Tsuyokute New Saga (LN)

Book 9: Chapter 5

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Are we still not there?

Itll only be a bit longer, Flame-Eye nonchalantly responded to Serans question.

The following day after they left town, Seran and his group were once again inside a forest. They were on their way to Poison-Needles domain.

I gotta ask, is Poison-Needle going to help us now?

Seran would have loved to head straight to the Demon Lords castle to save Luiza, but stopping by Poison-Needles place was Flame-Eyes idea.

Yes, I can guarantee that. Well, you might not be willing to trust me, but the fact that shes not arguing back tells you enough, right? Flame-Eye glanced over at Yuriga.

She was probably the one who wanted to save Luiza the most, yet she agreed on this detour, which spoke for itself.

As long as they listen, theyll be willing to help us, that is

Yeah. With their strength, our chance to save Luiza-sama will rise tremendously. That said Yuriga showed a reluctant expression.

She seemed to be doubting her own decision.

I dont know if theyll side with uswith Luiza-sama. Its a bit of a bet.

They always follow their own desiresfor better or worse. And their mood sways more than a boat on a stormy sea.

The only people present right now were Flame-Eye, Yuriga, as well as Seran, Lieze, and Urza. Irumera and Creet were waiting outside the forest. Flame-Eye said that itd be better to visit Poison-Needle in a small group to not anger them.

Well, Ive got an ace up my sleeve, too. But lets just hope theyre in a good mood, Flame-Eye nonchalantly commented, but a glimmer of uncertainty remained.

Wow

After walking for a bit more, the forest suddenly opened up, urging Lieze to let out a voice of admiration. Everywhere you looked, you saw flowers. It felt almost unbefitting of the gloomy air in the demon territory. The flowers basked in a color you couldnt even see in the human territory, and yet the flowers seemed to be growing naturally, which only helped boost their beauty.

Beautiful

Yeah. Im surprised to see a place like this here, Urza agreed with Liezes impression.

Just to warn you, but these flowers are all poisonous. Just dont touch them.

Wh-What?! Poisonous?!

It wasnt just that the flower had hidden thorns. And as Lieze was in the middle of reaching out to one flower, she quickly pulled it back.

Also, were already within Poison-Needles territory. Dont do anything unnecessaryor youll be dead before you know it, she said with a threatening tone, but her gaze was serious.

Were being watched. I can feel someones gaze, but I dont know where theyre hiding, Seran mumbled while looking around.

Just follow me. Since Im here, they wont attack out of the blueProbably.

Flame-Eye sounded less and less confident the more time passed, but Seran and the others could only tag along. Walking down the path that split the field of flowers, they eventually spotted a bees nest. However, the size was more like a small mountain. In the center was an opening resembling that of a cave. Deeper within was a demon with butterfly wings, only about a fourth of a humans size.

Oh dear me, Flame-Eye-sama? What brings you here?

The demon looked like a fairy, having a cute face despite a horn growing from its head.

Is Poison-Needle home? I mean, I doubt theyd ever be out anyway.

Yes, they are. I was already informed to let you pass, so follow me, the demon glanced over at Seran for a moment, but then started flying ahead.

Entering the hole in the nest, the floor and walls were made of resin, with a sweet scent drifting all around. It genuinely felt like they had entered a bees beehive.

Were being taken deeper and deeper, right? We gonna be okay?

If they wanted to do something, itd be too late now, Flame-Eye responded to Urzas question with no hesitation.

Walking deeper down into the beehive, they reached an open space. In the back of this room stood a tall throne, with a lump of praying mantis or other insects surrounding it. The person looking down at Seran and the group must be Poison-Needle. A woman, with half-transparent wings growing from her back, which just made you want to call her a bee person, but her attitude was more befitting of a queen bee than anything. That said, she didnt seem all that threatening or oppressive of a person, and more like they were a child trying to act mature.

Its been a while. What do you want here, Flame-Eye?

Even the voice coming from her mouth sounded adorable, not seeming like the type of person who could stand her ground against Luiza. Of course, judging someone based on their appearance will only prove fatal.

You never change, do you? But I guess I should consider myself lucky that youre in a good mood, she said, glancing at Yuriga and the others halfway through her sentence. And to be honest, its them who need something. Since I dont think were all too welcome here, let me get straight to it. Were on our way to free Luiza-sama, so were here to ask for your help.

No thanks. That sounds like a pain, Poison-Needle didnt even waste a breath to decline. If thats all, then leave. Ill allow you to get out of here safely this once.

P-Please wait! We need your strength!

But right when Poison-Needle wanted to close the books on them, Yuriga latched on once more.

You look familiarArent you the DemonNo, the former Demon Lords close aide? You dont know when to give up, do you? She lost, and so we have a new ruler.

But you must know that it wasnt a proper fight! That they got interrupted by a dragon!

A wins a win, no? Whatever the method, the rest is just an excuse. You use whatever you have to in order to emerge victorious. Thats what the Demon Lord needs.

Granted, Poison-Needles words were harsh, but it was common sense for the strong, and necessary for a ruler. In fact, what Yuriga and the others were doing right now was much more unlike a demons actions.

The only thing I would complain about is that theyre still keeping the former Demon Lord alive, beckoning you in to save her. That said, they might simply not be able to kill her. But even if you manage to save her now, it wont do much. All of demonfolk are already beginning to side with the new Demon Lord.

Wha?! Yuriga was bewildered.

She didnt know that the situation had proceeded this much.

Many strong and influential demons are already being called out. Many obey, too. You cant erase that.

You really are quick to pick up on any information. And despite it being right on the mark, youre not using it at all and just staying locked up in here.

Thats true. Maybe you would be able to use it more, with how you keep wagging your tail after a new boss as soon as its convenient, Poison-Needle barked back at Flame-Eye.

The two slowly began to glare at each other, but they eventually let it slide.

And of course, they approached me, too. Though Im surprised to see that creepy envoyNeedless to say, I declined. I just said that I wouldnt get in their way.

Seran immediately reacted to that. There could only be one person fitting that description. He wanted to ask for details, but this wasnt the moment to discuss that.

Anyway, I just want to take it easy here. And this once, Ill let you leave with no harm done, so do as you please. Poison-Needle waved her hands at them, trying to shoo her away like an insect.

Youre probably just too lazy to do anything, right? Seran threw in a sharp remark, which made Poison-Needles gaze sharper.

Well said, human. But dont think youre some hot shot because you defeated Three-Arms.

For the first time, Poison-Needle glanced over at Seran. At that moment, the surroundings grew noisy, telling Seran just how big of an existence Three-Arms was in the demon world.

Hes the one who struck down Three-Arms-sama?

And that sword seems familiar. Isnt that Randolphs?

Weird. I heard that he crawled on all fours with a tail growing from his butt despite being a human

And I thought he had tentacles growing from his whole body, secreting some sketchy liquid.

Yet again, Seran heard some rather unflattering parts within these rumors, but he had to let it slide. Or rather, he wasnt even that dead set on hiding himself, so he wished theyd at least get his appearance right.

I knew youd react this way. That said Flame-Eye brought out her trump card. You do realize that you could live this way because Luiza-sama let you, right? If a new Demon Lord rolls around, you wont be able to take it easy anymore.

Ah Poison-Needle seemed to realize the truth in Flame-Eyes words.

The new Demon Lord is going to attack humanfolk. And then, how long do you think you can remain neutral?

Youre rightSo my leisurely life here in this beehive is coming to an end? N-No! I want to stay here and rot away until I die!

Flame-Eyes revelation made Poison-Needle scream in terror.

I feel like Im watching Kyle from years ago Lieze was feeling a bit lonely, remembering Kyle from this sight.

Ive spent the last 300 damn years living this kind of lifestyle! No way Im changing that now! I cant be bothered getting wrapped up in some annoying war! Poison-Needle held her head as she reminisced about all those relaxing days she spent.

If you want to maintain this lifestyle, youre probably better off assisting our cause, dont you think?

UghThats

Of course, Flame-Eyes entire argument was a contradiction in itself, but it sounded absolutely convincing to Poison-Needle.

Th-Thats right! If you help us now, Luiza-sama will surely let you be for all eternity! Yuriga tried to jump on the wagon.

Do you have any ideas? Poison-Needle asked, seemingly considering the option.

Yuriga was bewildered at just how lazy Poison-Needle was, but didnt speak up while it was convenient for her.

At the very least, if we manage to save Luiza-sama, there will be an option.

Thats true. As long as I act, saving her will be a piece of cake. But what concerns me is what comes after. Just getting her back wont be enough to put her on the throne again, right?

Depends on how things unfold from there. But if you and I explain things, those still undecided will most definitely follow Luiza-sama. As for the rest, well have to convince them again. A one-on-one between them without any intervention, Flame-Eye confidently said.

And considering shes near immortal, no other demon could get close to herWhich means her chance at victory is incredibly high.

Poison-Needle knew how strong Luizas immortality was, and without the help of the dragon, the black-winged demon probably couldnt have beaten her. She thought about it for a moment, but then made her decision.

I guess I have no choice leftSince you need my strength, youll have it. Now lets be off

Just wait a second. There is one thing first.

Seran jumped in right at a good moment, spoiling Poison-Needles mood.

What do you want, Human?

Id like to see just how strong you really are.

What? You want to see if I can carry my own weight?

Absolutely. Can you blame me for being dubious? Seran said, which only brought Poison-Needle to the zenith of her anger.

Dont think you can keep that tone with me, Human.

That voice from her was completely different like a switch within her had been flipped. It packed pressure and hostility that anybody with a weak heart would have faltered right then and there. But, Seran remained calm like always.

I mean, dont blame me. Considering how you look and all, he said and gave Poison-Needle a close look like he was making fun of her.

Naturally, he wasnt actually feeling that way. He could tell that she was plenty strong. In other words, this was just his bad habit. Picking a fight with people.

Letting some moody woman like her run around, itll only come back to bite us if she runs off. I gotta keep her in line from the start.

And for that reason, he had to grasp the reins. Meanwhile, Yuriga and Flame-Eye must have guessed what he intended to do because neither of them intervened. At the very least, Poison-Needle knew that absolute force wouldnt help her case much, so she fought back verbally.

I can tell youre one of a kind thereBut I was curious after all those rumors, so I looked into itSeems like you defeated Three-Arms in a 2-versus-1, right? And the one who finished off Three-Arms was the other human. You were just a bonus, werent you?

Of course, she didnt mean much by saying that, but Lieze could only facepalm when witnessing that. That was a provocation exceptionally effective against Seran. To Seran, Kyle was his best friend, his rotten connection, but also a rival. Someone he had to overcome eventually. And being ranked lower than Kyle really didnt sit right with him.

Then lets not beat around the bush. I wanna know if you can hold your ground, and you need to know if Im not just all bark. That sound good?

Yes, of course.

Then the rest is simple. Were on your home turf, so lets battle it out like demons would. The loser has to listen to the winners orders.

Fighting was practically a part of a demons life, highly regarded, so any issues or trouble usually were decided in a duel. Seran stepped deeper into the large hall, facing Poison-Needle, who greeted him with crossed arms.

Im fine here. I know about your strengthso Ill show you.

Are you sure? This position is rather advantageous for me, dont you think? She remained seated on her throne, speaking with an excited tone.

Were not gonna kill each other, right? And its a handicap. According to what I heard, youre not all that strong physically.

Now youve said itBut, youre right. I myself am not all that strong compared to the legends within our race. But, I have these lovely children of mine with me Poison-Needle waved her hand, as a swarm of bees appeared from her palm.

Yet, they were several times the size of regular bees, glaring at Seran with their multiple eyes, creating an eerie sound with their mouths as their jaws clacked together. And obviously, their needles were all poisonous.

This should do for nowA single sting could kill you, so be careful.

The bees began surrounding Seran. They were covering his view.

All right, Ill be the witness. I will provide just judgment for my name is Flame-Eye, she said and took a step forward.

Poison-Needle had no complaints about that, either. The bees were cautious of Seran at first, but one eventually took the lead and charged in head first. However, it immediately came to a halt and fell to the groundsliced in two. An attack from Seran, so fast the eye couldnt catch up, struck down the bee immediately. Even though they had been watching the whole time, Serans group and the other demons didnt catch the attack whatsoever. Some other bees followed the attack, but not a single one could even touch him, just falling to the ground like petals. Yet Seran didnt move an inch. After a few seconds, all the bees had been struck down.

Well done. Youre exactly the way I was told.

Even now, Poison-Needle seemed calm.

Yep. But thats not all you got, right?

Of course not. Lets go with ten times next.

A few hundred bees appeared from Poison-Needles hand, except they were bigger than before. There were so many that Seran couldnt even count them with his bare eyes. Uncertainty filled the room.

Good luck.

Fine by me.

The bees attacked Seran the moment Poison-Needle finished her sentence, but he kept a calm voice. Up to this point, he only had to move his upper body, but with these numbers, he was forced to rely on his footwork, too. And since he was surrounded by bees from every corner, they dropped like actual flies with every swing of his sword. His sword skill and movement resembled that of a dancer. But he also had to use kicks and punches to get rid of any opponent that came too close. When he had defeated the final bee, he was greeted with cheers.

Honestly, Im impressed. You werent just all talk, huh? I only remember one human who could pull that off in the past 300 years. Poison-Needle seemed delighted at this result, clapping her hands.

Same here, really. Your personalitys a total mess, but you were serious at least. Your ability to freely control your bees is nothing to scoff at.

In reality, Seran wasnt all too great at dealing with opponents like her. Striking down smaller enemies like that wasnt fun in the slightest. Even so, he didnt think hed be struggling this much. And since they both realized how strong they were, they couldve stopped the duel there.

But you knowI have my own honor, and I dont like the thought of being played with like that.

However, Poison-Needle flashed another devious smirk, summoning more bees. They began pouring from her whole body, not limited to her hands or stomach, ranging from small to big, running up to the thousands. It was like a singular cloud of bees looming over Seran.

Now is your chance to surrender if you value your

Well, I never said I wouldnt be fighting back, either.

What? Poison-Needle let out a baffled grunt.

The voice she heard came right from next to her ear. In the split second she averted her gaze from Seran to summon her bees, he had already appeared in front of her. And following up with that, Seran rammed his fist right into her stomach.

Gueh

Just as she stated, she herself wasnt all that strong, so she passed out in a single strike. She foolishly assumed that she was the only one doing any testing, but that wasnt what they agreed on, and its not like Seran was prohibited from attacking himself. That said, she only realized this right before she fainted. The bees around her scattered into nothingness, as silence filled the cave.

Poison-Needle-sama?!

The other demons, her subordinates, didnt even understand what had happened at first, but they were clearly bewildered. And right as their confusion began turning into rage directed at Seran, Flame-Eye raised her voice.

Quiet! The duel is over!

As Seran was declared the clear winner of the duel, even Poison-Needles subordinates had to stand down.

Phew, close enough. That kind of surprise attack wont work a second time, Seran looked down at Poison-Needle and sighed in relief.

Seran picked up on that small opening created through Poison-Needle summoning her bees, and he used that prolonged moment when she summoned bees in the thousands to rush up to her. Her original way of fighting was to slowly raise the number of bees as shields while fighting her opponent, so if you quickly closed the distance between you and her, she had allowed for an opening. The reason this worked out was that Poison-Needle took him lightly, and because he had the element of surprise. If they fought again under the same circumstances, it might be a much harder battle.

Dont do that again. You had me sweating buckets.

Absolutely. Think about your actions some more.

Lieze and Urza scolded him, but contrary to their words, they almost seemed saddened. However, Seran was as calm as always.

This is nothing compared to the crazy dangerous mission were about to embark on.

Met with this argument, the two girls fell silent.

That said, was it fine for me to win like this? He asked.

It doesnt matter. Were all obsessed with the results of our battles, so even just a verbal promise is more than enough. And if she were to break it, Ill tease her about it until the end of time, Flame-Eye said with a joyful tone as she looked down at Poison-Needle.

She might end up grumbling about the surprise attack, but a duel is a duel. Shell have to accept it.

And right before you knocked her out, she was definitely shocked.

Well, I dont blame her for that, said Yuriga.

Also, once we free Luiza-sama, you better put in a good word for me, since Im the one who made Poison-Needle hop on board, Flame-Eye answered.

A while later, Poison-Needle woke up again, grumbling about the duels results, but she still followed their orders. And now that they had succeeded in making Poison-Needle tag along, they headed off to the Demon Lords castle, where they kept Luiza.