Chapter 463: The Prelude to a Counterattack (1)  

This is the first time Flauros has been hit.

Black Tongue. Considered the most dangerous man in Nouvelle Vague, he was the one who stabbed Flauros in the back.

...However.

Black Tongue's appearance was quite different from the one Vikir remembered.

For one thing, it was much shorter and more petite.

His eyes, which had been clouded with flavor, now glowed with a straightforward firearm.

The black veins that covered his body like armor were the same as before, but the form was unmistakably female.

Kirko. Captain Kirko Grimm was standing there, staring at Vikir.

...peoeog!

Then, the magic sword Asmodeus was pulled out of Flauros's back.

The entire hilt of the sword was greatly expanded from the amount of blood it had already absorbed.

[What kind of nonsense...!?]

The moment an enraged Flauros turns his head with red death in his mouth, a green substance is seen covering his vision.

cheolpeog!

Not only does the poison spew out from Flauros' mouth, but it is also a liquid monster that completely covers the entire body.

The dense body of Flubber stretched out from Kirko's back and engulfed Flauros.

Tsutsutsutsutsuts...

The red death spirit that Flauros was emitting was absorbed by the Flubber.

Seeing this, Vikir opened his mouth.

"...you."

Kirko. She had surely seen the last of the Nouvelle Vague.

But now she was here, on the ground, in front of Vikir's eyes.

With BDISSEM chains, Asmodeus the Magic Sword, and even Flubber!

Then, Kirko's lips moved in a small smile.

"...It was you, wasn't it? You saved my life."

"...."

Vikir didn't exactly deny it.

He had done one thing to save Kirko's life just before they escaped Nouvelle Vague.

It was something he had arranged during the elimination of BDISSEM just before the escape.

'Please let me live... I'll do anything.'

'Normally, it's faster to just kill you.'

'Hic!'

'...But there's one more thing I want. If you do it right, I might have a way to save your life.'

'What, what is it? What is that?'

'I want two things. First, the original purpose. And the second...'

Vikir, who had used BDISSEM to orchestrate a massive prison break, had last seen to Kirko's safety.

'If you wait outside the window of the fifth floor kennel, a person will come out. You must bring that person back to the ground alive. This person's name is Kirko Grimm, rank is Captain, and gender is female.'

This is because, If she survived, she could make a great contribution to the Human Alliance in the future.

And Vikir's actions would eventually lead to Kirko's current placement on the surface.

Someone who, according to fate, should have been dead by this point.

"...Why did you become 'Black Tongue'?" Vikir asked, and Kirko gave a very brief explanation.

"When the Nouvelle Vague collapsed and I was being swept away by the sea, I heard a voice calling to me."

It was the shard of a sword that was on its way to sinking into the depths of the sea.

It was the voice of Asmodeus, broken into nine pieces.

Faintly but clearly audible, the sword's call was of an indescribable nature.

Asmodeus. A sword that, along with Beelzebub, belongs to the Seven Demon Swords.

It was broken into nine pieces by Vikir and sunk to the depths of the ocean.

As it should have been, no one should have found it for all eternity.

... But the sword spoke up and found a new owner.

What it wanted was clear.

It wanted blood, and to get it, it needed a symbiotic host.

Kirko, who was destined to die from being crushed by the heavy water pressure in the cold sea water, unconsciously accepted the sword's offer.

And fate took a turn for the worse.

Chosen by the sword, Kirko was given the superhuman body of a vampire, just as Black Tongue had once been.

A body that could withstand the terrible pressure of the deep. The mobility to move even after holding her breath for days.

At that time, she was rescued by BDISSEM and brought to the surface, along with several other guards who were also being swept away by the tide.

It's no surprise that most of the guards saved by Kirko bowed before her power.

Kirko glanced back at Flubber, who was crawling up her shoulder.

"I rescued this one along there, too. I think it's because it has a strong attachment to the place called Nouvelle Vague."

For some reason, Flubber hadn't left Nouvelle Vague until now.

Its strong attachment and obsession with the place is documented in ancient texts.

Kirko's decision to stay and share her last moments with Nouvelle Vague despite its collapse must have impressed the liquid creature greatly.

As a result, Flubber stays by Kirko's side, acting very friendly.

As for Kirko, its body's acidic ability is not particularly evident, so it appears that she can control it.

Vikir looked at Kirko and thought for a moment.

'So much talent, so much potential, and so much luck to sweep all the odds in your favor.'

Maybe he had rescued an absurd butterfly from under the wheel of fate.

And the butterfly effect was a wonderful one.

kwakwang!

Kirko, who can wield the power of the BDISSEM chain, the magic sword Asmodeus, and Flubber at the same time, is truly Nouvelle Vague itself.

She blocked Flauros, who was spouting red death, very easily.

While Flouros, wrapped in the BDISEM chain, panicked at the sudden interruption of his mana flow, Flubber ate the red death, and Asmodeus slipped through the gap.

peoeog!

Asmodeus once again sucked blood into Flauros mouth.

[Ugh!? Where do these things come from...!?]

The Nouvelle Vague's extraordinary powers, hidden at the farthest reaches of the depths, were foreign even to Flauros, who had carefully studied all aspects of the human world.

kwakwakwakwang!

Kirko's attack was cut short as Flauros swung his Original Uroboros.

But it was enough to buy time.

Kirko stepped back and said.

"Since then, I've met Aiyen and traveled here with her, and I've heard a bit about you."

"I gave her a lot of advice, since she seemed to be quite confused about her identity, that the surface is a good place to live. Hmm- even if it's like this, I'm a woman with quite a warm heart, Husby."

Aiyen said, jumping down beside Kirko.

The Balak's attitude toward nature must have been a great lesson to Kirko, who was new to the surface.

"I searched for you as soon as I came to the surface. You forced me to live when I didn't want to, so you're to blame."

Kirko stared at Vikir, her gaze unwavering and proud.

Then, there were hands on Vikir's shoulders. "... You need to talk to me privately later, boyfriend."

"I'm a little bit curious about the responsibility... It's a responsibility."

"Bro, brother, who's that uniform girl, and where did you get into trouble?"

Camus, Dolores, and Sinclair surrounded Vikir, giving off an odd aura.

At that moment.

[Hohoho- I don't think now is the time to leisurely talk about the latest news~]

The demonized Sady interrupted.

She swung her whip at the swarming poisonous people.

Kirko and Aiyen stiffened as well.

They went out to sea and made a raft out of corpses, were attacked by a swarm of sharks on the way, fought a naval battle with a mysterious ghost ship, and so much more... there's a lot more to the story, but that's for another time!

Later, after slaying the demon, it would be enough to solve the story all night long.

[You've brought some pretty troublesome stuff with you, but it's not a game changer just because it's unusual].

Flauros glared at Vikir and opened his mouth.

His repaired Original Uroboros was ready to spew red death again.

Vikir lowered his stance and faced Flauros.

Certainly, the addition of Aiyen and Kirko would be a great boost to the battle, but they alone would not be able to hunt down the Flouros in front of them.

Vikir was planning what to do next.

"U-waaaaaaaah!"

Tudor's cheer came from behind.

Tudor running around looking backwards.

Soon, Sancho, Piggy, and Bianca join in, their voices rising in excitement.

"...!"

Vikir jerked his head back.

He could feel the ground vibrating slightly.

dudeudeug- dudeudeug- dudeudeug- dudeudeug-

The sound of hooves shaking the earth. A roar of triumph.

U-waaaaaaaah!

An army with four banners was approaching at incredible speed toward them.

The barracks of the poisonous people crumble. The poisonous soldiers were trampled like rotten leaves.

Mage Master Family Morg.

Faithful Saint Family Quovadis.

Tycoon Family Bourgeois.

...And the Iron-Blooded Swordsmen, the Baskervilles.

All four allied Houses were sending reinforcements here, each with their most elite troops!

Kirko wiped off her cold sweat and smiled slightly.

"Well, it was worth to gain some time."

They could see the Salvation Army coming.

The expressions of the group members present became determined again.

Vikir also raised his head and looked at Flauros in front of him.

[....]

Flauros' expression was crumpled, as if he hadn't expected such a situation.

Now the stage was slowly approaching its conclusion.