NOVEL NEXT Chapter 250
“Welcome aboard the aircraft carrier, Mech Kraken of Belselphia. I am Captain Francis F. Bacon of the Mech Kraken. Identification name is Porneus 01.”
“Long time no see, Porneus.”
“…Hearing it called Porneus from the Sage feels quite new.”
After safely docking the Bride Ship on the deck, we first reunited with the Imp, Francis, who came out to greet us.
“We’re already aware of the situation. Lord Celcius has briefed us directly, and we’ve also started gathering information on our own.”
“Information?”
“Yes. We’ve managed to collect information about land affairs by moving around at sea to avoid being detected by the land dwellers. Like the empire’s collapse or how the Hero defeated Demon King Satan. I’ll explain the details inside.”
Our party followed Francis toward the command room.
[Captain, we will begin submersion now.]
“Understood. Everyone, the carrier will be descending shortly. Please don’t be alarmed.”
Pshhh.
The dome cover closed again, and my body began to slowly descend.
I was definitely on solid ground, yet I was going down.
This gigantic aircraft carrier was sinking into the sea.
“I thought the data was impressive, but I never expected it to be this serious.”
“This carrier encompasses all the technologies of Belselphia. It can submerge, walk on land, and can even fly in certain situations.”
“It can fly?”
“It’s called a hovercraft. For now, just keep following us.”
The interior of the carrier, upon stepping down from the Bride Ship, was not much different from the Bride Ship.
Especially the scenery inside the carrier, which I saw as I descended, felt completely like a different world.
“Wow. What a size.”
“That’s incredible.”
The inside of the carrier was filled with all kinds of cabins and equipment.
Though it felt slightly prison-like to utilize space efficiently, the facilities I saw while going down the stairs truly lived up to the name of ‘carrier.’
“I can’t believe something like this actually exists. I thought the Mobile Fortress Mamon was amazing, but this is beyond common sense.”
“The Sky Island is the same. If a Sky Island came down to Earth, it would feel like this. Truly… amazing.”
The aircraft carrier was a new world in a different sense from the Mobile Fortress and Sky Island, and our party kept exclaiming in awe as they took in their surroundings.
“This way.”
Creeek.
As the tightly shut door opened, a small reception room appeared.
“Hello, everyone.”
Before us stood Celcius, who had welcomed us in the large garden of Belselphia.
“You must have had a tough time getting here.”
Maintaining her feminine form rather than my old masculine appearance, she greeted us dressed in the same uniform as the others from Belselphia.
“Could it be that you are…?”
“Yes, that’s me. Water Spirit, Spirit Device – Celcius. It’s amazing to meet directly after only seeing each other in consciousness, isn’t it?”
“Uh, how…?”
“The ‘how’ isn’t important. What’s crucial right now is the current state of the continent. Please have a seat.”
Celcius invited us to sit, and I took the seat right beside her.
“Don’t we have things we need to discuss?”
“…How about we take care of urgent matters first? Witch?”
“Sure. Let’s deal with this quickly.”
As everyone took their seats one by one, Celcius drummed her fingers on the table we were seated at.
“Take a look at this.”
Swish.
As ripples spread across the table, something began to materialize.
It was a phenomenon resembling looking through a puddle to see another place, giving the effect similar to clairvoyance magic.
“Which matter brought you, Hero’s party? From the skies? Or from the ground?”
“…What do you mean by ‘which’?”
Why does she sound anxious?
I scanned the scenes through the hazy ripple.
“It’s natural to mention the incident from the Order of the Crescent Moon Goddess…”
I didn’t say that.
“What is this?”
“As you see.”
Crack.
Unidentifiable monsters were attacking people.
Monsters erupted from the ground, their size far surpassing that of a human, being colossal creatures the size of houses.
“Ah, that’s…!”
Liriez’s eyes immediately widened in horror.
“Those are similar to the monsters we faced!”
“Kimaria. It doesn’t specifically refer to a certain species, but in ancient language, it is called ‘synthesized beast.'”
A chill went down my spine upon hearing it.
The synthesized beast, Kimaria.
It referred not to a specific monster but to those created in a very particular way.
“Long ago, there was research that forcibly combined multiple entities using the power of abilities. Kimaria is a byproduct of that research.”
What research?
Celcius didn’t seem inclined to elaborate, but the name of that research was known as the ‘Genome Project.’
An experiment to create humans.
After countless research efforts, beings like Elves and Orcs were created, but naturally, numerous ‘failures’ emerged in the process.
“Synthesized beasts sealed around the world are beginning to appear. Precisely, we secured their ‘genes’ from remnants in fossils or ruins and integrated them into existing monsters.”
“…….”
That research.
I had already confirmed its content in Asydia’s library.
It was part of the research aimed at creating a homunculus capable of containing my father’s body.
Even though Asydia possessed the research materials, it was possible that those who collaborated might have duplicated or advanced that research.
“This is insane.”
I thought one person caused an incident, but coincidentally, another incident erupted.
“As you can see, ancient synthesized beasts, Kimaria, are rampaging in the east of the continent. They are indiscriminately devouring people, regardless of age or gender.”
Gnash, gnash.
A giant Kimaria, resembling a dog with glasses, was munching on a middle-aged man.
Its head had long hair flowing down like the hair of a girl.
“Their leader is Zephar. He was a black mage affiliated with the Demon King’s Army 500 years ago, leading the organization Asydia. And now…”
Thud.
In the heart of the city.
A monster that seemed to be stitched together from rags unfurled its wings, revealing itself as a gigantic black dragon.
“And here is someone who has turned into a monster himself. Self-proclaimed, Beel Zephar.”
The creature was a grotesque monster with a dragon’s brow and a human face.
“That… guy…”
“The head of the New Demon King’s Army, leading Asydia Phegor. And according to our observations now…”
Swish.
Another image reflected in the rippling water as Celcius waved her hand.
“The body of the Kimaria that Beel Zephar is using has been identified as the physical body of the Great Demon Lord Bel Phegor from 500 years ago.”
*
Crack.
Beneath the giant black dragon, something was crushed.
Red liquid flowed beneath its feet, but the black dragon surveyed the surroundings nonchalantly.
[Humans are like garbage. Hehehe.]
Splat.
The long slit on the black dragon’s head opened wide.
From within, resembling eyelids, emerged a human face.
[Devour them all. And grow stronger. Even the angels coming down from the sky will be consumed.]
Crack.
The beasts rushing alongside the black dragon began to devour the people of the city.
“Ah! Help, Kahak!”
Creatures made up of mixed birds, snakes, rats, and dogs inserted body parts into buildings to devour people inside, or…
Boom!
They completely demolished buildings, gulping down everything inside.
[Devour it all. Everything. This is the new form of the New Demon King’s Army.]
Gnash, gnash.
[Devouring everything, in the end, we will consume this continent as well.]
The monsters consumed everything, and the black dragon scanned the city.
[And we will find her. Her… reincarnation.]
Gnash.
The black dragon seized a fleeing woman with its hand.
The woman screamed in agony, but the black dragon held her firmly, placing a hand upon her head with his fingertips.
[Are you my love?]
Zing.
The black dragon’s claws glimmered with a red hue, but that light quickly fizzled out.
[Unfortunately, no.]
Crack!
The black dragon tightened its grip on the woman it held.
Then, it threw her backward, and the Kimaria following the black dragon jumped up to catch her.
Thud, plop.
Only red blood flowed down the black dragon’s hand.
Across the entire city, screams echoed, yet no one was there to halt this calamity.
[Ah, my fiancée. I will kill everything on this continent to find you. And let you be reborn here—]
Boom!
A magical bullet shot from somewhere, piercing the black dragon’s forehead.
The man’s face grotesquely exploded, and the black dragon paused for a moment.
But.
[Ah, long time no see. To feel the pain of living creatures…!]
Crunch, crunch.
The shattered flesh began to revert to its original form as the black dragon’s face quickly regained its appearance.
[Who dares attack me, Beel Zephar Phegor…?]
“You madman.”
Flapping, flapping.
A black-haired woman with a long staff stood before the black dragon, fluttering her black dragon wings.
“Don’t insult my father’s body—!”
[Ah. Are you a being born from this body?]
Hehe.
[You are my love, aren’t you?]
*
“In the sky, the angels from the Order of the Crescent Moon Goddess are rampaging, and on the ground, the monsters from the New Demon King’s Army are wreaking havoc.”
A hollow laugh escaped me.
“Is this the end of the world?”
“Sage.”
“…Yes. It’s still too early for it to end.”
There are people between the skies and the ground.
“Lucius. Are you ready?”
We have Lucius with us.