"Talking"
"Thinking"
[Status Magic or other reference to a system or power]
…
Monti realized that a wave was about to form in this village. His mother's village. What was supposed to be his own village now. Full of the weak and helpless, many of whom already lost a lot to the waves before.
And it was his fault.
"No!" Monti roared.
[Wave of Catastrophe]!
.
A moment passed and the sound of shattering glass never came, nor did the sky paint itself the colors of their eyes.
That was because of Monti.
In the brief moment he had before Merodach's hands came together, Monti had lunged forward and caught both of his hands with his own. The weight behind Merodach's arms was incredible. Monti had to use everything he had to keep his arms apart, to keep the wave from happening. Monti's armored claws dug into Merodach's flesh as he fought to not be crushed between the still present force.
"Oh? You're really going to be this annoying about this?" The beast asked in a casual tone.
While Monti did all he could to stall the wave, the others fought the lesser versions of Merodach as best they could.
Leon wanted to protect Wyndia or his siblings, but he was on the ropes from the moment he exchanged attacks with the clone. He was being thrown around by every attack, no matter how good the block was. It wasn't like fighting a wild animal or his fight with Ren. This was a fight against someone with substantial martial prowess, possibly as good as Eclair. Merodach dictated the entire exchange and kept Leon on the back foot. Even with chant-less magic, it meant nothing, as Merodach also had a weird magic of his own that seemed just as quick. If not for being able to fall back on breathing fire, Leon would have lost in under a minute. As things stood, he'd lose in two minutes.
Teal was the only person there with more options and manner of attacking than the enemy. Poison, roots to bind him, acid spit, earth magic to make a hole or form a spike. Even beyond that, she could slip away by morphing her body. And she did all of those things… The issue was that his body was too tanky. His insect carapace was very much still an issue, even while in human form. It felt like fighting her father, a useless prospect.
Keel was enthusiastic, but lacked the power or skill to do much. Early into the scuffle, Merodach found an easy opening and took it, transforming his hand into the head of a centipede. He injected venom into her and grappled her. She struggled as best she could, but the venom was working fast. He nearly finished grappling Keel's head so he could snap her neck when Teal saw what he was doing.
"Get your hands off her!" [Sunburst]!
Teal's ability scorched both the beast she was fighting and the one that nearly killed Keel. With the damage came several charred centipedes falling out of them. The pain and accompanying blindness helped Teal grab Keel with an extended arm, then retract it to pull her to Teal's side. Keel was nearly hit by both of them in that small opening. Even if blinded, they must have excellent senses. Luckily, Teal managed to get Keel away from them
Teal was happy with the damage, but Keel was breathing irregularly and now Teal would need to take the lead against two of him.
Melty and her shadow fought another copy. He could have split this body into two to even out the fight, but chose not to. Melty was hoping that him not splitting any further meant that he would start to not measure up to the stronger fighters like the heroes and Monti if he did so. Unfortunately, Merodach didn't split further due to not finding either Melty or her shadow to be that threatening. The shadow had enough skill and more than enough speed to contest the beast at times, but she could not give Melty the time and space needed to cast any worthwhile spells. The fight went much like Leon's, yet there were two of them against a single opponent.
Filo was scuffling with her own version of the wave monster, but neither had landed too many hits on the other. Filo used [High Quick] near constantly, leaving Merodach to use his [Skitter]. Merodach's ability was just a bit faster, but the ability was purely movement, meaning that it'd allow him to travel to a location and nothing else. Filo could maintain her ability while attacking. This resulted in Merodach continuing to gain the upperhand only for his attack to miss at the last second, as without [Skitter], Filo's [High Quick] was too fast for him to handle.
Filo could afford to be slightly more offensive, but she was also watching Melty, Monti and the others, knowing that she had the best chance to step in and reach them if something bad happened. And for a moment, she thought she saw a need to step in. The one wave beast fighting Melty and her shadow grew tired of the exchange and split into two to face them each, but the one going for Melty never reached her.
Clang! The sound of metal against metal rang out.
"I do not know who you are, but fighting Naofumi and Princess Melty gives me a clear enough image." Eclair had come to their aid.
She overpowered the now further divided Merodach and swung her sword four times. Each swing was meant as its own separate attempt at slaying him in a single attack, but also served to create a cross in the air for a fifth hidden attack.
"So let me create an equally clear image for you. Raise a sword to either and I'll run you down." Eclair declared.
[Four Cross]!
The bright cross of light shot forward and struck the first copy, pushing him back into the second copy that was fighting Melty's shadow. They both continued in that direction until they fused together again, now having the strength to grab the attack by two of its ends and ripping it in half, destroying it.
"She moved with more intent and grace than everyone else. She may lack in power, but she'll likely be my toughest foe here. Even I have fought few at her level of skill. Maybe I should have brought Kalbur and Mald along instead of having them wait nearby…" Eclair gave Merodach pause.
He decided to try overpowering Eclair, thinking that he could possibly ignore Melty and her shadow long enough to accomplish that.
…
Fitoria and Motoyasu
…
Motoyasu dreaded every moment he rode in Fitoria's carriage. He waited for the beating he was going to receive with much fear. He couldn't tell how much of his stomach turning was from that fear and how much was from the motion sickness and feeling of being teleported.
"Naofumi decided that letting Fitoria punish me was enough that he didn't need to do so himself. I'm not a father, but… That'd only make sense if her punishment would outshine his punishment and leave the effort unnecessary… I'm so fucked…" Motoyasu thought to himself.
The trip felt far longer than it really was. Motoyasu held on to each second, hoping what came next wouldn't come. When the cart did come to a stop, he pretended not to notice.
"Exit my cart immediately." Fitoria ordered in a cold, but not angry tone.
Motoyasu scrambled for the door, not wanting to piss her off any further. When he opened the door, he saw where they were.
Fitoria's realm.
The well-worn look of an ancient city long dead, covered in nature to reach some serene compromise. It was calming, even to Motoyasu.
He stumbled out of the cart only to see it brightly change shape and take to Fitoria's back. There were so many things about this world that he didn't know. He couldn't tell if this act was as abnormal as Therese's gem magic or something fantastical only to him as someone from a world without magic.
"You will sit." She told him, pointing at a low wall.
He silently took the seat and prepared himself. To his surprise, she sat next to him.
She began by lecturing him. "The curse series is something you must never use. You-"
Motoyasu tried agreeing as fast as he could. "I know. I'm sorry. I-"
"Do. Not. Interrupt. Me." Fitoria spoke with the full breath of her authority.
"Eeeeh, sorry." Motoyasu shrank.
"Each time you use the curse series, your very will to resist it will crumble slightly. Eventually, you will lack the willpower to refrain from using it. From there, you will use your curse series at all times, destroying yourself in every sense of the word." She warned grimly.
Motoyasu said nothing. He considered what it'd be like to feel that way for more than a few minutes. Even worse, what he'd do to others in that time.
"The curse series is indeed strong, one of the strongest tools a hero has. I am aware that there are legitimate times where using it may be necessary in order not to die… So you must strengthen yourself. Strengthen yourself to the point that death is not approaching you, to the point that the curse series is unnecessary. Do you understand me?" Fitoria ordered.
"Y-Yes, Ma'am!" Motoyasu complied loudly.
Fitoria studied Motoyasu a bit before she spoke again. "With that out of the way, it's time to get to the reason you are here…"
Motoyasu braced himself.
…
The Parade
…
Ren's group should have lost the moment they clashed blades, but when Welt did so, Bakta, Tersia, and Farrie swung their weapons as well. Either they contested his strikes with their own unified strikes or they ran interference for one another. They lacked the strength of the others, having no outstanding talents, nor having the stats granted by Filo's class upgrade. They were falling over themselves trying to not die. They were poisoned quickly and began to be outpaced in a one versus four bout. Wyndia was performing slightly better than her party members would individually, but even less so than the four of them covering for each other. She wasn't given time to cast a single spell, leaving her formidable [Way of the Dragon's Vein] useless.
She'd have been taken down already, but Ren threw himself in front of her whenever she was about to be overwhelmed. Ren was already fighting one Merodach, a second one was not possible. He was quickly being covered in cuts of varying lengths and depths. Wyndia saw this and was finding herself increasingly upset that Ren's injuries were her fault. Ren and Wyndia shared a look at some point. Wyndia hated doing what his eyes said to do, but it was the only way to make progress. Ren fully engaged both, allowing Wyndia to retreat.
Merodach allowed this because he cared little about some random person. Killing the heroes was a priority. However, Wyndia only retreated enough to cast a spell.
[Dark Fire Palette]!
Wyndia launched a ball of pitch black at one of the copies fighting Ren, but he was more than quick enough to leap out of the way. If the spell shot in a straight line, it'd have been a complete miss, however-
[Zweite Magic Enchant X]!
Ren saw the attack was going to miss and decided to absorb it instead. This caused the attack to go wildly off course and strike the other copy's back, passing through him and reaching Ren's sword. The copy staggered forward from the unexpected blow with a dozen centipedes falling out of him charred black, lining Ren's next shot up well.
[Eagle Blade]!
Ren chose to use a skill that partially ignored defense, allowing him to slice through Merodach's hard carapace, allowing Wyndia's flame to run though his body for a second time.
"Aagh!" Merodach's copy cried out a moment before exploding into a swarm of small centipedes. Most were lifeless, a few used [Skitter] and went to the other copy's body, being absorbed by it.
Ren understood enough to conclude that the remaining one would be slightly stronger, but they would be able to capitalize on this momentum.
Itsuki was missing his attacks for possibly the first time in his life. Merodach's [Skitter] wasn't as fast as Filo could get, but it was instantaneously activated and left a ranged fighter like Itsuki with few options. The time it took his attacks to reach his enemy was too long. Had it not been for Rishia's new teacher engaging as well, Itsuki would not have a means of protecting Rishia. As Granny and Merodach exchanged blows, Itsuki felt woefully inadequate. He may have the highest stats out of the heroes currently, but he couldn't dream of moving like either of them.
Merodach could turn his arms and midsection into centipedes, allowing for more maneuverability than any human limb, yet Granny found a way to intercept and outperform her foe despite her stats and options being lower than her opponent's.
There were two copies against the three of them, but Itsuki hadn't done anything and he expected less than that from Rishia as she was. He came to the conclusion that he'd need to drastically change tactics if he was hoping to contribute.
Itsuki leapt into the air as high as he could and fired two skills back-to-back.
[Blank Arrow]!
[Eagle Shot]!
Both arrows shot off towards the copy he was fighting, but it simply smirked and partially transformed. It weaved past both arrows and went to retake his human form.
"Not so fast!" Itsuki yelled. [Blink Arrow]!
Itsuki turned his [Blank Arrow] into [Blink Arrow] before it struck the ground, allowing him to take Merodach's back. He then grabbed his [Eagle Shot] as it came to him using his accuracy ability and stabbed Merodach with the arrow.
"Bastard!?" The copy yelped. A few centipedes fell lifelessly to the ground.
The arrow pierced the carapace as he had hoped. Unfortunately, Itsuki was now too close and the enemy knew it.
Merodach turned his midsection into centipede joints and spun the top half around while swinging his naginata.
"You're dead!" The copy declared.
[Zweite Air Bubble]!
Rishia had seen what Itsuki was doing and had considered that it'd place him in danger. She had only a small window of time to choose a course of action. She decided on this spell because she could use it in a variety of ways, as she didn't need to choose a destination for the spell until the end of the casting.
An omnidirectional ball of outwardly pushing wind spawned beneath Merodach's foot. This caused him to lean backwards and have his spinning torso and blade travel harmlessly over Itsuki's head. He took his chance to strike again.
[Bunker Shot]!
He pressed his bow against the beast, just as he did with Glass and used the skill. The torso nearly split in two as quite a few centipedes burst from his body, all dead. That version of Merodach would have been sent flying, but he was caught by another copy, the one that had been fighting the old lady. They both attempted to rush Itsuki before he could recover.
Rishia hadn't the time to cast another spell, nor did Itsuki have the time to use a skill. He was so confident in his abilities that he compromised his position. Even with Rishia proving to be more of a help than he initially believed, it wasn't enough. He failed to consider that Rishia was still an asset because of her intelligence. He could have used her to put him off-balance as she did, while he shot at a distance. He was about to suffer for his arrogance, had Merodach not been even more arrogant.
"You believe me an opponent you can afford to turn your back to?" The old lady asked with offense clear in her tone.
[Hengen Muso Style Essence: Full Moon]!
The old lady kicked several times in circles, forming what appeared to resemble the full moon. After forming, it shot off towards the copy that abandoned its fight with her, striking both of them and exploding.
Itsuki had power, Rishia had intelligence, and the old lady had experience. The three together would make a great team. As long as the old lady could give Itsuki and Rishia the safety needed for them to come into their own.
Naofumi and Raphtalia fought as they always had, with Naofumi taking the lead and the two rotating positions constantly. While everyone else mostly fought the copies on their own to avoid the incredible teamwork they possessed. Naofumi's and Raphtalia's teamwork outperformed his own.
Every attack? Blocked. Every opening? Fake? Merodach would have lost already, but Raphtalia didn't have a hero's offensive capabilities.
"If only you had someone less pathetic as a sword, you'd have been in a position to actually win this little fight, hero." Merodach mocked, hoping to get a rise out of Raphtalia.
He wanted her to make a mistake, but insulting Raphtalia was his mistake.
"You hear that? He wants you to hit him harder." Naofumi said with a smirk as he began chanting.
"I am no hero, and I lack our children's natural gifts…, but you put a hand on Monti, so I'll be taking it!" Raphtalia threatened.
[Zweite Aura X]!
…
Fitoria and Motoyasu
…
"The reason I wanted to speak to you myself." Fitoria clarified.
"Because I nearly killed Filo." Motoyasu said aloud.
"Filo is… I hope she is my friend." Fitoria said in a surprisingly vulnerable manner.
Motoyasu sat up straighter and listened closely.
"I believed we were friends, but I may have ruined that chance… I too make mistakes." Fitoria surprised Motoyasu again with the manner she was speaking to him.
He remained silent.
"I hurt her brother, Monti. His mistake in making a wave can have dire consequences. It could hasten the end of this world or bring a new threat to us all. I'm not sorry for making him stop, but… I regret upsetting Filo as I did. Had I let her know my intentions fully, maybe it would have been fine. Like you, I might have ruined my chance of having a connection to someone else…, but Filo isn't what I wanted to talk to you about, nor the curse series."
"Then…?" Motoyasu was now clueless as to what she'd want to talk about. "Maybe L'arc and Therese invading?" He thought briefly.
"I wanted to talk to you about loneliness."
They both stayed quiet for a moment.
"You fell to the curse series because you were lonely. You befriended those invaders so quickly because you were lonely. Likely, many of the mistakes you made prior were due to either loneliness or the fear of becoming alone."
Motoyasu wouldn't disagree.
"I think I can understand those feelings better than anyone else…" Fitoria leaned against Motoyasu.
He stayed perfectly still.
"I've been lonely. For a long, long time." Fitoria's mask slipped. Not a bit, but completely.
"There doesn't exist a greater cause of pain, nor more inescapable a torture than loneliness." Fitoria breathed.
Motoyasu agreed completely.
"I have my flock, but they are my charge. The same with the world itself. They are not a friend to me but simply something I am responsible for… I cannot connect with others, no matter how much I want to. Perhaps I've been alone too long to remember how to." She narrated her thoughts aloud.
"I can't imagine. Naofumi made it sound like you've lived a supernaturally long life, yet… The idea of being alone for a year terrifies me to pieces." Motoyasu admitted.
"Of course it would. Because you lack something, something I am lucky enough to have. Or to have had." Fitoria said, correctly herself.
Motoyasu perked up.
"At one time, I had a true friend. Someone who I admired and loved. Someone I know cared just as much about me. They were the person who charged me with the protection of this world… I do not care for the world, nor do I care about the people in it anymore… But they loved the world. They loved and wanted to protect the people of this world. So for them, I will march on. Over the horizon of time. Forever. Doing as they begged me to."
Motoyasu couldn't keep quiet. "That's not fair! You shouldn't have to go through life like that! The world shouldn't have to come at the expense of your suffering! How can you possibly stand to keep doing this!? To keep… wanting to live… at all…?"
"Like I said, because I was important to someone and more importantly, they are important to me, even now."
Again, they allowed some silence.
"That's what I wanted to tell you about, Spear hero. You suffer from the same thing I do, but you lack at least one person for whom you can endure for. Naofumi has that. I've seen it myself. Like Naofumi and myself, if you have someone else, someone beyond yourself for whom you care for more than yourself. That is the means to battle away the fear you hold now."
Motoyasu went to respond. "I see what you're saying, but I don't have-"
"I realize you don't have that person now, but neither do I. I had them once and now they are gone. So… If I can hold on for a person I'll never meet again, can I ask you to hold on for someone you've yet to meet?" Fitoria nearly cried when saying that she'd never see her hero again.
Motoyasu wanted to say 'Yes'. He wanted to say whatever he needed to to stop Fitoria from looking so sad. He was so afraid of her before, but now all he had was pity. She deserved more than anyone else. He could see that.
But he wouldn't give her the answer she wanted just because she wanted it. Motoyasu was also genuinely excited by the idea. To have someone so close that he wouldn't be lonely, even after they're gone. If he could find someone like that, just one, he promised he'd fight as hard as Fitoria has all these many years.
"I will. I promise." He said, patting her head.
…
Back at The Parade
…
Back with the growing battle, Raphtalia was just boosted greatly by Naofumi's [Zweite Aura X]. The next exchange required both of Merodach's copies to match her blade to not be overtaken.
"What the fuck is this!?" Both yelled as they were thrown back.
Raphtalia and Naofumi did not pursue them. Oddly, they stood still, the shield masking most of their faces. Leaving the reeling copies to grow impatient and annoyed.
"Oh? You want to see a return hit? Fine!" Merodach's arm became a centipede with the first three joints spinning like a drill.
"300 RPM should be enough. Die!" [Endless Cycles: Layer 3]!
The attack looked strong, but it did nothing. It struck where they were supposed to be, but the image of them both faded away.
Raphtalia appeared and struck the copy Leon was fighting from behind with a new technique.
[Ying Yang Blade]!
Her sword flickered with a hint of black and white as the slash caused several centipedes to fall out, but they turned into two balls of energy, one light, one dark. With a slight gesture, they shot off, striking the two copies Teal was fighting. Naofumi became visible, with only his last words making sound.
[Zweite Aura X]!
He decided to buff Eclair, who immediately started rolling two copies of Merodach. They both had numerous centipedes falling out of them with each slash.
"What the hell? Magic in this world requires you to say words aloud to better shape the spell. Your hero skills also demand it. So how!?" The two Merodach copies that were looking for the pair demanded.
Telling them gave them no advantage, so Naofumi told him straight. "I have a skill that lets me use other skills quietly. Furthermore, I have a communication skill to speak with party members. So I can open up a communication with Raphtalia, then she can cast a spell by speaking it to me without anyone hearing it. It's an illusion combination move we came up with, [Silent Image]."
Merodach thought of how to counter that moving forward, but Naofumi piled on the pressure. He switched to the [Family Crest Shield I], granting Raphtalia and the kids a cloak of energy. They would push the enemy back with this final push.
Several of the copies transformed into full centipedes and began fighting more seriously. Their entire bodies could separate into floating heads to fire blasts or the joints could spin atop one another to form full body drills. This allowed for attacks from the sky and ground. One copy specifically targeted Raphtalia with a new attack.
[Marathon Punch]!
The centipede shot past her, striking at her with each passing limb. Fortunately, Naofumi simply used [Cover] to intercept the attack then used [Air Strike Shield] to knock it off course.
Merodach watched several centipedes fall from his body in confusion. Naofumi's [Hazard] wasn't that useful anymore, but it meant that Merodach's tactics of several weaker attacks instead of one large attack left him dealing significant damage to himself when facing Naofumi.
"Let's end this!" Naofumi rallied them all.
Everyone stopped considering their individual fights and fought together. Merodach's copies seemed to grow bored and went to merge together. They knew that'd be a pain, so Naofumi pulled out his ace card.
[Sunder]!
All of his defense became offense for the single attack, throwing the copies apart and damaging them all severely. A few of them straight out died from the skill. Naofumi and Raphtalia had changed the momentum of the fight too greatly for Merodach to win.
Back with Monti, though, the truth was different. Monti was holding the strongest one's arms apart. He felt like he was being crushed, but in truth, Merodach wasn't using everything he had. He was impressed by the heroes and others and admitted to himself that several of them were of exceptional talent, however-
"So, what will you do now?" He asked while several centipedes sprang out of his back.
The heads transformed into hands as they too prepared to make a wave. Monti tried wrapping his wings around them and stinging the rest, but there were more and more each second.
[Overdrive]!
Monti hoped the boost in physical abilities would be enough. If not, maybe the lightning would do enough damage. It wasn't enough. Monti had no choice. He reached for the replica, but was grappled completely by an endless stream of centipedes.
"Haha, see? You, none of you, had a chance. The only way to beat me is to not let me get strong enough to mimic a wave. Once I pass that threshold, the game is over. Observe!" Merodach mocked.
Something strange was happening, though. Merodach was about to open a fracture in reality and let more of himself enter, resulting in a complete victory. He couldn't lose.
"So why? Why are my animal instincts telling me to run like hell? I won… right?" Merodach thought in a panicked manner.
His answer came in the form of every centipede covering Monti and every limb on the strongest body being severed in several places. Each of the remaining copies were split in half and the main one looked down to see a hand through his chest.
"Wh-Who!?" Merodach managed to grunt.
"You were about to do what Monti did? And unlike him, you have no hero to defend your actions?" Fitoria asked.
She had arrived back in town with Motoyasu, deciding to take Naofumi's earlier words into account and arriving with less of a show. She saw the chaos and acted accordingly.
"Who the hell are you!?" Merodach was understandably confused.
Fitoria went to answer, but Monti called out. "Just kill him before he makes a wave!"
Monti calling for blood was very out of character, but he wasn't wrong. Fitoria widened the hole in Merodach's chest with wind magic as he split in two. The two halves grew still. Fitoria looked at Monti expectantly.
Before any sort of explanation could be given, laughter was heard. Merodach's.
"Well, this is quite the little wrinkle. I didn't expect a hero this strong to be walking around." Several of his bodies expunged dozens of dead centipedes and began to stand.
Fitoria kept her icy mask up completely. "You speak so casually for someone about to perish."
"Perish? I've died more than a hundred times in this little skirmish." He replied, handling one of his dead centipedes. "There is no end to me. That's what makes me 'The Parade'." He boasted.
"He's lying! He isn't able to split endlessly. It divides up his power. These dead centipedes… He doesn't actually have injuries, not because he has regeneration. He is splitting off weak versions of himself and passing the damage over to them. That's his way of subverting sustained damage." Teal revealed.
Merodach sarcastically whistled. "Nice deductions, egghead. You're mostly right, but fail to consider the waves. I'll have more of myself eventually. Plus the power I'll gain in this world. It'll take longer, but I can gain strength faster than any and all of you." Merodach explained.
Everyone grew quiet.
"Finally getting it? You can stall me, not beat me. And since I can outgrow you, you won't have the option to stall soon. Regardless of your attempts, I'll march on." His copies all began to laugh again.
They were all cut short by another sharp series of wind blades, courtesy of Fitoria. She slayed all but the one she was holding. She raised it slightly to speak to it.
"Thank you for letting me know that more of you exist out there. I guess I'll simply stomp you out entirely before you can spread. You speak so highly of your ability, but it's just that of a forest fire. I will simply extinguish it before it becomes a noteworthy issue." She said in an icy voice.
He grinned smugly at her. "Go ahead and try."
Fitoria crushed his head, finishing the matter. For now.
Everyone caught their breath. Motoyasu immediately went to Ren and Itsuki to get more information on what just happened. Raphtalia went to each of the kids to check on them, with Naofumi already picking up a dead centipede to create an antivenom for Keel. Fitoria stood still a moment before looking at Monti. This prompted everyone to start moving between them both. Fitoria just turned away and took a few steps.
A moment of relief was ruined by Monti himself.
"H-Hit me. Right now." He managed to say.
Teal coiled her vines around Monti's mouth. "One disaster at a time, please!" She shouted.
Monti wanted punishment, he demanded it. He had brought harm to the village and world he wanted to protect. It was his fault. He knew it. Fitoria knew it.
"And what does that solve?" Fitoria asked plainly.
"Wha-?" Naofumi was surprised.
"Do you think upsetting Filo is something I like doing?" Fitoria asked, just as plainly.
"Um, no, but-" Monti managed past Teal's vines.
"I harmed you so that you'd never do so again. You seem to remember it well enough, so there's no point. Punishing you for a mistake you won't make again serves no purpose… I do not like upsetting Filo, nor hurting you. I'd prefer things the same as you would. For me to not be your enemy…" Fitoria said, looking through the centipede corpses.
She picked one up, then spoke. "Heroes, absorb them immediately, my flock will consume the rest. Once they get a taste for him, they'll gladly track him down across the world for another meal." Fitoria ordered.
They all did so, but Naofumi noticed two things. One, he'd already absorbed these before, so he unlocked nothing. And 2, Fitoria was actually explaining her reasoning, not just barking orders. He then saw that Motoyasu was unharmed and was left wondering what exactly happened.
"...Naofumi, how long has this guy been a problem? Why didn't you tell us about him?" Itsuki asked.
"This is the first time I've dealt with the bastard, why?" Naofumi answered.
"But you're not absorbing any and… you already have [Tele-communication]." Itsuki inquired further.
"Yeah…? Wait. Did you guys just unlock [Tele-communication]?" Naofumi realized.
"We did. Itsuki, Naofumi unlocked it from absorbing his cellphone, if I remember his explanation clearly." Ren answered them both.
"Huh… Why didn't we think of that?" Itsuki asked aloud, slightly annoyed at himself for not thinking to try that.
Fitoria waited for the heroes to be done, then motioned for her flock to eat the rest. Filo snuck a few herself. While they ate, Fitoria spoke further.
"I will have my flock search for the little bug high and low. If they find a piece too large, they can manage until I get there. Nowhere is safe for him… Do not worry." Fitoria actually offered Monti a little piece of mind.
"That said, if my flock is divided doing such tasks, the waves will need to be addressed differently. A wave will occur in three days at two different locations. Originally, me and my flock were going to split up. Now?" She looked at the others for volunteers.
And she got them.
"Of course we will. And if you could help us reach the north afterwards, we'd appreciate it." Itsuki offered.
"More waves means more loot, and our companions can still gain levels during it." Ren nodded.
"I'll help you in any way I can." Motoyasu agreed.
Naofumi was the only one not jumping at the chance, but that was understandable.
"Then I will be taking you all with me. I've studied Naofumi's family. I'd like to observe the rest of you." Fitoria told them.
Soon after, they departed. Monti waited until they left to throw a tantrum for himself.
"Dammit!" Monti punched the ground, on his knees.
Monti never cursed and never acted violent, so this was noteworthy. Everyone wanted to say something, Melty even stepped forward, but couldn't find the words. They were all aware that Monti was his worst enemy at times.
"I can't rely on Fitoria. It's my screw up. And what if he can spread and grow faster than she can manage, I… I…" Monti thought to himself.
"Monti." Raphtalia said his name firmly.
He snapped out of it, looking up to his mother, seeing everyone looking at him with worry.
"Monti, this is just another issue in the long line of issues that is our lives. Just like everything else. It doesn't matter whose fault it was." Naofumi told him
Monti went to argue. "But I need to-"
"No. We." Raphtalia cut him short.
"..." He grew quiet.
"I get it, Monti. I really do. Blaming yourself gives you more power over the situation than seeing it as a series of events you have to deal with. But as strong as you are, Me, the other Heroes, and Fitoria are still stronger. The buck doesn't stop with you, it stops with us." Naofumi told him.
Monti was feeling better, then broke into confusion. "Buck? Passing deer?"
Naofumi made a face. "Why can't my stupid shield translate idioms?" Zap
After Filo went to check on Melty, she, Eclair and the rest spoke with everyone a bit and Monti stopped worrying on the surface. It was true that they dealt with a lot of him. Even better, they'd have antivenom specific to Merodach ready next time. They knew he was out there. Instead of worrying aloud, Monti had another mind working on it. Thinking of ways to deal with the problem he brought here. He hoped that Fitoria and the heroes could stop that thing, but something in his gut told him that he'd face 'The Parade' himself again. For now, he'd play it off as best he could. He didn't want to worry them all. They'd be heading to Siltvelt tomorrow. That'd be its own set of problems.
The family and Melty were aware it was a front. They knew Monti well enough to know he'd not simply drop it or leave it up to someone else, but if their words couldn't comfort him, they hadn't much else. They hoped that Fitoria could solve the problem for them. And if she couldn't, They'd need to prepare themselves for that.
.
[Author's Notes]
And the first fight with The Parade ends with Fitoria knocking over the chessboard. As she does.
Merodach fought basically everyone at the same time. Split up and still has more of himself out there. Do you think they could have beat all of him if he didn't threaten to use a wave?
What can Monti do to prepare for a fated round 2? How long will he stay gone and when will he come back?
What do you think of Fitoria's talk with Motoyasu? Were you disappointed that she didn't punish him? Do you think he'll find someone to help him?
Now the family will be heading to Siltvelt. I wonder what issues they'll deal with there. Because there are always issues.