581 – [Otherworld Sending]

“What was it again? You said you’ll refuse to listen, and will struggle until you all died, right? Go on, try saying it again.”

God’s Voice laughs.

The four [Spirit Servants] aren’t moving.
The armoured man and the robed women are still standing where they were summoned.
The mysterious giant shadow is walking aimlessly.
The giant three-headed spider is drooling as it stares at me, but for now there’s no sign of it attacking.

Not counting God’s Voice, there’s four enemies that at least as strong as a [Holy Naga].
There’s no way I can fight this.

“The only thing you can do is plant your head on the ground and beg for forgiveness.
I was in somewhat of a good mood so I thought I’d try coming to speak on your terms, and yet you took Lilixira’s stupid advice at face value and wasted my kindness.
So, I suppose I should make it clear to you.
Once I’ve killed one of them, will you still be prepared for death?”

Did I really think I could get my thoughts across to someone like this? God’s Voice is nothing but a bundle of insanity.
In the end, they’re just prioritising their own emotions.
The worst kind of negotiation partner.

『Please calm down! If you can guarantee the safety of everyone here, I don’t mind cooperating with you to some extent.
But I can’t help you destroy the world in this era!』

I shout with [Telepathy].
Those are the minimum terms I want God’s Voice to accept.
At this rate, God’s Voice will take the hard-line option.
Even now, I think there’s value in trying to negotiate.
If we meaninglessly start a battle, both of us will lose out.

“Even now, you’re still trying to declare your conditions? I don’t want to be looked down on any more than you already have.
I’ve already called them here after all, and it looks like these children want to rampage.”

God’s Voice floats further up.

“Besides, I’ve already decided what I’m going to do with you.
If you’re not going to obediently do what I tell you, then that’s fine.
I’ll just take the most effective way.
Baal, show the difference in your power!”

The three heads of Baal smile.
It’s about to attack!

『W-we’re running away!』

I shout to the others with [Telepathy].

I had been seriously thinking that fighting and dying would be better than being used and letting everyone die.
But of course, part of it was me hoping that God’s Voice would offer a compromise upon seeing my desperation.
Now that I’ve seen such a clear power disparity, there’s no way I want to launch a suicide attack.
If I was alone, I might try going for it all the same.
But it’d get everyone else wrapped up in it too.

Treant-san is in front of me in tyrant guardian form.
If I fall back now, he’ll die to Baal.
I push past him, closing in on Baal.

『M-master-dono!』

“OOOoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOh!”

Baal lunges forwards.
Without time to dodge, I end up taking the ramming attack head-on.
A shock runs through my body as I’m blasted backwards.

I slam my tail against the ground to stop, quickly regaining my balance.
I somehow managed to get away with just being forced back.

But, it’s still bad.
That attack broke a number of bones in my shoulder and chest.
My entire body is screaming out in pain.
It was an incredibly heavy ramming attack.
Baal’s stats are unmistakably far above my own.

Treant-san is hurrying back towards me.

『Master-dono! Front! Front!』

F-front…? I hurriedly gather my thoughts scattered by the pain and lift my head to look in front.
But Baal is still standing in place, all three heads guffawing crudely.
The other [Spirit Servants] don’t seem to be moving yet either…

Diagonally above me, God’s Voice is floating.
Their half-broken face is grinning widely.
At the end of their outstretched hand, black light is gathering.

“What’s wrong? Did you seriously think I wouldn’t do anything just because I brought out my [Spirit Servants]? With a mind that weak, it’s amazing you thought you could ever outwit me.”

『What are you…!?』

The black light expands, becoming a giant magic circle that completely covers my surroundings.
I sense something strange.
This isn’t just an attack.
What’s God’s Voice planning…?

As I hurriedly try to get away, God’s Voice’s arm lowers down to point at me.
A sudden wave of discomfort assails me, feeling like my brain is being shaken.
My mind goes pure white, and I’m unable to think of anything.

“Ga, ga, a…”

“Stop fumbling around uselessly.
Don’t make me keep saying this.
You’re out of options.”

A-another of those mental attacks! Miia said that God’s Voice used this attack often.
It’s probably the perfect technique for getting an opponent to quickly submit without killing them.

The light of the magic circle wraps around my body.
I can’t move.
I can’t lift my forelegs.
It seems to be a skill that takes some time to immobilise the target, but that time was easily bought by the mental attack.

“Dragon-god-sama!”
『Master-dono!』

Aro and treant run towards me.
They step into the area of the black magic circle.

『Stay away! Something’s about to happen!』

“Did some small flies get mixed in? I don’t want my garden to be polluted, but… Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

God’s Voice’s eyes thin.

I desperately try to kick away with my rearlegs, trying to escape from the magic circle.
But my legs don’t hit solid ground.
It feels as though they’ve slipped into the ground.

Wh-what has happened to me…?

“[Otherworld Sending]”

“Raise your level.
The hostages are everyone you’ve ever met in this world.
If you don’t hurry up and return, they’ll all die.”

The sound of God’s Voice’s laughter fades further and further away.