with such triviality?」

Her voice was very quiet and cool. She also had on a sweet smile as an extra.

However, the aura around her was muddy black. It was like the sacred light she had on when he first encountered her was just a lie.

The gaze of Moana, and Lilin, and Aularodde crossed each other. *Crackle crackle crackle*. The air was heavy. It was also stifling. It was as though the oxygen got their own will and ran away from here.

But, it was at this time. Ryuutarou stood up. Before this he had swiftly evacuated to the end of the table together with Suzu when the wive~s were starting to give out disturbing presence at the middle of the image recording. Both of them had been enjoying the tea peacefully with each other while persisting to remain a spectator at that spot. But now he shrugged helplessly and spoke.

「Oi, you guys. Calm down. Nagumo and Endou too, enough with the provocation already. Kouki has finally returned back yeah. Let him relax.」

「Ryu-Ryuutarou!!」

As expected from my one and only best friend! You are my only ally! Kouki’s expression brightened as though he had found a messiah.

But, however,

「Okay, Moana-san and also you two. How about rejoicing Kouki’s safe return first for the time――」

「「「Shut up for a bit!!」」」]

「……Yes ma’am. I’m sorry.」

The former warrior queen, the always combat ready royal guard, and the ill goddess, the eyes of three of them let out a glint that was overflowing with ghastliness. The hero’s messiah dejectedly withdrew when he was hit by that pressure.

No way-, Ryuutarou! You are abandoning me!? Kouki pleaded with his gaze. Ryuutarou gulped his saliva, even so he tried to muster his courage, thinking that he should save his best friend as expected, but……

「Ryuu-kun. Let’s stay quiet for now okay? If it’s the current Kouki-kun then he will surely be okay. Yue-oneesama is also carrying the tea to over there, so let’s sit there.」

Suzu pulled his arm before that. Looking over there, there was Yue who was moving the tea party set from the terrace back into the room again. Hajime and co and Spenser and co were also immediately leaving into the room as though running away from a bomb.

Only Koone was looking concerned for Kouki and the three women, but she too was urged by Anneal to enter inside the room as though she was evacuating away.

「N-no, but still, Suzu. Even Kouki must be tired.」

「It will be horrible if Ryuu-kun stick your nose into that kind of awful carnage and something happen to you.」

「Suzu……hehe, you’re right. I’ll do just as Suzu said yeah.」

「Yep……」

Kouki thought. Eh, what’s this……. Come to think of it, it was also in his mind when he noticed how Suzu was calling Ryuutarou “Ryuu-kun” before he got summoned to the Factory World.

At the same time, seeing Ryuutarou smiling with a bit of embarrassment, and the sense of distance between the two that was far closer than what he remembered, the thinking don’t tell me crossed his mind……

「Aa~, Kouki. Let me tell you this before I forget. We are now going out with each other.」

「Eheh, that’s how it is!」

「Eh, ah, I, I see……err, congratulations?」

Ryuutarou and Suzu thanked Kouki back 「Thanks!」「Thank youu」 at the same time. And then they turned around immediately. While holding hand together intimately.

Kouki reached out with his hand, Wait Ryuutarouuu! Don’t leave me!, but……

His best friend didn’t even look back anymore toward him. The hand that he stretched out, didn’t reach……

「Hey, Kouki. You’re going to bring me back with you right?」

「Hero-sama? No, I can call you with your name Kouki-sama right? Kouki-sama, you are going to travel alone with me aren’t you?」

「Kouki-san, if it is like this, how about I bring Kouki-san home with me?」

The happy back of his best friend was getting farther away.

At the same time, the ghastly air around him was heightening as every second passed that it felt like the air was creaking.

*Hyup* The face of Hajime and Kousuke peeked out from the door that led to inside the room like a totem. They sent him a powerful thumb up before their face pulled back inside in a flash.

Kouki looked up to the sky……and took a deep breath.

「For now, how about we have a heart-to-heart talk with each other?」

He then said that with a wry smile.

____

After that, a party to celebrate Kouki and Moanas’ departure and also as a show of gratitude for the world’s salvation was held at the center of the capital of Synclea. Although there was a feeling of reluctance to say farewell, the group managed to return to Tortus.

It went without saying that things became hectic with Liliana and Aiko, and Yuuka and the other classmates when they returned. They took rest to recover from the fatigue of the journey in the palace while explaining the situation through Etemp & Netemp’s recording. Things ended up becoming even more hectic due to the succession of shocking facts & scenes.

Naturally the society in earth would also became terribly noisy due to their long absent, but there Hajime who had obtained infinite magic power naturally planned to let his Neutra○izer World flashed to take care of it, so surely the uproar there would die out quickly.

Kouki would also return temporarily to earth. Moana and Aularodde would also come along. There was also a need to refine the plan to revive the World Tree’s Branches once more in a more concrete way, and there was also no particular reason why they couldn’t come along.

____

And so several days later――

____

「S-so this is Kouki’s home……」

「S-so this is where Kouki’s family is……」

Moana and Aularodde were nervous, but a beat later they looked at each other’s face and fighting spirit was crackling when their gaze that seemed to say 「I’ll be the one who get recognized by his family!」 collided with each other.

Kouki smiled wryly at that, even so he looked up at his house with a deep emotion.

He dropped out of school with his own initiative and left his house. Not even a year had passed since then. However, it felt like he hadn’t returned home for several years.

「Eh? Onii-chan? Wait, you brought home women!?」

「Oh? Kouki, you are back?」

「Kouki have returned home!?」

When he rang the interphone because he hesitated to enter inside right away, his little sister Mizuki came out right away. His mother Miya and his father Seiji were also home. Perhaps they were home because the society was in uproar or perhaps he had just good timing. The two of them heard Mizuki’s voice and showed themselves.

The eyes of his family widened when they saw the two foreign women who were stiff like statue but clearly a stunning beauty. Kouki watched that and somehow he got a thought.

Strangely, he felt far more hopeless compared to when he returned from Tortus for the first time.

「……Hee. Kouki, your face has gotten a lot better even though it haven’t been that long since we last saw you.」

「Kaa-san……」

「Fufu, looks like it was a good trip huh?」

「Yeah. There was a lot of troubles but, it was a good trip. Though I’ll still have to go again after this.」

「I see. Then get some rest properly. The two beauties with you are also coming in right?」

His mother said that and turned around while inviting Moana and Aularodde to enter inside the house. Then she looked back across her shoulder and said,

「Kouki. Welcome home.」

「Tsu……yeah, I’m home.」

Aa, I am home, he thought.

「Wait Onii-chan! What with those two beautiful women! What’s your relationship with them!?」

「K-Kouki. A scene of carnage is no good you know? Tou-san once almost died because of that……」

A smile naturally slipped out on his face seeing Mizuki who was noisily jumping around him and Seiji’s worried look.

It was a smile that was overflowing from his heart. A smile that he couldn’t show at all when he returned from Tortus for the first time……

「It’s alright, Mizuki, Tou-san. I’ll tell you guys everything.」

Kouki looked like he had changed. Mizuki and Seiji reflexively looked at each other in respond to that. Kouki’s smile deepened even more seeing the two like that while he passed through the entrance to inside with a very peaceful feeling.

.

.

.

With this, the hero had returned home――in the truest meaning.

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