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From the Translator: Shiro

Heartbeat, breathing, they’re all rhythms.

“Ha!”

The man dodged massive fists of fire, lightning, and poisonous liquid while thinking to himself, “All of it is possible by moving in step with the rhythm.“

“It’s all about the rhythm, the 【Raging Gale Blade Storm】!”

Even the incantations to summon the wind spirits or the fierce assault magic, akin to storms of uncountable wind blades, follow a rhythm. These attacks cut through the undead dinosaur monster with horns that emit lightning from its mane and have acidic saliva—the Destroy Kaiser Rex Zombie—and even the Blaze Giant Ghosts that possess bodies of infernal fire capable of incinerating even moderately resistant foes if they merely approach. They follow a rhythm too.

“GYAAAAAAOOO!”

“GOAAAAAAAA!”

“UOOOOOOOO!!”

Even now, they echo a chorus of roars.

“In other words, battle is music.”

“Randolph… Could it be that your head took a direct hit from that last attack?”

Meorilith cast a dubious glance at her partner, who suddenly spouted something nonsensical, but the foes were too formidable to entertain playful banter for long, so she quickly refocused. The duo was training within the S-Class Dungeon created by Vandalieu.

Randolph had mentioned that there weren’t adequate foes for him to train against, but that was in the world as he knew it. In the Demon Empire of Vidal, there existed the S-Class Dungeon created by Vandalieu and the ‘Trial of Zakkart’ affixed by Gufadgarn in the Dark Elf Country (whose citizens have already transformed into Chaos Elves, though the name of their country remains unchanged).

The ‘Trial of Zakkart’ is notable for its numerous levels, intricate puzzles, and traps, rather than the strength of its monsters; thus, Randolph and Meorilith were thrust into the S-Class Dungeon crafted by Vandalieu.

Unlike Borkus and Boneman who trained with Demon King Familiars, Vandalieu had told them simply, “Let’s start by regaining your instincts.”

That treatment pricked Randolph’s pride, but he couldn’t deny his instincts had dulled, so he remained silent.

Once thrown into the dungeon, it became painfully clear. If the training against Demon King Familiars was harsher than this, he knew it was beyond him.

“GUAOOOOO!!”

The creatures here are unlike anything Randolph has ever encountered, despite being an S-Class adventurer who has defeated countless monsters. They attack ruthlessly and without mercy, breaking from typical dungeon conventions in their singular intent to kill.

“No, though I’m somewhat fatigued, I’m in top form.”

The monsters appearing are creations of Vandalieu. Yet, they use any means to defeat invaders.

The basic strategy involves dungeon bosses and mid-bosses exiting their rooms, ascending the stairs to join forces, and defeating invaders through the synergy of numbers and quality.

Recently, they’ve even been relocating treasures from their rooms to create false treasure chambers by piling up rocks before boss rooms, hoping to ambush unwary intruders who drop their guard after “clearing” the dungeon. They are insidiously cunning, with a high killing intent.

Astonishingly, it was discovered that these dungeon creatures are in a guided state by Vandalieu. Even if Vandalieu himself were to invade, they would show no mercy or hesitation in attempting to kill him.

Apparently, the monsters interpret their relentless aggression towards invaders as “serving Vandalieu and fulfilling his wish.” In essence, it’s the affectionate whip wielded for love’s sake—a deathblow borne out of love. Even now, the undead raising their fists and baring fangs at Randolph and Meorilith do so out of affection. Thanks to this ‘love,’ his instincts had already returned.

“I’ll show you the proof.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Randolph dashed toward the Blaze Giant Ghost—an undead creature born from a transformed Flame Giant.

“Wait, that’s reckless!”

“GYAAAA!”

The Destroy Kaiser Rex Zombie’s thunderous roar drowned out Meorilith’s warning cry. Despite being of different species, the monsters in this dungeon work together seamlessly, as if they’ve fought side by side for years.

As the Destroy Kaiser Rex Zombie showered Randolph with a deluge of lightning while he approached the Blaze Giant Ghost, it seemed their plan was to halt his movement for the giant to capitalize on the opening.

“【Water Maiden’s Pillars】”

Yet astonishingly, Randolph continued moving, using spirit magic to conjure multiple water pillars to intercept the lightning.

“【Rushing Water Maidens】!”

“Uooo…”

He then manipulated the charged water pillars to crash into the Blaze Giant Ghost. The attempt of the Destroy Kaiser Rex Zombies to rush in for support was interrupted by Meorilith’s magic barrage. Their strategy to exploit an opening against Randolph backfired, leading to their defeat.

“Clearly, you’re in good form, but what if I hadn’t been able to respond in time?”

“I counted on you being able to respond, which is why I proceeded. That, in itself, shows I’m in good form.”

After retiring, Randolph had been fighting solo against weaker foes, having veered too far from strategies involving teamwork with companions.

Consequently, he had unconsciously stopped considering the option of cooperative combat with allies. Even Schneider had to rely on fighting together with his party members against Guduranis’s fragments, and Randolph with dulled instincts was falling short in that regard.

“…Come to think of it, when you were active, we often tackled requests as a team like this.”

“Indeed, it seems your instincts are returning too, Meorilith.”

“Shall we head to the next room? Or, shall we take a breather first?”

When the Demon King Familiar accompanying them asked while offering potions, Randolph and Meorilith exhaled and switched their focus.

“…First, let’s ensure the surroundings are secure before moving.”

“We need to check behind us too. The enemies in this dungeon are known to lurk patiently in doorways and stairwells for hours, waiting to ambush us.”

“It’s not a trap, though.”

“We understand, but there’s no time to rest.”

They had to graduate from this dungeon and move on to training with the Demon King Familiars, so Randolph and Meorilith meticulously checked for safety around them.

<<<< ++++ >>>>

“Ah, Bashas-san, that was quite… no, very well done!”

The ‘Goddess of Rain Clouds’ Bashas hadn’t expressed her wish to sing and dance—or to become an idol—simply to indulge in music or dance. Her goal was to be of aid to her beloved Arthur, Vandalieu, Miriam, and their companions.

One might question the relation of song and dance to that aim. However, the connection is substantial. Bashas had gone to the lengths of creating a physical vessel with Mari in exchange for granting her divine protection, allowing a divine spirit closely resembling her true form to descend, all for the purpose of her proselytization.

“R-Really? I haven’t quite gotten used to the new dance yet…”

“Don’t worry, Bashasu-san! You have a lot of unique charm! Of course, a flawless dance is ideal, but it’s not everything!”

T/N: The term “キャラクター性” (character-sei) used here which I translated to “unique charm”, is like the secret sauce that makes a character unforgettable in anime, manga, or other entertainment. It’s what makes you say, “Ah, that’s so them!” It’s not just their personality but also their looks, quirks, backstory, and sometimes even their tragic yet oddly convenient childhood trauma.

For example:

• Zoro from One Piece has “I’m so cool I’ll get lost for it” energy.

• Nezuko from Demon Slayer brings the ultimate combo of being adorable and ready to kick demon butt in bamboo gag silence.

• L from Death Note made sitting on a chair look like advanced gymnastics.

Basically, “character-sei” is the thing that makes a character stand out—whether it’s their charm, their coolness, or the fact that they have pink hair and wield a chainsaw. Bashasu-san is being told, “You’ve got that thing, so don’t sweat the small stuff like dancing perfectly!”

Gods, not being part of the status system, do not gain experience points from defeating monsters. What they need to grow stronger are believers.

With more believers, they gain more faith power and can increase the number of followers they can bless or divine spirits to descend upon believers.

However, the ‘Goddess of Rain Clouds’ Bashas was a relatively minor deity, and even in the Alcrem Duchy where she was primarily worshipped, she had few beleivers. There were no prominent churches dedicated primarily to Bashas; instead, she was often worshipped alongside Nineroad and other deities, with small altars sparsely distributed.

Despite that, thanks to the exploits of Arthur and his companions, who have received her blessing, the name of ‘Goddess of Rain Clouds’ Bashas was slowly gaining recognition. Furthermore, with Vandalieu accepting her shift to the Vida faction, her faith was also gradually spreading within the Demon Empire of Vidal.

While her following has increased significantly, she remains relatively obscure compared to others.

“I-I’ll do my best! Although it’s embarrassing enough to die from!”

Thus, Bashas took it upon herself to act. She decided to become a singing and dancing idol as a means to that end. With Arthur and Vandalieu fighting, she couldn’t sit idly by. She wanted to be of help.

Although not her true body, Bashas—whose true form was closely linked to this avatar—was directly engaged in spreading her faith. Zuruwarn, having rolled around in laughter, agreed, and other Vida faction deities also supported her bold move.

In ancient times, when gods dwelt on earth, they directly taught people. Thanks to an increased consumption of divine energy required nowadays to descend upon the earth, such personal lessons had become nearly impossible. But if that hurdle can be overcome, there’s no reason to object.

Naturally, this was contingent on Mari, who created the vessel, and Kanako, who manages performance venues, accepting it.

Yet, in Bashas’s case, Kanako had discovered something special in her unique charm. Viewing it as an opportunity to later venture into producing idol-like deities, Kanako welcomed Bashas with open arms.

“…Is this really alright?”

Miriam struggled to justify supporting Bashas. Seeing the ‘Goddess of Rain Clouds,’ who granted her and Arthur blessing, dance in a frilly miniskirt or a long skirt with a high slit felt peculiar.

However, even Darcia, the ‘Incarnation of Vida,’ sang and danced in similar attire. And she was among the initial members. That said, being the ‘Incarnation of Vida’ does not make her Vida herself.

Similarly, Bashas was actually a divine spirit that closely resembled her true form, maintaining her memories and personality rather than being the actual goddess herself.

“…It should be fine. They’ve managed to make it convincing enough.”

As Natanya noted, Bashas’s true identity remained publicly concealed. Bashas was believed to be a descendant of the ‘Goddess of Rain Clouds’ Bashas, an inheritance passed down through generations. Therefore, even if her likeness resembled the deity statue, the public innately interpreted it as, “It’s not unusual for descendants to resemble their ancestors.”

“It’s not entirely comforting, but no one seems to be raising a fuss about it.”

Moreover, considering there’s virtually no clergy devoted to Bashas, no figure scrutinizes or questions a woman assuming the same name debuting as an idol.

“Well, I kind of worry whether she’s OK with this. Didn’t she say she wanted to fight too? All she’s doing is dance practice.”

“Oh, Natanya-san, that’s because Bashas-sama has nearly no combat-related powers or authority, making her unsuitable for battle.”

As Miriam described, Bashas, though a weather and oracle goddess, had no combat-related legends.

When she was human, Bashas had gained respect from people through her knowledge, experience, and unique intuition to predict the weather, eventually becoming a wind-aligned goddess after death. Thus, she almost never experienced combat when she was mortal. She had no martial training and only a brushing acquaintance with magic, especially combat-usable spells.

After ascending to godhood, she didn’t attract combat-related faith since war deities of the newer generation, like the ‘Thunder Cloud God’ Fitun, already existed.

Though a goddess could unleash widespread storms by exerting immense power, such actions risk her own dissolution. Given the current circumstances, any attempts at combat training would likely take far too long.

“That’s partly why she struggled to further empower Arthur-san without Heroic Spirits, leading her to focus on gathering faith now.”

“I see. So, even the goddesses have much to ponder.”

“Oh, and please don’t mention this to her. …In no time at all, things could take a convoluted and bizarre turn, and she might declare you a true friend from the heart, complete with sacred stigmata being etched or something!”

“S-Stigmata? It’s not a common term, but what’s that?”

“Yes,” Miriam replied, “Vandalieu-san mentioned it as a form of divine blessing. Though I’m unsure what exact effect it has… it’s probably akin to a blessing.”

In the world of ‘Lambda,’ it is well-known that gods grant revelations to believers, dispatch divine messengers, and confer blessings. Yet, stigmata remained relatively unknown. Occasionally, clergy would flaunt unusual birthmarks claimed as marks of divine favor, yet they never elaborated on its specific effects.

Upon seeing Miriam’s ominous look, Natanya shuddered as she envisioned Bashas, hair disheveled, attempting to carve stigmata upon her.

“Yeah, I’ll be careful.”

“Hey, you two, let’s do one last rehearsal together! After we’re done, take a break because we’re heading to the dungeon for training next! Alright, Brain Bug-kuns, get ready!”

“Yes!”

Following Kanako’s signal, the Brain Bug-shaped Demon King Familiars, implemented to fill Randolph and others’ absence during their training, began preparing their instruments.

The gaps during performances are usually covered by Knochen’s duplicates, but since Knochen cannot operate his duplicates at distant sites like Vandalieu, this system was put in place.

After all, their appearances were limited to rehearsals, so even preparatory stages at locations with inadequately trained audiences were unaffected. Thus, Miriam and the others continued their busy days balancing roles as idols and heroes.

<<<< ++++ >>>>

Meanwhile, those not on stage were equally occupied.

“Come on, Van-sama! Produce more, give me more!”

Tarea cheerfully harvested from Vandalieu.

“Sssshooshrooo!”

“Chew chew chew!”

“Guess it’s my turn next to get devoured.”

“Fushurururu!”

“We’ve finished extracting all the horns, fangs, and bones!”

“Got the crystals!”

Vandalieu’s main body spun silk, the Demon King Familiars consumed other nearly mana-depleted Demon King Familiars, and materials such as blood, horns, fangs, bones, and crystals, derived from the 【Demon King’s Fragments】, were harvested.

“Shshshuru! Tarea, these quotas are a bit demanding.”

So intense were the quotas set by Tarea that even Vandalieu lightly complained. Yet, she didn’t extract materials from him out of pleasure.

“We can’t help it, Van-sama. After all, we need to enhance our equipment before the decisive battle,” Tarea remarked while winding the thread from the tongue-tip of Vandalieu through the spinning wheel, stressing the urgency.

Tarea, a weaponsmith, is responsible for crafting weapons and armor for her comrades. To focus on this task, she has stepped away from Kanako’s lessons to dedicate herself entirely to production activities.

“And besides, you don’t know when the decisive battle—that is, the chance to defeat Heinz and Bellwood—might come, right? In that case, you should hurry as much as you can while you still have time.”

They needed to use every moment available to prepare. Indeed, the time for the final battle was drawing near.