LS – Chapter 331: Thus, laughing

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A room for discussions in the Gahne Castle.

This room that was used in the invasion of the Scarlet Demon Lord will be used to discuss the harsh topic of a new threat once again.

The faces gathered around are a bit different from before.

The representative of Torin isn’t only Odyus, but also the king Tarma Torin, and the representative of Serende doesn’t only have Washekt, but also the new king Nuphsa.

There’s a slight change in the countries aside from Gahne. Marito and Pope Euparo had a lot of bodyguards before, but it is now only limited to 5 people.

There’s no need to be wary, so this is most likely just bodyguards for appearances sake.

I am personally impressed by Zenotta who has only brought the person in charge of recording.

The change that draws the most eyes is most likely that the one sitting on the chair Comrade was in is the Green Demon Lord and that I am standing by his side.

“The situation is as we have already communicated before: Monsters have gathered in the Serende Nether where the Black Demon Lord is, and are making preparations to invade. According to the analysis of the Gold Demon Lord, it will take 3 weeks at the fastest and 1 month at the slowest for the invasion to begin.” (Marito)

We already have a grasp of the numbers and scale of monsters in the Serende Nether. There’s a lot more compared to the time with the Scarlet Demon Lord, and their individual strength is also high. But this is a kinder state than the battle of before.

“Taizu King, do you have an idea of the invasion route?”

“I shall talk about that.” (Green)

The reason is because of the existence of this man, the Green Demon Lord.

The power of the monsters in the Taizu Nether are on a realm of their own even if we exclude the power of the Demon Lord himself.

Their numbers may be lower than other Nethers, but an army of giant dragons would be a match for all our forces combined.

“Green Demon Lord… The Demon Lord that’s the spitting image of the Taizu King, huh. Feeling the lineage like this really does make me realize that the Demon Lords are our ancestors.” (Zenotta)

“The man there, you are the Kuama King, right? You can get emotional all you want, but do that after your beard has gotten white.” (Green)

“Guh, I have been worried lately about how I have more white hair…” (Zenotta)

“…I commend your bold attitude to be able to speak lightly in front of me. Moving on.” (Green)

In this place where there’s kings with imposing presence, there’s King Zenotta who has a soft atmosphere.

I was wondering how the Green Demon Lord would feel about that, but it seems like he gave off a good impression.

Maybe he finds slightly peculiar people just like how Marito and Comrade interact in a casual manner.

“Black doesn’t have anything resembling strategy. She will use the power she has and crush you with everything from the front. She is insistent about this part, saying that’s how a Demon Lord that will destroy the world should be. She will most likely attack from all directions on this occasion too.” (Green)

“By all directions, you mean she will be coming from the north as it is. Going through the Taizu Nether, Gahne Nether, and the Mejis Nether to attack their respective countries.”

“That’s right. I will deal with the Taizu Nether with my monsters. You people divide your respective forces and stop the invasion of the Gahne Nether and Mejis Nether. You should be able to move your soldiers freely in an environment where there’s no citizens or land to be worried about, right?” (Green)

The Taizu Nether is different from the other Nethers that have become wastelands. It is a Nether that’s covered in green. It would be difficult to even make formations.

Also, the Black Demon Lord Killer Mountain where the Mana Eater is in is between the Taizu Nether and Taizu. It would be a tough route to get through for a human army.

“There’s the fear of missing some of them with just monsters.” (Marito)

“You would be stationing some soldiers for that even if I didn’t tell you, Taizu King.” (Green)

“Obviously. And so, how do you plan on moving the other Demon Lord armies?” (Marito)

“Blue and Purple lost most of their monsters against the army of Scarlet. They will most likely be taking the job of transporting things and serving as messengers without sleeping. As for the forces they individually have, we will move them to deal with the demons of Black.”

We haven’t been able to completely replenish the monsters that we used as bait against the army of the Scarlet Demon Lord that used Strife.

We can manage the Uniques like Dyuvuleori, the Butler Army, and Daruagestia, but we have to use them as countermeasures for the trump cards of the Black Demon Lord.

It will become a battle between humans and monsters in the battlefield.

“Demons, huh… So they are that much of a threat.”

“We can have a grasp of the numbers and movements of the enemy army with Gold. We have a big advantage. But her demons can overturn that. If we leave that be, everything will get turned on its head.” (Green)

“What we can do at present is to send elites to the locations that the demons have shown up in using flying means?”

“We will only cause unnecessary casualties if we were to throw our armies at them after all. I will lend you a number of flying dragons. Station them in a way that you can move anywhere at any time.” (Green)

We will be facing the Black Demon Lord’s army in the 3 Nethers. We will maintain our advantage by using the information gathering of the Gold Demon Lord while getting rid of the dangerous factors that are the demons.

We have decided on the base outline of our plans.

“…So it can change.” (Tarma)

“I thought ya would stay silent the whole time. What’s the matter all of a sudden, Torin King?” (Gold)

“In the past, we were trampled and stolen from by the invasion of the Demon Lords without being able to do anything. Torin is a nation where people who have been carved such scars of fear in their hearts have gathered. And now, we are being made to join a battle where there’s no way to win. Of course I would have my thoughts about it.” (Tarma)

“It is true that things have changed compared to that time.” (Gold)

“…The Demon Lords were a target of fear then. But now you people are bringing out the humanity in us Demon Lords. That’s all there is to it.” (Green)

“To think we would spend centuries just for that.” (Tarma)

“People come in all shapes and forms. There will always be fools with enough people. Be proud that you managed to change.” (Green)

The talk afterwards went on without issues. The Gahne Nether had the Gahne and Kuama soldiers stationed, the Mejis Nether had the Mejis and Serende soldiers stationed, and the Taizu and Torin soldiers will be joining the battlefield depending on the circumstances.

After the discussion ended, Pope Euparo raised his hand and asked a question to the Green Demon Lord.

“Can I confirm one thing, Green Demon Lord?” (Euparo)

“The head of the Yugura Church, huh. What is it?” (Green)

“I heard Yugura is involved in this time’s invasion. Do you think he will become an enemy?” (Euparo)

For Mejis that’s mainly ruled by the Yugura Church, Yugura becoming an enemy is a complicated matter.

The hero that led them in the past becoming an enemy would require them to think about what they will have to tell their soldiers.

“Not exactly.” (Green)

“As in…?” (Euparo)

“Yugura will most likely help Black with the groundwork for her revenge, but he won’t be joining this invasion as a fighting force.” (Green)

“How can you be sure of this?” (Euparo)

“If he really wanted to become the enemy of humanity, all the countries would have been burned down by now.” (Green)

“…It is to that degree?” (Euparo)

“It is to that degree. Us preparing in this fashion is proof that Yugura is just helping out in the groundwork.” (Green)

It is a man that’s trying to erase this world together with its history. Yugura must be on a different scale in every aspect.

It is true that the Black Demon Lord resurrected because of Yugura’s interference.

But this was led by Comrade in order to buy time and protect this world from Yugura.

“…Do you think that man will be able to do it?” (Euparo)

“No idea. But having created this situation against Yugura was a brilliant achievement. He created a situation where I would have no choice but to move after all.” (Green)

“…True. It is completely different from centuries ago.” (Euparo)

“What we can do is hold our hopes high for that man. He may be weak, but he is from the same planet as that Yugura. There should be a possibility. Just a possibility though.” (Green)

Comrade is currently at the Serende Nether together with the Black Demon Lord.

He is seeing what’s ahead of this battle and earnestly searching for a way to save this world.

Then, I will lay the groundwork for him. I will move things in a desirable form so that Comrade can play his next move.

◇◇

“I ran out of things to do. Have any interesting topics?”

“…”

This body is way too weak. I can’t even maintain my consciousness properly if I don’t sleep once every day.

That’s why I end up in a situation where I have to talk with this man when I sleep.

“I can think even when you are awake. Or more like, I can only think. I don’t have anything to do thanks to that. Aren’t you also feeling like you have nothing to do with just giving orders?”

“That’s quite the attitude for someone who was giving out so many words of farewell at first.” (Black)

“I did think I messed up after saying them. Now that I think calmly about it, we will be meeting each other countless times, so that was a stupid move. Man, so embarrassing.”

“…I have nothing to talk about with you.” (Black)

The man inside the mirror full of cracks made a slightly sad face.

But I can’t lower my guard.

This man may be an ordinary person, but he can achieve things by pure wit.

A person with grit and passion.

It is exactly because it is a situation where he can’t do anything, a situation where he can only think, that it would be better to consider that what he is thinking has something underlying.

“Makes sense. Your past memories have all been dyed by hatred, and this is not the place to be spilling out your accumulated hatred.”

“…”

“It seems like what you see is shared to me to a certain degree. Those 3 demons: Zahava, Lazarikata, and Ofaro, was it? Are you planning on sending them?”

“What about it?” (Black)

“I was just wondering if your hatred could be transmitted by using those 3.”

The eyes of this man feel creepy even if they are not directed at me.

I don’t know how to describe these eyes, but it is as if he is trying to take in the madness of the other party, accept it, and comprehend it.

“It is the power I gave to them. In that case, it doesn’t matter what the inside is, there should be no issues in using them as my strength.” (Black)

“They were the ones who overcame the hurdles though.”

“…Do you understand the intricacies of awakening?” (Black)

“Somewhat when I think about the common points of the 3.”

It is easy to tell for Zahava and Razarikata. It is not like it isn’t possible to see such tendencies in their presence, their way of talking, and their attitude.

But Ofaro has barely spoken, and hasn’t shown it in his attitude.

Even so, the way this man is talking about this feels as if it is not a bluff but a statement that comes from experience.

“…So there were people like those 3 in the world you were in.” (Black)

“I would say in any world there are. It is a matter of whether it is a society where it has reached that point.”

“…Right.” (Black)

The reason why Tedoral was making a bitter face and the reason why Yugura was laughing was because those 3 had darkness in their hearts since the time they were humans, and were looked down on as abnormal people.

They managed to maintain their self without that abnormality of theirs crumbling.

“The reason why those 3 alone managed to awaken when many other demons fell into madness was because those 3 alone had their own core. They were judged as crazy to begin with, but didn’t change their environment or had it be changed, and managed to maintain their sense of self until now exactly because they were lonely. That’s what Yugura was laughing about. It is a messed up system that can’t be completed unless you are broken from the get-go after all.”

The people who pledged to take revenge on the humans together with me. The people who learned of awakening and promised to become that.

They were normal.

But they were the people that were changed.

The people who were guided by me, the people who were dropped together with me; no matter the reason, they were people who managed to change.

In that case, it is highly possible they would change with the passing of time as well.

If they lose that core, their hearts won’t be able to endure the wear of time as humans.

“Laugh if you want. I will accomplish my revenge no matter how pathetic it is, no matter how ugly it is.” (Black)

“I have no intention of laughing. On the contrary, it brings me hope.”

“Hope?” (Black)

“Those 3 demons were warped from the very beginning, but didn’t warp further. That’s why they managed to stay the same and awakened. That in itself is impressive.”

“So, what is it you are hoping from those 3?” (Black)

“Aah, no, no. The one I have hopes for is you, Black Demon Lord. You were originally normal. A human that was changed. That means it is possible for you to change again.”

I can’t read anything from his eyes.

I would have read this man’s mind without hesitation if I could use my powers, but that can’t be fulfilled.

“I won’t change. I have realized that this world should perish. That desire is eternal and won’t ever be shaken.” (Black)

“Really? You may not have realized, but you are talking more than normal, you know?”

“—!”

I punched the mirror without thinking anything.

I don’t know if it is because my body is weak or because it is a mirror in a dream world, but the body mirror was fine with just a bit of the cracks expanding.

The man inside the mirror laughed in amusement for a bit and disappeared.

—-

Author: Isn’t he in a way the only one in the safest position, yet doing whatever he wants?

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