The damage to Gorn and his defending force in this battle was great, second only to the damage they had taken during their first battle against Vandalieu.
They had learned their lesson in the prior battle; when the fake Cuatro exploded, they had immediately created defensive walls with magic and physical objects like rock and ice, and the God of Mirror Images Larpan had switched his focus from impeding Gufadgarn and Legion to protecting Gorn and his allies. The explosion itself had also not been as powerful as the first one. Thus, they had fortunately not suffered much direct damage.
However, the Sea Bird Beast-King Valfaz had been slain, and the Iron Colossus Nabanga, who had fallen and landed on the continent, had been confirmed to be dead.
And although the demigods’ wounds were relatively light, they were not so light that they would be able to fight again at full strength right away.
As for the leading members of the defending force, Gorn, the commander on the battlefield, had suffered terrible burns on his right arm, and four of Brateo’s fingers on his dominant hand had been broken. Madroza’s wounds were lighter than Gorn and Brateo’s, but she had suffered a wound to her abdomen as well.
However, not all of the damage they had received was visible to the eye.
“It is likely that the previous battle and this one were to confirm the existence of us space-attribute gods, and to test our ability to see how long we can impede the teleportation of Gufadgarn and Legion,” said Larpan, the God of Mirror Images.
Gorn and the others grimaced.
At the beginning of the battle, Vandalieu had stood on Cuatro’s stern and called for Gorn and his allies to surrender. After that, he had cast spells that (to Gorn and his allies’ knowledge) only the real Vandalieu could cast.
Based on this, Gorn and his allies had determined that the ship Vandalieu was on was the real Cuatro – or rather, made the assumption that even if it was a fake, it wouldn’t self-destruct since Vandalieu was aboard.
They were aware that Vandalieu had learned of the space-attribute gods lying in wait during the previous battle. Thus, they had not imagined that he would discard his only means of escape when he was aware that his teleportation would be blocked.
However, the fake Cuatro had indeed self-destructed, and Vandalieu and his companions were still alive and well, having escaped without giving pursuit to Gorn and his allies.
“He has learned our formations, chipped away at our forces, and they should have a good idea of Larpan’s power. It is likely that the next time he appears, he will be intent on pushing through until he reaches Botin,” said Gorn.
“This is no time to be talking calmly, Gorn!” shouted Brateo. “The monsters of the Demon King’s Continent that you’ve gathered are still too few in number! The hole we must try to fill is only growing deeper, and we are making no progress!”
“Please calm down, Brateo,” said Madroza. “Based on what we know from the previous battles, Vandalieu will not appear again so soon. He and his allies have exhausted themselves as well.”
Several days had passed between Vandalieu’s second and third attack. It was likely that he had spent those days preparing another fake ship to detonate.
Thus, Madroza assumed that it would be another few days before the next attack.
“We don’t know that. If he intends to devour Botin’s soul in the next attack, then maybe he won’t use a fake exploding ship that takes days to build,” said Brateo.
“Madroza. We do not know if Vandalieu will come tomorrow or in several days’ time. However, that does not change the fact that we must regain our fighting strength and prepare to intercept him,” said Larpan.
“Indeed,” Madroza said in agreement, but she did not withdraw her argument. “However, making futile moves will only make the situation worse. Brateo, even if you continue trying to gather the continent’s monsters, with those injuries, you will only make yourself a target for counterattacks.”
Gorn had previously suggested using the demigods’ descendants who had become monsters – Giants and Dragon-type monsters – as disposable pawns against Vandalieu.
Naturally, they would not gather these monsters by persuading them or striking a deal. They would threaten them and force them to do their bidding. They were not expecting the monsters to understand their plan, and they were not expecting to be able to coordinate their attacks with the monsters.
Having them charge at Vandalieu would be enough. They didn’t need to train them or form bonds with them like Nineroad had with her familiars. And even if they were to change sides and join the enemy, it would be no great loss.
When the God of Thunderclouds Fitun attacked the city of Morksi, some Thunder Dragons had fled in fear of Vandalieu, while others had become attached to him and tamed by him.
Even if the same thing happened this time, it didn’t matter. They were disposable pawns, with their number as their only useful quality. Gorn and his allies would simply attack the ones that turned against them along with Vandalieu’s forces.
If Vandalieu took pity on these monsters and tried to protect them, it was possible that this extra task would hinder him, so it would even be a good thing if that happened.
However, these disposable pawns would be facing the Demon King, so no matter their number, they needed a certain level of quality. If they were of the same quality as the Thunder Dragons and Mountain Giants used by Fitun, they would quickly be decimated by the attacks of that flying ship.
That was why the demigods had been running around the Demon King’s Continent, gathering monsters of Rank 10 or greater, but… now that Brateo and Gorn each had one unusable hand, if the monsters took notice of that, it was possible that they would find an opening to escape or make a counterattack against them.
Brateo grunted. “… You’re right.”
“Brateo, Larpan, there is something I must say,” said Gorn. “I intend to move our defensive line from the sea around the continent, back to the coast.”
“Gorn, have you lost your mind?!” exclaimed Brateo. “That would allow Vandalieu to come closer to the seal! Not only that, but it would mean that Madroza and the others would have to fight away from the sea. What are you thinking?!”
“It’s impossible to continue meeting the enemy above the sea. And because there is some distance to the pseudo-Divine Realms, the support that Sirius-dono and the others can provide is limited,” said Gorn.
Pure gods like the God of War Horns Sirius, who did not possess physical bodies like demigods, had been able to descend upon the world during the Age of the Gods, but this was a difficult feat now. It consumed a tremendous amount of power, so even descending for a short period of time would require them to exhaust all of their power and fall into a long slumber afterwards.
However, even in the current age, there were ways for gods to descend without consuming much power. One of those ways was to descend upon pseudo-Divine Realms, which were certain spaces in the physical world that had been made to be similar to the Divine Realms in which gods resided.
Gorn and his allies had created numerous such pseudo-Divine Realms on the Demon King’s Continent, and they were using them to allow Sirius and other gods to descend upon, and as safe zones where they could rest.
However, in the end, they were nothing more than pseudo-Divine Realms. Gods descending on them were unable to move outside them. And the creation and maintenance of pseudo-Divine Realms was usually not an easy task.
Large quantities of Mana or a large-scale religious ritual were necessary to create a pseudo-Divine Realm, and this cost needed to be paid at regular intervals in order to maintain it.
Gorn and his allies the miasma on the Demon King’s Continent to meet the enormous Mana requirement. The continent was filled with so much miasma that the environment had distorted to the point of resembling a completely alien world. Maintaining a few pseudo-Divine Realms had no effect on the continent at all.
And even if the miasma being used to maintain the pseudo-Divine Realms was condensed or spread out into the surroundings, the continent couldn’t possibly become any more contaminated.
However, creating more pseudo-Divine Realms would be difficult. If they wanted more support from Sirius and the other gods than just playing music imbued with Mana from afar, they would need to be closer.
“We could not defeat Vandalieu during the first battle; in fact, we are the ones who suffered heavy losses. It was clear at that point that we cannot keep meeting him in battle over the sea,” said Gorn. “Don’t think of this as a sign that we’re being driven into a corner. Think of it as a plan to lure him within our reach so that we can take him down.”
Brateo made a dissatisfied noise. “It cannot be helped. Half of the monsters you gathered can’t fly, after all.”
With Brateo’s reluctant agreement, Gorn’s forces began making preparations for Vandalieu’s next assault.
Upon hearing that Kanako had something important to discuss, Vandalieu had imagined that it would be to do with the next concert, or making a recruited member she’d become close with a permanent member, or perhaps she had an acquaintance suffering from an incurable illness or a physical defect that she wanted him to cure.
But he was wrong.
“Van, ‘Guider’ has appeared,” said Kanako.
“… So there are more people who want to become idols?” said Vandalieu.
“Van, that’s ‘like-minded.’ I’m talking about ‘Guider,’ the kind that guides. A ‘Guider’ Job has appeared for me.”
It seemed that Kanako had gone to change Jobs after her previous Job reached Level 100 after the Dungeon-clearing in Gartland several days ago and today’s stage performance. When she did, a Guider-type Job had appeared among her available Jobs
“It’s a Job that hasn’t appeared for you, called ‘Artistic Guider’… is this ok?” asked Kanako, looking worried.
Vandalieu put a hand on her shoulder. “There’s nothing to worry about, Kanako. You won’t start seeing only weird Jobs appear just because you take a Guider Job.”
“… Umm, that’s not what I was concerned about.”
“Huh? It’s not?”
Vandalieu was expressionless as always, but Kanako realized that he was genuinely surprised.
“Of course it isn’t,” Kanako said. “My Jobs might be normal compared to yours, Van, but to the average person, they’re definitely weird.”
She had started with normal Jobs like ‘Apprentice Thief,’ ‘Mage,’ and ‘Archer,’ then she had acquired ‘Firework Technician,’ a Job that was unknown to human societies, and after that, her Jobs were ‘Magical Girl,’ ‘Magical Idol’… If one did not compare them to Vandalieu’s Jobs, they were certainly strange.
“What I’m worried about is that if I take the Job, our guidances might clash, canceling each other’s effects out or becoming weaker,” said Kanako. “There aren’t any known historical cases of two Guiders being together, are there?”
The emergence of a Guider was not a frequent event. It was normal for a single Guider to emerge across one long era.
It had once been said that ten Guiders existed at the same time during a period of time that was dark and chaotic even for Lambda’s standards, but… in the current age, it was known that this account was mostly false, and only two individuals during that time had actually been confirmed to be Guiders.
Thus, Kanako’s concerns were reasonable.
“I think it’s fine,” said Vandalieu. “It’s true that there are no cases of two Guiders being together in history, but there are in legends. Over a hundred thousand years ago, all seven of the champions who fought the Demon King Guduranis were Guiders. In other words, I’m sure it’s a matter of the contents of the guidances.”
“The contents? For example, your guidance affecting Undead and certain kinds of monsters?” said Kanako.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Vandalieu believed that if two different guidances were to clash, then it would be a result of the contents of the guidances. A guidance was an ideology and a doctrine. There were ideologies and principles that could co-exist, and others that clashed with each other. Guidances were the same.
Of course, if the Guiders themselves strived to coexist and avoid clashes, and kept their ideologies separate from one another, then it was likely possible for them to avoid clashing.
The champions of a hundred thousand years ago had also divided into two groups – the creation-oriented champions and combat-oriented champions – and these two groups had antagonized each other. But Vandalieu had heard from the gods that even though this was the case, they had maintained a minimum level of cooperation and they had not conflicted to the point of being hostile towards each other, at least on the surface.
“We can only make guesses as to what kind of guidance the ‘Artistic Path’ is, but we can get a pretty good idea from the name of the Job and the things that you’ve accomplished up to this point. I don’t think it will clash with my guidance,” said Vandalieu.
‘Artistic Guider’ was, in short, the result of Kanako’s idol activities in this world. She was the first person to introduce idols to this world – idols that were not simply popular individuals or religious images. Not only had she become an idol herself, but she had also encouraged and taught people who had been born and raised in this world to become idols as well. That was why the Job had appeared to her.
And Vandalieu had supported her idol activities. He had created transformation equipment as she requested, provided Knochen as a stage for performances and used split entities of himself as equipment and, more recently, as performers.
In human society, he was known as the creator of transformation equipment, and he was known to be helping Kanako as the son of Darcia, who had already made her debut on stage.
Even if Vandalieu were to find another music or performing-art-related Guider Job in the future, it was unlikely that it would clash with Kanako’s ‘Artistic Guider.’
“… Alright. Then I’m off to go and become an ‘Artistic Guider!’ It sounds like it’ll provide some nice bonuses to my Attribute Value growth and my Skills, and I’m sure we’ll have even more audience members with the effects of the guidance!” said Kanako.
“See you later,” said Vandalieu.
Ordinary Guiders weren’t able to lead others easily like Vandalieu could. They would need to teach their ideology and spread their guidance gradually, but in Kanako’s case, she would lead through her art… her singing and dancing.
Though it would not be as rapid as Vandalieu’s, her guidance would likely spread with each stage performance. However, there was one concern: One could assume that her guidance would target even those who were not a part of her audiences.
“… Maybe I should let Melissa and Zadiris know first?” Vandalieu wondered to himself.
The guidance that Kanako was about to acquire was likely to also affect those who performed on stage with her. There was a chance that even Melissa, who had reluctantly performed a handful of times, and Zadiris, who was only performing to create more ‘Princesses’ around her, would be guided.
“Kana-chan was laughing and saying ‘I’m going to go and become a Guider’ as she headed towards the Job-changing room, so I guess her problem has been solved,” said Darcia.
“Yes, Mom… If she’s going around and spreading the news herself, maybe I don’t need to tell them?” said Vandalieu.
“You mean Melissa-chan and Zadiris-san? You don’t need to worry about them. If they’re really opposed to it, they won’t be guided, and if they’re guided, then it means that they weren’t opposed to it,” said Darcia.
“I suppose you’re right,” Vandalieu said in agreement.
As Darcia said, one could not come under the effect of a guidance unless all of the conditions for them to be guided were met.
However, there was something that Vandalieu had not realized. Guider-type Jobs affected those around the user before they appeared as a Job available for them to select.
This effect was a faint one that was not represented by numbers in one’s Attribute Values or Skills. However, that effect was something that even Vandalieu, as a Guider himself, had taken notice of after Kanako’s stage performance in Gartland.
In other words, Melissa, who had reluctantly agreed to work with Kanako, and Zadiris, who was currently performing on-stage with the recruited members in Morksi in Kanako’s absence, had already been guided… It was too late!
“Well, we need to celebrate, so let’s celebrate by making a sauté, chicken katsu, and a chicken curry with Valfaz’s meat. And let’s make something with Valfaz’s feathers,” said Vandalieu.
“Making deep-fried katsu using a defeated enemy… That’s a little ironic,” Darcia remarked.
Following this mother-son conversation, Vandalieu headed for the Job-changing room himself and touched the crystal ball inside.
《Jobs that can be selected: Dark King Mage, Fallen Warrior, Insect Ninja, Chaos Guider, Hollow King Mage, Eclipse Cursecaster, Demon Ruler, Creator, Pale Rider, Tartarus, Wild Spirit, Dark Battery Cannoneer, Magic Staff Creator, Soul Fighter, God Destroyer, Qliphoth, Dark Beast User, Spirit Therapist, Artisan: Transformation Equipment, Hollow Shadow Caster, Balor, Apollyon, Demigorgon, Great Demon King, Soul Devourer, God Devourer, Nergal, Ravana, Shaitan, Chi You, God Spirit Mage, Ouroboros, Rudra, Blood Ruler, Demon Electricity User, Yin Guider (NEW!), Divine Guider (NEW!), Juggernaut (NEW!)》
“More new Jobs… and even two Guider Jobs,” Vandalieu murmured to himself.
Was a ‘Yin Guider’ one who led shadows, or one who led others into the shadow… Was it perhaps a Job similar to ‘Demon Guider’ and ‘Dark Guider?’ As for the other Guider Job, Vandalieu knew why it had appeared.
“It’s probably because I guided Gufadgarn, as well as Bashas and the others.”
As it was a Job for guiding gods, this was likely the case. However, he also got the feeling that if that was true, it had taken a little too long to appear. Perhaps it was a Job related to guiding others into the realm of godhood… past Rank 13. Or perhaps it was simply a Job that did not appear until one had guided a certain number of gods.
As for ‘Juggernaut,’ Vandalieu didn’t have a good idea of what kind of Job it could be based on his current knowledge. Perhaps it was the name of something from the myths and legends of Earth.
Even with the ‘Perfect Record Technique’ Skill, I still don’t know what I don’t know.
Vandalieu had visited Earth after acquiring the ‘Perfect Record Technique’ Skill, and he had stocked up on new knowledge while he was there, but he had no knowledge regarding ‘Rudra’ or ‘Juggernaut.’
“Well, seeing new Jobs that I don’t know much about isn’t anything out of the ordinary. Now then, what should I take next?”
Although Vandalieu’s Skill Levels had increased with the ‘Destruction Guider’ Job, his Attribute Values hadn’t increased at all. He could select another Guider Job to increase his Attribute Values, or because his current enemies were mostly demigods, perhaps it would be better to take ‘God Destroyer’ or ‘God Devourer.’
“Select ‘Dark King Mage.’”
It would be problematic if he took another Guider-type Job and his Attribute Values continued to not increase, and he would be using ‘Dark King Magic’ against the demigods. And he would also be using ‘Dark King Magic’ to remove the seal on Botin. It was about time that he chose the ‘Dark King Mage’ Job.
《The Levels of the ‘Dark King Magic,’ ‘Chant Revocation,’ ‘God Spirit Magic,’ and ‘Spirit Therapy’ Skills have increased!》
Having checked his Status, Vandalieu left the Job-changing room and thought about the things he needed to do.
“I need to teach Matthew and the others how to fight, then there’s the screening of the battles in Alcrem and the Demon King’s Continent, and after that, I need to persuade Seris and the others to become Abyssal Vampires. I need to practice instruments, do my ‘Muscle Technique’ training every day, spend time with my family… and let’s also implement the restraining measures on the enemy that Chezare suggested.”
Vandalieu had learned from Valfaz’s spirit about the Boulder Colossus Gorn’s plan to make up for the forces he had lost, and he didn’t mind simply letting it be carried out. An army of monsters commanded by a tamer would be a threat, but a disorderly mob of forcibly-gathered monsters was much less so.
… There was also the fact that the plan to slip past Gorn and his allies to remove Botin’s seal directly from underground was underway, so it was convenient that their attention was focused on gathering monsters.
However, it was probably wise to execute the restraining measure that was suggested by Vandalieu’s trusted vassal, the general and prime minister Chezare, to prevent Alda’s forces from deploying reinforcements to support Gorn and his allies.
The Goddess of Flow Pargtarta was a subordinate god of Peria, the Goddess of Water and Knowledge, and as she carried out her duty of guarding her slumbering master, she received reports from the defense force that had been deployed to the Demon King’s Continent by Alda’s forces.
She was not currently in command of the defense force. Alda had approached her to ask her to take command, but she had declined because she had no experience in giving orders.
However, she was an old goddess who had existed since before the Demon King Guduranis’s invasion, and a trusted advisor of Peria, so the gods of the defense force made sure to keep her informed.
“Vandalieu was thought to be after Botin-sama on the Demon King’s Continent, but it seems that he is also searching for this place, where Peria-sama slumbers,” one of the young gods reported.
“Today, one of the Elder Dragons of the defense force discovered a strange insect, and it turned out to be Vandalieu’s familiar, created using fragments of the Demon King. They immediately hid themselves and let it pass, however, so we do not believe that he is aware of the location of this holy ground,” said another, speaking in a dire tone.
Pargtarta’s beautiful face was clouded with distress. “Either he is intending to attack this place while pretending to be after Botin, or he has changed targets because Gorn-dono and the others are putting up a sturdy defense. In either case, we cannot let our guard down. It will be hard on the defense force, but please be extra vigilant so that we can protect our masters,” she said, bowing her head to the younger gods.
However, she did not believe that Vandalieu intended to devour the souls of Peria and Botin. She had already determined that this was a baseless assumption made by Alda.
But she had not made direct contact with Vandalieu, nor had she been told this by Peria, so this was only conjecture on her part.
Still, her master had decided that it was best for her to not know anything. If this was the best flow, then she just needed to do as her master trusted her to do.
“Please raise your head, Pargtarta-dono! After all, the great Alda has sent us here so that we can protect you and Peria-sama from the evil Demon King’s minions!” one of the young gods said.
“Please leave it to us. It is our duty to protect the order of this world and defeat evil!” said the other.
Knowing nothing made it easier, in fact, for Pargtarta to deal with these young gods.
The fact that Vandalieu sent one of his familiars this way must be to constrain the movements of the force defending Peria as well as Alda and the other gods, preventing them from sending reinforcements to the force defending Botin and concentrating their strength in one place, or perhaps it is just a way to cause confusion. Things are flowing well, she thought to herself.
Gorn and his allies had been attacked three times, while the force defending Peria had not been attacked even once, so wouldn’t it be best for Peria’s defense force to send reinforcements? Or wouldn’t it be even better to send the whole defense force to join Gorn and his allies in order to combine their strength to battle against Vandalieu?
It was true that there were gods who advocated for this. At this rate, if Vandalieu continued to corner Gorn and his allies, this plan of action might be taken.
With these thoughts running through her mind, Pargtarta saw the oblivious young gods off as they gave fervent speeches and returned to their posts in high spirits.
Another thought – the realization that she had become a wicked goddess – suddenly ran through her mind, but she told herself that this was also part of the flow and tried not to dwell on it.
Job explanation:
Destruction Guider
A Job for guiding those who desire destruction… those who wish for their own destruction, extreme pessimists, and Undead who wish for their own existences to be extinguished. Thus, it is inevitable that one who acquires this Job will meet their own ruin.
However, Vandalieu has already experienced multiple other Guider Jobs, and the guidance of this Job is merged with that of the other Jobs, so it has become a Job that creates change in those who wish for their own destruction, and guides them to other paths.
The Job provides bonuses to Leveling Skills that place a burden on the user such as ‘Surpass Limits’ and its variations, as well as those that take effect upon destroying others such as ‘Slaughter Healing,’ but it is an extreme Job in the sense that it provides no growth to Attribute Values at all.
