Day 321-330/Day 321

Day 321

''' Enjoy reading about Oniwaka's rankup and the 11th day of Hell week festival. When Rou declares this festival over, everyone falls to the ground exhausted. :) . '''

Rough Translation: TODO

Google Translation TODO

[Existence evolution] was Oniwaka the race seems that " violent devil prison guard".

Large demons Oniwaka boasts a huge form from the time of the increases as two more around than that, the whole body of muscle also be correspondingly thick large fat has become like a armor.

The color of the skin is stained dark red as it was oxidized blood, hair black purple is like luster and sharpness, such as if it were a cutlery.

Two horns rising steeply from the head is pointed like thick as stakes, it's likely to pierce an object easily if the head-butt.

Sharp pair of eyes as carnivores shine to glaring and sink, are aligned grows sharp fang just like a knife in the mouth. If it if bitten, it is not the difference in would have been easily bite thousand cut in metal armor.

And clothing, such as the loincloth of a living body armor tiger pattern of wear on the body, just things like sturdy likely shackles you have connected the iron ball on the wrist ankle chain.

Loincloth aside, shackles black with with iron ball in the hands and feet can not be seen only as a restraint to capture the prisoners.

Although it looks somewhat smaller by the size of the iron ball from the big frame of Oniwaka, but still exceed the diameter thirty centimeters, there is that of the corresponding weight as it were with.

Whether there is ability, such as to suppress the forces that are overflowing from Oniwaka mental and physical if maybe, I Tomo at first I thought, but somehow such a thing seems to be not at all.

As a result of examining various chain that connects the iron ball and shackles that are capable of expansion and contraction freely from the basic state of the order of several ten centimeters to about ten meters at the maximum it was found.

Stretched the chain but also as chain mail if Makitsukere such as the hands and feet, so even used as a weapon by itself if to coil around, a little subtle to the living body armor, it is the annoying part.

Anyway, since the handling of the chain with iron ball is also likely to be self-defeating and accustomed is not, it's easy, but its usage is plans to teach later.

Previously seldom that uses a chain with iron ball without edge, extent although not extremely its handling, because I have that it is similar to using the yarn to many times, the minimum use You will be able to teach in.

Then, a biological weapon to have in hand a thick huge as iron pillar, regularly lined projection was atrocious specific kanabō. TL: kanabo is a spiked club

Will there is the weight of the huge appearance accordingly, it is vandalism around specific high winds occur when moving an object with a weight even just shake lightly.

If even hit the people pretend serious, the presence of most will be destroyed until the defunct defense every Camp not withstand a heavy hammer.

But it's very powerful in the physical, but also found that you do not have the ability to be classified into Apparently [magic].

Mental state abnormality attacks, such as [fear] due to yell and power of observation's possible, but the first place it like is not a [magic]. It is also due to the [magic], but there is only one of the abilities as a seed in the case of Oniwaka.

"violent devil prison guard" refers to race just specializing in the physical plane until pure, but with either would be nice if you.

He's likely to be mistaken for a meat-head.

He's slightly weak against such magic and sorcery We are specialized in the physical plane, but the majority in the life force and defense force unholy seems not even a problem.

The to skin, even carbonized burned in hellfire is playing from before the fall off, such as the shells of rock spears and ice is possible to take in the armor of thick muscle.

Spirit attack remains is anxiety, etc., it will not be a problem if compensated with magic items for it.

Even so, or because it was often to keep up with the Minokichi kun and Asue chan, evolved race also not only has excellent physical plane, and a little loneliness The to have been in the under-ish feel of somehow two demon I feel would.

I wonder was good is better to have more physical contact, What a is where you suffer as a father.

Well, even he himself is not live yet one year. It is also can not help just troubled.

... Personal sentimentality in Sateoi, today eleven days is held the festival.

After to be filled with vitality in a lavish breakfast with dragon meat and labyrinth ingredients. Therefore the last day, it climbed to impromptu altar that was made is allowed to uplift the earth as the first day that declared the holding, «external training ground» orderly lined up looked Members us in, put a word of appreciation.

The first day of the same, the number of team members to align is over three thousand people.

But team members plan to participate in the event things of today has been reduced to less than thousand people it is the whole of the third following.

The use of treatment and expensive magic agent by medical unit «prayer», led by Seiji-kun made after the middle of events goods and finished, very, such as soak in there are a number of hot water efficiency and natural resilience promote hot spring and generous by treatment system, to serious injuries, such as crush fracture and internal organs burst from minor injuries such as scratches and bruises, deaths from accidents and to have although to the extent that it can not be the aftermath is also not out on that luck is good.

But whether all the injured have been cured, and this is not the case speaking.

The difference between the degree in physical capacity for regeneration has any limit, still weak Members who compared with executive-class, such as I and Kanami chan was consumed in the harsh schedule to date body is beyond the limit.

Rest hardly wiped such as fatigue was caked in the depths of the body of what you need to, because there are those who require the often rest in the mental trauma caused by extreme fear and stress, the number is less than one thousand people who except it it is to say that.

That said, not the also thorough state Members of less than the thousand people, who show such as tired to have also hurt face is the majority.

Simply it is not yet a limit, it just says.

However, There is only've been doing events things while there and Somehow, alongside quality and quantity of about body magic that can be felt from Members our three thousand people are in is to have improved, just is like to I just standing in naturally It had become less.

Full and until not say also, no doubt that almost everyone is increasingly one stage or two-stage or more strength than before the festival held.

and [Existence] evolution were Members also many in, it will us to success greatly in the holy war.

Wherein I wonder especially childhood of Members our growth was the Goblin or Hobgoblin is remarkable is the growth phase in.

The stature useless fat has decreased by rapid level up attached muscles instead, there were features of somewhere loose is that of one end of a warrior.

[Existence evolution] was either, since such just a little more in the can likely those who, it must to me become a demon material that will play in the future of the core, and let us hope.

Anyway, after you have finished to say the words of appreciation will be moved to the haunts seat that is adjacent to non-Members our about thousand people who may remain until the end to «external training field», to the last event mono description.

The last dozen was this supervisor role - that is me and Kanami chan, Asue chan Minokichi kun, space stars Mr. Burasato's, Kugime chan and Aikusa-chan, and to the avenger and dull iron knight Te it is only fighting at about thousand people.

If you say, and the Members who are lined up in front of the eyes, distorted face complex feelings of Dontetsu knight mix in executive class that are lined up next to the altar, avenger show something despondent look on one's face.

Front of the eyes of the Members who are in the good, I wonder to such a reaction to why blunt iron knight? Although I am wondering and, perhaps and maybe dull iron knight wanted to fight with ours, and I think leading was.

Do not because greedy and to become stronger from my daily life, and wonder kit likely.

And it's revenge also must have the same.

Rather it is more blatant.

To begin with Avenger because it revenge of its own, he fell to me by greed forces.

In this time of holy war comes out also that revenge target, and you have wanted the strong and because he has been determined in order to give the even more power by the back work.

If must grant the wish, by that, 8 demon to about thousand people were added to the opponent side dull iron knight and avenger, was try to composition that.

Somewhere desperate downside cry and scream is echoing in the large forest, but would be nice if there is a healthy about it. Rather it is more blatant.

At «external training ground» in the fact that, it was decided to carry out immediately.

Of course ours is also not in earnest.

Since it could would be killed in an accident if put out a serious, restriction of their ability, of course, prey to use a wooden armor for training.

Still ethnic, but he there is a difference you have with the ability specific isolation, the difference of about this as long as it is a battle would be rather useless unless a spirit to overturn.

Since And that is of prey wooden here, or would not have a better extent that it has become in so aim here of weapons destruction team members who also hang in if.

However, since that is not self-destruction be treated is ours even say wooden becomes minimum requirements, I have many in hard and supple dark brown wood called [Asutore Ard] that can not be only taken at the small part of the large forest grant was, it was anyway equipped with a superb reputation for ruggedness.

But to the extent that it does not die instantly when you hit are subjected to safety measures, since broken several are easily the bone, it has no choice but it is getting good luck if unpleasant to Members us.

For now, it stands at the beginning I will have four trees spear in the four-armed, repeated or pay or attached.

But mostly to Fukitoba even only wielding However, strong person who in its own way, such as a hundred people length tenaciously than before, there was also be too spear with it because it can also have a little counterattack.

Since the case was Uchisue while pointed out the weakness, it should have become food.

And this time children - Oro and Argento, because Oniwaka and Opushi came aggressively at me, motivation is raised.

My father is a great, so that Nowak I thought once again the fact that, meticulously to the other party.

It may be violent physical contact, it is this kind of physical contact if as pedigree of demon or would not than likely middle people.

Weight class that solidified my left and right of the Mino Kichi-kun and Asue chan, had rampage anyway Kiono and mallet to wait hand.

and digs in places where many are hardened, defense also formation also go pounded in anyway.

Large of two demon-like thrust, it is spectacle, such as natural disasters that are not like even allowed resistance.

Still one of the event mono experience, reduces the team members who we were the things that he was slower than before.

Burasato who run around in freely is, itself is struggling with revenge who have projects to try in combat cultivated sword.

Who moved the body is more sophisticated than before, consumable, such as physical strength and concentration by scraping waste less, blow increases the more sharpness and weight, type of offense and defense heck is containment even fight back.

Momentum is there to Burasato's, has endured well also avenger. Since the Avenger unnecessary holding back when it comes to the other party, Burasato-san to strengthen and let clothe the blood to wooden sword, he began to shred only aftermath around while emits intense spark.

Because it is not at a level that hand is put out in the other team members indeed, there was a space that was empty and gaping.

and because he could died too soon and if caught, it would have been inevitable.

Kanami chan and Supesei who refrain from the rear, Kugime chan who had stretched incessantly barrage. Kana-bi chan will use some, but of non-lethal water atack bullet impact by Maju [water compression gun-Mizutamago], it was shot through the target Members that are off guard from a distance. Its characteristics and you can continue shooting meaning infinite there and if you keep supplemented with magic, because there is little until Kana-bi chan squeeze the trigger focused, team members who were not close at all. But that aim was weak is power for it and the non-lethal too accurate, then cut off the water attack bullet with a minimum of movement, or because it is able to team members also have increased than before to prevent, fewer than the number I thought It does not seem to.

Supesei-san Like event mono, has brought a low-revised magic like rain.

This time, a number of magic has been calculated as Synergetic each other's effect - for example, the magic that produces explosive flame magic caused a vortex of wind be placed in the same orbit - ish, to the simple mixed lineage magic It had been sublimated.

Technology that has been tried in the way of event mono the last, this is so power can be obtained the results as high mixed lineage magic relatively simple instead of degree of difficulty is increased if established.

But, for practical use in still research stage it's far from likely.

Although mix relatively easy because anything magic of the same person are using the same fuel that magic, it seems is attenuated by repelling it's magic with each other others use.

Well, detailed technical commenting Well Place, also a agile Members our movement if it even been raining myriad of magic is familiar with the second time. Experience it can be said to have been reflected in the result.

Kugime chan but it said that the most quiet, you are restraining the Members who approaches within a certain range by [the line of sight of the paralysis] and [the line of sight of the chaos] to sprinkle. Still prefetch behavior by looking at the movement of the body when it is close to the shield a fellow, and were rolling on the ground will be given a chance to correct.

Although inconspicuous minute is not a flashy, compared with the surrounding, team members that lose the Kugime-chan is not a combat-type to the other party a lot.

There is a margin for the operation of the expected move Kugime chan the near future to look at all of the other party, there is a grace to receive even impression that the like Embu.

Uchitsuzuke the initiative first move, I want to ask how to overcome the opponent to freely control the flow of battle to obtain the Members us, but it was still difficult going.

In the case of Aikusa-chan is a guerrilla personnel, I had swagger the battlefield remains face of heart.

Dizzy and movement, go submerged from affordable Members us.

Members who was also trying to fight back, long-range attack can not be effective majority to corrosion, but it is not easily be attacked because the spirit is contaminated if closer.

Even if somehow close to overcome the mental pollution, simple combat capability is going to be intercepted since the unexpectedly high, and had repeated the fact that.

Only workaround is difficult to understand just glance, the Members who it is so difficult to deal with.

Although continued from morning till early afternoon in such a feeling, it had about thousand people also Heba~tsu.

A small number of it might be unavoidable and because of such fact that the more the burden is increased.

So to change the schedule, it was also added about two thousand people remaining that had rested half a day.

To some extent to recover if even half a day rest That said has reached the limit.

The remaining few hours, enough survive Suppose we get hard.

Traveling last event mono there was a shift to a little plan was welcomed outcome of heap of corpses.

Not is in fact dead, but it is a state, such as the brink die.

After the minimum of the treatment Seiji kun was applied overall and Papa~tsu, I Toriokona~tsu the closing ceremony.

Multiplied by the words of fairly short labor physician, spent on servicing the six days of rest and armed from tomorrow, tell the plan, such as departure towards the holy war planned site after seven days, and armor of the labyrinth production as the hard work reward We will continue to distribute from the results excellent person.

It occupies the majority of items that were dropped when it defeated the dungeon monster in the labyrinth, but also things that came out of the treasure chest of the hierarchical boss but few want to release.

By the way, he is a magic item of [legend] class that was won with a very small number from the dungeon boss class treasure chest, but it also is scheduled to be paid at a later date, executive-class team members.

Soon as I finished the closing ceremony while traveling, team members but is full of scratches maintained a dignified Standups we can, fell dramatically to the ground almost like a doll that was cut the control strings.

To the last in the figure which was passed through a nasty, bitter smile involuntarily leaks.

However, it is also not bad. Will you not rather good trend.

And it entered the banquet to launch while satisfying, was sleeping late at night.

After all salmon Naa delicious.

'''PLACE TRANSLATIONS ABOVE THE BAR. THESE ARE THE RAWS, LEAVE THEM HERE UNTIL SOMEONE DOES A REAL TRANSLATION (NOT JUST A GT OR RUSSIAN TRANS). CLICK EXPAND TO VIEW THEM.'''

“三百二十一日目”

【存在進化】した鬼若の種族は“”というらしい.

大鬼の時から巨体を誇っていた鬼若はそれよりも更に二回りほど大きくなり、全身の筋肉も相応に分厚く肥大化してまるで鎧のようになっている.

皮膚の色は酸化した血液のように赤黒く染まり、黒紫色の頭髪はまるで刃物であるかのような光沢と鋭さがある.

頭部からそそり立つ二角はまるで杭のように太く尖り、頭突きをすれば対象物を簡単に穿てそうだ.

肉食獣のように鋭い双眸は爛々と深紅に輝き、口にはまるでナイフのような鋭牙が生え揃っている. もし噛みつかれれば、金属鎧でも容易に噛み千切られてしまうに違いない.

その身に纏う生体防具は虎柄ののような衣服と、手首足首にある鉄球を鎖で繋げた頑丈そうな枷のようなモノだけだ.

褌はともかく、手足にある鉄球付きの黒い枷は囚人を捕らえる拘束具のようにしか見えない.

鉄球の大きさは鬼若の巨躯からすればやや小さく見えるものの、それでも直径三十センチを超え、持ってみればそれ相応の重量がある.

もしかすれば鬼若の心身から溢れ出ている力を抑制するような能力があるのか、とも最初は思ったのだが、どうもそんな事は一切無いらしい.

色々調べた結果、鉄球と枷を繋いでいる鎖は数十センチ程度の基本的な状態から最大で約十メートルまで自在に伸縮する能力がある事が判明した.

伸ばした鎖を手足などに巻き付ければ鎖帷子のようにもなるが、振り回せばそれだけで武器としても使えるので、生体防具とするには少々微妙で、悩ましい部分ではある.

ともあれ、鎖付き鉄球の扱いは慣れが無いと自滅する可能性もあるので、簡単だがその使い方は後で教える予定だ.

これまでは縁がなくて鎖付き鉄球を使った事は殆どなく、その扱い方を極めていないが、俺は糸を使って似たような事を何度もしているので、最低限使える程度には教える事が出来るだろう.

それから、手に持つ生体武器は鉄柱のように太く巨大で、規則正しく並ぶ突起が凶悪的な金砕棒だった.

巨大な見た目相応の重量があるのだろう、軽く振るだけでも重量のある物体が動いた時特有の強風が生じ周囲を荒らしている.

本気のひと振りが直撃でもすれば、大抵の存在は重撃に耐え切れず防御ごと完膚無きまでに破壊されてしまうだろう.

ただ身体的には非常に強力だが、どうやら【魔法】などに分類される能力は持っていない事も判明した.

咆吼や眼力などによる【恐怖】などの精神的な状態異常攻撃は可能だが、しかしそもそもそれ等は【魔法】ではない. 【魔法】によるものもあるが、鬼若の場合は種として持つ能力の一つでしかない.

“獄卒暴鬼”とは、ただ純粋なまでに物理面に特化した種族、だと思えばいいだろうか.

紛う事なき脳筋である.

物理面に特化しているので魔術や妖術などに対して若干弱いのだが、呆れるほどの生命力と防御力で大半は問題にすらならないようだ.

業火に焼かれても炭化した皮膚が剥がれ落ちる前から再生しているし、岩の槍や氷の砲弾などは分厚い筋肉の鎧で受け止める事が可能である.

精神攻撃などには不安が残るが、それはそれ用のマジックアイテムで補えば問題ないだろう.

それにしても、ミノ吉くんとアス江ちゃんについて行く事が多かったからか、進化した種族も物理面に優れているだけでなく、何となく二鬼の配下っぽい感じになっているのには少し寂しさを感じてしまう.

もっと多くスキンシップした方が良かったのだろうか、なんて父親として悩む所である.

まあ、自身すらまだ一年生きていないのだ. 悩んでばかりもいられない.

個人的感傷はさて置いて、祭りを開催して十一日目の今日.

最終日になるので竜肉と迷宮食材を使った豪勢な朝食で活力を漲らせた後、開催を宣言した初日のように大地を隆起させて造った即席の壇に登り、≪外部訓練場≫に整然と並ぶ団員達を見回し、労いの言葉をかける.

初日同様、整列する団員の数は三千名を超えて居る.

しかし今日の催しモノに参加する予定の団員は全体の三分の一以下である千名未満にまで減っていた.

催しモノの最中や終わった後に行われたセイ治くん率いる医療部隊≪プレアー≫による治療や高額な魔法薬の使用、自然回復力促進など数多くの湯効がある温泉に浸かるなどの非常に手厚い治療体制によって、擦傷や打撲などの軽傷から粉砕骨折や内臓破裂などの重傷まで、後遺症にならない程度にまでは癒えているし不慮の事故による死者も運が良い事に出ていない.

しかし負傷の全てが完治しているか、と言えばそうではない.

肉体の再生能力には程度の差はあれ限度があり、俺やカナ美ちゃんなどの幹部級と比べてまだまだ弱い団員達は今日までの過酷な日程で消耗した肉体は限界を超えている.

休息を必要とするものの身体の奥底にこびり着いた疲労などは拭い難く、極度の恐怖やストレスによる精神的外傷でしばし休息を必要とする者も居るので、それを除いた数が千名未満と言う事になる.

とは言っても、その千名未満の団員も万全な状態ではなく、怪我もしているし疲れたような顔を見せる者が大半を占めている.

ただ単にまだ限界ではない、というだけだ.

しかし何だかんだとありながら催しモノをやってきただけあって、並んでいる約三千名の団員達から感じられる体内魔力の質や量は向上しているし、ただ自然体で立っているだけなのに隙が少なくなっていた.

完全とは言えないまでも、ほぼ全員が祭り開催前よりも一段階か二段階以上は強さを増しているのは間違いない.

中には【存在進化】した団員も多く、聖戦では大いに活躍してくれるだろう.

その中でも特に成長期である幼少のゴブリンやホブゴブリンだった団員達の成長が著しいだろうか.

急速なレベルアップによって無駄な脂肪が少なくなった体躯にはその代わりに筋肉が付き、何処か緩みのあった顔立ちは一端の戦士のそれである.

【存在進化】したか、もう少しでできそうな者達ばかりなので、今後の中核を担ってくれる鬼材になってくれるに違いない、と期待しておこう.

ともあれ、労いの言葉を言い終えた後は最後まで残れた約千名の団員達以外を≪外部訓練場≫に隣接している見物席に移動させ、最後の催しモノの説明をする.

最後は今回の監督官役だった十名――つまり俺とカナ美ちゃん、ミノ吉くんにアス江ちゃん、ブラ里さんにスペ星さん、クギ芽ちゃんとアイ腐ちゃん、そして復讐者と鈍鉄騎士に対して約千名で戦うだけである.

と言うと、眼前で並んでいる団員達と、壇の横に並んでいる幹部級に混じる鈍鉄騎士の顔が複雑な感情に歪み、復讐者は何か落胆したような表情を見せる.

眼前の団員達は良いとして、何故鈍鉄騎士までそんな反応をするのだろうか？　と疑問に思ってみたが、もしかしたら鈍鉄騎士は俺達と戦いたかったのかもしれない、と思い至った.

常日頃から強くなるのに貪欲だからな、きっとそうなのだろう.

そしてそれは復讐者も同じに違いない.

むしろもっとあからさまである.

そもそも復讐者は自身の復讐を果たす為、力を欲して俺に降ったのだ.

今回の聖戦ではその復讐対象も出てくる、と裏工作によって確定しているのだから尚更力をつける為に強者を欲している.

ならばその願いを叶えねばならない、という事で、鈍鉄騎士と復讐者を相手側に加えた八鬼対約千名、という構図にしてみた.

どこかやけくそ気味な雄叫びや絶叫が大森林に響き渡るが、それくらい元気があればいいだろう.

という事で≪外部訓練場≫にて、早速行う事とした.

無論俺達も本気ではない.

本気を出せば思わぬ事故で死者を出してしまいかねないので、各自能力の制限はもちろん、得物は訓練用の木造武具を使用する.

それでも種族的、能力的な隔絶とした差があるのだが、実戦であればこれくらいの差は覆す気概でなければ寧ろ駄目だろう.

それにこちらの得物は木造なので、団員達も頑張ればこちらの武器破壊を狙えるようにはなっている分だけマシではなかろうか.

もっとも、木造といっても俺達が扱っても自壊しない事が最低条件になるので、大森林のごく一部でしか採取できない【アストレアード】と呼ばれる硬くしなやかな暗褐色の木材に俺が色々付与した、とにかく頑丈さに定評のある逸品を装備した.

直撃しても即死しない程度には安全策を施しているが、骨の数本は容易く折れるので、団員達にはそれが嫌なら頑張ってもらうしかない.

とりあえず、先頭に立つ俺は四本腕で四本の木槍を持ち、突いたり払ったりを繰り返す.

ただ振り回すだけでも大抵は吹き飛ばせるが、百人長などのそれなりに強い者達は以前よりも粘り強く、少しだが反撃も出来ているのでついやり過ぎる事もあった.

その場合は弱点を指摘しつつ打ち据えたので、糧になっているはずである.

それに今回は子供――オーロとアルジェント、鬼若とオプシーが積極的に俺のところに来たので、やる気が盛り上がった.

父は偉大である、という事を改めて思って貰えるよう、懇切丁寧に相手をする.

暴力的なスキンシップかもしれないが、鬼の血統としてならこういうスキンシップは中々らしいのではないだろうか.

俺の左右を固めている重量級のミノ吉くんとアス江ちゃんは、手に待つ木斧と木槌でとにかく暴れていた.

大勢が固まっている場所に突っ込んで、防御も陣形もお構いなしに打ち砕いていく.

大型の二鬼が突っ込む様は、まるで抵抗すら許されない自然災害のような光景である.

それでも催しモノの経験からか、団員者達の減りは以前よりもゆっくりとしたモノだった.

縦横無尽に駆け回るブラ里さんは、自身が培った剣技を実戦で試すように突出してきた復讐者と戦っている.

身体の動かした方は以前よりも更に洗練され、無駄を削る事で体力や集中力などの消耗は少なく、一撃はより鋭さと重さを増し、攻防一体の型は反撃すら封じ込めている.

勢いはブラ里さんにあるが、復讐者も良く耐えている. 復讐者を相手にする事に関しては手加減無用なので、ブラ里さんは木剣に血を纏わせて強化し、激しい火花を発しながら周囲を余波だけで細断していった.

流石に他の団員では手が出せるレベルではないので、そこはポッカリと空いた空間になっていた.

巻き込まれれば呆気なく死んでしまいかねないのだから、それは必然だっただろう.

後方に控えるカナ美ちゃんやスペ星さん、クギ芽ちゃん達は絶え間なく弾幕を張っていた.

カナ美ちゃんは魔銃【・】による衝撃はあるが非致死性の水撃弾を使い、遠距離から油断している団員を撃ち抜いた.

魔力を補充し続ければある意味無限に撃ち続けられるその特性と、カナ美ちゃんが照準を合わせ引き金を絞るまでの間がほとんど無いため、団員達は全く近づけないでいた.

ただ狙いが正確すぎた事と非致死性のため威力が弱かった事、それから最小限の動きで水撃弾を切り落とし、あるいは防ぐ事が出来る団員も以前より増えているので、数は思ったよりも減っていないようだ.

スペ星さんは催しモノと同じく、低階梯魔術を雨のように降らせている.

今回は複数の魔術が互いの効果を高め合うように計算されている――例えば風の渦を生ずる魔術に爆炎を生ずる魔術を同じ軌道に配置するなど――らしく、簡易的な混合系統魔術へと昇華されていた.

催しモノの最後の方で試していた技術で、これが確立できれば難易度が上がる代わりに威力が高い混合系統魔術のような結果を比較的簡単に得られるようになる.

が、まだまだ研究段階で実用には程遠いそうだ.

なんでも同一人物の魔術は魔力という同じ燃料を使っているので比較的簡単に混ざり合うが、他者が使う魔術同士だと反発して減衰してしまうらしい.

まあ、詳しい技術的なうんぬんはさて置いて、無数の魔術が降ってきてもそれが二回目となれば団員達の動きも機敏だ. 経験が結果に反映されていると言えるだろう.

クギ芽ちゃんは一番大人しいと言えるのだが、振りまく【麻痺の視線】や【混沌の視線】によって一定範囲内に近づく団員達を牽制している. それでも仲間を盾に接近された場合は肉体の動きを見て行動を先読みし、隙を正確に突いて地面に転がしていた.

周囲と比べて派手でない分目立ちにくいものの、戦闘型でないクギ芽ちゃんを相手に負ける団員は多い.

相手の全てを視て近未来を予想し動くクギ芽ちゃんの動作には余裕があり、まるで演舞をしているような印象すら受ける優美さがあった.

先手先手を打ち続け、戦闘の流れを自在にコントロールする相手に打ち勝つ方法を団員達には得てもらいたいのだが、それはまだまだ難しそうだった.

遊撃要員であるアイ腐ちゃんの場合は、気の向くまま戦場を闊歩していた.

フラフラと動き、手頃な団員達から沈めていく.

団員達も反撃を試みていたが、遠距離攻撃は大半が腐食して効果を発揮できず、しかし近づけば精神が汚染されるので容易に攻められない.

何とか精神汚染を乗り越えて接近しても、単純な戦闘能力が意外と高いので迎撃されていく、という事を繰り返していた.

対処法が一見だけでは分かり難いだけ、団員達では対処するのが困難なようである.

そんな感じで朝から昼過ぎまで続けたが、約千名もへばってしまった.

数が少ないのはそれだけ負担が増えるという事なのだから仕方ないのかもしれない.

なので予定を変更し、半日休んでいた残りの約二千名も追加した.

限界に達しているとはいえ半日も休めばある程度は回復する.

残り数時間程度、耐え抜くくらいは頑張ってもらうとしよう.

そうこう少々予定にズレがあった最後の催しモノは、死屍累々の結末を迎えた.

実際に死んではいないが、死ぬ一歩手前のような状態である.

パパッと全体的に最低限の治療をセイ治くんが施した後、閉幕式を執り行った.

かなり短い労いの言葉をかけ、明日からの六日間は休息や武装の整備に費やし、七日後に聖戦予定地へ向けて出立するなどの予定を伝え、頑張った褒美として迷宮産の武具などを成績優秀な者から配布していく.

迷宮でダンジョンモンスターを倒した際にドロップしたアイテムが大半を占めるのだが、階層ボスの宝箱から出てきたモノも少数だが放出する.

ちなみにダンジョンボス級の宝箱から極少数ながら獲得した【】級のマジックアイテムがあるのだが、それはまた後日、幹部級の団員に支給する予定である.

そうこうしながら閉幕式を終えた途端、傷だらけだが堂々とした立ち姿を維持していた団員達は、まるで操り糸を切られた人形のように地面に倒れ込んだ.

最後まで意地を通したその姿に、思わず苦笑が漏れる.

しかし、それも悪くない. むしろ良い傾向ではないだろうか.

満足しつつ打ち上げの宴会に突入し、夜遅くに寝た.

やっぱり酒は、美味いなぁ.