Chapter 455

455 – Final Escape Drama

As the black lizard urges me to hurry, I try to shrink my humanised form even smaller. I curl into a ball and compress my body down. Right now I probably look like a pale round mass of scales.

Since I no longer care about the shape of my body, it feels like the MP consumption has gone down a bit, though my MP is already almost all gone. It wouldn’t be strange for it to run out any second.

『H-hey, why did you want me to…? No way, are you going to…?』

I feel my body wrapped in warm liquid. My thoughts grind to a halt for a second, but then I realise. The black lizard has concealed me in her mouth… No, is this really her mouth? Is this not more like her stomach? Like the ball rabbit, she might have a skill to control her stomach.

『H-hey, this is reckless! He has [Presence Perception]…』

“Kishii!”

Suddenly, my body jolts up and down, then to the left and right. I-is this [Roll]!? Does she plan to run away like this!?

…Could this work? In the first place, my plan was to use [Roll] to get away from Beelzebub, but because of the speed of his human form, that was still a highly dangerous prospect. Right now, he should be hurtling towards me at full speed. The black lizard is also rolling while carrying the lump that is me. Her balance and centre of gravity are off.

It’s unlikely we’ll be able to shake him off.

『I-it’s impossible after all! Spit me out and ru-…』

…I begin to send my thoughts with [Telepathy], but stop. The black lizard wouldn’t leave me and run. I learnt that from our time together in the forest.

『Sorry, black lizard… Do you know the way to the mine? Can you head that way?』

“Kishi.”

I hear the black lizards chirp in reply.

It’s still not decided that he’ll find us. Beelzebub isn’t as smart as Lilixira. Just earlier, he pointlessly used a big move and let me slip away as a result. From how he speaks too, he doesn’t seem like the sharp type.

His perception can’t reach very far. If we keep gaining some distance, he’ll eventually be forced to turn around. It’s possible that, upon failing to spot my large body, he’ll give up and scurry back to Lilixira without understanding the situation.

I-I don’t want to die. I’ve prepared myself for death countless times in front of Lilixira’s malice and the slime’s tenacity. But even so, I was miraculously able to get away. I’ll complete my escape. By escaping, I’ll be able to fulfil my promise to Aro and the others…and to my partner.

Some time passes. Beelzebub still hasn’t come. I feel a surge of relief that we were able to get away. The limit of my half-baked [Humanisation Technique] has almost arrived.

『Black lizard, it’s about time…』

Suddenly, the speed of her [Roll] increases. Why? What has happened? I’m about to ask her, but before I can, my [Presence Perception] detects a powerful presence. I-it can’t be. He’s really…?

“You really gave me a fright there. You practically took me for a fool! I’ll admit it, your inability to know when to give up is ugly, but you aren’t just running away in blind fright.”

I hear Beelzebub’s shout. He’s still fairly distant. But he’s coming! And it wasn’t [Telepathy], but his human voice! With the black lizard’s speed, we won’t be able to get away!

“Come out, you walking dead! If you don’t come out quickly, I’ll blast you away together!”

Damn it! How did he find us!? He might have created some more underlings and had them search for him. I was careless. I should have at least told the black lizard that he can share his underlings’ senses.

He’s not the smartest, and he’s not the type to do whatever it takes to complete his objective. But, at the very least, he’s not an idiot.

『Black lizard! It’s impossible! He’s saying he’ll overlook you! So hurry up and spit me out!』

But, the black lizard speeds up even further without showing any sign of stopping.

『H-hey, black lizard!』

“I’m not going to give you time to think it over! Sorry, but I don’t have the time to wait!”

The black lizard doesn’t stop. Is this as far as we go? All I’ve done is get the black lizard wrapped up in this…!

“Wha…? Guh! That shithead!”

I hear the clinking of what sounds like chains, and at the same time, Beelzebub stops. Wh-what has happened? He should have been just about to overtake us.

『He’s bound by shining chains.』

I pick up on the black lizard’s thoughts with [Telepathy], and receive some visual information. Shining chains…? Are they the product of some skill? Then… Could he have reached the range limit of [Spirit Servant]!?

I can’t think of it as anything else!

We’re finally able to shake off Beelzebub. Since breaking into the castle, it’s been one predicament after the other. But, it’s finally over.

The slime turned into the ruin, and then through my partner’s sacrifice, is finally gone for good. Lilixira probably lost her seraphim, and we’re out of the range limit of her other [Spirit Servant].

Right now, Lilixira should be in or near the royal capital. If she still had another secret weapon up her sleeve, then I’d throw in the towel, but surely she must be out of cards now.

We have some distance from Beelzebub. Getting hit by his [Storm of the Fly King] would hurt, but we’re already fairly far away. The force of it should fall by the time it reaches us. Moreover, the black lizard has complete immunity to poison.

“I’ll make you suffer too, Irushiaa!”

Beelzebub screams. At the same time, the feeling of pressure from behind me spikes. It’s coming, his [Inhaala]! But with this much distance, [Roll] should be enough to resist it!

『Black lizard, watch out! He’s going to use suction magic!』

“Kishii!”

…The next second, I suddenly sense innumerable presences appearing from Beelzebub’s direction.

“…Kishii?”

H-huh, was I wrong?

『It’s my parting gift! With all my HP and MP, I’ll transform this land into a hellscape! I don’t like ending things this like this, but I need to do everything I can! Don’t die in a boring way!』

A-about ten somethings have appeared from Beelzebub’s centre and are flying towards us. Is this his [Kin Propagation]…? Are his kin unaffected by the range of [Spirit Servant]!?

H-his underlings are C+! Sorry black lizard, do your best to run!

“Kishiiii!”

My MP is as it’s limit. My body is burning in pain. I…probably can’t take on multiple C+ rank opponents right now. My HP and MP are one thing, but as a result of taking the [Storm of the Fly King] while humanised, my limbs are useless.

I can feel them. The ten flies are following behind us. Bit by bit, they’re closing the distance. This is pretty difficult. Finally, the lead fly kicks the black lizard’s back hard.

“Kishi!”

I am spat out, and tumble across the ground. I somehow crawl with my crushed limbs and restore my body to its original size. Perhaps as recoil from the excessive humanisation, my whole body feels numb and sore.

Next to me, the black lizard crashes into a boulder. I crawl in front of the black lizard to protect her from the oncoming flies.

D-damn it, in a place like this… Did I just get the black lizard involved for nothing…?

Suddenly, I notice the reddish-brown ground around me. Is this…the Great Alban Mine…?

“[Gale]!”

At the same time as I hear the chant from overhead, a tornado appears and scatters the chasing flies.

『A-Aro! You waited for me!』

“Welcome back, dragon-god-sama.”

Her arm outstretched, Aro smiles at me.

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