Thus the Boy Runs Through the Labyrinth ~The Story of an Ordinary Boy Who Ended Up Punching Heroes, Demon Lords, and Even Gods~ – Chapter 698

Garuda was in trouble.

Garuda acted according to the orders it was given. Without specific instructions, it couldn’t function. Therefore, it continued to perform the primal commands given by the magician who created it and the puppeteer, without wavering.

Namely, the extremely fundamental command: “Help people.”

It picked up everyone caught in the chaos of Babel, one by one, continuously. It detected their life signs, ensuring not a single person was left behind.

After continuing to perform its duties, it had successfully delivered all the stragglers from Babel to the refuge, with only a few remaining to be dealt with… and at that point, a problem arose.

It was a simply minuscule problem. Its magic power had run out.

Originally, its function to replenish magic power from the surrounding environment, like the monsters in the labyrinth, seemed to have been damaged due to repeated reckless dives into the area. It had become unable to move.

However, if it were only its own movement that was restricted, then it would be fine if it just broke. But the problem was that, right at its feet, there were children who had been left behind.

“Ugh… what… what’s going to happen, big brother?”
“Birdie… scary… help me…”

They had probably gotten lost on the way to the refuge, separated from their group, and caught in the fluctuations during that time. With no parents around, they were likely Nameless.

However, Garuda didn’t care about their status. It had to protect them. In the event of a crisis, it could serve as a shelter… but even so, this place was dangerous. If only it could move—

“—?”

Just as Garuda was pondering this, an entity with immense power and magic descended upon Babel at once. And it seemed to have noticed them, heading their way. Garuda instinctively moved to shield the children at its feet.

“What are you doing?”

It was a beastkin woman, cloaked in black, beautiful, and radiating a malevolent power.

Garuda possessed the knowledge to identify her. It was engraved in the control matrix by Greyre, who had created it. The most unique existence among the current Ark’s forces. The Queen of Dragon Devourer.¹

She gazed at Garuda, then at the children at its feet, and tilted her head.

“Stragglers?”
“—”

Garuda couldn’t reply. It lacked the function to speak human languages. Instead, it nodded. The Queen then waved a hand. The next instant, the children at Garuda’s feet were suddenly engulfed in darkness and disappeared. Garuda was surprised, but they weren’t dead. It understood it was some kind of Teleportation Technique.

“I’ve sent them to a safe zone.”

Furthermore, magic power flowed from the opening at its feet, being transferred to Garuda. Enough magic power for it to move freely surged into Garuda. Seeing this, the Queen commanded,

“Come with me. We’ll save everyone.”

There was no choice. Garuda responded with a single cry.

***

***

***

The Queen of Twilight, who had descended from the sky, was followed by further vibrations, as a giant bird carved its way through its surroundings, destroying everything in its path. Garuda, the Mechanical Bird used by Hero Diz to charge into Babel, spread its massive wings and, without hesitation, unleashed countless Dragon Fang Spears towards Israelia, who occupied the lowest layer.

“—!!”

Israelia showed no signs of retreating from the diffused light and heat. The barrier protecting his body repelled the storm of roars as if they were nothing. And within that vortex, Israelia’s gaze was directed not at Garuda, the attacker, but at the woman clad in a black dress who had accompanied it.

“Spirit… a mirror…? But…”
“【Behold, twilight!】”

Darkness erupted.

It was different from the Heavenly Fool that the Demon King wielded. The dim blackness writhed and approached Israelia’s protective barrier. Just like the roars, the magic barrier shone, as always, to protect its master, Israelia—and that light vanished in an instant.

“—”

In the next moment, Israelia finally took evasive action. He seemed to have understood that his deployed defenses were utterly useless. He moved by repeatedly performing countless teleports, but the darkness pursued him relentlessly.

“It doesn’t answer my calls… is it the influence of negative emotions? But this…”

There was no sign of panic. However, his expression conveyed confusion. Even for him, who could be said to have created this World itself, the phenomenon was utterly inexplicable.

Then, he raised a single finger towards the night sky.

“【Formulas: Light】”

Light was unleashed. The shockwave, with a range and power exceeding even Uuga of Dragon Devourer floating outside, possessed firepower capable of obliterating not only the Queen of Twilight but also Garuda flying behind her. However—

“Take this.”

Without even chanting magic, the darkness overflowed before the girl again, swallowing the light. It vanished with surprising ease, almost comically, like a snake swallowing an egg. The creator’s attack vanished.

“…I see. How unpleasant.”

Israelia, who had unleashed the attack, observed the series of phenomena closely and muttered his thoughts. As his words suggested, his expression contorted slightly. It was a clear look of disgust, the first he had shown since his appearance.

“To have my creation transformed like this without permission—”
“I am not yours.”

However, the Queen of Twilight did not falter in the slightest in response to the hostility directed at her by the god. She expanded her power further.

“I belong to Ul.”

Around her, darkness proliferated further. A dim darkness settled on her forehead like a mirror. Countless mirrors reflecting the night swirled around her. And all of them turned towards the god who had once created her. Again, the darkness that swallowed all power raged.

“—But”

Israelia repeated his evasive maneuvers—but in the midst of them, light pierced through and burned him. It was the light he himself had released, and it emanated from the countless points of darkness.

“【Formulas: Light】”
“Even if distorted, the nature of the mirror remains.”

Darkness and light intersected endlessly.

For the first time, the creator’s movements visibly lost their composure.

“Attack!!!”

Simultaneously, Ul and the others, who had been observing, moved. Slashes that could kill even gods, all sorts of attacks, all moving solely to erase the single existence that was the god.

“Something so distorted… I cannot bring it to the new world—but”

Even then, Israelia showed no signs of agitation. While instantaneously creating phenomena on the same scale as the power being struck, he parried the myriad of incoming attacks, deflected the darkness, and occasionally changed his location with Teleportation Technique, toying with them.

And, as if he had foreseen the entire storm of attacks, his figure vanished in a fleeting moment. He then teleported to the True Persons who had been protecting the Heroes.

“I will retrieve the vessel that stores the god.”
“—!!!”

Zero, who had confronted the god, gasped. But instead of drawing his sword to fight, he turned and leaped forward to shield the Hero with his own body. As if deeming it futile folly, the god reached out a hand—

“—Huh?”
“This is too nonsensical.”

Along with that arm, a black blade pierced the god’s torso. Facing a wound so deep that it was on the verge of cleaving him in two, Israelia involuntarily took a slight step back. Hero Diz, the Golden Hero, who was in position to shield with Zero’s body, clicked her tongue softly at the result.

“I thought a surprise attack might be the only way, but it’s tough.”
“The vessel is… being filled?”
“Silver Thread. Ash Flame.”

Responding to that, the Silver Hero wove a barrier of Ash Flame around the god.

***

After immense hardship and facing utter despair, Shizuku’s stamina was at its limit. However, even in that extreme situation, she was able to precisely manipulate the Silver Thread and restrain the god solely due to her extraordinary talent. In addition,—

“Muni!”

—Akane had come to assist her.

The scarlet thread clinging to the Silver Thread freely manipulated its movements, quickly restraining the god. And with that power, it began to erode the god’s physical body itself.

“Another distorted spirit kkkkkkkkaaaaaaaa”

The god’s voice cracked and broken. A voice that was neither a groan nor a cry escaped its throat, and its body began to convulse. Though its appearance was horrifying to behold, it was undoubtedly an indication that some damage had been inflicted.

“Akane is also effective…! Then!”

Seizing that opening, Diz raised her sword of Ash Flame. It was a dim sword born to replace the damaged Star Sword. Without hesitation, she swung it at the god before her, having altered the power of the Heavenly Fool.

“【Magic Severance】”
“AA—!!”

The god’s leg flew off. It had taken damage that pierced its invincible magic barrier. Indeed, the Heavenly Fool proved to be one effective means of resisting the god. Akane’s power was likely similar. A weapon that could kill a god was also effective against this opponent.

“Even so, a genuine god!”

Diz gave a wry smile.

Immediately after confirming that she herself was hardly god-like, she found herself fighting a true god. What a truly unpredictable life. Perhaps this was also a result of being caught up in his fate, or perhaps she had caused it— Regardless, she had no time to think about it now.

“Shizuku! Diz!!”
“Ul! I mostly understand the situation! We’ll manage to defeat—”

The next moment, as she was about to answer Ul to whom she had just noticed, the god Shizuku was restraining suddenly caused a strong luminous phenomenon—or rather, an explosion. Roars directed in all directions incinerated everything around them.

There was no hesitation or restraint in that attack. It was abundantly clear that the “god” before them intended to burn and kill everything that existed.

“M-uuugh…!”

Protected by the barrier of Zero and the other True Persons, Diz readied herself. Shizuku, who was restraining the god, was also protected. She should move now, but the problem was whether she could dive into the vortex of destruction that was still ongoing outside the barrier.

This was hell, where there was no room for mere willpower. If only she could manipulate the Blessings Ul had given her a little more—

“Take this.”

However, as if to dismiss that concern, the attack before her suddenly fractured and disappeared.

“Hahaha!”
“Amazing.”

The Queen of Twilight had taken the god’s attack. At this point, every member of the Arumusha was reaching the level of an outstanding individual. Truly dependable. But she couldn’t rely solely on them.

“【Ash Flame!!!】”

Drawing upon the sensations of her time as a god, Diz swung her sword of ash all at once. Ash Flame surged through the gap in the attack, creating a path and burning away the surrounding attacks. Of course, it wouldn’t last long. Diz lunged forward, eager to use the precious time.

“Umu! A good opportunity!!!”

At the same time, Gronzon also saw this as an opportunity and lunged forward.

“Gronzon!!! Ordinary blows—”

Before she could offer advice, Gronzon thrust his fist towards the restrained god. A normal attack couldn’t even break through its barrier—or so she had thought until just before.

“Cheeeaiiia!!!”

However, his fist briefly shimmered with a familiar afterimage and, with blinding speed, pierced the barrier. The barrier cracked and shattered slightly. Seeing the result, Gronzon laughed heartily.

“Umu! I see!! This is difficult!!!”
“As… expected…!”

He had reproduced a phenomenon close to Magic Severance with his fist.

Smiling at his absurd reliability, Diz followed suit.

“【Magic, Severance!!!】”
“—”

Her body was again torn away. But the god’s physical body regenerated instantly.

Infinite regeneration? Endless?

Questions welled up, but there was no panic. After all, she herself had become such an unreasonable existence until just a moment ago. It was not surprising that the opponent had become so. And, because she had “been” that way, she understood. Even such an unreasonable existence as this must not be immortal.

“—”

And the god itself seemed to realize this. It did not intend to be attacked indefinitely. The god’s body began to glow again. This time, it was even more intense than before. Diz and Gronzon braced themselves. But—

“【Ash Flame: Youling】”

Before that, gray flames had burned the god’s flesh.

Diz looked back towards the source of the attack, thinking it was support from Ul or Shizuku—and gave a wry smile.

“—”

There stood Sua, enveloped in gray flames.

***

The means to counter the god were limited. This was something they had been repeatedly taught by Zain and the others before this war began. Magic Severance, Heavenly Fool—the key to victory lay in how they used these limited hands.

And although the situation was completely different from what they had anticipated, as they faced the god, Ul keenly realized the truth of what Zain had taught him.

Only a limited number of approaches were effective. Particularly in defense, they were still able to cope with the efforts of the True Persons, but offense was not so simple. That solid barrier could not be overcome by mere magic or physical attacks. Garuda continued to attack, but that was only to drain the opponent’s resources even slightly; it caused no damage.

They needed to land a decisive blow against the god effectively.

However, if everyone charged in, those without countermeasures would not be able to withstand it. Knowing this, Ul retreated to the rear. If everyone charged in together and was wiped out together, they would face annihilation at that moment.

Zain and Yuri, without needing instructions, likely understood this as well. They were watching for an opening from the opposite side of Ul. They were waiting for the moment between the attacks of Diz and Gronzon.

For now, they had to focus entirely on defense. Especially to ensure Shizuku would not be targeted.

So, as much as possible, she wanted to concentrate—

“Sua-sama, what is wrong?”

For some reason, Sua was clinging to Ul’s back. Rather, she was clinging to him. Well, it was true that Sua currently possessed no Spirit’s Blessing and was in a helpless state. In that sense, it was easier to protect her if she stayed close rather than being allowed to wander freely, but why was she clinging to him?

“My Spirit’s Blessing has been taken.”

To answer that question, Sua spoke up. Her tone was flat as usual, but the displeasure she felt was not her imagination.

“It was all taken.”
“That’s a terrible guy, isn’t he… I wish he’d left just one.”

Well, from the god’s perspective—or rather, from the god’s mouth—they were the ones who had arbitrarily used his creations, so if he said it was his rightful claim to have them back, they had no retort.

“I need an alternative weapon.”
“Weapons that can harm a god, we don’t have them lying around.”

That’s why everyone with effective attacks was currently circling around. It was a miracle that such a force capable of killing gods had gathered in this place. They felt they couldn’t ask for more luxury… but, as if she didn’t care, Sua continued.

“Diz and the others can use them.”
“No, that’s—”
“Look this way.”
“Um.”
“Hurry.”

Ul looked. Something soft touched him. Simultaneously, a phenomenon other than physical contact occurred.

Since the start of this war, he had experienced this phenomenon countless times. The phenomenon of soul contact, its interference was now occurring. And it was dramatically smoother than the interference that Ul performed. Ul was reminded once again that Sua, who had almost daily contact and dialogue with spirits, was far superior to Ul in the art of soul interference.

“【Ash Flame: Youling】”

And Sua’s form had transformed. Like Yuri and Diz, she was clad in gray flames, like armor or a dress, manipulating them at will. In an instant, Sua had brought the blessings Ul had given her under her own control. With that power, she protected Diz and the others from the god’s attacks.

“This is good.”

Sua nodded with satisfaction at her power, and—

“That’s CHEATING!!!!”

—then a thunderclap struck from the Queen of Twilight. Ul felt faint.

“I’ll do anything you say later, just put me on hold for now.”
“Later!!!”

As if pleading, he muttered. Meanwhile, the power of the night continued to descend one after another, eroding the god’s strength, indicating that she was in top form.

“Eschel’s tension is off the charts… is it due to Miralfine?”
“Speaking of which, Ul.”

Diz, who had stepped back after handing off to Sua, turned and smiled at Ul.

“Don’t ever tell the members of the Sua-sama’s Royal Guard, or you’ll die.”
“I have no intention of telling them, I don’t want to die.”

Ul replied immediately. Then, Shizuku, who was restraining the god while being protected by the True Persons, tilted her head.

“Won’t we be found out if they see that form?”
“Right… then, we might have no choice but to die.”
“She’s scarier than the god.”

She was scarier than the god.

Three episodes updated today.