Previous Chapter l Next Chapter

We ended up having to meet the raid team that’s in charge of the Gahne Nether at a house in a village near the borders of Taizu and Gahne.

We obviously have a reason as to why we went out of our way to choose an unpopulated place.

It is because there’s a wanted person that can’t be walking in public.

“Hey, Sis, it has been a while!” (Haaku)

“Haakudoku, huh. Have your wounds closed?” (Ilias)

I haven’t met Haakudoku since the incident in Serende.

He seems to be energetic as usual, but I heard that the Purple Demon Lord went to his place to fix his arm… There’s certainly more bandages on his right arm.

“Masetta wouldn’t have let me go out of my room if it weren’t closed. But to think we would be meeting at a place like this. I would have preferred it to be in Dog’s Bone, but the behavior of a certain someone is bad…” (Haaku)

“Oh? The self-proclaimed right hand of the man that aimed to overturn the nations is saying that?” (Girista)

“Shut up, Girista. It is not self-proclaimed. Bro has properly acknowledged this!” (Haaku)

I haven’t seen Girista since the matter of the Scarlet Demon Lord, but that man apparently contacted her often. Mix-sama and Ekdoik were aware of this method of contact in preparation for situations where that man was not present.

“Also, there’s someone who is more dangerous than me, right?” (Girista)

“Eh, are you talking about me?”

“Who else would it be, Arcreal?” (Girista)

And the most unexpected help was this man, Arcreal Aishia.

The Illegitimate that would match Yugura when it comes to swordsmanship alone.

I can’t imagine myself winning against him in an upfront battle. He is without doubt the strongest human.

“I don’t remember committing that big of a crime.” (Arcreal)

“Just being the ally of a demon that was trying to complete the resurrection magic that’s forbidden by the whole continent is already beyond bad. You would have been executed without question if you had been caught in Mejis, you know?” (Haaku)

“You guys say that when you were acting together with several of the people that became Demon Lords with that resurrection magic?” (Arcreal)

“I am troubled with what to say if you point that out. Or more like, I heard you got your butt kicked by Murshto. Aren’t you totally fine though?” (Haaku)

Arcreal is the same as Haakudoku in that they were heavily injured from an attack of Murshto.

It would be a different story if they had an Illegitimate that excels in healing, but I have not heard of such a person.

“That’s thanks to Ritial. He negotiated with the Green Demon Lord to heal me. I have to cooperate in this battle as payment, so that’s why I am here.” (Arcreal)

I was surprised, but Ritial is someone who excels in negotiation just like that man.

This isn’t a strange development as long as they have the means for negotiation.

This is a big battle with the fate of the world on the line. Humanity losing wouldn’t be a result Ritial and his group would want.

There’s no reason not to cooperate, but if they are going to be doing this anyways, they would rather do this in a way that would get them indebted…I guess.

“Seriously? He could have healed both Wolfe and Rakura too.” (Haaku)

“I have heard about you people too. I said something similar to Ritial. But there was worth in me as a battle force. He apparently won’t be healing anyone just for the sake of it.” (Arcreal)

“What’s with that? Rakura is pretty strong, and Wolfe’s strength is just below yours within the Illegitimate.” (Haaku)

“You could say that. But I said this in the beginning, right? My cooperation is just one of the payments. Ritial muddied the details, but he has paid quite the hefty price.” (Arcreal)

You can’t face a negotiation with the Green Demon Lord on half-baked resolve. It is because that man understood this that he didn’t try to take on the table of negotiation for the healing of Wolfe and Rakura even if it were possible.

Ritial succeeded in the treatment of Arcreal, but I wonder how much he had to pay?

“Well, I am more surprised that Ilias defeated Murshto though.” (Arcreal)

“It is Sis after all… That said, he certainly was a monster.” (Haaku)

“…I wouldn’t have been able to win by myself. A large number of factors overlapped to finally reach that result.” (Ilias)

“I see. I’m jealous.” (Arcreal)

“Jealous…huh.” (Ilias)

Arcreal is strong. But he couldn’t win against Murshto with just strength alone.

An opponent that you wouldn’t be able to win against even if you were to pour your everything. Respect from such an opponent.

The people around me have most likely acknowledged me as someone who has overcome this.

“Hey, Girista, aren’t you attracted to this man’s strength? He is super strong.” (Haaku)

“I like fighting, but I don’t like being killed by someone that I wouldn’t even be able to put up a fight against. I have sharp instincts even if not on your level.” (Girista)

“Is this how it feels to be rejected even though you haven’t even confessed? I have heard about you, Girista. You are fitting to fight by my side. Nice to meet you.” (Arcreal)

Arcreal asked for a handshake from Girista, and she responds with a gentle smile.

I have clashed blades against these two before, but to think we would end up joining hands… I wonder in what manner I would have raised my voice back then if I were to hear about this…

“*Cough* Now then, it is simple, but I will be explaining the general flow of things. The enemy will have an extremely hard time invading the large monsters that exist in the Taizu Nether. His Majesty said that they will be sending a small number of elites to the Taizu Nether since they won’t be able to seize them through numbers.” (Ilias)

The monsters of the Serende Nether have been influenced by the desire for revenge of the Black Demon Lord. There’s probably a lot of humanoids because of this.

According to the investigation of the Gold Demon Lord, they excel in battle more than the ones in the Gahne Nether, and it might become closer to small skirmishes.

“So the numbers will be gathering in the Gahne Nether and the Mejis Nether.” (Arcreal)

“That’s right. Especially the Gahne Nether that can’t incapacitate them with monsters, so the army has to be dispatched. It will be easy to turn it into a melee. The longer it takes to seize the demons, the higher the damage.” (Ilias)

“That’s why I was called here, huh. Oh well, leave it to me. The more dangerous the enemy, the better my detection ability is.” (Haaku)

The danger detection of Haakudoku has performance that sometimes nears clairvoyance. Even if it is a battlefield that’s predicted to turn into a melee, it will simply lower the chance for Haakudoku to be late on finding the demon.

“You have an awful lot of confidence, Haakudoku.” (Arcreal)

“If I had to point out an issue, it would be that my detection might get delayed if it is an opponent that’s weaker than you.” (Haaku)

“Then, you might have no job here.” (Arcreal)

“You are awfully confident yourself.” (Haaku)

My worry would be the case when the strength of the demon is beyond that of even the combined strength of all 4 people here.

I will prioritize gathering information and buying time if that happens.

If pure martial might doesn’t work, use tricks. It will become a battle where we will need to borrow the help of the Gold Demon Lord and Green Demon Lord.

“It would be best if we can win by ourselves, but make sure not to mistake when to pull back.” (Ilias)

“Got it. Brother is not here this time around, so I will just obediently run around if brawn doesn’t work.” (Haaku)

“Didn’t you say your arms would dull if we rely all the time on the strategies of Boss?” (Girista)

“Say that after looking at this arm. Forget dulling, this arm of mine has gotten stronger instead after accompanying Brother.” (Haaku)

The appearance of Wolfe flickers in my mind when I see that arm.

Wolfe wanted to join the raid team, but His Majesty rejected that.

Haakudoku’s detection ability is still present even if his combat power has decreased.

But Wolfe doesn’t have something that compensates for her lowered combat power.

It is exactly because she specialized her massive amount of mana into battle that she managed to keep up with us in a short period of time.

Even if she were to try and create a new way to utilize it, it wouldn’t be able to take shape in time.

I can’t prepare a payment to heal the arms of Wolfe. But I can fight for the sake of protecting the place where that man can welcome Wolfe.

This battle is a path that that man cut open.

In that case, I will advance that path as the self that he knows; believing that this is the correct future that he has drawn.

◇◇

“Demon Lord-sama, Demon Lord-sama! I just have to bring these little ones and kill a whole lot, right?!”

“Yeah.”

The noise of an army of monsters at the bottom of a cliff.

The ones looking down at them were Black Sis and the demons.

The 3 demons have been given the authority to order the monsters now that Black Sis has lost her powers as a Demon Lord.

The mana of Black Sis is not flowing in my body, so I can’t control the monsters, but I don’t mind that.

I have absolutely no desire to control monsters that are filled with hatred and grudge like these ones.

“You told me it is fine to move as I wish, but don’t you have at least one plan?” (Lazari)

“There’s no need. Your role is to smash this army on the humans. I don’t mind you moving as you please after that.” (Black)

“Oh my, what is it? Does that mean I can just leave after it begins?” (Lazari)

“…I don’t mind, but you wouldn’t do that, Lazarikata.” (Black)

Lazarikata averted her eyes, annoyed.

Being seen through by Black Sis is an unbearable shame for this woman, so her provocation being changed to humiliation must have been the worst for her.

“Black-sama, which Nether should I go?” (Ofaro)

“Ofaro will go to the Mejis Nether, Zahava to the Gahne Nether, Tedoral will head to the Taizu Nether together with Lazarikata.” (Black)

The locations for each one of us is pretty much what I imagined. Figures I would be sent there.

“I am the only one with a babysitter? Is this your way of saying I am untrustworthy?” (Lazari)

“Green is there. He is a man that can’t abandon humans. In that case, he will become an enemy.” (Black)

Leaving aside Haiya who is a cluster of uncertain factors, there’s no doubt the Green Demon Lord is the strongest force of the enemy side.

Fighting him would be too much for Lazarikata alone, and it would be rough to break through him without me or Yugura.

“Heya there, Lazarikata. It seems like you have complaints, but I will be leaving all the plans of action to you, okay? If you wanna fight the Green Demon Lord, go ahead; if you wanna push him onto me, you can. But you have a bit of a connection to the Green Demon Lord, right?” (Colorless)

“Even if your appearance has changed, that grossness and stickiness peculiar to a recluse is still there, huh.” (Lazari)

“Alright, I am not moving. I won’t move until you plead for help pathetically!” (Colorless)

Seriously, this woman is pure poison.

If she hadn’t become a demon, I would have wanted to make her into a chair with necromancy for eternity.

I would change the cover every so often, point at her and laugh as I spend my free days.

“Whatever. It is different from that time. I alone am enough for a man like that.” (Lazari)

“So she says, Black Sis. You don’t mind, right?” (Colorless)

“I don’t mind Lazarikata doing as she wants. However, definitely help Lazarikata when she asks for it.” (Black)

“Kay. In that case, I am surely gonna have to.” (Colorless)

“…You are just a damn coward.” (Lazari)

Ooh, what nice bloodlust.

I feel like I will end up in a death battle against her when things are over. I will teach her who is the superior one when that happens, but…well, the ranks will most likely be set before that.

The creepiest one here would be Ofaro.

He was completely unfazed even when Yugura was disciplining Lazarikata.

It is a pain that it is hard to read the mind of a guy whose emotions don’t sway.

“It is possible to order the monsters by sending mana wavelengths, but change the language even if you are using that method. Green would be able to intercept mana wavelengths way too naturally.” (Black)

The language that humans called demon tongue.

It is a special language that Black Sis created.

You can’t speak it unless you activate a specialized spell, and you can’t even pick up the intonation unless you do it through the mana of Black Sis.

It is one of the techniques Black Sis thought of just in case because she originally didn’t trust the powers of a Demon Lord.

The will of the person herself must have been reflected there, It is a language that brings discomfort on humans most likely as a reflection of the desires of the person herself, so they began using it on purpose.

I honestly don’t feel good listening to it either.

I don’t have the mana of Black Sis, so I can’t make sense of it without the help of Yugura and I can’t speak it either.

That Yugura is yawning while looking down at the horde of monsters.

This sight that’s the embodiment of Black Sis’ centuries of hatred is simply on the level where Yugura would sigh or yawn.

“Well then, Black Sis, give the bunch watching from down there their objective.” (Colorless)

“…Yugura.” (Black)

“Yeah yeah.” (Yugura)

Yugura deploys a spell around Black Sis.

It makes it so that she will be recognized as her past appearance by the monsters even if just for a brief period of time.

The monsters reacted to Black Sis, who showed herself with her past mana clad around her body.

The direction they must face, the path they must walk towards, the being they must put their eyes on; they were remembering all that.

“My brethren born from mine own hatred, the time has come. The meaning of your birth, your reason for being… It is time to show your worth.” (Black)

One by one, the monsters were remembering the hatred that was etched in their mana and the meaning of it through the words of Black Sis.

A Nether is an ideal place for Demon Lords to create their ideal world.

In that case, monsters are the power to create that ideal world.

They have been reminded that they are beings that were born for revenge -that their duty is to exterminate all humans.

“Lay bare the instincts that are lying deep within you. When you do, you will be able to realize what it is you have to do and point the tip of your blades without dismay.” (Black)

Some eventually began to roar, and this served as a ripple that stirred on further tremor.

This tremor transmitted all the way to the cliff, and it was as if the world as a whole was criticizing humanity.

“Cry and lament the despair etched in your soul, the anger created from our demise must echo in this abominable world!” (Black)

A common desire was born within the monsters.

Fear and hesitation don’t exist within them. They don’t have a life to hold dear to. They simply act under significance, motivation, and necessity.

Today is the day the army of demise that tried to burn down the whole world has been resurrected.

—–

Author: The protagonist observing this from inside: (So noisy!)

Previous Chapter l Next Chapter