It has been an entire week since they defeated one of the battalions in Antony's army, and nothing has happened since then.
They have been doing nothing but get closer to the new lands until...
"Little tsundere! Ya there?"
The voice of the demon god echoed in Mary's head.
"What is it?"
She answered with a hostile tone that showed how much she didn't want a random side quest.
"It's okay. You've got nothing to worry about. As I hope you know, I'm not the type of god to send his heroes on random labors without it benefiting me."
Danniel, the demon god, said to assure her that he had no ill intentions.
"So, what is it?"
Mary asked with the same tone as before.
"You are less fun than Shu... Heck, it doesn't matter. I need you to reach the new lands in no more than three weeks."
Danniel said with a tone that couldn't display his boredom better. He wanted her to be at least as entertaining as Shu.
"At this pace, it will take us another three months! What's so important to you?!"
Mary was angry at his absurd request and couldn't keep her talking just to her mind.
"Are you okay?"
Shu asked her worryingly since he was walking by her side and saw her expression morph until she talked.
"Yes, it's just that Danniel is a bastard and an asshole!"
Mary said angrily, but then she received a shock wave through her watch. Her hair looked like she received an electric shock, and she was this close to starting a crusade against all gods as vengeance.
"What's his deal? What did I do wrong?!"
Mary shouted angrily while looking at her watch.
"He hates being called a bastard."
Shu answered, and the look she gave him made him shiver.
"Since little Shu explained what my issue is. We can come back to the main topic. I need you to get to the new lands in three weeks."
Danniel said, ignoring what happened only a few seconds before.
"You still didn't explain why and how."
Mary said, and the killing intent in her voice could make even a god shudder.
"The 'why' is simple, I made arrangements to conduct a meeting, and I need all MY people to be there alongside me. The 'how' is up to you to decide. You are quite close to the monster train's fourth station, so you can try using it."
Danniel finally answered.
"Thank you for answering. I'll try to make sure we get there in time."
Mary answered uncharacteristically politely, and the conversation ended.
*********
Shu and Mary talked about their next course of action and decided to hold a team meeting. They told the others to stop walking and that they needed to have a discussion.
"So, why did you say we need a team meeting? Are you and Shu finally going to explain the state of your relationship?"
Dam asked.
"Nothing of the sort. We need to hold this meeting because the demon god told me that we must get to the new lands in no more than three weeks..."
Mary started explaining the situation, but then she got cut.
"There's no way we could do that!"
Alexander cut Mary's explanation.
"The demon god suggested using the monster train."
Mary added.
"Even if the train could move that fast, how would we catch it in time?"
Shí Hóu asked in confusion.
"Don't ask me. It's the demon god who should answer your questions."
Mary defended herself. Then, she noticed Emilia smiling in amusement.
"What's so funny?"
Mary asked Emilia with an annoyed tone.
"Shí Hóu, Shu, can you please punch the floor on the count of three?"
Emilia said and looked at the two of them. Something about her aura made Mary worry, and she quickly learned why.
"One. Isn't it peculiar how things are getting perfectly in position... Two. Make a path for us?... Three."
Emilia reached three, and both Shí Hóu and Shu punched the ground under them.
The ground quickly split open and swallowed the entire group into the darkness below.
They hit a rigid organic material and felt like the ground under them is moving.
"Welcome to the monster train!"
Emilia, who was the only one standing, announced in a grandiose manner.
"How did you know where the train was?"
Mary asked as she lay on the floor in pain from the rough landing.
Emilia crouched menacingly in front of Mary's face and looked straight into her eyes. She pointed at her head and said.
"My gift is god's oracle. I can communicate with the gods without extra equipment and see no more than a vague representation of three options for the future at one time. So I simply saw that the train was about to pass right under us."
Mary looked at Emilia in shock. She thought that Emilia was betraying them or something like that. But instead, she solved one of their main problems.
"I scared you, didn't I? Hope you can trust me now."
Emilia said with a devilish smile on her face, and Mary shuddered.
********
It was hard for them to see because there was no light in the cargo car they fell into, so Alexander created spheres of light that floated continuously above the car's floor.
The cargo car itself was surprisingly empty, and it was easy to assume that it was either going to where it would be loaded or had been unloaded a short time earlier.
The reason why the floor feels organic is that the entire train is a giant monster. The train feeds on five percent of the passengers each day, so it's a risk to ride it, but for what it lacked in safety, the train sure did deliver at speed. It was the fastest train in the godless realm and effortlessly went supersonic. The only reason communication was still possible was that there were spells used on the train to make it possible.
"Where is the closest station to the new lands?"
Alexander asked. He was very sweaty, and it was clear using his powers continuously was taking a toll on him.
"I told you when we first met. We simply need the earliest port city."
Mary answered.
"But how can we know if we are underground?"
Dam asked, and as if on cue, they were all blinded as the train went up to the surface.
"Shu, help me see from over the edge of the car!"
Mary said, so Shu let her stand on his shoulders to look over the edge of the cargo car.
"Don't you dare look up!"
Mary said to Shu.
"What are you so worried about? It's not like you are wearing a skirt."
Emilia said as she watched the two.
Mary ignored her and tried to recognize things in the distance.
Her eyes widened excitedly as she finally recognized something. It was a large castle she had visited before on one of her jobs... The lord of the palace was corrupt, and... anything more about the matter is classified.
"Based on what I see. In two stations, we will reach the ocean!"
She shouted excitedly, and everyone else jumped happily.
"Can you move a little less?"
Shu asked her since the position he was holding her was rather uncomfortable.
As Shu talked, he looked up at her, and the moment Mary noticed, she started blushing and jumped down angrily.
Alexander came to Shu to explain why she was so angry.
Shu still didn't understand well but could do nothing about it.
They will reach the ocean in Three days.