243. Alarm of Danger

Kumoko didn't think about anything other than trying to run away from Ariel. She tried to use her teleportation magic.

"Eh…"

She was stunned. Her teleportation magic didn't work. She felt a little strange at first, but when she turned to look at Ariel who was smiling at her, she realized what that smile meant. She screwed up.

"Nai wa. Isn't she too broken for the final boss?"

Kumoko finally realized that Ariel had released a skill that could neutralize space magic. Not only that, the barrier that Ariel put up had hindered Kumoko from casting magic so she couldn't use it at all. And this time, she had no chance to escape.

Ariel, without taking her eyes off Kumoko, said.

"You think I'll let you escape?"

While Ariel said that, she simultaneously attacked Kumoko. The battle between the two began.

"Was she so focused on Kumoko that she didn't even notice me?" Izumi, who was floating in the air, muttered. The barrier that Ariel put up did prevent Kumoko from casting magic, yet it had absolutely no effect on Ariel herself.

As he thought about that, the battle between Kumoko and Ariel became too intense which made them kill the surrounding soldiers on the battlefield who didn't have time to avoid their fight.

Izumi had an urge to save them as his heart couldn't stand for those innocent people to die from the impact of Ariel's one-way fight against Kumoko. But, even if he meddled in it, the higher-ups of their country still sent another army to start a war against Sariella.

He was in a dilemma. After pondering and coming to a conclusion, Izumi decided to not bother those people.

Then, Izumi focused on his palm and created the high-wind pressure imbued with spiritual energy within his body to increase its strength, then he threw it in front of Ariel and Kumoko.

*swoosh*

Ariel, who noticed the change in the wind, immediately halted her steps and saw the compressed wind coming.

*Boom*

A compressed wind that had tremendous pressure hit the ground between the two of them and exploded, creating a sphere of wind at the center point of the explosion, and everything around it was blown away. From the gravel, the dust, and even Ariel couldn't hold it in and was blasted off due to the shockwave. Kumoko wasn't better off either as she was blasted and then rolled over and over.

Izumi decided to interfere as he felt the change in Ariel's character. Due to Kumoko's parallel thought that invaded Ariel's mind, the change could be seen from how Ariel acted free and unrestrained as she rampaged on the battlefield, and to be frank, Ariel should be a cautious person in this regard.

And knowing that character, Izumi didn't need to hide Kumoko being his companion, albeit it was just temporary.

Once Kumoko got up off the ground, she muttered.

"What was that?"

After Kumoko detected using her skill, she saw Izumi who was descending to the ground from the sky, and then she said to herself.

"That was his doing? That wasn't magic, right? Seriously, he's so dangerous."

Since her magic perception didn't even catch up with anything from Izumi's attack, she was pretty sure that Izumi didn't use magic. She was just wondering, how could Izumi do that.

Meanwhile, Ariel noticed Izumi's presence wrinkling her forehead. Her mouth moved.

"Michael Jackson?"

*tripped* *plop*

There was a falling sound, and it was Kumoko after hearing what Ariel said. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, and it was as if all she heard was a hallucination.

"Ah, Ariel-chan, it's been a day, right? What a coincidence we meet here."

"I believe it wasn't a coincidence. What are you doing here, Michael Jackson? Don't tell me you know the spider over there?"

Ariel said while pointing at Kumoko using her index finger.

However, Kumoko immediately shouted.

"Chotto a minute!!! Izumi, what the hell with the "Michael Jackson" thingy?"

Simultaneously, Ariel and Izumi turned to Kumoko. Kumoko shouted in Japanese, so Ariel didn't understand what Kumoko was saying at all.

Izumi responded by moonwalking. As he wore Jojo's outfit, he held his hat as he spun around. His left hand crossed to the side while his other hand pointed at Kumoko with his index finger as he said,

"Just beat it!!"

"Beat it your head!!!" Kumoko pointed using her foreleg in annoyance.

Seeing the behavior of Izumi and Kumoko, Ariel came to know that the two of them were in cahoots. So she was a little angry because she felt a little tricked.

When Ariel wanted to act, someone approached. Surprisingly, that person was just a little kid about 6-8 years old. The kid was none other than a hero chosen by the goddess by granting him a "Hero" title in his stats.

"Demon lords, monster, I will be your opponent!"

The little hero valiantly drew his sword in front of Ariel, Izumi, and Kumoko despite having absolutely no chance of winning.

Ariel looked at the little kid vigilantly as if she met her nemesis after appraising the kid's status.

On the other hand, when Izumi heard the little kid's voice, he turned around and felt a conspiracy behind it as if the higher-ups of the human race let the hero die on the battlefield. Still, there seemed to be someone concerned about the little hero behind him who was wearing a mage's robe.

Izumi shook his head. And then, he came to the little hero by walking slowly, but the little hero was wary of Izumi's arrival because he considered Izumi as another demon lord after unleashing a powerful attack in the middle of the battlefield.

"Little kid, you can't play here because this isn't a children's playground. Go home!"

However, the little hero was undaunted and instead attacked Izumi by thrusting his sword into Izumi's stomach.

Ariel and Kumoko were stunned when the sword passed through Izumi's stomach with ease. But, the little hero felt something was wrong.

Slowly, Izumi's body dispersed and then a strong whirlwind appeared under the little hero's feet and lifted him off the ground. Izumi appeared once again like the wind forming his body little by little.

"Earth Lance!"

Several lances made of earth suddenly shot toward Izumi. But, it was pointless because just relying on magic power wasn't enough to touch Izumi's intangible body.

Izumi threw the little hero at the mage that was trying to protect the little hero.

"Now then."

Izumi then turned to Ariel and said.

"Can we have a good talk about this?"

"A good talk? For what?"

"Talking of your granddaughter of course!"

Izumi then pointed at Kumoko which indicated that Izumi already knew Ariel's true identity, but had absolutely no fear of her. Whereas Ariel herself was wary of Izumi because of the ability he showed earlier. Ariel deduced that Izumi was weaker than her in terms of raw strength. Since Izumi's abilities were still unknown to her, she wasn't sure how strong Izumi was. But, still...

"She killed my closest kin, how could I just let her be? Moreover, she invaded my mind too. Her doing was unforgivable."

"So, that was what she said. What do you think, Kumo-chan?"

After hearing Ariel's obvious reason, he turned to Kumoko and asked her opinion.

"That doesn't make any sense! I just want to be free!! If my mother wasn't after me, there's no way I'd strike back."

Izumi turned back to Ariel because what Kumoko said in Japanese was impossible for Ariel to understand. Then Izumi said what Kumoko said to Ariel.

"Anyway, this Kumo-chan was just defending herself because your kin attacked her. Well, though I assume you both have your faults." Izumi shrugged. "Well, never mind. What was done is done. Can you just forgive her? This little spider is at least your granddaughter. You should reconcile and talk about why this little spider attacked your kins."

On the other hand, Ariel couldn't accept it and gritted her teeth. Something in her mind made her angrier. She murmured.

"My thoughts are getting further and further away from my old self."

Ariel felt something that entered her mind trying to merge with the original and made her attitude begin to change. Her desire to kill Kumoko has indeed decreased, but she still wants to avenge what Kumoko has done to her kin. Before she lost the will to kill Kumoko, it would be best if she finished her now.

Izumi noticed the change in Ariel, so he immediately retreated to Kumoko's side and whispered.

"Kumo-chan, get ready to use teleportation magic after my command!"

"But, the barrier…"

"Leave it to me!"

"Are you sure?"

"Trust me! I'm stronger than you think."

Izumi didn't take his eyes off Ariel which made Kumoko look at her too.

A large magic circle appeared in front of Ariel as she prepared to attack both Izumi and Kumoko. But, Izumi instantly activated his Magic Destabilization.

*clank*

The magic circle shattered and Ariel vomited blood from the backfired because Izumi interfered with the magic circle. At the same time, the barrier that Ariel had put up disappeared.

Izumi grabbed Kumoko and shouted.

"Now!"

Then, the two of them disappeared.

— — — —

Izumi and Kumoko appeared in a dark place which was none other than the labyrinth of the lowest layer because Kumoko felt that the place was quite far from Ariel. Surprisingly, Guliedistodiez was already there with his flat expression.

Before Izumi could say hello, the device in his pocket rang which made Kumoko and Guliedistodiez turn their heads toward him.

Izumi said.

"Kumo-chan, I'm going to save Sophia. Come immediately after you talk with him!"

He formed a hand seal, then disappeared before them.