The fourth level of the giant dungeon, Elysian.



　We descended the stairs and opened the door to the fourth level.
　Just as the documents said, there was a foggy space beyond the door.

　The ground was damp and damp, with short grasses and what looked like moss growing on it.
　Beyond that, there were numerous grave markers.

　They are made of stone slabs and are about half my height.
　There are letters painted on the surface. I wonder if it's someone's name. It's almost gone.
　There may be one of these that has 'Ancient Magic' painted on it, but - I'm sure the investigation will be a long time coming.

"...Yuki. There's a ghost.
Well I've never seen so many undead before either.

　Behind me, Odette and Giselle murmured.
　Odette is wearing the 'Magic Guild' uniform, as usual. The difference is that she wears a lot of accessories. A barrette in her hair. On her forehead is a circlet. On her chest is a pendant. She also has amulets wrapped around her arms.

　All of this was hastily prepared by Rodelia from the 'Grail Trading Company' in a great hurry.
　It's not a magical weapon, but it must have been hard to collect this much. I should be grateful.

''Later I'll go and thank you in person from the Duke of Surrey's family. If it wasn't for Roderia-sama's support, I might have been frightened and wouldn't have been able to proceed.
Yes. Lady Rodelia is a very capable person.

　That kind of Giselle is wearing light armor and holding a short spear in one hand and a shield in the other.
　This one was also prepared by Roderia.

I'm not sure if Flora-Zamel disappeared a few minutes after the entrance. But........then she ran off to the west, right?
It's because of the 'replica lord' runaway.
Even Flora's party people went after it halfway through, but they've given up because there are too many ghosts.

　I looked at the graveyard beyond the door.
　The number of ghosts floating fluffily in the air was more than 20, even if I could see them.
If you shoot the 'Ancient Magic', they will come at you all at once. Ghosts are tricky because they take away a person's body heat and life force. That's why Flora's friends seem to have given up on chasing her.

I'll have to pave the way first.

　I handed Odette the material.

'We can't do anything about it unless we reduce the number of ghosts. Well, I'll try.
All right, then. If you need help, Gisele and I will provide it for you.

　Odette took my hand in hers and nodded.

'But you have to promise not to take it too far. If anything happens to Yuki, Iris and Martha will hate you for it.
Hadn't Odette met Martha before?
'It's only a greeting, but I can see that Martha-san cares a lot about Yuki. Here.

　Odette flipped up her uniform jacket.
　There was an emblem in the shape of a bat and holy sword at the lining.

''It's the emblem of the 'Yuki School' designed by Martha-san. When you look at it, you can understand how much that person is thinking about Yuki. Whether that feeling........is the same as that of His Highness Iris, I don't know.
I know. I owe Martha a lot of favors.

　I nodded back at Odette.

'I won't take it easy. If it comes down to it, Odette and Giselle will be there to help you.
Yes, sir. Giselle, you'll be ready to jump out at any time.
Yes. Dear Odette!

　Giselle held her shield at the ready.
　I worked on her shield for a bit and then jumped out to the fourth level.

''────!
...Oh?
"...oh, wow, wow, wow?

　My ghosts have spotted me.
　Their expressions - there is nothing more to them.
　The only thing is a hollow hole where the eyes are and a crescent-shaped slit where the mouth is.
　They are quite old ghosts.
　They probably don't even have any memories of when they were alive anymore. I'm sure.

Maybe it's better to...

If they were like the necromancer in the Sanctuary Church, I would beat the shit out of them and then make them disappear.
　If they're just wandering around, then I should quietly make them disappear.

　I look around. I look for an open area.
　A large cemetery has a pathway. It's probably for carrying coffins.
　Further on, there's a circular plaza. I start running towards it.

　And then I carried out the plan to eliminate all the ghosts together.




　The ghosts on the fourth underground level.



　They were the dead of the olden days.
　I no longer remember the times I was living in.
　All there is is a reminder of this world.

　They think.

　They think that they had a very great technology in their hands - and that they would have had a wonderful civilization.
　With it, they could have built a great civilization.
　But they didn't use it the right way.

　There was a great war that took place that involved many countries.
　If it hadn't been for that, we could have done even greater things.

　We wanted to start over.
　I want to try again.

　[Interpretation] Kodaino ... itemga... areba.

　...Kodaino majutsuga Areva.

　Again, again.

　While murmuring such things, the ghosts wandered underground.


　-Oh?


　Suddenly, one of the ghosts looked at the ground.
　In the square of the underground cemetery, a boy is standing there.
He's using ancient magic. He is pulling something out of space.


　Huh...
　...the ancient... majutsu...!
　To Walerra, Walerra-niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii, again!


　The ghosts reacted to the presence of the 'Ancient Magic'.
　All at once, they fly towards the boy on the ground.


　─ ─ Hoshii. The "Ancient Magic" woo-hoo-hoo!
　I'm sorry, I don't want to hear it again.
　─ ─ Warera's time in Deatta, the center of the world - Futatabi........


　The boy looks up as if he has noticed the presence of a ghost.


I don't know how it feels to wander around here for more than 100 years, but........ I think that's enough.

　The boy used the knife to wound his hand.
　He waved his arm and splattered the overflowing blood around him.

　At that moment ── the ghosts stopped moving.

　You can't touch that blood.
　It has a cleansing power.
　

　As if it was an invisible wall, the Ghosts cannot get close to the boy.
　In the meantime, he takes out his wand from space.
　Two silver-colored wands - even from them, there is the smell of "Ancient Magic".

　But the ghosts do not move.
　His blood is terrifying.
　The existence that makes undead people so fearful of him──?


"...Masaka...the king of the vampires (vampire-lord)...ka, the demon king...ka.
'You're still going to say that. I'm going to be mad.


　The boy took out a sword from space and raised it.
　A shining silver sword - there's no doubt about it - the holy sword of the "Ancient Artifact".


　─ ─ Aaaaaaaaah!
　...treasure!　Vessels!　Relic!　Ancient noooooooo!
　I have sought the secrets of the Koda�s treasure!


　As soon as the holy sword was in sight, the ghosts started screaming.
　Their fear of the cleansing blood was gone. They could only see the glowing holy sword.

　Then dozens of ghosts rushed towards the boy and...


　The boy raised his hand, with the red emblem painted on it, above his head.


''It's enough to be this dense. Activate──'Fire God's Bullet (Efreet Blows)'


　Thud thud thud thud thud thud!


　Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
　-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------!


　The flaming bullets fired from the boy's hands dispel the ghosts.
　The ghosts start to run away. They get away from the boy.
　But...

　The two floating wands hindered the ghost's path.

　On the surface of the staffs are emblems drawn in blood. The blood has the power to purify.
　Without thinking, the ghosts stop moving. And then──...


Activate the burning meteo.


　With the boy's voice, a huge sphere of fire is generated.
　Several ghosts were swallowed by it.
　Even though they are spirit bodies, their magic is still understood.
　Moreover, this magic is created by blood that has the power to purify.


　─ ─ ─ Ah..........
　It's the end of time.
　I've just experienced this ancient magic.


　The ghosts had no way to endure it.
　The boy's magic is received and swallowed by the ball of fire emitted by the staff, and those who were lucky enough to reach the boy are cut down by the holy sword and disappear.


''........Is there anyone who has.......consciousness?''

　The boy said.

'I thought the priests of the 'Sanctuary Church' were leading you guys as the higher ghosts.

　The ghosts responded to his voice.
　All at once, they point towards the west.


　─ ─ ─ The temple.
　─ ─ ─ ─ Sokoni ─ ─ ─.
　─ ─ The thing that instilled regret in Walera is - ─ Sokoni - ─ the thing that instilled regret in Walera is - ─ Sokoni - ─ the thing that instilled regret in Walera.


I get it. Thank you.

　The boy's 'ancient magic' was cut off.

"Your work is done. Rest in peace.

　Then the boy murmured 'purification' and erased the ghosts in front of him.
　After the last one disappeared, the surroundings had changed into just a quiet graveyard (Grave Yard).