Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~

Chapter 290，Part1: 1 - Marin's Wails ③

Chapter 290 Marin’s Wails ③

Part 1

There was a *piripiri* tense atmosphere in the hall.

Hunters, knights, and priests surrounded the strangely laid-out magic circle. Even though they had gathered a force that far exceeded their estimations, their faces showed no signs of carelessness.

Kruz, who had been *kyakya* squealing down below until just a few minutes ago, is already facing the magic circle with Lapis and the others.

I don’t know what they were so wary about, but everyone’s level of seriousness indicated the danger of this purification operation. A badass smile appears on my face as I watch them while *burabura* dangling my feet on top of the huge showy gate.

I went out of my way to ask Lucia to put me on top of the showy gate, partly because I literally decided to look from a high ground, but also because this is the most conspicuous place. On the ground, there might be stray bullets, and I didn’t want to be near Lucia and the others and interfere with the purification process.

The Multi-Layered Barrier Magic Circle consisted of a flat magic circle drawn on the ground and thirteen pillars surrounding it.

It seems that a three-dimensional structure is formed by carving a formula into the pillars. The pillars are thick enough for a person to hug them and cannot be so easily overturned. The gap between the pillars is wide enough for Anthem to pass through, but from a bird’s eye view, the magic circle looks like a prison.

“It is such a big ceremony……” (Cry)

Nice, nice, nice. Come to think of it, it may have been a long time since I saw a battle with Anthem or Ark in it.

Under Priest-san’s direction, a massive box wrapped in chains is placed in the middle of the magic circle.

I took out my phone and snapped a picture of the scene and sent it to the Imouto Kitsune.

Saying Curse Now……

“Now, let’s move on to 『Marin’s Wails’』 purification. Everyone, do as we planned.” (Priest)

Suddenly, Priest-san who is standing in front of the magic circle turned to me and our eyes met. I put on a meaningful but also meaningless smile and nodded my head with the feeling of thanking him for taking care of Anthem for me.

Priest-san stares at me in wonder. All the priests around the pillar raise their arms in unison.

At that time, I certainly sensed a surge of power gushing out around the magic circle.

The pillars that make up the magic circle are connected to each other by a rope of lightning and a strange pattern floats in the air. A magic circle is, so to speak, magic using letters. It was such a mysterious sight that I would have been enraptured by it if it were not under such circumstances.

Outside the magic circle, Anthem was on standby and waited motionlessly like a rock.

He lowers his helmet. Ahead of his gaze is a box that trembles in the center of the magic circle.

As if in agony and in pain, the chains wrapped around the box were making a *gatagata* clattering sound. The seal should not have been broken yet――But at this unusual sight, Franz-san gave an order to the knights.

“Everyone, take position!” (Franz)

The knights ready their firearms. The priests surrounding them chant incantations as if in chorus and the Hunter unit ready themselves for battle at any moment.

An atmosphere ready to explode at any moment. I am the only one who isn’t in a battle stance.

Then, Priest-san raised his staff and shouted in a clear-defined voice in front of me, who kept a badass smile on my face.

“『Seal Release』!” (Priest)

As if on cue, the chains sealing the box burst at once.

The pure air that filled the place was eroded in an instant. The lid of the box opens with a heart-chilling scream similar to a woman’s death cry.

As I was looking down, I could see something bloody――Or maybe not bloody emerge from the box and the priests surrounding it shouted a prayer in unison.

The box was engulfed in golden flames and burned as high as the sky. An inaudible scream, incomparable to the previous one, shook the place.

The knights and the Hunters retreated at the momentum of the brilliance of that pure flame.

According to the plan, I heard that at first the opponent would be weakened by bidding them with a magic circle, and then a full-scale purification would begin, but………… The End already??

As I had heard before, the curse had the appearance of a woman. I say the appearance of a woman because her eyes, nose, face, hair, and body were all darkened and on the verge of crumbling. It is exactly the image of a ghost, but I have no idea if it is her original appearance or if it is the result of being burned by the flames.

Even while being burned, the materialized curse sticks her head out of the flames. As if he had anticipated it, Ark points his sword at her.

The world did indeed stop for a moment. The sound, the vibration, certainly disappeared for a moment.

I didn’t even hear a chant for the spell. A clear blue streak shot from the tip of the sword pierced through 『Marin’s Wails』. Her palate cracked wide open with a scream and her long arms moved in agony as they writhed in pain but the rope that connects the pillars together repelled her arms.

The effect is too strong.? It looks like she will be purified before Anthem can do anything. There is no sign that the carefully prepared barrier will be broken.

Apparently, she is overpowered. I could not help but notice that Kruz was frowning and covering her ears.

But then, Franz-san yelled as loud as the sound of thunder.

“Don’t let your guard down! Shoot iiiiiiiiiiiit!” (Franz)

“He is so murderous……” (Cry)

Upon receiving Franz-san’s order, the knights started shooting all at once.? A violent roar different from the thunderbolt that Ark shot earlier shook the air.

Even if you are a Hunter, you don’t often hear gunshots.? The silver bullets fired from the firearms that seemed to have been created by Primus Academy of Magic Sciences looked like a storm.

A firearm that fires 50 bullets per second seems to have a certain amount of recoil, so the muzzle of the gun is slightly shaky, but precision is irrelevant with such a large number of bullets.

I covered my eyes due to the muzzle flash and the unknightly fighting style, but for some reason, Franz-san shouted with great joy.

“Fuhahahahahahahahahaha! How’s that, 《Infinite Variety (Senpen Banka)》! This is the power of the knights of Zebrudia!” (Franz)

No, no, no you can’t call this the power of the knights, something like this……

For the time being, it seems that they are shooting while avoiding the pillars. A storm of bullets pierces Marin’s Wails along with her burning box.

The translucent body, surrounded by flames, received the bullets and bounced widely. Since there is no real body, the bullet has completely slipped through her, but apparently, she received some damage.

Her blackened features are distorted in pain, and her entire body is exposed.

Unlike what I had imagined, its figure was completely that of a human girl. I heard that a girl named Marin was the source of Marin’s Wails, but it seems that the curse took the form of its source.

It is truly a terrifying story, as it is said to have consumed thousands and thousands of people and destroyed several cities in spite of its fragile appearance.

Or rather, isn’t this still overkill?

“It is like you are bullying the weak so I kinda don’t like it.” (Cry)

“………… Leader, that is a curse you know!?” (Lucia)

My Imouto, who has yet to make a move, hears me talking to myself and *kiii* glares at me. As expected of a High-Level Hunter who can silence a crying child.

Lapis and the others who were nearby were also frowning at Marin’s Wails.

“Hmm………… I see. It is quite strong for a human creation. It looks like the maker did something quite fiendish.” (Lapis)

“…… No wonder the church has prepared so well, desu.” (Kruz)

Leaving Lapis aside, even the naive Kruz said so…… Doesn’t that make me feel like an idiot for saying that they are bullying the weak.

Come to think of it, I hear that some Phantoms mimic the weak and come to take advantage of your openings. Perhaps you cannot become a Hunter if you can be deceived by appearances.

“Heeeh…… Is that thing really that amazing!?” (Cry)

“……………… Don’t tease us. It is not as much as you are.” (Lapis)

Lapis says with a cold and chilling look.

………… Don’t tell me just now… She complimented me?

While I was talking nonsense, the purification process was proceeding smoothly and too cruelly

Exposed to the fierce attacks, Marin’s Wails bounced around the inside of the magic circle like a rubber ball and was repelled by the barrier.

The effect seems to be certain, as it took a long time to carve the columns all the way up. If it is like this, I don’t think they will need to use that chain they prepared.

TL notes:

Thanks for reading! No april joke for you. Or maybe me posting this late can be the joke.

Here’s the chapter! But Cry taking pity on the curse makes it seems like he sympathizes with the curse.

Is he going to befriend the curse!? That would be fun.

Tchao à plus!

Footnotes

Curse Now: This is a reference of the Imouto Kitsune saying Aburaage Now.

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