We finished pitching our tents at the three points as darkness was approaching.

　It seems that in the past there was a curious person who chose the job of 'camper' and developed and marketed camping gear for camping in the labyrinth, which is still in widespread use today. Wattadama wool is similar to cotton and is a suitable material for tents, which is also the reason why the selling price of cotton tents never drops below a certain level. It is said that waterproof fibers can be obtained from the hairs of the "Gaze Hound" and are used to make tents.

　The members of the team, who were warned about the surroundings while the tent was being set up, destroyed a total of about six Aero Wolves. The "rear guard" can stay behind even at a distance, so they can cover their friends as they work - Ibuki, who was helping me set up the tent, said as I occasionally stood up and turned to face the direction of my friends, ''Your back hurts when you sit down. I've been worried about it.

　I haven't had to deal with any lack of exercise since I moved here, so I haven't had any pain in my joints or back from sitting too much. Setting up camp was also fun - I hadn't been camping since an outdoor activity I did with the guys at the facility back in the day, and I wasn't sure if I'd remember the procedure, but luckily it came with an instruction manual, so I gradually remembered how to do it and it wasn't too much trouble. Ta.

Arihito-sensei is really like a teacher... I've never made a tent before, so I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do it.
I wasn't sure I'd be able to make it either, it's been so long since I've been out. There's a lot of useful camping gear out there.
Ibuki has the power to help with the tenting but I haven't been of much help.

　Anna was shaken up, but her ability to attack from a long distance meant that she had the task of keeping an eye on the enemy around her to see if they were approaching, so she was able to do that, which helped a lot.

'Anna helped me quite a bit earlier because she was able to keep the enemy in check with her serve. Even though I'm used to fighting the AeroWolf by now, it's still dangerous when they get too close.
'I can't attack enemies at a distance either, and I can't notice them when I'm working on them, so that helps. Thanks, Anna.
''Well, I don't want you to be so careful. Mr. Alihit and Ibuki are both too kind.

　Ibuki smiles happily at Anna's embarrassment. It's good to see that they're on good terms.

'Well, now for the traps.......Anna, do you mind if we set one up for you?　I think we can almost certainly make it work for a reason.
''Is there ... a more skilled trap-setter in your party?
'No, I think Theresia has the aptitude, but she's not a specialist. It's a combination of skills that can increase the success rate of a trap for once.
Is that what you call a combo?　It's nice, the combo - I'm embarrassed to say that when I get a combo with everyone else, I get an adrenaline rush too.

　It seems that since he was involved in martial arts, Ibuki seems to be the one who gets hot in battle. However, the word 'combo' implies that he also enjoyed fighting games.

"The combo that starts with the first attack of the maple tree is the basis of our fight.
We're also fortunate to have Elitia here. I think it's possible to use the strategy of being on the receiving end and then trying to counterattack, depending on the members.
'I'm in charge if it's uke... oh, not that kind of 'uke', there are counters to martial arts, so that's the one I'm in charge of.

　I see, so Ibuki is "acceptable" - I shouldn't say this to a girl more than 10 years old, which is uncommon for a girl who is more than 10 years older than me. However, it is not hard to imagine that she is interested in such a field as well.

''Huh........Ibuki sometimes says such things in a bland manner, which is bad for my heart.
Don't say I've got a potty mouth, I'm embarrassed in front of Dr. Aricht.
'Oh no, well, I specialize in covering you from behind too, so maybe it's 'receiving'.
'........Oh, um, you're actually on the offensive, aren't you?　I had an image of a slightly shady man like you...

　When I followed up, he ate me up in reverse - Anna is blushing and embarrassed as if it were her own, but how should I respond?

'Ibuki, you're in trouble, brother Alihito. You need to secretly fantasize about that sort of thing.
Oh, ka-maybe it's a maple, but thank you...
I would have preferred to pitch a tent myself. I would have liked to hear about your hobby, Alihito. He was so quick to pitch the tent.
Thank you for your help, Mr. Atobe. I'm sorry you had to pitch our tent.
No, it's been a great help to me too, since we've been able to share the responsibility. It just so happens that there are four of us here, so why don't you give it a try? If there are any problems, we'll make some adjustments.

　I didn't want them to set up wrong or anything, but they all went in and didn't come out for a while. They seemed to be talking quietly inside, so it didn't seem to be a problem.

It's very cozy........since we are here, can you come in too, Alihito-san?　You should have your brother who built it for you to check it out.
Wait ... maple, wouldn't it be too stuffy if the teacher got in here?
'That's another thing. We'll just have to keep each other warm on a cold night.
'Well, that's a bit...I'm wearing a very light change of clothes. I can't show it to Atobe, no matter how many tents I'm in.
Ryoko, it's not at night, it's just for a little while now. But my brother seems to be shy, he seems so serious.

　I don't feel comfortable being talked about myself, so I turn my attention to how the other members are doing. It's not that I'm not serious, but I shouldn't feel too much like a leisure person if I'm invited to enter that tent.

''Thank you for your hard work, Arihito-san. Thank you for helping me, even though you're far away.''
'Arictoo's skills have a really wide range of reach... I wonder if the distance is unlimited if all you have to do is stay 'behind'
It seems to work just fine within sightlines.

　Thanks to mastering the Eye of the Hawk, my field of vision has become much broader - indeed, it's not enough to see to the edge of the labyrinth.

　The skills of the 'rear guard' position are different from the general rear guard position, and can be said to be related to the concept of 'being behind' itself. 'Backstand' is something that goes behind the enemy, and although I haven't acquired it yet, 'back front' is considered to be a vigilance skill that keeps you from getting behind and always behind.

'It's comforting to know that even when we're moving apart like this, we can always benefit from your skills in the rear,'
It's true. I feel as if my brother is always behind me. It's like there's always an older brother in the background, not a spirit behind you or anything.
BOW!

　Since Sion has a supportive effect on him as well, his confidence level is gradually increasing, and even without saying anything, he's sitting in front of me and wagging his tail with a pat on the tail - when I stroke him under his chin, Sion's eyes narrowed in a pleasant way.


'If you want Madoka to do it as well, ask Ariecht to do it for you. I'm sure he'll do it for you.
.....
'Do you want to pet Madoka too?　

　Sion smells my shoes and gives me a sweet bite. I don't feel bad about being missed, but it's time to start worrying about the envious looks from Igarashi-san.

''Arihito, it's time to set a trap. It's hard to see your hand when it's completely dark.
Yeah, okay. Now, let's plant one in front of the fountain.

　I call out to the four people in the tent and receive one of the traps from Anna, who comes out. I ask Theresia to hide it in the grass at the front of the fountain and ask her to set it up - before I do.

'Don't miss my precious showpiece.......morale release, 'Fortune Roll'.......!

　Misaki keeps the tone of her voice low and activates 'Morale Release' - while everyone watches with bated breath, Theresia sets up the iron cage of the trap.

''.........''

　Current Situation

　Misaki activates the "Fortune Roll" and her next action is sure to succeed.
　Teresia sets up a box trap → Success

　The moment Theresia finished setting the trap, her body seemed to glow faintly - even the trap she set up itself.

''Is this........Teresia-san, did you feel something different?''

　When Misaki asked her, Theresa tilted her head slightly. She may have just set it up normally, but from us, it didn't look like that.

''Well that sounds promising. Just setting a normal trap shouldn't be as bad as it is now.
Oh, uh, brother, what did sister Misaki just do...
It's called 'morale release'. I think Madoka and Melissa can use it now, too. I don't know if their 'morale release' can be used in battle or not, but it could be a trump card, so save it for now.
''All right. If you haven't used it before you left the labyrinth, you can try it then...
'Sure, OK. If it's the first time for both of you, I can't wait to see what effect it has on you.

　If Theon is also able to 'release morale', I'd like to see the effect once - if I can, I should use 'Other Assist' to boost the morale of the 'Four Seasons' as well, but I don't have an inexhaustible supply of magic potions either, so I'm not going to do it this time I'm going to do that.

　Without potions, the recovery of magic power is quite slow - you can recover as much as you want by using 'Assist Charge' and 'Energy Sync', but that's not something you can do at any time.

''Well........let's prepare for dinner. Among the camping equipment, there were some cooking utensils in there as well, are we going to use those?
'Yes, sir. Since we're going to be here, I'd like to try out how much we can eat at the encampment.
Where do you cook, brother?

　Since we'll be using fire, we'll have to choose a safe place - it would be nice to do it on the white sands by the spring, which would be tasteful, but I feel that if we let too much human presence in the area, it would diminish the point of setting a trap.

"Shall we do it on the other side of that forest? If we are near the trap, we don't want the demons to be wary of us and stop coming to us.

　This mission is all new to me - camping out and capturing a demon with a trap. I'm sure this experience will be used in the future, and I want to make it a success somehow.

　　　◆◇◆

　The 'fire pit' made by the blacksmiths using ore from the labyrinth was foldable and easy to set up, to say the least.

　The streets of the labyrinth country are reminiscent of the exotic medieval period, but the convenience of life has developed in some areas that are surprisingly well developed due to magic stones, magic tools, and the technology brought by the reincarnators. As for camping tools, it seems that they have been especially developed because almost all of the searchers need them.

　Speaking of fuel, what a solid fuel was sold. It's not difficult to make if you have the knowledge, and it's said to be possible to make it using materials produced in the labyrinth.

''Haha, I miss this feeling. A small stove would come out for each of us, and we would gum up the meat in a small pot.
We have rice bowls on this side of the world and rice.

　Misaki and Suzuna were happily talking as they waited for their dinner to be ready. It's now completely dark, so I'm waiting for my dinner to be ready while I hold my sling and keep an eye on my surroundings.

　Sion and Theresia, who have a wide search range, are also keeping watch together. Every once in a while an Aero Wolf will appear in the distance, but there is no sign of it coming closer to us - you know it's no longer an enemy even if you challenge it, but even so, carelessness is a great enemy.

(If there was a way to camp safely without worrying about enemy attacks, I would enjoy camping more. As it stands, that's not going to happen.)

..........
'Oh, I think we're about to eat, so I'll suspend my vigilance. Come on, Theresa.

　Theresa asks me to come over, and I beckon to her - she comes over here and looks at me as if I'm going to do something.

'I'll take care of the vigil and you can take over when you're done eating.
..........

　Theresia shakes her head, but she hears a squeaky little sound - apparently she's quite hungry.

'Don't be shy. I've got jerky to keep my hunger at bay. I should have given Teresia some of that... oh, yeah, you had it.
..........

　Teresia had, as it turned out, stored her jerky inside her bodysuit. I can't help but be upset as she puts her hand into the slit that opens from her chest to her stomach.

　Then he offers me the jerky that he took out. It's mildly disturbing to see her, who has always had an image of being hungry, give me food - is that an exaggeration?

'Are you sure?　You can save it for later...
..........
Okay, all right. Thanks, I'll take it.

　Her expression is still the same. Her mouth, which is visible through the mask, remains almost a straight line.

　So I guess it's my imagination that Theresia's footsteps are light on her way to everyone's place.

(But........this jerky is a bit warm.......)

　I thought about saving it without eating it, but when I looked over, Theresa turned and looked at me - I felt a silent prompting, so I tore open the package and nibbled on the jerky.

　The meat was chewy, but warmed up and mindfully easy to eat. Theon returns and looks like he wants to eat too, so I decide to give him the portion I had originally. I honestly don't know if it's as Theresia wanted, but I want to eat the portion she gave me by myself.

'Kuhn........'
What's up?　Zion.

　Since the sun set, the clouds have gradually become suspicious - the sky has become lightly cloudy, and the only light we can rely on is the light from the cantera set up near the fire pit.

Appearing with thunderclouds, that's pretty dangerous)

　We haven't seen any lightning yet, but with so much black cloud cover, I'm worried about the rain. So far, no raindrops have fallen or anything like that, so I'd like them to stay put.

"....BOW!

　Theon, who had his face in my boot, suddenly turns around and barks a single word. I look over to see what's going on - a few people who had been watching us, as if lurking in the darkness of the night, "They've noticed! Hey! What do you think? I heard a panicked voice saying things like.

　A searcher who is aiming at the prey caught in a trap set by others and expects to be spared - if I've come to the seventh district, I should be able to get by without doing so. I can't just leave it as it is, so I take Sion with me and head out to scout it out.

　As we headed to the hillside's undulations a short distance away from the spring, three explorers who had been lurking in the grass emerged from themselves, probably because we were slowly approaching. A suit with grass pasted all over their bodies, the purpose of which was to assimilate the terrain - a ghillie suit, I guess.

　Three men of medium build, in their mid-twenties to thirtysomething. They looked restless, but they didn't run away.

''Uh ... what the hell are you guys doing?''
'Uh ... well, let's just say. All right?　We were just ordered to come here and....

　A middle-aged man with a full beard, who seems to be the leader of the three of us, checks in with his friends. The weapons he carries include a machete-like weapon, a bow gun, and a thin spear, probably for throwing projectiles - they look like they've come to hunt demons.

We're members of Beyond Liberty. We've got our mark on you.
'Wait ... well, wait. You're not allowed to say that, if that Grey guy finds out...
"Who doesn't think it's a usurpation to accidentally find a 'trapped demon' and for us to hunt it down by accident....... In any case, we're the bad guys at this point. It's better to negotiate to prevent that from happening than to get a rise in karma.

　A muscular man with a beard, a skinny man with binoculars in his hand, and a man wearing a helmet that looks like a rather sedate camouflage helmet. Of the three, the helmeted person is the chief strategist, or something like that.

'Are you suggesting we take advantage of our trap?　I'd appreciate it if you could get out of my way.
It's hard for me to hear that. But we're also at the end of the line, and if we're told it's a decision made by our superiors, we have no choice but to follow orders.
'Can we just see what kind of demon your prey is? I know that leaking information is the last thing an explorer wants to do...
I'm not going to ask you for a favor that's too good to be true... hey, don't you think so?

　The skinny guy didn't use the bowgun he carried to threaten us, and I don't feel any hostility from them. But it is true that we do not want any information to be passed on to Gray.

　But as for their presence in this hierarchy, we can't prohibit them. If I try to get rid of them and they are judged to have 'harmed other searchers', there is a chance that my karma will be raised.

''Guru........''
Look, look, you big, fat dog, get angry...
'No, Zion will listen to me, so don't be afraid. Well, I understand what's going on but if you're saying you're watching what we do, there's nothing we can do to stop you from doing it.
'Well I thought that if you insisted on leaving, then that's just as well. I'm glad you said that....

　The bearded man says reassuringly, but I'll make one reminder.

'If possible, can you report back to me that 'we didn't work out'? You don't necessarily have to tell them exactly what happened, do you?
"Okay, fine. We feel bad about reporting you guys for being stupidly honest, too. Thanks for letting us off the hook.
You're a... you're pretty self-explanatory. You're a good person. I can see it in your eyes.
'Hey, hey I'm sorry, I'm a good guy, I'm a good guy. We'll never get in your way, and when we do, you can attack us for 'breaking the contract'. We'll be the ones who get caught.

　The person with the beard operates his license - and when he does, he sees this display on it.

　◆A pact with another party ◆.

　Do not interfere with the actions of Arithito's Party.
　Do not interfere with the actions of the Four Seasons.

Hmm?　You guys haven't named your party yet we're operating under the name 'Triceratops' for a change.
I'm thinking of giving it to him. Is the name Triceratops because they're a trio?
'I'm not sure what we'll do if there are more than four of us, though. Alihit-san, if we say so, you have to be careful with the Grey of the 'Alliance'. Don't tell him we said this.

　Although they are members of the 'Alliance for Freedom', it seems that not all of the members who belong to it are necessarily monolithic.

''........Ah, that's right. Our party has a lot of women in it, so can I keep those binoculars?
'What?　What are you talking about?　I'm not peeking!
Well, I can understand Aricht's concern. I'll ask you to keep it for me as a sign of your promise.
Well, well, that guy has a point but please don't break it because it's a very valuable tool.

　Owl's Scope◆

　Increases visibility.
　Makes it easier for your weapon to hit the target.
　See in the dark.
　You can detect heat signatures.

(Is this like a thermoscope or...?　(What does it look like?)

　The scope has a stand on it, and you can use it standing on the ground - this would require you to crawl on the ground, but you could handle the ranged weapon with both hands and take aim.

'We just need to be allowed to see what happens, that's all. Take care of yourself.
It's kind of weird to say this, but you have a good time.

　The people of Triceratops seem to be struggling with the hierarchy within the alliance. That doesn't mean they can't completely let their guard down, but with the 'Eye of the Hawk' skill and the 'Owl Scope' they just received, they won't be able to miss their movements.

　As soon as Theon released his threatening stance, the three of them felt relieved and hid in the grass again, getting down again. One thought occurred to me and I decided to ask them.

'Could it be that the three of you were saber-rattling buddies or something?

　There was no reply - and then the bearded man raised his hand with a thumbs up. So it's still a common occurrence to team up with someone you've had a relationship with in a previous life.

　When we returned near the camp, everyone was dividing the food into plates and it smelled good.

'Whew ... rice cooked in a rice bowl!　Look at that steam, brother!　You don't need a humidifier!
'I don't think the steam from cooking rice has a steam effect but that's as good as it gets.

　Melissa is stirring a pot on the fire pit. In it is a stew filled with a lumpy filling - no, this is that food I know very well.

"....with the meat and vegetables I bought this morning, curry...? made.

　I heard that the market in the Seventh Ward sells spice mixes, and they can make food that is as close to curry as possible. The spices in the mix are limited to those available in the labyrinth, so it's not quite the curry you remember, but the aroma is very close.

'Melissa said she heard about curry from her father and wanted to make it once.
'It's not like the curry we used to make at home, but it tastes authentic and delicious. Come on in, Alihit-san.
Yeah, thanks.

　Suzuna served the curry in a serving dish - I would have felt bad for the people of Triceratops if they had been able to see this kind of situation with binoculars.

　A few trees in the woods had been knocked down and there was a comfortable stump to sit on, so we sat there and brought the curry to our mouths. The flavor of the curry melted out of the meat and vegetables, and the spiciness of the curry stood up as I ate it, stimulating my appetite and making me feel like I was addicted to it.

　Madoka, who had brought me water, laughed at me as I ate in unison. She seems to have finished her portion already.

'Melissa-san's curry is amazingly delicious. I devoured it like crazy.''
'I didn't know you could eat something so authentic. Thank goodness Madoka carried my gear for me.
Well, it's not... it's the least I can do, so...

　Madoka seems to feel she has to contribute to the party, but I think she's trying more than enough, and that should be communicated every time. It's embarrassing to put into words, but if you don't say it, it often doesn't come across.

'You joined the party and you're still helping me tremendously. Let's keep up the good work.
Yes..........yes.......

　I'm too old to be a sister, but I guess I'm not just barely a daughter either. In any case, although I'm nominally the leader of the party, the party members should only be equals, even if there is an age difference.

''.........''
'Whoa ... te, Theresa. I didn't hear your footsteps, so I didn't notice you.


　The spicy curry raises my body temperature - but that doesn't stop Theresa from wanting to eat it, so I decided to go get some water, since the place has plenty of drinking water.

　　　◆ ◆ ◆

　After we finished eating, we split up into three tents, as we had decided beforehand.

　I'm outside the tents, looking through the 'owl scope' from the top of the cliff to monitor the trap in front of the spring - but there's no sign of a demon to be caught.

(Even if I catch it, it won't do me any good if it escapes... but maybe it's the curry, but I don't feel so sleepy.)

　I didn't look at the license display, but Melissa has the 'Cooking 1' skill, so eating the curry must have had some added effect.

　It's good to see that my body is subtly hot, but it's also good to see that my consciousness is clearer. I move my scope to the trap I set up east of the fountain.

''Wha........?''

　What I saw there was a scene that could only be described as impossible. On the east side of the fountain, where the tent was set up out of sight from the trap, Ryoko-san, who was supposed to be in the vicinity of the tent, was walking alone towards the fountain.

　Moreover, his footsteps were clearly strange. Wobbling, as if drawn in - there's a stray sheep bouncing around in the corner of her gaze.

''Arihito, it's time to switch guards........''
'Elitia, there's something wrong with Mr. Ryoko!
What the hell...!

　Elitia stands at the edge of the cliff, carrying her sword - she seems to be able to see Ryoko-san, but she can't decide on an immediate course of action and looks to me for instructions with an impatient face.

''I'll shoot that 'Stray Sheep' and stall it!　Elitia and Theresa, see what's going on and come down the cliff!　Madoka is using her 'hide' skills to wait until it's safe to do so!
Yeah, I get it!
.....
Yes, sir.

　Picking up the ebony sling--'The one that shoots black magic bullets', I looked into the 'owl scope' standing on the ground and aimed clearly.

''-- Hit it!

　Current Situation

　Aricht activates the Force Shoot.
　Hit by Stray Sheep H
　Stray Sheep H" activates "Signal Flare".
　Defeat a Stray Sheep H

Pygmy...!

　The magic bullet with all of its strength hits Stray Sheep - but that was the moment.

　With a cry, a light emanates from Straysheep's entire body. I was dazzled by that flash of light, but in the Owl's Scope, I could see Ryoko's heat source reaction still walking towards the fountain.

　I finally realize what she's trying to achieve. Ryoko-san is 'trying to get herself into a trap'.

(The 'Fortune Roll' didn't work...no, no. Something unexpected is happening........!

　At all costs, we have to stop Ryoko-san before she gets her hands on the trap - there's no way to stop her with a sniper, then there's only one way.

''--Just in time!

　Current Situation

　Arihito activates 'Backstand' → Target: Ryoko

　With the flashes of light still not ceasing, I transitioned right behind Ryoko-san and teamed up with her from behind.

'Ryoko-san, get a grip!
What.... what do I... what do I...

　Just in the nick of time, I was able to stop Ryoko-san - and she came to herself. The danger she was in earlier, when she was walking as if she was being manipulated, is gone.

　However, the situation has not improved at all. On the contrary, lightning flashes in the sky and thunderclaps roar in response to the flashes of lightning that Stray Sheep unleashed like a decapitation.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　The "Messenger of the Inviting Guardian" appears.
　Two "Thunderheads" appear.

Woah...!
Kyahhh...!

　Three lightning bolts ran from the sky - two of them striking near the traps they had set to the west and east of the fountain. Yes, that's where I had set the lightning rod.

　And one lightning bolt was directly in front of us. After it strikes towards the spring and the energy of the lightning runs across the surface of the water, what comes is a moment of silence.

　The ground begins to shake. Something appears in the fountain where no figure had been visible until now, causing half of its massive body to rise to the surface.

''Uhhhh.........What, what is that monster.......!

　The leader of 'Triceratops' shouts out - I'm confused too, but hearing his voice, on the contrary, I'm able to calm down.

　If we only end up defeating Thunderhead and running away, there's a chance that someone who tried to hunt sheep will encounter this monster again someday. But we don't necessarily have the obligation to hunt. We don't have to take the risk, but the harvest we get from 'named' is huge and hard to get otherwise.

''Ah, Atobe-san.......a demon that big, with us now.......''
"Indeed.........taking on the 'named' that you're encountering for the first time is an extremely dangerous thing if it's true. If we're going to run away, we should stick to running away from the start.......but since we've come this far, I want to do what I can.
''........Yes, that's right. If we run away from them here, we'll have no choice but to flee even when a more powerful enemy comes out. That way, one day we'll be stuck in a dead end.
''Ryoko-san can use water-attribute magic, right? It may be effective, but just be careful not to get electrocuted.

　Ryoko-san nodded and looked at her friends with concern - but both Kaede and Ibuki were aware of their positions and were moving to get my support.

　Igarashi and the others are already ready for battle. Igarashi-san and the rest of the 'Thunderhead' who appeared to the west, and the three remaining members of the 'Four Seasons' to the east - and Elitia and Theresia - had also reached us.

''I suppose it would be more profitable to take them out one by one, but.......apparently, that's not going to happen.

　Countless "Stray Sheep" hiding in the grasslands gathered around the demon that emerged from the water - yes, the "Stray Sheep" was like an alter ego or an infant that the demon had released into this hierarchy to lure in food! .

　The figure, which is covered in Stray Sheep's cotton wool, looks like a devil with a sheep's head - with a body so huge you can look up at it. Although it is about the same size as the "Eagle-headed Giant Soldier", the murderous atmosphere emanating from its entire body is uncommon.

　Encountered Demon?

　Inviting Pastoralist Messenger Level 7 Drop: ?
　Thunderhead A Level 5 Drop: ?
　Thunderhead B Level 5 Drop: ?
　Herd of Stray Sheep

"...ohhhhh........

　While emitting a sound that is not considered to be a living thing, and is not even a voice, the demon begins to move one step at a time, trying to get up from the spring.

''Elitia, I'll see what's going on first, drawing it in so that the whole attack doesn't fly at everyone... can you do that?''
Yeah, I'll take care of it. I'll go on a rampage with Theresa.
....

　Theresia readies her shield and prepares her dagger for throwing. At the same time as her companions began to engage, Elitia drew her sword and took the lead.

''-- Decay........!

　In terms of uncanny sharpness in battle, Elitia is not defeated by the 'Messenger of the Pastoral God' either.

''Elitia, I'll 'support' you!
"....oh...oh...oh...oh...oh!

　The 'Messenger of the Shepherd God' lifted a thick arm covered in sheep's cotton - the arm shone with lightning and turned black all at once.

''--Eritia, don't step in too deep yet!
Huh...!

　Current Situation

　Aricht activates 'Support Attack 1'.　
　The Messenger of the Inviting Pastor activates the Black Thunder Fist.
　Elitia" activates "Rising Zapper".
　Stray Sheep D is hit at first level. Support damage 12.
　The second level hits Stray Sheep E. The second level hits for 12 damage.
　Defeat a Stray Sheep D

　Elitia kicked the sandy soil and jumped up, releasing a cut-up - but that blow only shaved off a single "Stray Sheep" sticking to the surface of the "Messenger of the Pastoral God".

　The main body is not struck and does not even frighten. And then a fist covered in blackened lightning is released towards Elitia - but........

''Kook........!
Elitia-san...!
....!

　Theresia throws out a dagger - whereupon Ryoko-san also shoots out a dolphin formed by the water of the spring.

　◆Current Situation ◆

　Arihito activates 'Support Attack 2' → Support: 'Force Shoot Stun'
　Theresa makes a double throw and throws two small darks.
　The first level hits Stray Sheep R. Support damage is 12.
　The second level hits Stray Sheep N. The second level hits for 12 damage.
　Ryoko activates "Aqua Dolphin".
　A hit on the Messenger of the Inviting Guardian

"--Oh...!

　Theresia's dagger didn't reach the main body of the 'Makishin's Messenger' and the 'Stray Sheep' on the surface peeled off. Ryoko's magic attack did not take any support damage, but it seemed to work slightly.

　However, the fists of the 'Messenger of the Makishin' did not stop. Aiming vindictively at Elitia, the blow is finally swung out - but a moment before that.

''--Stop!

　Current situation

　Aricht activates a Force Shoot Stun and hits the Messenger of the Inviting Pastor.
　Elitia activates the Air Raid
　Elitia avoids the Black Thunder Fist and deals range damage to Elitia.

Ohhhh...!
-Oh, my God!

　The magic bullet I fired landed on the enemy's face, and the aim of my slightly unleashed fist was deflected. At that moment, Elitia activated her skills in the air and completely avoided the fist.

　However, the fist clad in lightning, even if the fist itself is avoided, will it cause damage to the surroundings, Elitia screams in pain.

''Don't worry.......this much is still.......!

　Elitia says so, but my heart jumps at the sight of the license - the decrease in the strength bar had reached nearly a quarter of its capacity.

'As long as we can hit the main body of the enemy, the attack will pass... we'll cut down on the 'Stray Sheep' as much as possible, Alihit!
Okay...........

　Elitia hasn't lost her will to fight. She was right, no matter how numerous 'Stray Sheep' are, there is a limit.

　-- as if to mock our expectations. A clear smile appeared on the corner of the mouth of the "Messenger of the Inviting Pastor" who had no expression on his face for a long time.