Volume 10 Chapter 16 Dantalion
Dantalion was moving to one of his multiple bases, thinking about the future.
"It's really terrible, isn't it? The Collapse that spread from the First Residential District has already invaded almost half of the Second Residential District."
As he walked, he thought about how the originally run-down houses had become nothing but rubble.
Who could have done this? Slums don't even have anything worth taking, and it's not like anyone would bother to take anything from people who have already lost everything.
"It's sad, isn't it? I wish I could've saved more people, but first, I need to take care of myself. I need to ensure the safety of the young ladies I've taken in."
Dantalion thought about the two young ladies he had met.
At first, he had thought that the kidnappings of people on the streets were the work of the Demon King's army. Dantalion had been living in hardship, relying on the Demon King's army's mercy and self-restraint.
However, when he opened his eyes to the truth, it was different. There was no sign of the Demon King's army behind the young ladies who could control ice.
So, the story changed.
The demons on the streets had given up, unable to do anything but feel sorrow. They were pitiful people. It was unbearable to think that someone would toy with them half-heartedly.
"Everyone, you can still be happy from now on. If you don't have the power, then let's combine our strength. With our combined strength, we can grasp happiness. We can't just toy with people half-heartedly."
Dantalion, driven by his sense of justice, took action.
It was an old, abandoned carriage, like a horse-drawn carriage without horses. In the slums, it was often used as a temporary shelter for demons who had nowhere to sleep.
This was one of the hidden passageways that connected to one of Dantalion's bases.
Dantalion was not skilled in direct combat. He wasn't weak, but he was much stronger when he used his Hounds.
That's why he had many hidden hideouts, and one of them was this carriage, which was connected to a passageway that was safe from earthquakes and poisonous fog.
Dantalion opened the door and boarded the carriage, then descended underground through a hidden door beneath the chair. As he did, a staircase appeared, and further down, a labyrinthine path unfolded.
The labyrinth created by sorcery would trap anyone who didn't know the path, forcing them to wander for life. And that sorcery was Dantalion's. The complex, eerie labyrinth was under Dantalion's control.
Therefore, Dantalion theoretically had a perfectly safe hideout.
"Ah, I've finally arrived."
After navigating the labyrinth and climbing the stairs, Dantalion arrived at the entrance of his mansion.
At that point, the labyrinth had already changed its form. Even if someone were to tail Dantalion, the path information would become meaningless in a matter of seconds.
So Dantalion let out a sigh of relief as he entered the mansion. Then, in the grand hall, he was greeted by the Hounds――monstrous creatures with strange forms――who welcomed him with full-faced smiles.
'*△〇■×〇■×*〇■×△〇■×!'
'△〇■×*△〇■×〇■■××*〇!'
'■×〇■×*△〇*×■×*△〇■*〇'
"Is that so, is that so. Astrid, Eric, Frieda. The earthquake was scary, wasn't it? But it's good that nothing happened to the mansion."
Dantalion affectionately stroked the Hounds, and they returned his affection with innocent, dog-like love.
Dantalion loved all of the Hounds.
The Hounds were all precious family members to Dantalion. As Dantalion poured love into them, they also returned love to him.
After playing with them for a while, Dantalion announced.
"For now, let's have dinner. The people we protected on the roadside are still in the warehouse. We can eat a lot today."
'△〇■×*△〇■×〇■■××*〇!'
'*△〇■×〇■×*〇■×△〇■×'
"That's right, Gunner, Eva. I'm looking forward to dinner."
As the Hounds cheerfully teased Dantalion, he couldn't help but smile.
At that moment, a Hound took off running.
'■×〇■×*△〇*×■×*△〇■*〇!'
'■×〇■×*△〇*×■×*△〇■*〇'
Multiple bodies moved swiftly, their claws swiping towards Dantalion's back. Then, a small, bird-like cry of "Pee!" echoed.
"...What's going on? Ragnar, Sieg, Ried."
Hounds picked up the fallen creature with his mouth and presented it to Dantalion.
It was like an ice bird. Its transparent, icy body reminded Hounds of those young ladies.
"...A small bird. I see, they caught me."
Dantalion's difficult expression said "You can eat it" and Hounds crushed the ice bird with a crunch.
'*△〇■×〇■×*〇■×△〇■×'
"Toby, it's delicious and refreshing. Good, isn't it? That means...they've reached the mansion, having navigated through the labyrinth."
In that case, the young ladies must have already started tackling the labyrinth.
Dantalion evaluated, "They're more capable than I thought."
Initially, he knew they had the magical power to mobilize that many soldiers, but he didn't expect them to tail them while escaping.
Anyway...
"If they're infiltrating the labyrinth, that's a chance. Let's take advantage of it here."
The labyrinth was under Dantalion's control. If her ice soldiers and Hounds clashed, the difference in military power and terrain would greatly favor them.
And if the ice soldiers were defeated, their master's magical power would also dwindle. Without magic, they'd be powerless young ladies. Then, it would be easy to invite them to surrender.
"There are 2 things we need to do."
From the shadows, a large number of Hounds emerged. They lined up neatly in the grand hall, before Dantalion.
All of them were connected to Dantalion, serving as both attack tools and eyes and ears. With their thinking abilities, they had already grasped Dantalion's intentions.
Dantalion spoke gently to them.
"You all understand the situation, right? Half of you will join the team that's already searching for the young ladies and taking down the enemy forces. The other half will focus on clearing out the ice soldiers that are spread out in the labyrinth."
"Deploy!" Dantalion exclaimed, and the Hounds rushed out ahead.
The young ladies they found earlier in the abandoned house's attic had quickly escaped and hidden, so Dantalion assumed they were still lurking nearby.
Even if they tried to fly away, the flying-type Hounds would detect them. And if they tried to run, the ground-type Hounds would catch them.
So, with a high probability, the young ladies were hiding nearby. Their only option was to directly defeat Dantalion and take advantage of the Hounds' confusion after losing their leader.
And that's exactly what Dantalion planned to do.
Dantalion integrated the various information sent by the Hounds and replaced it with the information inside the labyrinth.
A small, complete image of the labyrinth floated in his mind. The Hounds' movements were reflected on the palm-sized labyrinth, showing everything within his field of vision.
Looking at it, Dantalion realized something.
"―――Ah, so that's how it is."
The ice soldiers were being easily discovered and defeated by the Hounds throughout the labyrinth. Among them, the Hounds caught sight of a silhouette that wasn't an ice soldier.
In other words, the figures of 2 young ladies.
The main enemy, the master of the ice soldiers, had directly invaded the labyrinth.
"I see. So, if they're inferior in individual strength, they can fight with a system of gradual reinforcements, is that it? That's quite impressive courage."
And it was actually effective. While the Hounds could win one-on-one battles, they would lose if it became 2-on-one or 3-on-one.
The young ladies who encountered the Hounds immediately added more ice soldiers and advanced without taking any damage. They seemed to be planning to break through the labyrinth and somehow reach Dantalion.
"Probably, they thought that the Hounds and I weren't connected in terms of awareness. The Hounds have a limited number. Even if they can't break through the labyrinth, if they can annihilate us without taking any damage, that's also a kind of victory."
What a strategy. A top-notch strategist with both courage and wisdom.
But in reality, Dantalion had grasped the information about Hounds, but if not, they would have been caught off guard and infiltrated without even realizing it. If that happened, the outcome would have been uncertain.
Dantalion thought, "If they're strategist of that caliber, it's only proper to face them head-on with all my might."
With a gentle smile, Dantalion muttered as he closed the palm labyrinth once.
"Young ladies, I'll show you my respect. And when I defeat you, I'll teach you what love and happiness truly are."
Dantalion stepped back into the labyrinth, his footsteps echoing as he descended the stone stairs.
"I'll ask the instructor to teach you that demon's dance is enjoyable and fun. If that's the case, we'll surely get along."
As he said that, Dantalion's foot stomped the ground of the labyrinth. From his shadow, Hounds emerged.
"By using myself as a deployment point for soldiers, I can gain a local advantage in military power... That's the strategy I'm good at."
Once again, Dantalion floated the labyrinth above his hand. Then, he touched the palm labyrinth with his hand and quickly moved the walls.
As a result, the real labyrinth's shape also began to change. The walls moved, crushing several ice soldiers in the process, and transformed into the shape Dantalion desired.
And then, Dantalion stood before the two young ladies.
"...?"
The young lady with pure white hair that reached her waist widened her eyes in surprise at Dantalion's appearance. Dantalion simply smiled kindly at her.
Behind Dantalion, the stone stairs descended. The labyrinth had already transformed into a circular space, with an equal number of Hounds and ice soldiers lined up in front of each other.
"Wow~! Ice-sama, this is crazy~! You said we could win if we directly invaded and challenged them 2-on-one, but if they use the same strategy, we'll lose~!"
"Rollo-chan, be quiet..."
By looking at their attitude, it seems that the white young lady is the master of the ice soldiers, and the smaller one is more like a companion. The white young lady looks flustered, her eyes wide open as she tries to think of a way to break the situation.
"Beautiful."
Dantalion let out an unintentional sigh. The white young lady's air of confusion grew stronger.
"Young lady, I can sense a strong life force from you. Even in this frozen wasteland, your vitality shines brightly, unwavering. That's truly beautiful, wonderful."
"What are you talking about...?"
"I love the vitality of life. A strong and resilient life is wonderful. It's only by living that everything begins."
"...?"
The young ladies looked at Dantalion with confusion still. Dantalion didn't mind, and instead said with a shrug.
"That's why it's pitiful to see someone who's lost their will to live and is on the verge of collapse."
Do you understand? Dantalion asked, petting the nearby Hounds. The Hounds wagged their tails, their arms flailing excitedly.
"Life is only once. If you die and come back to life like a demon, you'll lose the brilliance of life."
"...But this is Nilfheim, isn't it? The underworld, hell..."
"That's right. Since it's hell, you could say that you're not living."
However, with strong determination, Dantalion gazed at the white young lady.
"But that's exactly why life, which only happens once, has value."
The white young lady looked back at Dantalion with a pale face. Dantalion didn't stop.
"To know love, to live a happy life once, I think that's possible even in hell. No matter what form it takes, it's pitiful to be worn down by pain and suffering and become a pillar of salt."
Do you understand? Dantalion appealed.
"Even in the depths of hell, in this slum, it's possible to live happily. I'm only helping with that. Using people like you is not something I condone. That's why..."
Dantalion raised his hand. The Hounds simultaneously took a battle stance.
"Young lady. I'll take you down to show you how my activities bring happiness and to protest against you."
―――Go, Hounds, Go!
As Dantalion's command was given, the Hounds all jumped out at once.
The white young lady quickly ordered, "Intercept!" and moved her ice soldiers. However, the difference in power between the Hounds and the ice soldiers still led to the same outcome.
The Hounds appeared in equal numbers to the ice soldiers, maintaining a one-on-one fight as much as possible. That meant the ice soldiers were decreasing one-sidedly.
Even if the Hounds took some damage, Dantalion would immediately recover them with sorcery. So, the difference in military power, which wasn't even 2-fold, was overturned by Dantalion's strategic advantage.
The time it took was only a few minutes. With that, the Hounds had suppressed the young ladies.
"U, gu..."
"A, Ice-sama~... This, this is seriously bad~...? Rollo doesn't want to become a monster like this~...?"
Victory. Dantalion had the Hounds suppress the young ladies, then stepped back. After that, he walked up to their side.
"First, let me offer my praise. You all showed remarkable bravery in fighting against me. I want to sincerely commend you for that. You turned a desperate battle into one with a glimmer of hope."
As Dantalion clapped his hands, the Hounds followed suit, not knowing what was going on. The sound of applause and its echoes resonated through the labyrinthine space.
"And, as a new family, I'd like to express my welcome. Please tell me your names. When you became Hounds, I'd like to call you by those names. Names are etched into one's soul, after all."
When Dantalion called out, the small young lady remained silent, her mouth shut tight. On the other hand, the white young lady muttered something, still looking down.
"...―――."
"Ah, I'm sorry. Could you please speak a bit louder?"
Dantalion leaned in to listen.
The white young lady spoke.
"Detonate, now."
At the same time, the labyrinth was filled with explosive flames.
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