• 322: The successor of ‘By the roots’

We are going slightly back in time.

Accurately speaking, to the time after I -Kuromiya Haine- had witnessed Sasae-chan turning into a God Hero.

Such a meta way of explaining things in terms of story is not really that desirable, but in order to make it easier to understand, I think it is better this way.

***

“Well well, she really has grown well.”

This was after the surprise of Sasae-chan becoming a God Hero and turning into an adult.

Finished confirming the power up of the God Hero form, Sasae-chan herself and her relatives were in the middle of giving a review at Sasae-chan’s sudden growth.

“Truly well grown. Sasae-chan, haven’t ya gotten bigger than me?” (Yoneko)

The one saying this was her cousin Yoneko-san.

She was holding the well-ripped bust of adult Sasae-chan as she fondles it.

“Yeah, I don’t really understand well-dasu. It be a truly unknown feeling-dasu yo.” (Sasae)

Sasae-chan gave that impression towards the feeling of having her own breasts fondled.

It can’t be helped. That incredibly flat plain had suddenly become two big mountains after all. It is as if your body had suddenly been placed something on it, so the feeling of incongruity that comes from it is certainly something that would perplex someone.

Even though Yoneko-san is by far the one with the biggest breasts from the current and previous heroes, Sasae-chan surpassed even that.

“Breasts bigger than mine; I have never seen that before, so it be natural that I be interested in it~. In my family they all be big, but adult Sasae-chan be a cut above the rest~.” (Yoneko)

“Mom, I also wanna fondle~!”

“Me too~!”

Yoneko-san’s children were also interested.

Sasae-chan suddenly grew after being given a part of Mantle.

This growth is not a natural one but a temporary one. However, if given time to grow normally, I wonder if she will end up having this figure?

If that’s the case…Sasae-chan has incredible potential as a woman as well.

“Ara…now that I think about it…” (Yoneko)

Yoneko-san stopped fondling Sasae-chan’s breast and had moved her attention to Sasae-chan’s beauty.

“W-What it be this time-dasu ka?” (Sasae)

“I felt like I saw the adult face of Sasae-chan before, but I remember now~.” (Yoneko)

Yoneko-san says.

“This Sasae-chan looks exactly like when Grandmother be young~.” (Yoneko)

“““Eh?”””

The one who reacted the most at this was the very person, the Earth Founder Oba-san.

She is the grandma of both Sasae-chan and Yoneko-san.

“Don’t say stupid things, Yoneko! There not be a single time in my life I have had a spaced-out face like this-sa ne!” (Oba-san)

“Aw aw aw….!” (Sasae)

The Oba-san objected more than expected, and the adult Sasae-chan got scared by the pressure of this.

“That ain’t true~. Well, I myself haven’t seen Sobo-chan in her active days, but I seen it once a long time ago. A portrait of when Sobo-chan was young.” (Yoneko)

“Wa?!”

“It be one that was decorating the art museum of Ishtar Blaze, but fer some mysterious reason, the next times I went there, I couldn’t find it anywhere. But I really remember it vividly. That’s why I can say fer sure that Sasae-chan resembles ya~.” (Yoneko)

“Ya, ya saw that?! Even though I immediately bursted into the place after I heard that they had brought it out!!” (Oba-san)

You did something like that, Oba-san?

On top of that, the Founder Oba-san makes a difficult expression as she faces me, and then gestures me to come.

“Hm? What is it?” (Haine)

She grabbed my collar and whispers to me.

“Keep it between us. It be true that this Sasae does resemble mah young self.” (Oba-san)

“Seriously?” (Haine)

“Seriously-sa ne. When I saw that first for the first time, I felt like I be looking at a mirror…… No, I been thinking that way since long before. I have 10 daughters and 84 granddaughters, but…” (Oba-san)

There’s so many?

Is this the breeding power of Ishtar Blaze?!

“The one who resembles me the most be Sasae-sa ne.” (Oba-san)

Hearing this from the person herself, I for some reason had shivers run down my spine.

The Oba-san was known in the past as the earth hero, ‘Taker by the roots’. She is the hero seven generations ago and the accomplishments she has gotten are the very definition of legendary.

The number of monsters she has cut down in her active days were the highest and her military records were also the highest of any. Even within the conflicts between humans, she would rampage without showing any mercy, and I heard that she has made the blood of the heroes of other churches in her generation rain.

She was the one who had been the longest time active from the heroes. Normally, a hero retires around the age of 20, and yet, she continued being a hero even when she was 20, and even when she had married and was pregnant, she continued being a hero, and then, she finally retired after her daughter had grown to the point where she could succeed her as a hero.

After that, all the earth heroes have been her daughters or granddaughters.

The legend among legends within the earth heroes among that had overwhelming influence even in posterity -that is ‘Taker by the roots’.

“You are saying Sasae-chan resembles you?” (Haine)

“Yeah. Now that I think about it, I was also absent-minded when I be young. People normally made fun of me. But when I think about it now, it be exactly because I be absent-minded that I didn’t have anything obstructing my sight and was able to persistently chase after what I could see. I think I was that kind of child.” (Oba-san)

That’s exactly how the current Sasae-chan is.

Are you saying that the Oba-san overcame this and became a hero that cuts down everything?

“That be why I thought this when I saw Sasae: ‘This one has talent’. That there be no doubt she would become as strong as me when I be on my peak. But I thought that would be a lot further in the future. And yet, she suddenly grew into such a beauty!” (Oba-san)

Moreover, when she was in her active days, she had created a grand legend for herself with her big scythe. And yet, Sasae-chan not only has a scythe but also her Golem. She has trained to utilize both the Golem and the scythe freely.

She possesses talent rivalling that of the previous legend and has been loved by Golems since she was born.

If that disposition has bloomed at once thanks to becoming a God Hero…!

“Mugh?!” (Yoneko)

The abnormality had already started.

Hearing something that sounded like a scream from Yoneko-san, the Oba-san and I stopped our conversation and hurriedly turn around.

There, we saw a scene we couldn’t understand.

Sasae-chan had stolen a kiss of Yoneko-san?!

“What are you doing?!”

It must have been by force.

Yoneko-san was hugged tightly and their lips were pressed together; it looked like a snake that had coiled around its prey and was about to swallow it.

But after Sasae-chan thoroughly licked the tongue and lips of Yoneko-san, she threw her away as if she had grown tired of eating her.

“To think I would allow my lips to be stolen by someone other than my husband…” (Yoneko)

“Mom~!”

“Get a hold of yerself, Mom~!”

Yoneko-san was collapsed and the children run to her.

“What are ye doing Sasae?! Are you shameless?!” (Oba-san)

The Oba-san was also incredibly confused.

But there was further confusion coming.

“I-I don’t understand either-dasu… But…but…!!” (Sasae)

The adult Sasae-chan looks at her own hand clenching her scythe.

That fist was trembling as if she couldn’t hold back her overflowing strength.

“This strength, this divine power, I can’t hold it back-dasu! If I don’t release it soon, I feel like I might go crazy-dasu~~!!” (Sasae)

“Sasae?!” (Oba-san)

The divine power Sasae-chan was releasing was similar to a gale.

Then, she turned her head at a certain direction.

“I can feel it-dasu. Our enemy be at that direction-dasu… I will go out for a bit, cut ‘em to small pieces, and spread ‘em into the fields-dasu!” (Sasae)

Is the gibberish she said as she ran off!!

What in the world was that?!

“Nii-chan, please go after her!” (Oba-san)

This is the first time I have heard such a desperate voice from her.

“I have ta look after the collapsed Yoneko! I leave Sasae-chan to ya!!” (Oba-san)

“Ah geez, got it! I will go!! [Dark Matter, Set]” (Haine)

I release dark matter from my legs and, with the repulsion effect, I fly high and chase after Sasae-chan.

Why do the earth element people go towards directions that you don’t plan them to!

• 323: Ballad

And so, I chase after Sasae-chan but…

“I have already lost sight of her!” (Haine)

Sasae-chan was running so fast, just a single mistake allowed her to disappear as if she were mist.

Earth divine power doesn’t have anything flashy to boost their moving speed like the fire and wind, so is this pure leg strength here?

Did her muscle strength get boosted to abnormal levels after becoming a God Hero?

This is the first time I see a God Hero myself, so I don’t have anyone to compare it to but, isn’t the power-up way too overblown?

I am steadily getting more worried.

The grouping was that Mantle and Sasae-chan after all.

That’s why losing sight of her hurts and I have to find her as soon as possible, but the place I arrived at after chasing after her is a forest that’s pretty far away from Ishtar Blaze. The field of vision is bad and that makes it even harder to find.

I was about to give up when…I felt a different presence from deep in the forest.

“?!”

Moreover, it is quite the sinister presence.

Since it would be difficult to find Sasae-chan in these circumstances, I decided on giving up on it for now and check for what the presence is about.

***

“Uriel?!”

And so, when I follow the presence, the one I encountered was the tree human. One of the very problems that humans are facing.

Why is he here?

“Oh? I finally began acting and the first one I encounter is you. I really have no luck. Or maybe this is a trial?” (Uriel)

The Demon Lord, whose whole body was deep black like an old tree, showed caution as he clearly showed his pride.

“In order for us monsters to rule this world, you are a trial we have to overcome.” (Uriel)

“You…why are you here?” (Haine)

A Demon Lord is not the kind of monster you coincidentally encounter on a walk.

In that case, there’s no doubt this guy is here for some reason.

“…Kuromiya Haine. The bark you forced me to tear off had finally regenerated, you see. How is it, this nice black. Looks like a tree that has surpassed the thousand years, right? It was pretty difficult to get this quality, you know. I ended up taking a decent amount of time.” (Uriel)

Is what Uriel says as he shows off his bark as if he were bragging about his fashion.

I don’t really understand this attachment he has.

“My new attire has been finished and I had finally decided on acting to eradicate the humans. I was thinking about destroying the city that’s not far from here.” (Uriel)

?!

Is he talking about Ishtar Blaze?!

“Michael went to the Fire capital and Gabriel went to the Water capital, so I thought I should also attack a place related to earth… Michael and Gabriel were influenced by mere humans and have been contaminated. In order to mend that shame, I must fulfill my duty as a Demon Lord.” (Uriel)

The fruit-like eyes of Uriel had inhuman light shining in them.

“The Demon Lords were contaminated? What do you mean by that?” (Haine)

“It means that they have gotten all friendly with them. Hmph, how disgusting. Raphael is already a mess, so the only decent Demon Lord left is I, Uriel. The important task that the Great Demon Lord Lucifer-sama has left us, I will be accomplishing it on my own.” (Uriel)

Whichever the case, it means that he is burning with hostility.

No matter if he is an invincible Demon Lord, they can’t match the incarnation of the Dark God. That’s something they should know already after the battle in Rudras Metropolis.

“You already know you can’t defeat me, and yet, you show no hesitation. Is that conceitedness? Or is your pride supporting you here?” (Haine)

“Pride? I see, right! In order to continue being the Lord of monsters, I can’t allow myself to turn tail from the same enemy twice! I will defeat you on the name of this Earth Demon Lord, Uriel!” (Uriel)

And of course, I can’t allow Uriel to pass me and have him arrive at Ishtar Blaze.

In order to not let a single human be hurt, I have to destroy Uriel right here!

“Now!” (Uriel)

“Begin!!” (Haine)

Right in the moment Uriel’s earth power and my dark power were about to clash…

*Swish

The sound of something being severed was heard.

“Hm?” “Eh?”

The both of us let out a dumbfounded voice.

And then, something unbelievable happened at our surroundings.

We were currently inside a thick forest. That’s why there’s several tens of trees at our close vicinity, but those trees were cut down all at once.

““Eeeeeh?!””

What in the world?!

The trees fall and make a thunderous sound, moreover, several of them fell at the same time, so it increased the intensity even more.

Because the trees were now gone, the field of vision was cleared up at once.

“W-What?! This grove of trees were cut down by a single swing?!” (Uriel)

“Uriel! Uriel!! You are also cut!! Like, really cleanly!!” (Haine)

“Eh? —Ah! You are right!!” (Uriel)

Uriel was also a victim of the tree cutting. He had been cut from around his waist.

“…Hm?”

Now that I look properly, my clothes were cut around the stomach?!

Uo! That was close! This was definitely the work of what cut down the trees and Uriel!

This slash that had a scary range had severed several trees along with Uriel, and even I was caught extremely close to that range.

“Uo! Dangerous!” (Haine)

If I had been one step closer, I would have been one of the victims as well and my innards would be spilling out. It would have turned into gore!

“What?! What happened?!” (Uriel)

Several branch-like things grew out from the cut and he soon reconnected the cut area.

It was as if nothing happened. I see, so this is a trait of the Demon Lords huh.

“Leaving that aside…” (Haine)

Uriel was completely cut in half and I was cut slightly in my stomach.

When seeing it from this point of view, it should have been an attack from behind Uriel.

“Kukukuku… Finally found ya-dasu yo.”

A terrifying laugh resounded. The one who appeared was…

“To think I ended up passing mah target from excess of momentum-dasu. Because of that, it took unnecessary amount of time to return-dasu.”

A fascinating princess in swung stance with a scythe.

Earth God Hero, Sasae-chan!!

• 324: Charm of severing

Demon Lord and God Hero; the two that should meet in battle have gathered in one place.

Now that I think about it, Sasae-chan did say ‘there’s an enemy’ when she left.

In other words, she had caught the presence of someone this faraway even when she was in the earth capital?

It is hard to believe, but that’s exactly why she is here.

Sasae-chan had appeared at the back of Uriel, so he turned around.

“Attacking me from the back. What a low move… But a strong divine power enough to cut me in tw—?!” (Uriel)

It seems Uriel noticed something, he cut his words.

“I see. It is the so called God Hero, right? I know that this had given a lot of trouble to Michael. Meaning, those fangs have appeared in the Earth domain as well huh.” (Uriel)

“…”

Sasae-chan didn’t answer.

She simply repositioned with her earth scythe and showed that she had fighting spirit.

“Fine! I will first finish you off in front of Kuromiya Haine! No matter what kind of method you employ, I will teach you that there are boundaries between humans and demons you can’t overcome!” (Uriel)

As he informs his will to fight, Uriel raises his finger and says.

“Rot and return to the earth!” (Uriel)

And then, he turns to where I am and looks at me with a cocky face.

Eh? What?

“In order to show my strength as a Demon Lord, I heard that there’s the need for a ‘catch phrase’, you see. And so, I have thought about it! How is it? Isn’t it cool?” (Uriel)

Ah…

He is the Earth Demon Lord, so ‘Return to the earth’ huh.

…I would say decent.

“Now then, since we are done with the introduction, let’s finish the opening performance and then have the main battle with Kuromiya Hain—Uhya?!” (Uriel)

Sasae-chan had attacked him as if he were doing nothing, and Uriel’s body was once again cut in two.

If it weren’t for the fact that he is a Demon Lord that can recover any damage in a moment, those attacks would have ended the battle instantly.

“This woman! Did you not hear my catch phrase?!” (Uriel)

Obviously, Uriel had already recovered from the cut.

“Fine. People that don’t answer etiquette, I will crush them immediately!!” (Uriel)

Uriel acknowledges Sasae-chan as an enemy and holds up both hands, and from the surface of those bark arms, a liquid of high viscosity came out.

I thought it was some sort of lacquer, but when it fell to the ground and became a lump, I remembered where I saw it!

“That’s a slime!” (Haine)

The earth element monster that intruded in the heroes match!

“Analyzing your attacks, I judge that your specialty is cutting down with that scythe of yours! It doesn’t matter how many times you try to cut it, there’s no point! Moreover, this guy can melt anything it touches!!” (Uriel)

It is true that this could be considered the natural enemy of the slashing attacks of Sasae-chan.

The menace of the slime was something that we had experienced plenty in the heroes match. The size itself is a lot smaller than that time, but it is still big enough to swallow the adult Sasae-chan whole.

“Now then, melt into nothingness!” (Uriel)

I wonder if I should participate in this as well.

From how things flowed, it is a one on one between Sasae-chan and Uriel, but I should crush the Demon Lords for the sake of humanity.

But I am scared that Sasae-chan unknowingly touches that liquid.

I decided on watching for a timing to enter while using Uriel as a sacrifice to see what the God Hero Sasae-chan can do!

The slime tried to swallow Sasae-chan, but…

*Hyun *Hyun

The earth scythe was swung, creating heavy and sharp sounds.

“Wa?” “Huh?”

Uriel and I could only let out our surprise.

In the blink of an eye, she must have cut several hundreds of times. The slime had turned into small pieces and sprayed to the ground.

Even if it is a liquid slime, there’s no way it can return to normal.

It had been cut into such small pieces that it was dispersed by the wind of the forest and didn’t return anymore.

“Wa…! What? What?!” (Uriel)

Even Uriel was confused by this and unconsciously retreated a step back.

The Demon Lord that could stun the heroes with a single glare was being overwhelmed by the hero now!

“…Not enough-dasu.” (Sasae)

“Eh?”

“I haven’t cut enough. It didn’t provide much resistance-dasu. Bring something that gives a better response when being cut. I want to cut a lot-dasuuuu!!” (Sasae)

When she finished speaking, she was already in close range to Uriel.

Uriel and I were unable to catch the moment she moved her feet.

*Slash

The body of Uriel had once again been severed.

“Fool! No matter how many times you cut, my body will regenera—!” (Uriel)

*Slash *Slash *Slash *Slash *Slash *Slash *Slash

Even when spoke to, Sasae-chan’s arms didn’t stop.

The body of a Demon Lord must be hard. It didn’t go like the time with the slime, but even so, the scythe had sliced through the body of Uriel several tens of times.

“Eh? Wait, wait!!” (Uriel)

“Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu!!” (Sasae)

What is Sasae-chan thinking when cutting? In defeating the Demon Lord and protecting the peace of the world? I feel like that’s not the case.

Sasae-chan is currently cutting for the sole purpose of cutting.

Is she feeling pleasure from cutting?

“Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu!!” (Sasae)

“No, no~~!!” (Uriel)

No matter how many times he was cut into pieces, the regeneration of the Demon Lord surpassed it.

But for the God Hero Sasae-chan, this is most likely something she desired. A toy that no matter how many times you cut, it won’t get broken is right in front of her after all.

“This woman…is not looking at me as an enemy. No, she isn’t even looking at me as a living being!” (Uriel)

Uriel, even when being continuously cut, he looked at the eyes of his opponent and noticed.

What those eyes were reflecting were simply the cut down fragments.

“She is only looking at me as something to cut!” (Uriel)

“Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu. Cut-dasu!” (Sasae)

“Uwa! Uwa hyaaaaa!!” (Uriel)

The Demon Lord let out a scream.

It was truly a scream of fear.

Something he can’t understand, something that threatens him, something that rejects his very being; people hold fear to those kind of things, and Sasae-chan was currently the very personification of all that in Uriel’s eyes.

“Waaaa!!” (Uriel)

Uriel uses the most earth divine power he could bring out to push Sasae-chan away.

The moment he created distance in that way, he began running at the opposite direction of his opponent.

He ran away.

The Demon Lord Uriel is running away from Sasae-chan.

“Ah, wait-dasu!” (Sasae)

As if she wouldn’t let her long-desired toy escape, she jumped after him and swings her scythe.

This cuts the knees of Uriel, but Uriel didn’t care and continued escaping.

He left the part that would return to normal if he were to stick it together.

“No! Save me! Save me~~~!!” (Uriel)

“Wait-dasu! Let me cut ya more-dasu~~~!!” (Sasae)

Sasae-chan chases after the escaping Uriel.

And so, just like that, the two had gone far away to the point that they had become specks.

“…”

Wait, this isn’t the time to be spacing out!

I have to chase after them. I can’t let that Sasae-chan alone.

I return to Ishtar Blaze once and ride my flying machine, and immediately fly to the direction the two ran to.

Things have turned south.

A God Hero is a power-up after receiving a part of a God.

But this abnormal strengthening of Sasae-chan, there’s no way Sasae-chan would be this maddened even if she were to receive a part of a God.

All of it.

Mantle had poured everything of her into Sasae-chan!

Damn it, that Mother Earth, can’t she learn moderation?!