After defeating Whips.
Iris-san led us to Shu's location.
Originally, as Iris-san had visited Shu and his group's base once, she should have been able to use her Divine Authority to move there instantly.
However, there seemed to be some Divine Power floating in Shu and his group's base, which interfered with the instant transfer to their base.
However, once we were close to their base, we continued to move as fast as we could and finally arrived at the place where their base was located.
It was a huge valley that felt strangely oppressive.
"Iris-san, what is this place…?"
"This is the Dragon Valley."
"Dragon Valley?"
I had heard this name before.
It was the name of the place where the False Dragon was when I was transported to the past.
As the name implies, there are countless dragons flying above the valley, and one of them noticed us and attacked us.
"I won't let you!"
However, when Meiko immediately activated the Spirit Chain, the dragon was tied up as it was and then fell to the bottom of the valley as its body was further pierced by the chain.
Observing the scene, Iris-san continued,
"As you can see, a land inhabited by countless dragon species… its danger level rivals that of the Great Devil's Nest."
"I-I see…"
"…Well, from Yuuya-kun, who lives in the Great Devil's Nest, it might not make much difference."
Not at all.
I am well aware of the dangers of the Great Devil's Nest.
I didn't know it was comparable to such a place…
"It means that Shu is not the only one we have to deal with…"
"I see… But if it comes to a battle with Shu, the dragons shouldn't be able to get close due to the presence of the power emanating from Shu and us."
For the time being, I was relieved to know that I only had to focus on Shu in the battle.
If we had to deal with dragons, we would not have enough power to fight them.
"Well then, let's go!"
"──Oops, that won't be necessary."
"!"
The moment we were about to enter the Dragon Valley.
"Yuuya-kun, avoid it!"
"!"
I jumped back after hearing Iris-san's words.
Suddenly, the sound of stringed instruments rang out.
I was surprised by the beautiful sound, and then the place where I was standing was shattered by something invisible.
"Wha…"
As I was startled by the sight, two figures appeared from the valley.
"Are you finally ready to be captured?"
"You will not escape this time."
A bard-like man with a lyre in his hand and a man with antlers appeared.
"Tone, Seras…"
"It seems you have realized that it is useless to run."
Iris-san smiled triumphantly at the bard Tone… who said this in a somewhat mocking manner.
"Hah… not at all. We are here to defeat you."
"You're here to defeat us? Even though you've been beaten so many times, you still don't know the difference in power between us…"
The man with the antlers… Seras also scoffed at Iris-san's words.
"Sure, I won't be able to win on my own. But… this time, I have a reassuring companion."
When Iris-san said this, Tone and Seras' eyes turned to us.
"…Hmph, look who you brought with you… I didn't expect you to bring people who aren't even Holy."
"Don't tell me you're going to let that little brat there and the maid fight?"
"Nya, nya!"
Unhappy that she was not counted as a fighting force herself, Stella raised her voice in protest, but Seras and Tone ignored her.
"…You can think whatever you want. In any case, you will be defeated… here."
"Hah… Just try it!"
Seras shouted and then came straight at us!
"Meiko!"
"Yes! Spirit Chain!"
"What?"
Then, as if to catch the charging Seras, countless chains appeared from the ground and wrapped around his body.
But…
"You're using a strange power… Sound Supremacy!"
When Tone struck his lyre again, the chains were shattered by an invisible blow.
"Wha…!"
"Ugh… Tone! Can't you break them more carefully?"
"If you don't like pain, don't get caught."
"Tch… I let my guard down earlier! Next time… I'll finish them off!"
"Kuh… Spirit Chain!"
In response to Seras' renewed attack, Meiko made the chain appear once again.
Then a rainbow glow… Divine Power gathered between Seras' horns.
"You're in my way! Divine Horn Piercing!"
And the gathered Divine Power sliced through all the attacking Spirit Chains.
"Take this!"
"Haaah!"
"Muh!"
However, when Iris-san slashed at him, Seras flipped his horns and intercepted Iris-san's sword.
"Hmph… Another fake Divine Authority? Do you think you can stop me with that kind of power?"
"I don't know. But… I'm not alone!"
"──Haaaaahh!"
"Wha… Guh!"
While Iris-san was intercepting Seras, I quickly approached and slashed at his body with my Omni Sword.
However, Seras immediately retreated, and no great damage was done.
"You fool… you wounded this body that is of a god?"
"…Apparently, that weapon has a strange power."
"So what? No matter how powerful that weapon is, it cannot defeat us."
The moment Seras said that, the wounds I had created were instantly healed.
After all, it seemed that only an attack using Divine Authority or Power of Existence can defeat them.
Then Tone played his lyre.
At that moment, countless god soldiers appeared behind Tone and the others.
"I'll let you see for yourself… how foolish it is to defy God."
"They are coming!"
The moment Iris-san shouted that, the god soldiers and the invisible attack flew in at the same time.
However, Tone's invisible attack seemed to be flying a mass of magic power, and it was possible to dodge it if you were aware of the magic power.
However, the swarm of god soldiers blocked our actions.
"Master! I will take care of the god soldiers…!"
"I'm counting on you!"
Meiko, who couldn't use Divine Authority, took on the task of dealing with the god soldiers.
"Spirit Chain! And then… Spirit Doll!"
As usual, Meiko performed a new technique, making a chain of spiritual power appear.
Then, the spiritual power began to rise from the ground and gradually took on a human form.
This soldier-like being made of spiritual power attacked the god soldier as soon as it appeared.
"This technique is…"
"I saw the god soldier's existence and tried to copy it!"
Obviously, this technique was based on the god soldier.
I wonder how it is possible to create a new technique so easily…
Well, I guess it was only possible because Meiko is more familiar with spiritual power than I am.
Anyway, thanks to Meiko, we no longer had to worry about the god soldiers, and we decided to deal with Tone and Seras again.
"Iris-san! I'll take care of Tone!"
"Alright!"
"You really took me for a ride, didn't you?"
Tone's forehead turned a shade of blue when I said I'd take him on.
"You still think you can beat us?"
"Yeah, that's right!"
"Guh…!"
Seras caught Iris-san's slash with his horns.
"Ridiculous… You didn't have this much power before!"
"Unfortunately, I'm also growing up!"
"What a stupid thing to say! Divine Horn Piercing!"
"Hyaaaaaah!"
Iris-san unleashes a fierce sword strike.
"It's not nice to look away from me!"
"! Haahh!"
While I was distracted by Iris-san's fight, I received invisible attacks from Tone.
However, while dodging them with a back step, I took out the Absolute Spear from my Item Box and threw it at Tone.
"Mm… another new weapon!"
Tone tried to dodge the Absolute Spear, but it continued to chase him.
"Tch…! It's disturbing that it's chasing me! Sound Supremacy!"
However, Tone hit the Absolute Spear with an invisible attack and bounced it back.
However, I had already prepared for my next attack.
"Formless Bow!"
"Gaaaah!"
Just like with Whips, I took out my Formless Bow and fired an arrow.
Tone's attacks were also invisible, but the other side had magic power; it's like substance.
However, this Formless Bow was actually invisible.
Since it was not a mass of magic power, it was impossible to detect and avoid.
"Gu… you!"
Unfortunately, since it was impossible to use the Power of Existence to avoid detection, Tone's wounds healed quickly.
Still, a momentary distraction was enough.
That is──.
"Stella!"
"Nya!"
"Wha… A cat?"
Stella, who had been out of sight, appeared behind Tone.
"Fushaaaah!"
Then she kicked into the sky, accelerating instantly and piercing through him.
"Guaaaaaaaaah!"
With a hole in his stomach, Tone fell to his knees.
"Wha… Tone?"
"Don't you dare look away!"
"Kuh!"
Iris-san's side was also in the final stages of the battle.
In the midst of all this, Tone put his hand on his stomach, desperately trying to heal his wounds.
But…
"W-why? Why won't the wound heal?"
"Nya~"
Stella, the one who inflicted the damage, was grooming herself in a relaxed manner.
Tone's wounds did not heal at all due to the attack from Stella's Power of Existence.
Finally, he reached his limit and collapsed to the ground.
"R-ridiculous… we are god…"
"Tone!"
"──This is also the end."
Seras got impatient because of Tone's fall, and Iris-san held her sword at the top of her head.
Seras turned his horns to Iris.
"It's done, you say? How can I, the true god, be defeated by you, the false one!"
Concentrating his massive Divine Power into his horns, Seras charged at Iris-san, aiming to pierce her.
But…
"───!"
Iris-san unleashed an idle strike, cutting off all of Seras' Divine Power as it was.
…After all, Iris-san has reached that state of being, hasn't she?
I felt this way when I saw Iris-san's swordsmanship again, but I didn't think it was particularly strange.
I knew that Iris-san, who had been practicing with a sword up to that point, would get there eventually.
Seras, who had been cut in half along with his Divine Power, widened his eyes.
"I-impossible… to cut a god──"
And then, just like that, he crumbled like sand and disappeared.
As Tone and Seras fell, the god soldiers that had appeared around them also disappeared as if they were crumbling.
"I-is it over?"
"For now, yes. Thank you for taking care of the god soldiers."
"That's right. Because Meiko-chan was there, I was able to concentrate on the battle against Seras. Thank you."
"That's nothing at all! I'm a maid, and my job is to help my master. I did what I had to do."
After saying that, Meiko bowed her head respectfully.
Hmm… what can I say? It's still strange to think that I acquired this knowledge in the underworld.
Well, if it's okay with her, there's nothing I can say about it.
More importantly…
"Iris-san, that attack was…"
"…It's a technique I learned in my last fight with Seras and the others. It's not perfect yet."
Iris-san laughed bitterly, but from my perspective, I could only say that it was truly amazing.
Thanks to Zenovis-san, I was able to achieve the idle strike, but Iris-san achieved it all by herself.
And even though she has not yet grasped the feeling, she was not out of breath, unlike the first time I released the idle strike.
I guess it's because she's been wielding the sword for so many years.
"Well then… shall we finally go to their base?"
"Yes!"
We were about to enter the depths of the Dragon Valley once again… and it was at this moment.
"I never thought I'd see this coming."
"Wha…?"
Suddenly, an enormous pressure hit us.
This feeling… It's similar to when I was hit by Yin's Power of Existence!
I was surprised at how suffocating it was as if the world itself was being forced upon me.
When I looked at the true nature of the pressure, I saw a man standing in the sky above us.
Iris-san turned his sharp gaze to the man who, at first glance, appeared to be dressed like a samurai.
"Shu…!"
──Finally, Shu Zakuren appeared in front of us.