A little while after I killed the three diabolus, sure enough, two red dots appeared in the map app.
　Probably a diabolus that we were able to reinforce. They're heading for the place we were at earlier.
　But they're not simply heading there, they're not heading to the spot where they were knocked down, and they seem to be keeping an eye on their surroundings.
　Do they think they'll get killed if they go to the same place?
　After all, even if we got hit in an instant, it looks like they've shared some information with us.
　Anyway, they're moving like they want to confirm our appearance now.

　But that's expected here too.
　We moved away from the place where we had already defeated the three Diabolus and moved to within range of Freesia's bow as soon as the reaction appeared.
　After confirming the Diabolus's appearance, the same as the first, sniping from a distance by Freesia.
　Without giving them time to evade, Diabolus and the others were pierced by the arrows and turned into particles of light and disappeared.
　After that, the same thing continued three times, and a total of six diabolus, all flying from different locations, were buried by Freesia.

''Heh, alright. Our numbers are steadily decreasing. Freesia, you're incredibly dependable.

'Yes!　I'm just happy to help!　I'm going to shoot you down with a bang!

　I never thought it would work out this well, you were right to bring Freesia along!
　Defeating nine Diabolus without any damage was a great battle result. That's already more than the number we had at the shrine.
　
　He doesn't let the opponent realize our position, and he reliably holds his breath with the first attack from a long distance.
　And then they would immediately move from one place to another to do the same to the newly arrived one.
　This is an excellent way to fight, even if I don't know it!

Okura-dono's strategy is as tough as ever. I feel a bit of pity for the demon.

''You're attacking me unilaterally from a long distance. Your brother is the smartest and most reliable when it comes to this kind of fighting.

Mm, not having to fight.

'Fighting is a ruthless thing, you know. He's making the best use of our strength, and Okura-san's cowardly fighting style always makes me wag my tongue.

I thought you were going to pick a fight.

Uh-huh, it's a compliment.

　You're calling me a coward!　........Well, I'm somewhat aware that it's a cowardly battle method.
　However, there's no need to go out of your way to fight a demon fair and square.
　If you can defeat them safely and easily, you should do it.
　This time there are more opponents, especially since there are more of them this time, so even if it's a cowardly and sneaky move, I'll use it more and more.
　Following Sisha's mannerisms that I don't know if she was praising me, Irina-san also approached me.

''I also think the strategy that Okura-san has come up with is excellent. Because of that, we are able to stay safe like this.

　Smiling, she smiles and affirms me honestly.
　Ah, what a nice person. I thought it would be nice if Sisja had this much charm, but Irina-san's subsequent comment cooled my nerves.

And those who ruin the sacred ground deserve to be rewarded. Mr. Okura has nothing against you. I'm sure Mr. Testudo is very pleased to see you.

Oh, thank you.

It's scary in many ways, isn't it...

　Irina-san is smiling an insanely good smile, but.......it was still better for me to have a joking conversation with her as much as Sisha.
　Even after such an exchange to distract the tension, I continue to be on the lookout for more Diabolus to come.
　But unlike what I expected, after waiting for a while, no new response appeared in the map app.

'Hmm, looks like they're not coming back. Did that wipe out all the people who were alerting this area?

The opponent seems to be putting a lot of effort into this, with nine of them. But it seems to have reduced their strength considerably.

Even with those nine monsters, they're a serious threat. You were able to defeat them before they arrived on the island, and Okura-dono was right.

　Even the shrine only had six diabolas, but this time they had nine diabolas on guard alone.
　If they're putting this much effort into it, the possibility of the mastermind being on the remote island is getting pretty high.
　If we had just ignored them there and headed for the island, I'm sure we would have had to deal with this number later on as well, which is creepy.
　I'm really glad we decided on the plan to destroy each one of them.

'But even so, the demons came from many different directions. Does that mean they were dispersed that much?

"If we're going to cover a large area of ocean, we'll need a decent number of them. But since we killed nine of them, there aren't many left.

'All that's left is to go to the island. This time it's going to end without me working.

　Luna looks even happier than usual.
　I left it all up to Freesia, so we didn't have anything to do, I guess.
　At a good break in the conversation with Noll and the others, Irina-san confirmed our departure to me.

'Then let's head to the Holy Land as soon as possible. Okura-san, is that all right?

'Ummm, well...'

　It doesn't look like the Diabolus is coming anymore.
　I think it's safe to assume that the ones that are on alert have been almost destroyed, and all we have to do is go to the island... but there's something that's stuck with me.
　I can understand if it's one time, but would they bother to send you to the place where you were hit three times, two at a time?
　We know we've been hit in an instant, so sending six of them to this place at the same time would still be better for them to find us and fight us after they find us.
　And yet, the fact that they went to the trouble of sending them individually feels strange to me....
　When I was wondering if I should continue to head to the island, Freesia suddenly spoke up.

''Mmmm?　Heihachi, there's something in there.

What?

　Normally loud, Freesia muttered in a whisper.
　I also checked the rear where she glances at me, but there's nothing there.
　Noll and the others are checking as well, but they can't seem to find anything.

''There's nothing there, sir, but...''

'It doesn't look like there are demons in the sea either.

'I don't see anything on the map app either. You've said the same thing before.

　Freesia had said the same thing at the shrine on the cliff before.
　
　There doesn't seem to be any demons in the sky or even in the ocean. There's no response to the map app either.
　But if Freesia is there, there must be something there for sure.

I'm sure it's there. Watch me as I shoot you down.

　Freesia guards her bow with an arrow and shoots an arrow into the void.
　Then - the arrow sticks in the air.
　Immediately afterwards, a blue demon appeared from the empty space, screaming.

''Wha?''

It came out of nowhere!

　The demon that appeared when Freesia's arrow pierced through it, it was a blue diabolus.
　Wha, what the hell is this guy!　How the hell did you get this close!
　I hurriedly checked this guy's status while protecting Irina-san with my body to shield her.

　------
Diabolus Scout Race:Diabolus [Status] Attached to
　Level: 80
　HP: 35,000
　MP:1500
　Attack Power: 300
　Defensive Power:700
　Agility: 320
　Magic Resistance:70
　Intrinsic Ability: Detecting presence, sharing thoughts
　Skills Hyde Calling
------

　Scout this is a higher species of Diabolus?
　And this unique ability and skill... wait, no way is this calling!

'Freesia!　We have to get rid of him now!

　I shouted and Freesia held her bow up without replying.
　The blue diabolus suffers from the first blow, with an arrow stuck in its stomach, but when it sees Freesia moving, it tries to escape... but it doesn't.
　As it was, without making her act, Freesia let go of the arrow, but before it could land, the blue diabolus screamed.
　As soon as Freesia's arrow pierced its head, the mutation occurred.
　The blue diabolus dissipated as it was, turning into a particle of light, but a large number of diaboluses appeared around it.

　The diabolus didn't give us time to be surprised by this, and the diabolus that appeared all threw the trident spears they were holding in their hands at us at once.
　The Nors immediately grasped the situation and moved to intercept the oncoming spears.
　The first to move is Freesia, who is shooting arrows one after another with unprecedented speed.
　The spears hit by Freesia's arrows are defeated by the power of the arrows and snapped, and the arrows continue to pierce the diabolus who threw the spears without stopping.

　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　It's not the Regi Erythra, but the bellows sword in his hand, and when he swings it, the blade wriggles like a whip and moves freely.
　With that, he dispels the spears that Freesia and the others have shot out of the air.
　Finally, I use the shadowy magic that Luna used before she left and deploy it around Dara to warn her.
　I also deployed my Centiturbra to protect Irina-san in case anything happened to her.
　Deciding that Noll and the others had prevented the first wave from happening, I immediately asked Irina-san to move Dara.

Miss Irina!　Keep your distance!

Yes!

　Irina-san, who was upset by the suddenness of the situation, reacts to my words and tells Dara to move away from the Diabolus group.
　The skill that the Diabolus Scout used earlier, it's definitely Calling.
　In GC, it was a skill that, when used, called for a companion at a distance.
　And Hyde is something that makes your body invisible and hides you.
　Combining these two together to approach while hidden, and then calling out allies to attack them all at once must be the role of the Diabolus Scout.

　The Diabolus Scout is extremely high in agility and low in other areas compared to the normal Diabolus, perhaps because it specializes in such things.
　I had thought that the role of an ordinary diabolus was to scout, but I didn't think there was even a guy like this... is the red diabolus I saw at Rishnal Lake a high level species of this lineage?
　Either way, I have to do something about the Diabolus that was now called by Calling.

　The number of Diabolus turning around and chasing us was fifteen; I guess I was naive to think nine was all we had.
　Did they go to the trouble of having two Diabolus coming over here at a time to confirm our position and to keep the scouts from realizing that we were approaching?
　d*mn, I was completely caught off guard.

　Dara is faster than Diabolus, so they won't catch up with me, but the guys chasing me from behind will throw their trident spears at me.
　Freesia intercepts it, while seeing an opening and shooting down Diabolus and the others.
　As expected, they don't have time to spare, or maybe they don't say anything, but they are shooting arrows one after another with serious expressions.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for when you're in the market.
　Perhaps seeing this, Irina-san shouted Dara's name.

''Dara!''

'Don't worry!　I've cast support and recovery magic on her, so Dara-san won't freak out at this level right now!

And don't worry, we'll protect your sister, too, and you can tell Dara what to do.

'Sisha, Esther.......thank you!

　Perhaps it's because Sisha doesn't have any means of attack, but she seems to be completely on the defensive.
　Dara's status is high to begin with, and when combined with Sisha's recovery magic, she shouldn't be freaked out no matter how many attacks she gets.
　Estelle also seems to have been able to spare enough time to be able to counterattack the diabolus while intercepting the spear.
　The number of Diabolus is gradually decreasing, and if they continue to counterattack...!
　The moment I thought of such a breakthrough in the current situation, Freesia, who was silently shooting arrows, shouted.

''Heihachi!　There's one near you that you can't see!

What?　He's one of the guys you called!　Shoot me down!

'Ah!　I can't get under Dara to shoot!

　Hey!　There are still Diabolus Scouts out there!
　The normal diabolus can't keep up with them, so you're going to call them in again, calling them in!

'Esther!　Can you blow up underneath Dara?!

Yeah, I got it!　--Yes!

　At Esther's call, an explosion occurred in the air directly below Dara.
　It may have been caught in the explosion, but when the smoke cleared, the hide was released and a blue diabolus was found perched on the spot.
　I fly the centimeter tablers I had dropped at the same time as the explosion and capture it before it can move.
　The Diabolus Scout, with its wings strapped to my centimeter bra, falls toward the ocean.

'Alright!　Do it, Freesia!

'Yes!　I got it!

　As the blue diabolus falls motionlessly, Freesia mercilessly hits the blue diabolus with two arrows, killing it instantly.
　When we finish dealing with the Diabolus Scout safely, the regular Diabolus stop chasing us and start running away.
　Of course, we didn't let them escape, but had Dara chase after them and annihilate them with a merciless Freesia arrow.

''Huh ... you managed to get through.

Fifteen of those demons and two of the blue variety.......a total of 26 of them, including the ones I was looking around?

''If the Adventurer's Association finds out that there are 26 demons at this level, they'll definitely be in an uproar.

''Even if one of them is strong enough to rival the big defeat class.... It's a big deal even at this point.

'Oh dear, it's a pain in the ass to not be able to avoid an attack. Thank God Freesia was there.

Well, you're welcome!

　Twenty-four Diabolus and two scouts that look like higher species... that's an unimaginable number.
　If I had been dealing with these numbers all at once, I think they would have made me struggle a lot.
　It was a relief that I was able to defeat the first nine individually. The rest of the time, I was on Dara, which was a big deal.
　Being able to attack at a certain distance from a certain distance without being surrounded was the best way to utilize Freesia's power.

　.......Before we reached the island, it was like experiencing a boss rush, and I was tired.
　It was hard to deal with a single Diabolus before, but don't pompously come out like the demons around here.
　I'm getting scared of how many forces will be waiting for us when we get to the island, that someone can treat a Diabolus like this.
　But this is how we've become strong enough to hunt the Diabolus with ease.
　I'm going to find out who's behind this and end this mess after all!

　As I was renewing my enthusiasm, I noticed Irina-san's body shaking after the battle.
　We were already used to it, but since we were exposed to the attack of a Diabolus-class demon, it must be scary, right?

''Irina-san, are you alright?''

Mr. Okura... no, Mr. Okura!　What a dependable bunch of people you are!

What?

　I thought she was scared, but Irina-san was looking at us with a look of ecstasy in her eyes.
　Huh, there's a very scary atmosphere........

"This is also because Testudo-sama has guided you and us to meet each other, isn't it? You must be our saviors!　This Irina, we admire you all so much. Please go with us to the Holy Land and save us.

'Oh, um, I meant to do that from the beginning... oh, please, raise your head!

...I have a feeling things have gotten even more complicated...

'It seems we're starting to become more and more divine in your sister's mind.

'It's going to be a lot of trouble afterwards...'

　Irina-san's opinion of us seems to be in a hell of a lot of trouble....
　Even though we haven't arrived on the island yet, I'm starting to get a headache thinking about what's going to happen after we're done now.