TL: A small note for the people that haven’t noticed; the schedule has returned to every 3 days (since a week ago actually)

• 80: Underworld Army <in Japanese culture, this denotes the Oni that live in hell.>

“I am…the Dark God…Entropy.”

And so now, I -Kourin Karen- am in big trouble.

“Geez! Why did it come here?!” (Karen)

It is that shadow-san.

We encountered it when we were in the middle of going down to the underground city; a mysterious enemy.

It looks like a shadow, and it changes its shape dizzyingly and attacks us.

“Yorishiro-sama! Hurry here!” (Karen)

“Karen-san!” (Yorishiro)

Pulling the hand of Yorishiro-sama, we run as fast as we can.

It chases right after us. It has completely locked its target on us!

“We haven’t shown anything that’s similar to light since the time we fell, and yet, even with that, it chased after us. Is it a coincidence? Or maybe…” (Yorishiro)

“This is not the time to be saying suggestive words!” (Karen)

At any rate, we have to run.

We already learned that our light divine power is nourishment for this shadow-san to make itself bigger.

That means we can’t defeat this shadow-san.

The only one in this party of three members who can defeat this shadow-san is the one who possesses the dark element, Haine-san.

That’s why Yorishiro-sama went through the trouble of separating together with me, in order to not be a burden for Haine-san.

And yet, the shadow-san in question comes to us!

“…Karen-san.” (Yorishiro)

“What should we do?! We are running at full speed but we can’t shake it off! Wait, did you call me, Yorishiro-sama?!” (Karen)

What is it in this precarious situation?!

“Please leave me and run.” (Yorishiro)

“Eh?!”

What are you saying, Yorishiro-sama?!

“The chances that shadow is aiming at me are high. Also, you can’t bring out as much speed as you can because you are pulling me as well. If it’s just you alone, you should be able to run faster, right?” (Yorishiro)

“That isn’t reason enough for a hero to abandon her Founder! In the first place, why would Yorishiro-sama be targeted?!” (Karen)

“I saw a light flickering from the distance a while ago. It was probably Haine-san waving the flashlight.” (Yorishiro)

“?!”

I didn’t notice at all though!

“I don’t know if it was to tell us his location or to lure that shadow, but now that the shadow ignored this and has come here, it means that this child doesn’t simply get pulled by light.” (Yorishiro)

“No way!” (Karen)

“At least you should escape and regroup with Haine-san. The light was coming from 4 o’clock, If you run to that direction, Haine-san should be there.” (Yorishiro)

“?!”

Then…!

I let go of the hand of Yorishiro-sama and turn my body around.

The shadow-san that was chasing us from the back was now right in front of me.

“Holy sword Saint-George, I entrust my light divine power to you; change into a blade that cuts away my enemies!” (Karen)

The dazzling light that was released from my blade was a visual representation of my piled up frustration!

“You can’t Karen-san! That child absorbs light and…!” (Yorishiro)

I shake off the warning of Yorishiro-sama and release it.

“[Holy Light Blade]!” (Karen)

The released light wave didn’t hit the shadow-san.

It flew above the shadow-san and headed further to the back.

I aimed at a different place. At a part of the Underworld Country’s building where no one is living in anymore, I cut it off with ‘Holy Light Blade’. The building that had been cut had now turned into mere rubble, and the location that it fell onto was, just as calculated, right on top of the shadow-san.

“I did it! Right on target!” (Karen)

I cheer when the shadow-san was crushed by the rubble.

Even if I can’t hit it directly with my light divine power, physical attacks from external factors might work. I don’t think it has been defeated with that just now, but it will definitely work to keep it at bay.

“Yorishiro-sama! Let’s use this chance to go to where Haine-san is!” (Karen)

“Karen-san!” (Yorishiro)

Hearing the shout of Yorishiro-sama, I reflexively bend my body.

Almost at the same time I did this, small pieces of stone flew about. That shadow-san rotated its body like a tornado and blew away the rubble that was crushing it.

“I am…the Dark God…Entropy.”

And then after that, the shadow-san showed its figure as if nothing happened.

“What power!” (Karen)

“Karen-san, run! There’s no reason for you to get hurt here!” (Yorishiro)

“No, there is!” (Karen)

I answer immediately.

The shadow-san that was rushing towards us seems to have grown slightly bigger by absorbing the attack just now, even though it wasn’t a direct hit.

“The light hero protects the Light Founder! And more importantly, Yorishiro-sama is now my friend! Of course I would stake my life for a friend!” (Karen)

The shadow-san probably thinks it has us cornered, it stops its approach at full speed and slowly closes the distance cautiously.

That’s good. I want to buy a little more time.

“And also, please remember! We still have one more person we can trust in, don’t we! There’s no way that person would overlook our crisis! Because if he were to do something like that, he wouldn’t be able to receive the incredible reward later after all!!” (Karen)

“Karen-san?!” (Yorishiro)

That’s why, don’t give up. That person will definitely come.

“[Dark Matter, Set]”

• 81: Darkness ≠ Shadow

That was close.

Because by the time I -Kuromiya Haine- had arrived to the place, Karen-san and Yorishiro were being cornered at that very moment.

“[Dark Matter, Set]!” (Haine)

I strike it with my dark matter as I shout.

This attack that had hit properly for the first time had covered the body of this shadow in an instant.

“Ooooh!!”

The shadow raises a voice similar to a scream as it writhes in pain.

“Haine-san!!”

On top of that, the two beauties call my name in sync.

“You really appear on the most opportune times! But…how did you know our location?” (Yorishiro)

“What are you saying? You were the ones who called me.” (Haine)

“Eh?”

In the time I was reading that monument, a dazzling light suddenly shone far away.

The only ones who can bring out that much light are Karen-san or Yorishiro.

But in this current situation where the shadow is roaming around the area, it would be strange for her to release such a conspicuous light.

Even if it’s to let me know their location, that would definitely make the shadow find them.

But there’s one explanation that makes this action logical; that they have already been found by the shadow.

“And so, I hurriedly rushed here.” (Haine)

“Then, the ‘Holy Light Blade’ of Karen-san just now was not only to crush that child in rubble, it was also to have Haine-san learn of our crisis?” (Yorishiro)

It looks like it was the quick wittedness of Karen-san at work here.

“When you told me that Haine-san was using his flashlight to show his location to us, it clicked in me at that moment. But I didn’t expect him to come this fast! Not even 5 minutes have passed since I used the ‘Holy Light Blade’!” (Karen)

“For the people you love, a man can bend space in order to reach that place.” (Haine)

Well, I actually used the gravity reversal of the dark matter and flew through the sky at the highest speed though.

I practically ignored the backlash to my body, so my legs hurt.

And so, the crucial shadow is covered in dark matter and has been squirming for a while now, but it should creep out from it in time.

“Oh, it is getting smaller.” (Haine)

But it is still bigger than the first time we encountered it though. It is more like it got a bit smaller after swelling up a lot.

Well, the fact that it has gotten smaller is proof enough that dark matter does work on it.

“I am gradually getting it -this thing’s identity.” (Haine)

It resurfaces in my mind…the words that were carved in that monument.

‘I will become the Dark God Entropy.And erase all evil.’

“I am…the Dark God…Entropy.”

The shadow chants my name as always.

“No, you are wrong…” (Haine)

And so, I state it -the obvious truth.

“You are not the Dark God. And that power you control is not dark element either. I have finally understood. Your power, the true essence of it. That’s…light.” (Haine)

“Eh?!”

The first one to raise a voice of confusion was Karen-san.

“What does that mean, Haine-san?! The power of that shadow-san is…light? But there’s no way… even though it is so dark and not shining at all?!” (Karen)

“It is probably changing the light divine power in some sort of way. That’s why it gets bigger when it eats light. By altering it, it is able to absorb energy of the same element.” (Haine)

For example; in the places where there’s light, shadows can definitely be created.

If there’s light, and there’s something in front of it, the object will obstruct the light and a shadow will be created.

The stronger the light, the darker and deeper in color the shadow will be, and at times, it can get longer and bigger.

Just like how this guy is eating light and becoming bigger.

“In other words, this guy’s element is ‘shadow’. At a glance, it looks like darkness because it is black and darkish, but it is not. By using something with substance as an intermediary, it has changed light into shadow. It is a light user. Isn’t that right, Yorishiro?” (Haine)

“……”

There was no answer from Yorishiro.

But inside of me, my hypothesis had already changed into conviction.

‘I will become the Dark God Entropy.And erase all evil.’

Where there’s light, shadows can be made. In order to make a shadow, there’s the need of something with substance that obstructs the light.

And what is that something?

The first thing that comes to mind is a body -a human body.

Using a human body as its intermediary, it is able to change the light divine power into pseudo-darkness -or in other words, shadow.

If there’s such a technique, and there’s someone that has been consumed by anger and hatred to the point that it renders that person unable to control it…

Therefore, I will destroy all of you, and also the four evil Gods that you serve for.I will become the Dark God Entropy.And erase all evil.

The identity of this shadow is…

A human that had its shadow power go crazy and was engulfed by it.