In the healing ward of the Monster Lord's Castle, Kanade was still focused on trying to keep the vitals of the Monster Lord steady. The slime was dedicating a lot of ressources to make sure sure the descendant of the Dark Goddess was remaining alive and well even as she kept getting weaker and weaker
Well, more exactly a copy of her was focused on healing Alice while the other ones were busy around gathering energy and keeping her fed. Keeping her body consistent already required a lot of energy, and keeping a pregnant Monster Lord in good shape was a difficult, consuming task as well.
As the lamia's vital stabilized, she removed herself and examined the unconscious silhouette of Alice. Without even considering the terrible reaction the Dark Goddess would undoubtedly have should her daughter die, Kanade did want to keep the current Monster Lord fine and alive: she had fought against Ilias. She had held up to her sisters. And she was conscious of the work the slime race was trying to do to support their kin. The fact that she trusted the current queen slime and herself enough to let them handle their relation with humans had struck a chord in her. Kanade could put her projects in standby for a little for her.
"How is she doing?"
Tamamo had entered the room, and while she was trying to keep a brave face, the slime could discern the trembling intonations in the voice of the kitsune. A mother concerned for her child…
"She's fine. However, I am unable to cure her because of the mental aspect of her affliction. The best I can do is making sure her and her future children stay fine."
"Damn it… If only I did keep an eye on either Kagetsumugi or Luka… nothing like that would have happened." Tamamo sighed as she sat by the Monster Lord's side, delicately caressing the lamia's cheek with one of her tail. "I'm sorry. I let myself be blinded by the fear I had for my sisters at the cost of not taking care of you and Luka as much as I should have… And that damn little puppeteer made me paid for my mistake."
"…Still… I'm surprised she managed to escape with the hero without issue."
"We invited humans in the castle before we properly decided the welcoming procedures, so when Minagi gave a little push with her pheromones, there wasn't anything to hold them back. Anybody would have been able to waltz in or out of the castle. As to how she incapacitated Luka and was able to put him in a pocket dimension without struggle… I think that worries me even more."
"Her little dimension likely collapsed when she died. I take it you're searching for where it happened?"
"From using ley lines to some of Luka's more personal belongings in hope of tracking him, I used almost every single method I know of… The only thing that remains is searching every signature that show trace amounts of angelic nature and check them individually. Maybe I could get Micaela's help on the matter… The only current good side is that people aren't aware that Luka is missing, otherwise panic would spread like wildfire."
"Mmh. I don't see why. No real threats attacked them recently, they do not currently need a hero as much as they did."
Tamamo grimaced. "Kanade… With all my respect, are you serious? Do you have any idea the effect your return had on everyone? The terror people suffered at the perspective of seeing a legendary unkillable slime in their city when you entered Grand Noah?"
"Yes. But it wasn't enough to stop them from coming to me once my intentions were clear, was it?"
The slime's equal tone aggravated Tamamo who couldn't tell if she was mocking her or not. Ultimately, however, she was raising a very good point. Humans did adapt very fast to the possibility of living with one of the Ancestor, particularly the men who were a little more than eager to get acquainted. And while the population of Grangold still had some reservation after Kanon's display, the Sabasa King made it clear he wouldn't even mind Hiruko returning if she behaved properly. As to the two remaining regions… Ilias Continent had given very little news on the matter, while San Ilia had been making the object of the same usual reports for weeks now… It was as if the faith in Ilias had put a lid on the sexual desires of the city's inhabitants that had been broken by Minagi and her daughters. The goddess of light would have cried her eyes out if she had seen the result for herself.
However when it came to her sisters themselves, they mostly did behave well. While Minagi's ploys and Kanon's misanthropy had forced the two of them on the sideline, Kanade and Saja had done a lot of effort to integrate well. In the meantime Hiruko was more than happy with taking care of chimeras and leading humans in their research. After a few months, the balance weighed in their favor. The Ancestors were doing more good than bad.
"…I might have been excessively afraid of the damage you would cause with your return."
Kanade shrugged. "I wouldn't even go so far as to say that. You would have to be blind or delusional to not be afraid of what we would do in this world once unsealed. This world had changed a lot since the day we were forced away. Then it changed quite a bit since we got free. Isn't it natural that it keeps changing? And aren't you the one who said that the greatest change it could enjoy is to no longer need a hero?"
Tamamo awkwardly turned away to avoid her sister's gaze. "I did also say that in hope that Luka and Alice could finally get some rest. They both deserve it. And right now, they lost this opportunity… It's all my fault…" The kitsune started sniffling.
"No one would deny your responsibility in the matter at hand. This is why you must work toward fixing it. I do not think you survived until today by moping each time someone died."
Tamamo reflexively chuckled even as a tear ran down her cheek. Kanade had never quite been a people's person, and if anything Erubetie had shared this aspect of her personality until Luka pulled her out of her of hatred-induced apathy.
"Right… Let's continue searching. We will find him eventually, and she will come out fine."
"I'll take care of the Monster Lord for now. Go."
Tamamo nodded one final time and briskly returned in her own room. The oriental-designed place was now a complete mess, with its central floor being covered with occult symbols while bundles of papers and various catalysts were lying around. The only place that was spared by the ambient chaos was a small desk tucked away in a corner and the cleanly arranged stacks of papers lying on it. The kitsune sat herself and started browsing through the different documents her network provided: she got the confirmation that people were still in the dark about Luka's disappearance, making it one less issue to worry about for the moment. The other reports mostly involved a lot of bribing to make sure Minagi's Chain of Pleasure were coming to life as fast as it could be. The only unusual report was one concerning San Ilia: Apparently, the king and Astaroth had challenged each other's willpower, and after a result that could apparently be heard from the city's outskirts, both of them had wordlessly borrowed a different room in the library before going completely silent. Tamamo stared completely dumbfounded at the report and re-read it several times to make sure that she understood everything correctly. She wrote it off, and was almost done with the pile of reports when a vampire barged in her room, surprising her. Before the kitsune could ask for the cause of this intrusion, the vampire kneeled and held out an open envelope.
"This was in the mail this morning. It's an instant missive."
Tamamo carefully took the item while keeping her eyes on the intruder. If it was important enough to rush in like that, she would forget the disregard for the protocol.
"We have no further information about its origins."
Her senses told her the message had been magically created, but its writer was too experienced to leave any trace of their identity on it. Inside the envelope, there was only one document: A picture of a desert, with an unusual sculpture coming from the ground and what looked like a small settlement far in the distance. The picture was very high quality, enough for Tamamo to start discern more details about what she thought to be a sculpture. Then she recognized the one-of-a-kind material it was made of.
No way… It's a joke… Angel Halo in the Sabasa desert? Wha- how- why?
Focus… Focus… You can check by yourself from here… this village is Kasi, the sky is blue but the sun isn't on the picture so they were facing west, and from the distance it was taken from, I can reduce the scanning area to less than a square kilometer… It will take one minute to check.
Tamamo closed her eyes and focused on channeling an observation spell toward Sabasa. Her task was made difficult by her excitation, and she needed several tries before she could successfully reach her goal. Not before long, she was watching the sand of Sabasa like an eagle, her keen eyes scouring the sands. She instantly lost control of the spell when she did notice the unique shape and signature of the sword.
"Mistress Tamamo?"
"Gather everyone who's not busy defending the castle NOW!"
The kitsune jumped above the vampire in a smooth motion and ran toward the castle's armory. Between her ancestral form and one or the other artifact there, she would be able to bring a whole army to turn each grain of sand in the region in less than an hour.
If there was the smallest chance they could find Luka, they would find him.
It only took a few minutes for a large group of monsters to be gathered in the entrance of the castle. Most of them looked puzzled at each other, but the arrival of a determined Tamamo froze them in place more effectively than any order or spell would have.
I will find you Luka… This is a promise…
The large party disappeared in a blinding blink.
An hour later, Saja arrived in the Monster Lord's Castle to see the place thrown in utter chaos. Monsters were running around left and right while regularly shouting about the region of Sabasa and Sealed Sinner's Prison. She frowned in front of the mess. Tamamo had clearly lost her touch if she let the castle devolve into that mess. However, the yoma noticed that some monsters were still quite thoroughly focused on guarding the most important areas, which was a reassuring a sight. The kitsune hadn't completely lost her mind in her search for the hero. She eventually arrived in sight of her sister's room to see the three other Heavenly Knights waiting at the entrance in a deep discussion about the kitsune's discovery of Angel Halo. They instantly stopped to bow when Saja arrived, and the yoma bowed back in kind.
"Tamamo's inside?"
"We just arrived and were about to see her for ourselves… She asked for any help she could get."
Saja carefully opened the door with a wing and looked inside the room. Tamamo was looking back and forth between a map that was spread against a wall and Angel Halo which was currently lying on her desk, all while nervously biting on her thumb.
"He's nowhere near Kasi… why wasn't he in Safina? I checked, there's a large team led by Nanabi still looking around, but we can't find anything… there's no reason for Angel Halo to end there in the middle of anywhere on its own… The place isn't close to any ley line… Luka should have been right close by! Why wasn't he close by?! Did a monster eat him while he was unconscious? There would have at least been a trace…" She turned toward Saja as if she was interrogating her. "Did he even have Angel Halo with him when Kagetsumugi got him? And who sent us that damn picture?!"
Saja remained at a reasonable distance from her sister and shrugged. "This is a weapon made with angels. Did you ask Micaela?"
"She did." An orb on the kitsune's desk started glowing as the seraph's voice echoed. "I wouldn't be able to learn anything more than she already did. The only viable conclusion is that it somehow fell from Kagetsumugi's pocket dimension when she died. Why there of all places however… I do not have a single clue."
"Did you examine the place by yourself?"
"I currently can't move." Every monsters felt Micaela's frustration in her voice. "I must keep an eye on those idiots, a few of them are planning to go to the Biolabs to free their fellows should I go away, and my lieutenants aren't numerous enough yet to hold them back if they decide to leave. I swear, without the guidance of Ilias, these angels are worse than children…"
Saja raised an eyebrow. "Imprison them then. She would not have hesitated, you shouldn't."
"We do not have a place yet. Most of those angels were quick to discard the negative aspects of living under Ilias and only based the construction of Haven on their idealized memories of Heaven… Yes, I am dealing with a delusional bunch on which I'm forced to keep an eye."
As the orb went dark, Saja returned her focus to Tamamo who was glaring at Angel Halo with all her might to force the weapon to deliver its secret.
"If only I had a deeper bond with this weapon, I would have been able to check its history to find out what happened since the last time we saw it… I only used it once to seal Yamata No Orochi."
"Mmmh…" Saja smirked. "I don't think I will forget the one time he used it with the support of the Monster Lord to take down that transformed abomination of a goddess."
Tamamo chuckled. "Right, they finished her with a quadruple giga- THE FOUR SPIRITS! GET THEM TO THE CASTLE!"
The kitsune jumped up, surprising Saja who almost stumbled in surprise.
"Dear sister, you should calm yourself a little..."
"Agreed."
"Wow, Luka was right, we did come to the Monster Lord's Castle the next time he needed us!"
"Sylph, this will be the only joke you will be able to make until we are sure both Luka and the Monster Lord are fine."
"Muuuuh…"
"You'll do as many as you want afterward. In the meantime, just stay focused."
Salamander herself had a somber expression on her face as they progressed through the hallways of the castle. While she was as concerned as anybody else about the current predicament of the hero, she still had a bone to pick after Tamamo left her cold on the spot the last time they saw each other. Her rancor for the kitsune instantly disappeared when they entered her room as she greeted the Four Spirits by presenting the sword with pleading eyes. The Fire Spirit herself was taken aback, and decided her grudge could wait.
This is not about me. This is not for her. This is for Luka and Alice.
Salamander wordlessly took the sword of the kitsune's hands and weighed the weapon, surrounded by her fellow spirits: As strange and ugly-looking as it was, the weapon was surprisingly balanced, with a good weigh at the tip to give more weight to one's attack. She closed her eyes and focused on her pact with Luka through this blade. Her mind was flooded with the numerous times that the hero had summoned her power to help him against an opponent: a wyvern fighting in the sky, Giganto Weapon, the angels of Ilias… Then more recently, the different Ancestors, from the plants of Kanon to Saja's destructive magic skills. She tried to erase from her mind the times she ignited without his will as she had let her fear of Hiruko push Luka's holy energy to a critical mass and her grudge against Tamamo forced his defense down to the point that he ended up almost killed.
I must remain serene. I must be here for him when he needs me.
As Salamander calmed down, she started feeling all the times her fellow spirits were summoned as well. Then she saw all of the fights that the hero was involved in, and all the time the sword was by his side. She focused on the last emotions that permeated the sword before the weapon somehow ended separated from its owner. The first thing she felt were exhaustion and sluggishness improper to a warrior. The remainder was a mix of fear, doubt, but also satisfaction -of several kinds- and… nothing else. She couldn't tell anything more about the hero.
"… Sorry, I can't make anything of it."
Tamamo's shoulders slumped in disappointment. "It's okay… I wasn't expecting much anyway… combing the desert didn't yield anything, it would have been a miracle if you found something."
Salamander slightly felt insulted, but when she saw the kitsune sit herself with an empty-looking expression, she decided to let it slide. This was definitively the last moment for their feud.
"Sooo… It slipped from the pocket dimension Luka was in when that Kamagtsugi dieded?"
"Syyylph… If Kagetsumugi died, Luka would have been released as well, wouldn't he?"
Tamamo distractedly nodded to confirm Undine's words. "The pocket dimension would have either collapsed and destroyed everything, or released everything. With that sword reappearing, I had hoped for the latter but… I don't know anymore…"
"So if that pocket dimension partly released everything, then Kamugu only partly died!" Sylph placed her fists on her hips, proud of her conclusion.
"…This might be the dumbest thing you've ever said. And that's saying a lot."
"Actually, wait a second… This might not be all that dumb. If she used necromancy or any other way to keep herself alive, the pocket dimension might have become unstable enough for a short moment when she changed of vessel."
"She's more of a puppeteer than a necromancer but… I see what you mean. I know of a few monsters who did this type of preparation in the past to transfer their soul in a new body should they die. I don't know if she has the skills to manage her own soul like that though."
"…Virtue Revel was part of the lot that she had puppeteered for a time and have the skills. Let's assume that Kagetsumugi got her to pull that trick for her in advance. I'll be able to get the confirmation afterward."
"And with the right material, she might even have transferred her soul in a new puppet… Damn, she's smarter than the credit I gave her. Now as to where she could be… the answer is definitively related to the place Angel Halo was found, but we searched for miles around and didn't find anything." Tamamo stood up and checked her map as her determination returned. "But this place isn't connected to the Monster Lord's Castle or the Sealed Sinner's Prison through any ley lines that I know of."
"Does she even need to be connected to one to pull that trick? I mean if you simply prepare a place to teleport back to like you all do for the Monster Lord's Castle, you don't require a particular magic flow."
"I get what you mean." Tamamo pointed at another map where additional lines between where the Angel Halo was found and where the Sealed Sinner's Prison was located. "We didn't cover every single yard yet, but we're looking. If you could check the area around Haven, that would help us a lot."
"That will probably be doable while keeping an eye on those idiots…"
"Thank you… Now we only have to cover a few hundred kilometers I guess…" Tamamo sighed in despair and sat down again. "And before anybody ask, yes, I noticed that the line passed where Puppeteer's Tower used to be. This is the first region we checked. The tower itself is currently near Grangold and examined by the magical academy. So no, we won't find anything there." The kitsune's voice became a low growl. "Once I find that Kagetsumugi, I will rip her apart, have Hiruko create her a new body, remove her limbs one by one and BURN HER SOUL WHILE SHE'S STILL ALIVE!"
"That's… a bit excessive."
Saja started frowning in front of her sister's outburst. The only time she saw her like that was when Lucifina personally slaughtered most of the kitsune during the Great Monster War. Her vengeance had sent two kingdoms back to the stone age. Fortunately for everyone, she softened afterward… Or more exactly, she now considered all those human kingdoms her allies. The yoma checked the map and closed her eyes.
"I already did do a magic check along the line. If Kagetsumugi is somewhere there, she hid herself well enough to hide from my sight. We're going to have to check directly."
"Mmh. Let me try something."
Saja felt her sister's exasperation, but she kept pushing on her own analysis none the less. Indeed, there was nothing that could look like the hero she faced or that small puppeteer. The only remarkable points were the Gold Volcano, Haven, and the remainders of Kagetsumugi's tower. The yoma glanced at Salamander: the puppeteer would more effectively be able to hide if her magic was concealed by ambient effects, and the Fire Spirit had been spending the last weeks far from her home…
"…What?"
"Per chance, did you get news from Gold Volcano recently?"
Salamander shrugged. "I regularly exchange with Grande when I travel, since she's the closest I have to a second. She reported that humans and monsters periodically flocked to the Gold Volcano in hope of seeing me. There was nothing really worthy of attention."
"Mmh…" Saja periodically took subtle peeks at Tamamo while checking the map. The kitsune was agitated by nervous ticks and was often muttering under her breath about how it was her fault and that she would make it up by killing Kagetsumugi. It was clear that she wasn't at her best. She understood why well: the whole world of the kitsune was falling apart because of a few mistakes. Still, her current mental state was starting to become worrying. Maybe it was time to remind her that she could rely on others as well…
"Did you contact Hiruko?"
Tamamo sighed again. "She told me she overexerted herself… I don't want the details honestly…"
"In that case, save for Haven, I will personally directly check every place alongside that line."
The kitsune blinked repeatedly. "It will take you days. If Kagetsumugi finds out, I can't image what she will do to Luka."
"Awww… Did you forget about us? We will do everything to find Luka-boy again…" Alma Elma rushed in to hug Tamamo from behind. The latter was clearly not amused while everyone else was smirking at the scene. The kitsune conceded.
"I guess I don't have much of a word on the matter, do I? I don't have any alternative to offer, so…" Tamamo sighed as Alma Elma released her. "Sorry, I'll try to help myself in any way I can, but it's a lot of distance to cover."
"Why don't we ask the Lilith Sisters for help?"
Everyone turned toward Saja as if she just belched. Even Salamander could feel Micaela's stupor from beyond the communication crystal.
"…The only way to make sure they wouldn't act up would be to always keep an eye on them, which would end up just being a waste of resources. I'm pretty sure that as soon as the leash comes off, they'll start molesting anyone who happens to have angelic blood."
Tamamo grinned. "I have the right leash. That won't be an issue."
Before anyone could ask her about her plan, she produced another communication orb. Salamander grimaced when she instantly recognized who was on the other end. Fortunately, they hadn't reached the oldest of the Lilith Sisters in a more private moment. She sounded more concerned than anything.
"…Greetings Tamamo. May I know of the reason you so suddenly contacted me?"
"We are looking for the hero and would appreciate your support." The kitsune was still grinning. "If you help us, I'll pass a good word to the Dark Goddess in your stead and make sure she knows you've made an extra effort to help her daughter in time of need."
"…This is unusually forward from you…" Lilith sighed. "Astaroth is currently off the grid and Morrigan is not feeling well, but I will do my utmost to help you."
"Good. Meet us at the castle then. I'll explain you the details there." Tamamo cut the communication with a satisfied smile. However, she was surprised to see disapproving or shocked expressions all around her.
"What?"
To Salamander's surprise, Saja was the first to voice her concern. "Using Lilith's fear of retribution from the Dark Goddess for what she did months ago is quite low, even for you."
Tamamo shrugged. "We need any help we can get. And I think I can ask her this service after what she pulled us through!"
The yoma looked down on the small kitsune. "Yes. Asking her for a service would have been natural. Making promises you know you can't hold is not."
Tamamo sighed and started fanning herself. "I just want to make sure Luka and the Monster Lord are fine. I'll do everything in my power to make sure of it. You won't blame me for that, will you?"
Nobody answered her, although Salamander felt relieved to see that most monsters around her looked concerned or unhappy with Tamamo's final word on the matter. Saja decided to take the lead before the situation became further uncomfortable.
"I will check south of Haven. I will let the succubi analyze the remainder."
"Nothing here either… damn it."
A few hours later, Alma Elma was done scouring through the Gold Continent that made for her target. The Queen Succubus had carefully flown through the whole region, examining every tree, every rock with each of her senses to make sure that Kagetsumugi wasn't escaping her. She had seen every trace of passages, from succubi flying to human caravans passing without forgetting wild monsters, but not a single one of them showed sign of an angelic nature or… something, anything unusual that would hint at Kagetsumugi.
Eventually, she reached the northern coast with a heavy heart and sat on the beach, disappointed by the result. Looking at the calm sea reminded her of her past self-affected duty of blocking the way between Sentora and Ilias Continent. As she gained some hindsight on her actions, she came to question what her actual goal was back then. Simply hiring one or two succubi to infiltrate Iliasport and spot heroes at they come by would have been enough… No, she could have done it herself. Seducing heroes as they come and defang them before they could do more than bully slimes on Ilias Continent would have been more effective and even more enjoyable than spending time at sea sinking the occasional boat.
…Why didn't I think of that earlier? Oh, right, I wanted to spite my dead mother more than anything... If only I had taken more time to think this through… Instead, I feel like I can't even show my face in Iliasport right now. Not after killing so many of them…
This was my choice and my responsibility. I'll carry them.
As the sun started setting far on her side, she saw Lilith glide on a gust of wind to land in front of her. Her elder had an unsatisfied expression that already told the results weren't promising.
"There's nothing on Hellgondo, and unless she built herself a lair under the sea floor, I can safely tell that there's nothing in the Northern Sea either."
Alma Elma nodded in acknowledgment. Lilith perambulated a bit, clearly frustrated.
"If I knew that damn puppeteer would have acted up, I would have killed her myself… she hurt my family, she hurt the Monster Lord… I am going to show her a loooot of love once I get my hands on her."
"We do have a responsibility as well… You trusted the mercy of the methods of the Monster Lord and…" Alma Elma interrupted herself, hesitating to expose Tamamo's lie about being able to communicate with the Dark Goddess. However, her elder beat her to the punch.
"Tamamo has really lost her touch, hasn't she? Back then, she wouldn't have made such a basic mistake."
Alma Elma sighed. "For how little it means, I apologize in her name… We all want to save the hero, and she's just doing everything she can, even if she did cross a line."
Lilith raised an eyebrow. "I was talking about how she let Kagetsumugi escape. I understand that she wanted the puppeteer to have a second chance just like our Ancestors, but she disregarded the threat she represented to focus on her family instead." Her expression became grim. "But I'm not happy about her bold-faced lie either. If she could indeed contact the founder, the latter would have already found that little puppeteer by now. So yes, I knew since the moment she asked, and I still accepted to help out the hero who took down Ilias." Her eyes dangerously narrowed. "However, I want to make it clear that I do intend to remind Tamamo that we're not pawns to play with to fulfill her goals, no matter how noble or good-hearted they are."
To her own surprise, Alma Elma found herself agreeing with Lilith. The kitsune had told the Succubus Ancestor not so long ago that using such deception on her own was below her… And then she proceeded to do exactly that.
"We'll have a few words with her once we find Luka. Maybe we could even play a little with her…" The smile of the succubus grew devilish while Lilith herself smiled approvingly. As she considered their options, Alma Elma felt Saja's overwhelming presence as the yoma contacted them.
"I cannot seem to find a single sign of the hero or of the little puppeteer. Did you happen to have any luck?"
"No. And we left no stone unturned."
Alma Elma could feel Saja's doubt even as the yoma remained silent. She didn't blame her, given that the most experience the yoma had with succubi likely involved Minagi and her daughters.
Well… She now started appreciating the idea of sharing her world with the Lilith Sisters. They were doing their own share of efforts to be proud representatives of the succubus race.
"…Mmh... I'd hoped you'd manage to find something from your bond with the hero or from your visit of the tower."
"I apologize, but I didn't have the best mindset when I rushed through said den, and the Grangold Academy already shared the report of their investigation both with Tamamo and myself: There were no clue that could hint about that damn little puppeteer's plans beyond what we already faced by then."
Alma Elma raised an eyebrow at Lilith's words. Of course, the succubus had likely found an opportunity to acquaint herself with a few of the notables from Grangold. A succubus to the trim of her nails…
Forget about her, focus on finding out where Luka-boy can be. The Four Spirits can't find him, neither Tamamo's magic nor his link with Angel Halo helped us either… We have no idea what Kagetsumugi's end game for is.
…She's a puppeteer. She wouldn't be able to control him, would she? Wait, I got it!
"Couldn't we be able to detect her controlling magic?"
Lilith sighed. "If she uses any… I mean, she only has to deal with Luka, none of her puppets. I would have seen them otherwise."
"That's where you're wrong Lilith. I shall remind you that Hiruko accessed the tower and was thrown out by magical barriers likely placed to protect her collection. If your assault didn't get blocked by one, then it means she had removed them because she no longer needed them."
The elder succubus grimaced as Saja contradicted her, but nodded in agreement. "Then it back to Tamamo's job to find them then. She better manage somethung, she just made us lose half a day."
"Sorry, but this was the first thing I tried. And naturally, I didn't find anything." Tamamo sighed. "I really, really regret not keeping any track of her, but I always had my hands full raising Monster Lords and taking care of the village soooo… I have no idea how much puppets she produced those past five hundred years. It could be none. It could be a true army. It could be a giant that would dwarf a mountain, I'd have no idea." The kitsune joined her trembling hands in front of her face.
"We can only comb through every place while waiting for her next move… Outsmarted by a glorified craftsman affiliated to a dead Black Alice… I can't believe it."
Lilith sneered. "I guess it doesn't feel good to be on the receiving end of one's ploy, does it? Maybe you will understand how your friends feel when they realize they've been manipulated to fulfill your own goals!"
Tamamo returned her glare. "I do that to help everyone. She's doing that because she's supremacist who wants to reign over humans as well. Ilias did the same to slaughter everyone. And your mother did that against me to indulge herself, so I already know how it feels! And maybe you would understand what's at stake if you took the responsibilities for other things than indulging in your base desires!"
"She took the responsibilities for Succubus Village in times of need while I will do the same for Remina." To everyone's surprise, Saja was the first to answer her. The yoma was deploying her aura in an effort to intimidate her sister. "But maybe we're not as malleable to your whim as you want us to be?"
The kitsune threateningly growled and switched to her Ancestral form. "This has nothing to do with me! This has to do with keeping peace between all species to make sure the bloodline of the founder continues!"
"At what cost?!"
"Back out of the room but stay close. I'll handle it. Undine, I'll need your power for a short minute, my own mastery over the flow is insufficient."
The remaining Heavenly Knights and the Four Spirits orderly backed away from the room as the three monsters threatened to get physical. One of Kanade's bodies was waiting for them, and she silently extended a hand toward the Water Spirit. Undine hesitated for a moment, as she wondered what the Ancestor could use her power for, but she reassured herself by remembering that the slime had always shown that she cared for her kin. She held out her own hand, and disappeared when she reached Kanade.
The Water Spirit was briefly caught by a wave of vertigo as she was exposed to the full power of the Slime Ancestor: her resources were simply limitless. If Erubetie was made of hundreds of existences, their Ancestor was made of millions. Undine remembered thinking that her friend could be like a sea, calm on the surface while a large number of existences would fight one another in a fragile ecosystem held together by Erubetie's iron will. In that case, Kanade would be a whole world, with existences appearing as facets of her personality because she called on them. It was no wonder the slime was spending most of her days feeding. Nobody would be able to maintain themselves if they were made of so many components at war with each other without a perpetual, sufficient source of energy.
Undine steadied herself as Kanade entered the room where the three ancient monsters were ready to attack each other. They all turned toward the Slime Ancestor who ignored them to make her way to the map where ley lines were drawn. She closed her eyes, and focused on the flow of the world, but the very first information that reached her was the confused bloodlust completely flooding the room.
"Kanade… may I know what brings you here at this one precise moment? We are currently in the middle of a little something!"
"I noticed." She didn't even turn back as Saja was glaring at her. "But Tamamo appropriated herself the only ley line map available in the castle. You'll be able to return to your little scuffle once I'm done."
As she didn't get the explanations she desired, Saja felt her impatience for Kanade's apparent denseness grow. "And… May I know why you need the information on this map? I do not wish to put you down, but you are not quite one versed in magic."
"Yes, but I know enough to find the hero."
The bloodlust emanating from the three monsters was replaced by shock and confusion, allowing her to at least focus on the flow of the world. Undine felt her power being drawn upon, and felt confused for a moment as she didn't feel the monsters around her. Instead, she felt herself being moved around repeatedly.
She's using the latent magic of the world to channel my power through her different bodies to help in her examination of the world?! How is this even possible?! I'm not even sure Erubetie considered that idea!
Each time, Undine felt the flow of the world through the different bodies of Kanade. She recognized the natural, calm magical focus of the Garuda Girl Shrine, then the bustling activities of different cities. Kanade's analysis lingered slightly as she analyzed the flow of the different settlements. The Water Spirit could differentiate the bustling activities of Grand Noah with its colosseum and the more posed movements within Ilias Village, but nothing felt out of the ordinary. The flow was as natural as it could be.
Eventually, Undine felt the slime stopping herself in curiosity. She was in the middle of a barren wasteland. The flow was very calm as expected of the place, but even then, she felt a small irregularity. Kanade's body slowly crawled toward the spot, and examined it for a moment. Undine felt a sense of satisfaction seize the slime, and, after a moment, she understood why.
This… This is what she was looking for. This is what everyone should have been looking for. It is the same sensation as back there…
Not a moment later, Undine was being moved back to Kanade's body located in the Monster Lord's Castle, and she reappeared just in time to see the Ancestor mark the Irina Mountains with a cross.
"Kagetsumugi is here."
Every single last monster stared at her in disbelief. Tamamo clapped her fan open and hid her face.
"I suppose that you have very solid evidence to come to a conclusion so precise…"
Kanade shrugged. "I cannot show the evidence myself, but I invite you to check this precise place to see by yourself."
Tamamo closed her fan with a frown on her face. Feeling the hostility from the kitsune increase toward her sister, Undine decided to step in.
"It's incredibly simple. You do remember the corrosive moats that were around her tower?"
Alma Elma, Granberia and her fellow spirits nodded in unison.
"They're actually the accumulations of the waste produced by the hundreds of years of Kagetsumugi's crafting. Those are present in a lesser measure in Irina Mountains." Undine sighed.
Tamamo gasped and pointed her fan at Kanade. "Wait. I got it. You realized that even if Kagetsumugi kept herself hidden in a pocket dimension, she would still have to release the waste that results from working on her puppets from time to time, right?"
Kanade nodded. "People can't live in their own waste. Even if she could have likely created a place big enough to store it for a moment, she would have to dump it sooner or later."
The kitsune closed her eyes and let her magical senses guide her to where the Puppeteer Tower used to be, then to the Irina Mountains. Indeed, she could notice the common points. As her senses returned, she snorted. Then she started chuckling madly. Her chuckle turned into a laughter that could be heard across Hellgondo as she was bent over herself. The remainder of the monsters uncomfortably looked at each other before she calmed down.
"I can't believe it! You managed to solve a problem that has been stumping me before I could find the beginning of a solution! I'm impressed!"
Kanade shrugged the compliment. "There's still the issue of Angel Halo though. It shouldn't have ended there."
Tamamo was still too happy to let that detail bring her down. "Her pocket dimension was likely tethered to where her old tower was before she moved everything. We didn't check the place between the moment Hiruko had tried to swallow it and all-too recently. She then just had to move out afterward…"
"I wouldn't want to rain on your parade, but it means that she can move… what tells us that she didn't already do so?"
Kanade answered Saja with another shrug. "She passed there recently. Even if she left the region, I'm sure we'll be able to track her from there."
"Then let's not wait any longer! I'll personally kill Kagetsumugi myself after showing her why we're not to be messed with!" Tamamo laughed sadistically, making her fellow Heavenly Knights and the Four Spirits nervous. Even Saja frowned as Lilith herself backed away. The only one who didn't let herself be impressed was Kanade.
"You and Saja should stay to defend the castle. If she indeed has a whole army that she can teleport around, we wouldn't be too many to defend the place. I don't think anybody wants a repeat of her first attack again."
Tamamo glared at Kanade. "Saja can handle the defense of the castle herself. I am responsible for letting Kagetsumugi roam free, I will be the one to end her."
"Sister, please." Saja glided in front of Tamamo. "I also have a responsibility. I impulsively left Remina to search for the Dark Goddess and completely abandoned my duties. Let me make it up to you."
"Then please let me dispose of that annoyance myself. It is both my mission and my desire. I will make sure that little pest won't even consider the idea of harming us again. I will take my time dealing with her."
Lilith tilted her head while distractedly playing with a strand of hair. "Just like old times? You returned to your old self alarmingly fast."
"I AM NOTHING LIKE I USED TO BE! I JUST WANT TO MAKE THAT IDIOT SUFFER AT ALL COST!"
Tamamo was still grimacing in rage when she finally took a good look at the expression of everyone around her. While Kanade and Saja kept neutral expressions, Lilith was looking at her with a mix of contempt and vigilance. Then she felt her heart sink when she saw the expression of her friends: They were looking utterly mortified.
"I…"
The Beast Ancestor stumbled on her words. She simply didn't know what to say to her friends to reassure them. She remained confused as to what to do before she remembered that she was still in her ancestral form. The kitsune returned to her small form of her own accord, and almost collapsed on the spot.
"…I'm sorry. I will let you handle Kagetsumugi while I take care of Alice. Just… Please, be careful. I… Just do come back alive with Luka."
Tamamo stumbled into the side room that made for her bedroom with everyone looking at her back. The ambiance turned from tense to morose after the kitsune left. Even Salamander felt a hint of sympathy for her, while Saja decided to get a hold of the situation before everybody else collapsed in apathy.
"Kanade, can you both take care of the Monster Lord and that puppeteer? I shall make sure the castle is well defended and make sure I will be able to react should it be a ruse."
The slime Ancestor shrugged. "I can do both, although I'm concerned about what Kagetsumugi has in reserves. She may have powerful magic at the ready if her craft is any indication."
"We'll support you in your endeavor. We all owe too much to the hero to let him rot in Kagetsumugi's hands a single second longer." Granberia kneeled and presented her sword to Kanade. The slime shrugged once again while Saja smiled: The Monster Lord had indeed chosen her retainers well…
"Then ready your weapons and meet me in the Irina Mountains. It is time to take out this pest out."
"Wait." Everyone turned toward Salamander. The Fire Spirit felt like she had just announced that the hero was dead. "She wouldn't be so careless as to at least not keep an eye around the mountain. Maybe you should ask Tamamo for some help.
"That is unnecessary, she should rest. I am sure Granberia will manage to hide her partners with the spells I taught her."
Salamander felt dumbfounded when the dragonkin nodded back and left with the remainder of the Heavenly Knights. As Saja barked a few orders around the castle with the experience of a long-time commander, she remained immobile, feeling completely overwhelmed by the situation.
The Fire Spirit never imagined she could actually feel useless.
Alma Elma couldn't tell how much time had passed since they had left the Monster Lord's Castle. The sun hadn't even started to set down, and yet, it felt like an eternity as she was waiting for a chance to save Luka.
She looked around her. Her fellow Heavenly Knights and a copy of Kanade were hidden by a magic spell, courtesy of Granberia. She had been quite surprised to see the dragonkin actually cast a concealment spell to hide the party. Like her companions, she had heard that the dragonkin had received some additional training from Saja, but seeing it in application was something else entirely. As far as she remembered, Granberia had never been able to cast so much as a spell in her entire life. And her Ancestor somehow taught her in less than a few weeks.
If only all the Ancestors had been like her… Luka-boy would have just been able to freely enjoy this world…
The waiting starting to weigh down on her, she decided to discuss with her old friend.
"You've changed a lot Granberry, haven't you? I'm not even sure you would have considered using magic a few weeks ago."
Granberia shrugged. "Saja just told me that magic was something inherently present in descendants of the old dragons. She said that it would be a shame if the current representative of the dragonkin race didn't even know a single spell."
"So you learned it simply to please her?" The Succubus Queen raised an eyebrow. "That's surprising… I don't remember you doing much to please people beyond loyally serving."
"No, I did not." Granberia sighed. "I simply learn to use all the tools that can help me in a fight. Nothing more."
"Oh? Is it not in hope of finding something to eliminate that small weakness of your?" Alma Elma continued in a sing-song voice. "Breaking that fifty defeat streak will require more than a few tricks, you know?"
Granberia simply nodded. Seeing her teasing attempt fail, the succubus started pouting.
"I preferred when I could embarrass you easily." She smiled again. "But I wonder if you would now dare face me in the colosseum with those new skills of yours? I'm sure people would love watching us fight together…"
"I'm confident in the skills I learned." Granberia smiled confidently. "I will finally beat you down. Now, stay at the ready. The fight ahead of us is more important."
Alma Elma eventually backed off, and took a look in the direction of Kanade and Erubetie. The two of them were talking about filtering and cleaning water used to reduce pollution when the Ancestor wasn't showing another skill to her junior. The succubus felt envious at their cordial relation.
I wish I could have gotten a better relation with my Ancestor... right now I'm almost ashamed to think I descend from her...
Eventually, the conversations stopped as a slight change occurred in the air. The next instant, Granberia summoned a rune in the air, making a large floating stone structure appear. Alma Elma dashed at the only visible entrance and blew the door open with a single punch. Feeling an imminent danger, she backed off and avoided a bolt of energy that scattered in the nature. Several monster-like creatures came out through the door, but Alma Elma felt disconcerted for a moment as her keen senses didn't detect a single sign of life from them while their movements were extremely stiff.
So they're dolls… Pleasure skills will be useless against them. They don't even really have a soul, they're just toys created by a bored monster.
She destroyed the first harpy-like creation with a flying kick, making metallic cogs and screws fly around before elbowing another one that was held up by flying strings. In the meantime, her partners engaged the fight against the wave of opponent before a wave of corrosive blue liquid from Kanade dissolved most of the visible contraptions at an impressive speed and blocked the entrance as she started flooding the place.
"I'll be careful not to dissolve anything that is alive. It shouldn't take too long."
As Alma Elma and Granberia looked unconfidently at the slime, Erubetie reassured them with an assured nod. However, the slime blocking the entrance was suddenly scattered in chunks as something started slashing its way out. Eventually, another doll revealed itself.
Even amongst the mishmash of other creations, this one looked unique. Each of its limbs was held by dozens and dozens of magical strings that were directly sewed on a heavy silver armor covered in strange symbols. Its right hand was holding a long sword engraved with magical symbols, while its left was holding a heavy-looking shield. However, the first thing the group noticed was the uncovered head of Luka revealed with a serene, asleep expression even as he was slowly hovering forward.
"No way…" The three Heavenly Knights were completely dumbfounded. While Granberia was gritting her teeth in rage, Alma Elma felt rattled by the idea of being turned into an unconscious puppet to be used by someone else and turned against their allies. Even the usually stoic Kanade looked surprised for a short moment before she assessed the situation with her signature whisper.
"As predictable as it was, it is still an unpleasant surprise. At least he doesn't have the Four Spirits to support him. Hold him at bay while I take care of the dolls."
The slime Ancestor rapidly started creating copies of herself. In less than a minute, a large dozen versions of herself were standing at the ready by her side. The first one of them launched her arms-turned-tentacles toward a large group of mechanical dolls that was slowly progressing on all four like feral hyenas approaching their prey. Before they reached their target, Luka had dashed just on the side of the extending limb and cut it with a sick, greenish slash. The attack left a corroding trail that returned to the attacker who started shaking as she lost her consistence. The hero then threw another slashing blade at Kanade that Alma Elma hurriedly countered with a wind storm of her own before using her own power to push him back. The hero held steady, his body brimming with the power of earth. Granberia jumped at him with a war cry, her blade fully ignited. However, she slowed down her attack for a second in hesitation, and Luka attacked with his own weapon wreathed in fire. The dragonkin jumped back just in time to avoid the barrage of attacks, and gritted her teeth in frustration.
"Did that damn Kagetsumugi manage to grab herself fake spirits!? How?!"
Kanade looked at the dissolving copy of herself, then at the ever increasing number of dolls that seemed to pour from every entrance of the building. "This is going to be problematic…"
Led by the unconscious Luka, the mechanical contraptions charged the Heavenly Knights and the Slime Ancestor.