Chapter 2: Makoto Takatsuki Challenges a Demon Lord
A whole year had passed at the Temple of the Sun, and now, we were back in Labyrinthos.
“Johnnie, there are so many more people!” I couldn’t help but exclaim.
He gave a satisfied nod. “Indeed. The ancient dragon presence keeps the city safe. Many people in the area heard the rumors and have sought refuge here.”
I gazed out upon the dungeon town, which now took up the entirety of the lake’s shore. It was now even bigger than Macallan.
When Julietta saw us, she rushed over energetically. “Momo! It’s been so long! Are you doing well? You’re so big now!”
“It’s good to see you again!” Momo smiled but paused a bit awkwardly. “Um, I can’t grow anymore, though.”
“Oh, right.” Julietta chuckled. “You’re a vampire.”
Volf had also strolled over, and his eyes caught on a rather conspicuous member of our group. “So...” he said hesitantly. “Are you really Abel?”
“I’m Anna, not Abel!”
“G-Got it. I heard from Olga that there was something special about you...but I never imagined that you were a woman...”
“Just so you know, I’m even better with a sword now, regardless of what my body looks like!”
Volf grinned. “Oh-hoh! Then how about a proper spar?”
“Sounds good!”
Glad to see those two having a warrior’s reunion. Everyone else seems so happy to see each other again.
Meanwhile, Mel and the other ancient dragons were chatting in their human forms.
“Mother! You have returned!” exclaimed one of the ancient dragons.
“I have,” Mel said. “Are you in good health?”
“Indeed! There have been no changes to our dwelling! You’ll be returning to the deepest layer now, right?”
“Hm? Well, the elementalist has plans to fight the demon lord, so I am going to join—”
The other dragons cut her off with adamant protests.
“Foolishness! What’ll happen if the dragon king hears of this?!”
“But...”
“Please reconsider, mother!”
“Exactly! You have already discharged your debt!”
“Please come back! There is no need for us to involve ourselves with surface struggles!”
“Mother!”
Mel frowned. “Hmm...”
Yikes—that’s a lot of complaints for her to deal with. And I’m probably the person causing them.
Mel had helped us a lot over the past year, but her absence had apparently worried her family. Future legends stated that the holy dragon had aided Abel until Iblis had been slain, but the past was now different than it once was. Considering all the pleading dragons before me, Mel could very well choose to return to the dungeon’s depths. How much could I involve her in the fight? It was a real concern.
I looked around the completely altered dungeon once again. The lake was lined with stalls and stands both big and small. Children were running around, all with smiles on their faces. Are we really inside a dungeon right now? This didn’t feel like the same place where Lucy and I had nearly died to a swarm of monsters. Was this development going to change the future?
“Of course it will, you idiot.”
“Hwah?!”
I whipped around in shock. Standing behind me was a beautiful girl. A familiar one. She wore bright, colorful clothes.
“Wh-Why are you here?” I stammered.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Makoto Takatsuki,” Estelle said imperiously, hands on her hips.
Ira’s definitely in the driver’s seat.
“Ah, Lady Estelle did want to discuss something with you,” Johnnie remarked. “Sir Makoto, when you are ready to depart for battle, come and speak to me. I will be prepared.”
With those parting words, he turned to leave. He didn’t smile, just smoothly strolled away. His long, tied-back hair swayed behind him. The hakama-like pants... The long katana at his waist... He was the spitting image of a samurai. It was almost...artistic.
“Thank you, Johnnie,” I called out to his back.
He turned his head slightly and offered a small smile.
So cool...
Then, there was a huff from next to me.
“You have some nerve to ignore me.”
“My apologies, Est—Ira. Why are you here, by the way?”
“Because I need to talk to you, of course. Follow me.”
She grabbed my arm and yanked, dragging me off to a more private location.
That “private location” ended up being a cave behind a huge waterfall. There was no one around besides Ira and me, and the only ambient noise was the pleasant crashing of falling water. It was the perfect spot for a private conversation.
Also, this place makes me remember meeting Sasa again. Feels like so long ago...
“Why are you getting lost in sentiment?” Ira demanded, flicking me on the forehead.
I fell to one knee in front of her. “Apologies, Goddess.”
“Hmph. I was concerned, so I came to see how things were! Be grateful. You changed the history of Labyrinthos so much—I’ll have to fix it later. It’s a real pain!”
“So I did change things...” Well, I’d never heard of a huge town in the middle of Labyrinthos. Were Sasa’s lamiae ancestors going to be okay?
“That isn’t any of your concern, Makoto Takatsuki. What are your plans to fight the demon lord?” Her sharp eyes pierced me. “Can you win?”
I chuckled. “Leave it to me. We’re more than ready.” After all, we hadn’t spent the last year playing around.
For some reason, Ira shot a lidded gaze my way. “I wonder about that...considering how many times you tried to get into the Seafloor Temple. What did you think would happen if you died?! You didn’t even accomplish anything!”
“Well, my attempts at the temple might not have gone well, but they were worth doing. I did manage to come to an agreement with him.”
“Well...you’re right. Impressive.” Her expression was a mix of exasperation and amusement. “But enough of that. Tell me your strategy for defeating Demon Lord Bifrons. I’ll check it over.”
“Oh, sure. First, I’ll go ahead of the group and get things ready—”
A voice suddenly interrupted us.
“Excuse me!”
Someone else had ventured behind the waterfall.
“Mel?”
“Oh, Mellie.”
The person was indeed Mel, whose eyes were now wide in shock. She must have finished talking with the others.
“I felt divine mana, so I came to listen, despite the disrespect...” Mel said meekly. “Are you...the goddess Ira?”
Ira and I exchanged glances.
“Um, well if you could—” Ira said.
“I won’t breathe a word of it!” Mel exclaimed. “To be able to meet you again is...” Mel rarely seemed flustered by anything, but she was clearly overwhelmed right now.
Oh yeah—she said that Ira helped her in the past, didn’t she? I vaguely remembered her mentioning that. As I dug up that memory, Mel turned my way. Her eyes were brimming with tears.
“So you’re Ira’s apostle.”
We stared at each other, sharing a moment of confusion.
Nope... I’m Noah’s.
“Well, you’re acting so familiar with the goddess. It all makes sense now. I will convince my family that I am following the guidance of Ira’s apostle. My apologies for interrupting your conversation. Please, continue.”
With that abrupt promise, Mel turned and left.
Ira and I just looked wordlessly at each other.
“So, will you become my believer now?”
“Not a chance,” I said flatly. “Besides, you should have others, right?”
“I don’t. Not that kind of believer anyway. Althena forbade the use of the full believer system.”
“Forbade it?”
That was the first time I’d heard that. There were certainly heroes and priestesses, but now that I thought about it, none identified as believers or apostles in the same way I did. Cain was the only one I’d met.
“Heroes and priestesses can hear their goddess’s voices, but a believer can see the divine,” Ira explained. “Yet when a mortal gazes upon a god, it usually causes at least some mental disturbance...”
“Mental disturbance?”
“Corruption. Put simply, mental instability.”
“I’m fine, though.”
“That’s because you’re weird.”
“Rude.”
Ira huffed. “You’re calling me rude? Mellie said it earlier, didn’t she? You’re too familiar with us goddesses. Why’re you looking down on us? C’mon, on your knees!”
Ira pushed down on my head. She might’ve been small and relatively weak, but my stats were even lower, so I lost easily.
“No way!” I protested. “There’s only one goddess I’ll kneel like that for!”
“Oh? Guess I’ll make you submit, then.”
“That’s not funny!”
Ira giggled. “That just used up the last of my kindness! Lick my feet!”
She’s a sadist! A sadist goddess!
“No way! I’ll only lick her feet!”
“What are you, a pervert? Also, you’re so weak.”
“Stop it!” I shouted.
Resistance was futile—Ira was soon on top of me. Seriously, I am weak...
“Caught you. Now, submit,” Ira insisted, pinning me.
“Guh, just kill me!”
She giggled again. “So you’ve resigned yourself to your fate, Mako—”
That was when our messing around was abruptly cut off.
“Makoto?”
“Sir Makoto... What are you doing?”
Only Ira and I should have been here...but Anna and Momo’s voices interrupted us.
Silence—barring the crash of the waterfall—reigned.
“Y-You’ve got the wrong idea—”
“It’s not—”
Both Ira and I tried to explain, but we were cut off once again.
“You idiiiooot!”
“Moron!”
Both of them rushed away. Ira and I were left gaping.
“You’re the center of their party!” Ira exclaimed. “This is bad, isn’t it?!”
“You tell me! I thought you could see the future!”
“Everyone makes mistakes!”
“Ira, you’re supposed to be a goddess!”
The two of us spent a while trying to assign blame. We never did come to an agreement, but we ended up following after the other two and eventually managed to explain the situation. I think.
And thus, our preparations for the battle with Demon Lord Bifrons proceeded...steadily?
◇ Momo’s Perspective ◇
“Um, Sir Makoto, are you sure it should be just the two of us?”
We were approaching Bifrons’s castle. Alone. Teacher Mel, Anna, Julietta, and the other warriors would be following us later. Still, I was worried about infiltrating with just two people. After all, the enemy waiting for us was the demon lord who ruled the entire continent.
“We got some good rest in Labyrinthos and the weather’s great,” he replied. “There’s no real need to worry, is there?”
Sir Makoto—the core of this plan—was almost disgustingly cheery. I love him, but...can’t we do something about the weird way he views the world?
“How’s this good weather?” I asked incredulously. “It’s pouring rain.” The static pitter-patter of raindrops was annoying, and the storm limited visibility. I couldn’t understand how this could possibly be “pleasant.”
Just then, Dia the Undyne appeared in the air next to Sir Makoto. “Little one, I’m making it rain.”
“I know that, Dia.”
She had an attitude...but also the strength to back it up. Even Teacher Mel had admitted that she couldn’t hold a candle to the Undyne’s power. I was even less in comparison, but I didn’t like the way Dia monopolized the space around Sir Makoto.
“Why did you make it rain?” I asked him, putting my arm through his. Dia did the same on his other side.
“I’ll explain when we get there. Essentially, it’s part of the plan.”
He sounded like he was having fun...even though we were about to fight a demon lord. His attitude and mannerisms were shockingly normal.
“Yeah, I got that,” I grumbled. “But I still don’t understand why I can’t help fight the demon lord!” I’d trained like crazy but he still wasn’t allowing me to help. Not fair.
“There’s not much we can do about it. According to Ira, you could get bound again if you get near Bifrons.”
“But...that doesn’t mean...”
“Abel, Mel, and I wouldn’t hurt you if you turned against us. I definitely couldn’t. So, to avoid that outcome, I want you in a supporting role. If anybody becomes too injured to fight, I want you to teleport them away from the battle.”
I griped some more but finally agreed, albeit reluctantly. I can’t say no when he puts it like that.
“Hmph, I’ll take care of my liege, so we won’t need you,” Dia insisted.
“What was that?!” I exclaimed. “Sounds like big talk coming from someone who was useless in the Seafloor Temple!”
“Y-You don’t know! You weren’t even there! Anywhere else, I’m incredible!”
“Hmph! But I know that’s where Sir Makoto most wants to go!”
“Sh-Shut up. You’re just a little girl!”
“Wha?! And your body’s made out of water, so you can’t do anything!”
Dia giggled smugly. “If I Synchro with my liege, there’s all sorts we can do...”
“I-If I wanted, I could—”
“All right, enough,” Makoto said, covering my mouth. “Monsters have shown up.”
My eyes frantically darted around, looking for them. There—in front of us was a massive undead ogre. Well, not anymore. It was now just an icy sculpture of an ogre. Sir Makoto must have frozen it.
“Keep the noise down,” he scolded.
Dia and I chorused our quiet agreement. I shot another glance at the frozen statue. Thanks to all my training with Teacher Mel, I was now sure of something: Sir Makoto could cast his magic very quickly. Too quickly. And on top of that...
I glanced around. The downpour was constant, but despite that, not a mote of rain touched us. Droplets seemed to skitter away from our bodies like living creatures. The same was true on the ground—despite all the mud being churned up by the rain, the dirt beneath our feet was firm and easy to walk on. Actually, it almost felt like the water was pushing us along. What a strange situation.
This phenomenon was no mystery, though—Sir Makoto was using water magic to control both the rain and the standing water. That was why none of us were wet and why we could just stride over the sodden ground. Not one splash of water touched my skin, nor one irregular raindrop. The rain itself was something his magic had created, and the downpour spread as far as I could see. How large of an area could he affect with his magic? Who knows? I didn’t understand how he was capable of it. However, I had come to a singular realization—I’d probably never be able to do the same thing.
Sir Makoto glanced down at me, looking worried. “Momo, what’s up?”
“Nothing. What’s this spell called, by the way? The one making it rain?”
“Hmm, it doesn’t really have a name. I’m just making water fall from the sky. You could do it too.”
“Not over such a large area! You’re keeping us dry too! It must be so complicated.”
“If you imagine the rain ‘not hitting’ us, the drops will do just that, right?”
Not happening... I didn’t understand at all. His way of thinking completely circumvented the fundamentals of magic that Teacher Mel had taught me.
You just think something...and it happens? Was that a spell a human could use? Wasn’t that more like one of the gods’ miracles?
I stared at his back. It wasn’t broad by any means, but it was the most reassuring sight I could think of.
I need to keep up with him. I won’t be left behind.
But I couldn’t comprehend the way his mind worked. Not yet. I’d have to do my best to understand.
◇ Anna’s Perspective ◇
We left Labyrinthos three days after Makoto and Momo. The mist was thick, and it was hard to see where we were going, but we slowly pushed through. Johnnie, the leader of the dungeon town, forged the path ahead, and we followed.
Volf, Julietta, Deckel, and the other dungeon town warriors were with us, along with Lady Helemmelk and her family. Our forces numbered close to a thousand—it was by far the largest formation I’d ever seen. Never before had such a formidable fighting force been assembled on the side of humanity. Usually, we were hiding from the demons, moving in secret with a scant few people at a time. But things were different now. We’d regrouped enough to challenge the demon lord. All of us were in top condition, ready to fight.
Teacher...we’ll manage it this time, I thought with quiet certainty.
“This mist is dense,” Lady Helemmelk remarked. “We don’t need to worry about the demons spotting us.”
“The water elementals are overjoyed. Sir Makoto’s elemental magic is always a sight to behold,” said Johnnie.
Mel nodded. “I had worried over how we could move so many troops to the castle without being detected. Yet...to create enough mist to completely cover the Great Forest...”
“It’s a good technique. Though I must admit, only he could manipulate the weather so freely.”
“He is the only elementalist capable of altering the weather on this scale.”
“We elves have a lot of elementalists...but Sir Makoto is on another level.”
Mel and Johnnie were both praising the spellcraft, but...
“Aren’t you worried about them?” I asked. “Makoto and Momo are heading to the castle alone.”
I’d desperately sought to go with them, but Makoto hadn’t wanted that. He’d said that my role was to defeat the demon lord, so I should come with everyone else. He’d then told Lady Helemmelk and Johnnie to try and avoid any fighting on the way. Usually, he didn’t say things so directly, so I was rather taken aback at the oddly blunt (for him) instructions. Why had he been so harsh?
Maybe he’s worried? No. He and Momo were the ones we should be worried about. The monsters near the castle were strong, and I couldn’t help but imagine the worst.
“Worried? About the elementalist?” Mel asked. “It would be a waste of time.”
“Indeed,” said Johnnie. “You can tell by the overall temperament of the elementals. They’re relaxed—he’s practically out on a stroll.”
Neither of them seemed the least bit concerned. They emphasized that we should focus more on ourselves.
I groaned internally. Really wish I’d gone with those two...
After several days of travel, we spotted it—a huge black fortress looming in the distance.
Demon Lord Bifrons’s castle.
Our previous attempt at infiltrating the castle had ended in failure. After they killed our party leader, we felt overwhelmed, and the demon lord had captured us. Then, just before our planned execution, Makoto had saved our lives.
This time, though...
I breathed in quietly. My nerves were definitely showing on my face. Up ahead, some of our troop members were talking, and I caught snippets of the conversation.
“Wha! What the—?”
“Quiet down, Julietta.”
“Hoh. That must be the elementalist’s doing. So this is his strategy.”
“Well, it is a fundamental way of sieging a castle... A rather bold move, though.”
What had happened? I walked over to them and squinted toward the castle.
“I...”
That half-witted word was all I could manage. N-No way. Makoto...?
The demon lord’s castle...was submerged in a huge lake. All I could do was stare dazedly at the sight.
What the...?
The castle was not built in a valley or basin. In fact, it was situated on flat, wide-open plains. How, then, had the castle and its town been covered in water?
Suddenly, we heard a quiet noise, and a girl appeared out of thin air. “Oh, you’re all here!” the girl said brightly.
It was Momo. Apparently, she’d well and truly mastered teleporting.
“D-Did Makoto do this?” Julietta stuttered.
“It’s rather intriguing,” said Lady Helemmelk. “I assume the elementalist is responsible?”
Momo broke into a smile. “It’s amazing, isn’t it?! He made this river overflow, and it flooded the castle! The demons in the town have had to evacuate, and most of the army is busy repairing the river’s burst banks.”
We were all struck dumb by her statement. She and Makoto—a mere two people—had caused enough havoc to splinter the demon lord’s army.
“An attacker with command over water is certainly a powerful ally,” said Johnnie. “I have to admit, I was concerned over its efficacy on the undead, but...I can understand the benefits of splitting our enemy’s forces.”
Out of everyone, Johnnie was the only person still calmly analyzing the situation. He was both an accomplished mage and a sword fighter, and he understood Makoto’s strategy. Actually, Johnnie’s kind of a strange person too, isn’t he?
Volf nodded. “In that case...” He didn’t need to continue—the undercurrent of excitement in his voice spoke for itself.
I felt the same. This time... This time would be different.
“Wait!” Julietta called out. “Before, when we got close to the castle, Demon Lord Cain attacked us. We can’t let our guard down.”
I jolted at that. She was right—Demon Lord Cain had been our downfall. The hero-killing demon lord in black armor seemed to appear almost at random, so it was entirely possible that he could show up here.
“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Those words immediately drew everyone’s attention.
“Lady Estelle?”
She had accompanied us from Labyrinthos. Lady Helemmelk had been against it since this battle would be dangerous, but Lady Estelle had insisted that she would be fine.
“Demon Lord Cain will not be present,” she said crisply.
Huh. I suppose she must have seen the future.
“Additionally, Setekh—the demon lord’s aide who possesses the Eyes of Petrification—will also be absent. Of course, there are other strong demons among Bifrons’s subordinates, but not having to deal with those two ought to be a significant boon.”
Everyone let loose a cheer. Could things really be going this well?
Beside me, Mel and the priestess Estelle were having a whispered conversation.
“Um...” Mel murmured. “Are you certain? Can you be utterly assured of such things?”
Lady Estelle balked at her words. “Wh-What are you trying to say, Mellie? Are you doubting me?!”
“N-No! Not at all, just... One of the core tenets of Fate Magic is that it lacks one hundred percent certainty, yes? I believe Goddess Ira herself once told me that.”
The Priestess of Fate, Estelle, was another strange person. We’d first met her in the capital of Laphroaig, and for a second time when she’d shown up in Labyrinthos. Well, that should have been the second time. But despite barely knowing her, she and Makoto seemed rather close.
“Just trust me. We can be sure of this...” Lady Estelle trailed off, then spoke once more in a barely audible whisper. “At least, he promised.”
“Pardon, but what did you say?” I asked. Mel and I hadn’t quite caught the tail end of her statement.
“N-Nothing!” she exclaimed. “More importantly, where is Makoto Takatsuki?”
Right... We hadn’t seen him yet.
“I’m here.”
I yelped, jumping back and nearly falling over. Someone had appeared suddenly from the mist at my side. No, wait... The mist itself had become a person.
“Makoto! Don’t surprise me like that!” I protested.
“Ah, sorry, Anna.”
That was really shocking! He smiled at me, not seeming chagrined in the slightest. At least it seemed like he was doing okay. It had only been a few days, but seeing his face filled me with relief.
“That was a rather odd spell, Elementalist,” said Mel. “How did you do it?”
“Oh, I combined my water magic with Transform and turned myself into mist. It’s not as fast as Momo’s Teleport, but it’s pretty useful.”
Lady Helemmelk seemed interested, but Lady Estelle seemed much more put out.
“Becoming mist? That’s a vampire’s specialty... Surely you don’t need to use that kind of spell.”
“Well, I got bored while we were waiting, so I had Momo teach it to me.” Makoto’s eyes scanned our forces. “You sure brought a lot of fighters. Thanks for your help, Johnnie.”
“Don’t mention it. Everyone here has the resolve to fight the demon lord—our lives are at your disposal. We will charge at your signal.”
Johnnie’s words changed the atmosphere, and we all nodded firmly in response. It was finally time to fight the demon lord. A spike of nervous energy shot through me.
“Gotcha. Actually, though, there are a few things I want to do first.” Makoto turned to Julietta. “Did you bring the thing I asked for?”
“Um, will this work?” Julietta handed him an object made of wood. It was...a mask? The visage of a fox had been carved onto its surface.
“Oh, that looks cool. Thanks.”
“If I’d had more time, I could’ve made something nicer...”
“This is plenty nice. It just needs to cover my face.” He slipped the mask on. “What do you think, Momo? Dia?”
Neither of them waited for more than a second before answering.
“Whoa, it’s so cool!” Momo exclaimed.
“Ah... It’s wonderful, my liege.”
Ehhhh... Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to think. Were their eyes working right? I thought he looked much better without it...
“Yuck,” Lady Estelle said bluntly. “What’s that supposed to be?”
“Ira, you know we’re about to face Bifrons, right? So you also know that I can’t let him see my face. This is me being considerate of you.”
“I’m Estelle! And...oh, that makes sense. Carry on, then.”
“Anyway, don’t you think a fox mask is cool?”
“I just told you what I think of it. Besides, people use foxes in harvest rituals to ask for a good crop yield, so they technically fall under my sister Freya’s domain.”
“Oh, I see,” said Makoto. “It’s jealousy.”
Lady Estelle scoffed. “No, it’s not!”
“Don’t kick me. I can see your underwear!”
“If you’re looking, then pay me!”
“That’s ridiculous!”
They’re flirting again... It also wasn’t fair that only they seemed to understand what they were talking about. The rest of us had no clue. Even Johnnie looked somewhat taken aback as he joined their conversation.
“So, you just wanted to put the mask on?” Johnnie asked.
“No, that’s not all. We’ve got the chance, so I figured I’d whittle down their numbers some more. It’s nearly time.”
“Elementalist, if you could explain...a little...”
Lady Helemmelk trailed off, and her eyes darted upward. The rest of us followed suit. Suddenly, a chunk of ice the size of a small mountain broke through the mist. We all gasped in shock.
“Wh-Wh-Wh-What is that?!” I stuttered.
“Comet Fall,” Dia answered. “It’s a spell my liege invented.”
Spell?! This seemed more like a world-ending event!
“It’s massive...” Lady Helemmelk gave a shaky exhale. “I’ve never seen magic like that.”
“Well, that’s no surprise, Mellie,” said Lady Estelle. “Comet Fall is a large-scale destruction spell. The Sacred Deities class it as forbidden magic. It’s an inhuman spell that drastically alters the landscape when it’s cast. Makoto Takatsuki, are you okay?”
We all looked aghast at this revelation. Even though we were a good distance away from the castle, the destruction could still reach us.
“Just watch,” Makoto answered smoothly. “This thing is way smaller than the one that fell on Great Keith. And I can control it because of this.”
He held up his right hand.
“Transform.”
The air immediately grew heavier as mana condensed around us.
C-Can’t breathe...!
His mana felt like an enormous weight sitting on my chest, forcing the air from my body. The pressure was so intense that even some of the warriors from Labyrinthos fell to the ground.
Rapidly, the mana started to coalesce in his hand.
Right Hand of the Elemental.
He spoke, and his whole arm turned transparent and started to glow blue.
“He’s...turning his body into a spirit?” asked Mel.
“An elemental, to be precise,” Lady Estelle replied. “It’s another forbidden technique...but I’ll pretend I didn’t see it.”
The mana seemed to swirl around us, and I felt dizzy, almost drunk on the power. Somehow, I stayed conscious as I watched what was happening in front of us. The massive chunk of ice—he’d called it a comet—slammed into the castle. With a sickening crunch, the whole building cracked like an egg. Then, the comet itself broke apart.
“Aftershocks!” yelled Johnnie. “Brace yourselves!”
We all frantically dropped to the ground.
Makoto laughed softly. “It’s okay. They won’t reach us.” He lifted his glowing arm again.
Water Magic: Go with the Flow.
Immediately, the exploding comet flew high into the sky and burst.
“Wha?”
Everyone simultaneously gasped in shock. Everyone, that is, except Lady Estelle. Even Lady Helemmelk and Johnnie were agape.
The huge explosion covered the sky, and the very air around us seemed to turn red. The noise was so deafening that I thought it might burst my eardrums. Everything went white, then pitch-black. After a moment, I realized that was because I’d closed my eyes. I took a deep breath, then hesitantly opened them.
Huh...
As I looked out upon the scenery, I felt like I was dreaming. The castle had been crushed. An oddly pleasant wind was blowing. And then I saw something even more surreal—the sky was clear. This was the first time in my life that I’d ever seen blue skies.
“You used the aftershocks to blow away the Clouds of Darkness,” said Lady Estelle. She folded her arms. “Not a bad technique. I think.”
Makoto nodded. “It worked well. How’s the forecast, Ira?”
Since he was wearing the mask, I couldn’t see his expression, but judging by the tone of his voice, he was enjoying himself.
“You make me sound like a meteorologist. Hmm...” Ira thought for a moment. “The Clouds of Darkness have broken apart over a radius of a hundred kilometers. It should take more than half a day for them to return. I almost feel sorry for the demon lord. His town is flooded, his castle crushed by a comet, and sunlight, the bane of his undead, is pouring down while the heroes attack.”
Their conversation went mostly unnoticed, but I heard them. Makoto turned to me.
“Well then, Anna, we’re ready. Let’s go kill a demon lord.”
“R-Right...” I said with a clumsy nod.
This whole event had triggered a cataclysmic shift in my thinking. Does he even need us? Wouldn’t Makoto be able to do this on his own?
◇ Makoto Takatsuki’s Perspective ◇
My arm twinged with pain. I used Calm Mind to keep my discomfort from showing on my face. Actually, the mask serves that purpose too. I didn’t need to worry about revealing just how much I’d pushed myself.
“Hey!” came a scolding voice. A small girl—Estelle, possessed by Ira—was glaring at me. She reached up and smacked my head.
“Ah... What is it?” I asked her.
“You’re pretending to be fine. But you just used up most of your lifespan.”
Anna and Momo—along with everyone else in earshot—reeled in shock.
“Well, elemental magic is huge in scale. It’s not like I’d be able to cast anything in the middle of the battle without hurting our side too. I had to use it now—go big or go home.”
“But there are still limits to—” Ira scoffed. “Whatever. Just rest now.”
I appreciated those huffy words of kindness, but unfortunately, I wasn’t going to be able to take advantage of them. The real show was just about to begin.
“Did the demon lord even survive?”
“I doubt he is uninjured after that attack...”
“Perhaps Sir Makoto’s spell killed him?”
They sure are an optimistic bunch.
“The demon lord is unharmed,” Ira announced, silencing them all.
I nodded. “A little comet isn’t going to do much against Bifrons.”
I’d seen Zagan, and he’d been a monster in every sense of the word. Without Sakurai and his Hero of Light skill, we never would’ve won. And from what I’d heard, Bifrons was even more impressive.
“Makoto is right—the true battle will begin now,” Ira declared. “Don’t relax yet.”
Everyone’s expressions grew serious.
Momo tugged at my sleeve. “Um...Sir Makoto, what do I do?”
“You wait here. Mel and the others are staying too, so stick with them.”
“Wait. Should I not be with you?” Mel asked.
“Well, your position means you shouldn’t stand publicly against the demon lords, right?”
“Indeed, but—”
“You’ve helped us more than enough,” I said, cutting off her worries.
From what Ira had told me, Mel—being an ancient dragon—had some relation to the Demon Lord Astaroth. She had thus far taken a neutral position in this war. However, if she fought against Bifrons, it would be tantamount to declaring her allegiance to our side. I felt awkward about trying to insist on that. In the original timeline, she’d taken a stand against Iblis because Cain had killed her family. But now...
Speaking of Cain, his reckless killing had also spurred Hero Abel into action. He’s a proper war criminal, huh? Well, though he fought for the demons, he was, above everything else, on Noah’s side.
“Sir Makoto, should I direct all of our forces to invade the castle?” Johnnie asked.
Time to reveal the strategy Ira and I came up with. I took a breath and then began to explain.
“The demon army is currently dealing with the flooding. However, there’s no way they could mistake the comet for anything other than an attack. By now, they’ve surely realized that something’s wrong, so they’ll all be heading back to the castle. Johnnie, I need your warriors to make sure they can’t regroup with the demon lord. While you do that, Abe—Anna and the other heroes will be helping defeat the demon lord.”
“Most of the demon lord’s troops are undead,” said Ira. “The clear skies put them in the worst possible position. It’s rather convenient for us.”
Right, the army was cut off from Bifrons and weakened. This was the best strategy we could’ve come up with.
Johnnie nodded. “Very well. I shall issue the orders to my troops. However, I will accompany you, Sir Makoto. My conscience could not withstand missing the opportunity to repay the core of our oppression with a sword slash.”
So Johnnie would be coming with us... Well, he was one of Hero Abel’s “true companions,” so that was fine. Volf and Julietta would also be accompanying Anna and me. Meanwhile, the warriors from Labyrinthos would be dealing with the army and preventing their return to the castle. If we took any casualties, Mel and Momo would teleport them out. “Estelle” would be by their side.
That was the rough layout of our battle formation.
“Makoto Takatsuki. You’re truly planning on going in?” Ira asked. She clearly wasn’t happy that I’d be joining the assault on the castle.
“Dia’s here, and I can deal with any new mobs that crop up.”
“R-Right! I will protect my liege!”
“I won’t let the demon lord hurt him!” Anna exclaimed.
Our preliminary preparations were complete. We should be fine. And more than anything else...
I wanna see the moment Abel the Savior defeats the demon lord!
“I heard that,” Ira scolded, giving me another smack. Gah, she must’ve read my mind. Then, she whispered, “Just...don’t die. I can’t see your future.”
“Pray for our victory,” I murmured before turning back to our troops. “Let’s go, everyone.”
Johnnie and Anna nodded, and the rest of the heroes followed suit.
The battle against the demon lord had begun.
◇
The area around the castle was flooded, so we used flight magic to travel. I couldn’t cast it though, so Anna was carrying me.
“Makoto, take care not to fall,” she said.
“I won’t—you don’t need to squeeze so hard.”
“I do! You should be holding on tighter!”
Guess she’s being overprotective.
“The damage looks even worse up close,” Julietta remarked.
“Yeah,” said Volf. “I can’t see any of the army’s monsters.”
They were right—Comet Fall had half destroyed the castle and none of the monsters were visible. The first floor was still mostly intact, albeit flooded.
“Where shall we enter?” Anna asked me.
“Let’s use the front door.”
“But that area is flood—.”
Before she could finish, I gave Dia a signal.
“Of course, my liege.” She approached the massive entrance to the castle. As she did, the water parted at her feet.
“Let’s go, Anna.”
“R-Right...”
Johnnie and the other two heroes followed us down. The metal doors were large enough that even a dragon could pass through them. They were also firmly shut. Now, how do we get inside?
I didn’t have to ponder long—with a squeal, the doors began to open.
“I suppose that’s as good as any invitation,” Johnnie remarked, walking straight in.
I followed him.
“W-Wait!” Anna protested from behind, trotting to catch up with us. The castle was dark inside, with only sporadic candles illuminating the area. The taps of our footsteps were ominous in the silence.
“Hmm. Considering the power of your comet, this level still looks remarkably intact,” Johnnie murmured.
“Maybe there was a barrier?” I peered around with Dark Vision. The place was made of polished marble inlaid with decorations, and I saw no damage visible on the walls or floor.
We progressed carefully through the opulent corridors. Every so often, we came across gargoyles disguised as statues, or animated suits of armor, but Johnnie and the other heroes cut them down without much issue.
We’d assumed that the castle would be swarming with the demon army, but hardly any enemies were present, and not many monsters were still protecting the castle.
We walked to the end of a long corridor, and it opened up into a large hall. At the center of the hall was a raised platform that had steps leading up to it. Atop that was a throne.
An empty one. No one was sitting in it.
“I don’t see anyone...”
“Don’t let your guard down.”
Warily, we investigated the room.
“Maybe the demon lord wasn’t here?”
“Lady Estelle said he was, but...”
“Then he must be. We should search.”
“He must be,” huh? Ira’d said that, so it had to be good information. Though, knowing her...
Don’t you trust me?!
Oops, busted. Ira, there’s no one in this throne room. Are you sure Bifrons is here?
Look properly! He’s definitely there today!
I’d resigned myself to thoroughly investigating the creepy-looking hall when suddenly, something broke the relative silence of the castle.
“So noisy...”
The voice was by no means loud, but it was clearly audible. We all turned toward it.
The throne was no longer empty. A tall, rather slender man sat upon it, looking down at us with a cold expression.
The air around us grew heavier. I heard someone gulp.
No one asked who he was—we all knew. This was the second time I’d met him. Our first encounter had been in Springrogue at the Demon Lord’s Grave. I had spoken to him a thousand years in the future.
Bifrons, the Undead King.
The demon lord who ruled the continent was sitting on his throne.
“The goddesses’ heroes...”
Bifrons looked almost like a statue. His face was handsome, with idealized features, and it was framed by long, white hair. His skin was tanned and brown, and his eyes glowed dimly red in the gloom of the castle. The stench of death and blood lingered in the air.
Johnnie, Volf, Julietta, and Anna all readied their blades.
Bifrons didn’t move.
We had flooded his town and destroyed his castle. And yet, he didn’t seem to care. Seeing his reaction made me recall a conversation I’d had with Ira.
◇
Before we left for the castle, the Priestess of Fate gathered everyone together. Of course, Ira was speaking through her. She stood upon a raised platform and looked down at us, hands on her hips.
“We will be moving in to deal with the demon lord shortly. How much do you all know about Bifrons?”
Julietta raised her hand. “He’s the king of vampires!”
“That is how he is known, yes. Strictly speaking, though, he is their progenitor. The first vampire. The undead of this world were all created by Bifrons. Hence why he’s called ‘the Undead King.’”
Really? I didn’t know that. The history books I’d read hadn’t gone into much detail about this era.
“He must be quite old,” someone muttered.
Yeah, as the first undead, he must be pretty long-lived...or, uh long-dead?
“Bifrons is a million years old.”
“Wha?!” everyone exclaimed.
“A million years have passed since Bifrons became a demon lord. He is currently the eldest of all the nine demon lords who rule over the planet. Even Astaroth has yet to pass a hundred thousand.”
“J-Just because he’s lived a long time doesn’t mean he’ll be str—”
“Demon Lord Bifrons is the most skilled with magic among the nine. This is because the strength of magic is dictated by one’s mastery. Any of you mages should understand, no? If you studied for a million years, how high do you think your magic mastery would climb?”
The mages present—including me—sucked in a breath. Compared to the other enemies, Bifrons was going to be on another level.
But, Ira, your explanation only seems focused on how insurmountable a foe he is.
“Any good news?” I asked, trying to pull everyone out of the gloomy mood we’d fallen into.
She looked surprised. Wait, you didn’t notice how you were bringing everyone down?!
“Ahem, there is, of course, heartening news. The undead are weak to sunlight. Demon lord or not, that remains the same. Challenging him to combat should be done in the daylight. And, we have the Hero of Light!”
Everyone’s gazes gathered on the hero in question. She’d been spending almost all her time in her female form. I hadn’t seen her in “male mode” in ages.
“Bifrons is a powerful demon lord. The Heroes of Ground and Wood could cut him up a thousand times apiece and still only possibly defeat him, However, a full-powered strike from the Hero of Light could take him down in one blow!”
That prompted cheers from everyone. Way to go, Ira—your enthusiasm made everything seem much more positive.
“However, the Hero of Light’s true power can only be realized in the sunlight. You must draw Bifrons out into the sun.”
Ira’s gaze flicked toward me. Okay, you’re pretty much telling me to destroy his castle...
“One more thing...though I am unsure whether it could be called good news. There is one large difference between Bifrons and the other demon lords.”
“What is it?” I asked.
Ira straightened somewhat haughtily before answering.
“His affability. More so than any of the others, Demon Lord Bifrons is a gentleman.”
◇
“My name is Bifrons Goetia, and I am the king to whom this land has been entrusted by his grace. I suppose that will suffice as a greeting? Now, if you would all at least introduce yourselves.”
His tone was gentle, just like Ira had said.
Makoto Takatsuki... You can’t let your guard down just because he’s polite.
I heard Ira’s telepathy and mentally nodded. Don’t worry—I won’t relax around him.
The others seemed to feel the same way. They all wore harsh expressions as they readied their blades.
Bifrons gave a small chuckle. “How lamentable. No response at all. Well, it has been quite a while since I last ate a hero of the goddesses. To whom should I address the condolences? I had hoped to find out... Well, no matter.”
An ominous noise filled the air as a red magic circle began to form behind him. Dense miasma swirled around the throne room.
Ira’s intel about him floated to the forefront of my mind. “His gentleman’s persona is nothing but kindness toward livestock. He doesn’t kill if he is not eating...and when he is hungry, he eats his fill. That is all.”
Now that I faced him, I could understand what she’d meant.
“Rain of Wind Arrows.”
Johnnie spoke, and hundreds of magic arrows launched toward the demon lord. Bifrons made no attempt to avoid them until suddenly, a black wall appeared in front of him.
Is that...Darkness Barrier Magic?
The black barrier blocked every single one of the hundreds of arrows.
“Great Dragon Cutter!”
“Hurricane Blade!”
Two heroes slashed around the barrier, closing in on Bifrons. Another barrier did not rise to impede them. An enormous blast shook the ground.
The dust slowly cleared to reveal the demon lord’s throne—it had been pulverized. As for the demon lord, his arm was shredded and a wound gaped in his chest.
“Hurra—!”
Before Julietta’s cheer had completely left her mouth, the demon lord hummed. In less than a second, his wounds were gone. That wasn’t all—even his clothes were pristine again. It was as if the attack had never happened.
The two heroes who had struck him just looked silently on.
Ira quickly spoke up in my mind. His greatest skill is in Regeneration. Since he is undead, he doesn’t even feel the pain.
She’d told me this before, but seeing it in person was another thing. Bifrons was on another level. Any direct damage was probably going to be pointless.
“H-Huh...?” mumbled Anna.
Suddenly, I realized what was wrong with the picture in front of me—the throne. Not only was Bifrons completely unscathed, but even the throne he’d been sitting on was now perfectly fine. But the attacks destroyed it...
Bifrons let himself fall back onto the throne heavily before nonchalantly answering the unvoiced question.
“This castle is one with my blood. Destroy as much as you will—my palace will revert to its original state. Indeed, the damage from your elemental magic is already repaired.”
Already repaired? The damage from Comet Fall? The attack I’d used most of my lifespan to cast?
We couldn’t check that from inside the castle, but it didn’t seem like he was lying. I recalled the unmarred state of the corridors we’d passed through—that must have been due to his regeneration as well.
“On another note, I heard that a ‘terrifying hero’ would be coming to confront me. Now, who would that be?”
We made a concerted effort not to look at Anna, trying to keep as much attention away from her as possible.
That’s right—Annie’s your final attack! Keep her in reserve until then.
I know, Ira, but still...
“Demon Lord Bifrons,” I said. “Why won’t you stand and fight?” Genial or not, surely he would resent us trampling into his home.
“Ah, so you finally speak. Though, would you perhaps consider removing your mask before asking questions?”
“I’m shy, so I can’t speak without the mask,” I insisted.
“And yet, despite your nature, you are rather free with your words.”
“If you’re curious about what’s under my mask, you’re welcome to actually act like a demon lord and take it off yourself.”
“I see. Then I shall take you up on that offer.” A distinct note of humor laced his voice. Maybe he liked the banter? “Now, I believe you asked why I am not fighting. Well, thousands of heroes have stood before me and challenged my power. Unfortunately, not one of them has been capable of inflicting my demise. Compared to those heroes of the past...I predict your strength to be perfectly average. Therefore, I have no need to confront you directly—my subordinates will be more than capable. I shall simply wait until they return.”
He spoke casually, as if discussing plans to go and get a coffee.
He doesn’t see us as a threat in the slightest.
“What the—?”
“Damn you...”
Julietta and Johnnie’s expressions hardened at Bifrons’s words. Well, yeah... He’d said that we were too weak to even bother engaging with. Of course that would piss them off.
“Dia,” I called out, my tone implying that she should show up as dramatically as possible. This was all to draw attention to me and away from Anna.
Dia appeared suddenly at my side—her mana made the very air around us shudder.
Bifrons’s eyes widened slightly in shock. “My... There still lives an elementalist capable of controlling an Undyne.”
“Oh, does that pique your interest?” I asked.
“Hmm. Allow me to revise my estimation of your abilities: you are among the upper ranks. It has been quite some time since I have faced an arch elemental—tens of thousands of years at least. The Salamander was quite the opponent.”
He looked rather nostalgic as he spoke. So arch elementals were no match for him either...
“My liege, I do not know whether my strength will be enough.”
Whoa... Even Dia seemed somewhat meek, and that was a rarity.
Conversely, the demon lord seemed rather intrigued with me.
“The undead cannot use elemental magic, as it manipulates nature. After all, we are the very antithesis of the natural order. I had assumed that the difficult feat of controlling an arch elemental would be impossible in the span of a human lifetime... Hmm. At first glance, you appear to be a masked boy, but I suppose you must be a masked old man, no?”
“Sorry to disappoint, but I’m still a teenager.”
Bifrons offered only an intrigued hum; Johnnie and the others let out shocked gasps.
Wait... Haven’t I told them how old I am? How old did they think I was?
Bifrons contemplated a moment longer, then exclaimed, “What talent! Such skill in not even twenty years!”
I sighed. He certainly was excitable.
“So, boy,” Bifrons continued, “what do you say to becoming our tenth? I shall recommend you to his grace personally! We have a spellblade who uses elemental magic as well. I am sure you would have much to discuss with him. Perhaps you know him? He calls himself Cain, and—”
“Don’t fuck with us!” came a rather shocking exclamation from Anna. “Makoto would never join the likes of you! And he’d never speak with Demon Lord Cain! Enough stupidity!”
The anger in her voice felt like a roaring inferno. I didn’t say a single word.
Well...I’m not going to betray them, so it’s all good.
“I see. Indeed, making this masked boy an undead will remove his elemental abilities, so I would have rather recruited him to our side. A shame.”
He sounded like he honestly did think it was a shame.
On another note, Anna really hated Demon Lord Cain down to the bone, huh? I definitely couldn’t admit to her that he’d been fun to talk to while we attempted to reach the Seafloor Temple.
I’ll have to make sure we never meet in front of her.
As I was pondering that, Bifrons surveyed Anna with an odd look.
“I hadn’t noticed before...but that avian hero has an odd aura.”
We faltered. Anna looked like she’d been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Her poker face was terrible.
“I see. According to his grace, the Hero of Light was a man, but it seems that the hero is you. The Olympians’ trump card, the one to someday be called ‘savior’...”
As he spoke, more and more red magic circles appeared around him. I’d never seen anything like them, so I had no idea what they’d do. His barrier had sprouted from one of them, but having so many around him seemed excessive.
“On your guard,” I warned. The others nodded.
“Allow me to revise my estimation once again.” Bifrons stood up from his throne. “His grace has pierced the veil of time, and according to the insight he gleaned, you are the worst possible enemy for me. It would therefore be remiss of me to do anything but my utmost to end you.”
Before I knew what was going on, a huge dark scythe materialized in his hand. He looked like a grim reaper or something.
The scythe’s blade sliced through the air.
There were more than ten meters between us, so his strike was, without a doubt, out of range. Still, I still felt uneasy.
“Back!” Johnnie yelled.
“Makoto!” As Anna screamed, she gripped my arm, painfully tight, and yanked.
Something dark passed in front of me an instant later. And a moment after that, I spied strands of my hair floating in the air.
“Wha?”
Stuck in the ground, right where I’d been standing, was a huge blade. If Anna hadn’t pulled me back, I would’ve been cleaved in two.
Bifrons seemed impressed. “Oh...so you dodged that.”
What was that? I didn’t even see it coming. I certainly can’t get in close now.
While we were assessing the situation, the demon lord spoke again. “That attack combined the mana in my slash with a Teleport. Some hero a generation or two back used it as a trump card. Humans think of the most ingenious things. Feel free to do something similar, if you wish.”
He’s giving us a breakdown of his attack?! Well, if you’re that confident...
Johnnie seemed to decide that keeping our distance was pointless—he drew his blade and advanced on the demon lord. “Let us begin.”
“I’m with you, Chief!” Julietta exclaimed.
Bifrons tilted his head in acknowledgment. “Impressive swordplay, redheaded elf. And that young woman could be a master in a mere decade. What a shame. It is truly lamentable that turning a hero is impossible.” Even in the midst of his idle musings, Bifrons easily deflected their slashes.
“I’ll help Johnnie and Julietta buy us time,” Anna said as she joined the fray. “You and Volf get our plan moving.”
It would have been good to keep her in reserve, but at this point, we didn’t have the luxury to do anything but our best. I’d just have to do whatever I could.
“Volf!”
“At your word!”
The two of us started the next spell we had planned. Volf roared, gathering mana in his blade. I wasn’t just watching either.
Water elementals, lend me your strength.
They gathered at my call. It would have been quicker to rely on Dia, but Comet Fall had used up most of my lifespan, so that route was a last resort.
“Hm? Not using the Undyne, masked boy?”
Despite still fighting with Johnnie and the other two heroes, he still addressed me, disappointment evident in his tone. Julietta’s face twitched.
“I like to save my aces,” I replied, seeking to stall for some time. “And I could ask the same of you—why aren’t you using those red circles?”
Even as I spoke, I continued gathering mana from the water elementals. Those circles were unnerving me. They didn’t seem like they had anything to do with the invisible teleporting slash he’d used, so I could only assume that they were for some huge spell. What spell that could be, though, I had no idea.
I doubted he’d tell me, but a hint would be helpful.
“Ah. The spell takes rather a long time to prepare. I will be unveiling it later.” He chuckled. “This is the first time I’ve used it.”
So it’s not something I’ve ever seen before.
Despite the sociable tone, Bifrons was still contending with sword slashes and the rain of magic arrows from Johnnie. Julietta was stabbing at high speed; Anna was slashing away at him.
And yet, not a single attack landed. The demon lord was clearly playing with them.
I had no idea why, but every minute, every second, seemed like a lifetime for us.
“Volf,” I whispered. “Ready?”
“Ready.”
We exchanged glances.
“Scatter!”
Johnnie heard our call and gave the signal to the other two. They quickly followed his instructions.
Bifrons looked at us, clearly interested. “Hmm. So what do you have to show me?”
With an almighty roar, Volf launched a slash at the ceiling.
Water Magic: Comet Fall.
At the same time, I cast my second Comet Fall of the day.
I hadn’t recruited Dia’s help for this one, so it wasn’t as impressive, but it didn’t need to be—I was only trying to break the top of the castle. My comet combined with Volf’s attack would crack the roof and open up a hole to the sky.
Ira’s instructions played back in my head. I remembered her gazing over the warriors of Labyrinthos as she spoke.
“Bifrons has spent his years overcoming his weaknesses. Incense, running water, silver, fire, and oil—none of them will have any effect on him. But sunlight is different. As long as he is undead, that is something he cannot overcome. I’m sure you know what you have to do.”
So, our plan was to use sunlight.
The first step had been for me to use elemental magic to break apart the Clouds of Darkness temporarily. I’d wanted to destroy the castle at the same time, but that hadn’t happened. Since Bifrons was inside, we’d need to get him out into the sunlight, which would be a difficult prospect. Opening the ceiling was our best option.
Demon Lord Bifrons, the Undead King, would be bathed in the light of the sun.
The strategy was basic, but we didn’t have any other ideas. His subordinates were currently being held back by both the sunlight and the other fighters, so I figured that there shouldn’t be any reinforcements.
We had Mel on support leading the ancient dragons, and Momo helping her. We were fine—it was going well.
Right, Ira?
I was a little uneasy at the lack of reply, considering how free she usually was with the telepathy. Well, Mel was protecting her, so she was probably fine.
A massive boom rocked the castle—our combined attacks had pierced through the structure. The ground itself shook as the ceiling collapsed. Dust blocked our vision.
“Makoto! Careful.” Anna moved, readying her sword to protect me.
“Wind elementals,” I heard Johnnie say, and the dust cleared instantly.
Some distance away, I could see Julietta and Volf.
Everyone was safe.
Then, I saw that the heavy miasma of the castle had been blown away. There was a huge hole in the ceiling.
Julietta’s cheer echoed around the room.
I wanted to fist bump as well, but I quickly noticed something wrong. Right now, it was currently the middle of the day. We’d chosen to invade just before the sun was at its apex, and it hadn’t even been a whole hour since we’d entered the castle.
So, breaking the ceiling should have allowed sunlight to pour in. And yet, things were far dimmer than I would’ve expected.
Are the clouds back? Bifrons was skilled with regeneration, so maybe that’s what the circles were for! I peered up to check...and I felt my brain stall.
Wha... Ho...w...? What had I gotten wrong?
I heard Anna’s dazed voice first. “No...way...”
Through the hole we’d opened up in the ceiling, we could see the sky...and a gorgeous full moon.
The...moon...is out?
Calm Mind lived up to its name and kept me from freaking out, but I still couldn’t understand what was going on. When we’d entered the castle, it had definitely been daytime. I’d seen the sun with my own eyes not more than a few dozen minutes ago.
So how was it now nighttime? Was that what the circles were for? Was it even possible to turn day into night?
“A beautiful sight, wouldn’t you say?”
Bifrons’s words had us immediately readying our weapons. He didn’t spare us a glance, though—he just flew out through the hole in the ceiling.
“Wait!” Johnnie called, chasing after him. Julietta and Volf quickly followed.
“Makoto! Let’s go!” I couldn’t use flight magic, so Anna pulled me after them.
Outside, the area was illuminated by dim light from the moon and stars. It was definitely dark. I used Night Vision to look around and saw a group closing in on us. For a moment, I thought they were the demon lord’s army, but I soon realized that wasn’t the case.
“Chief, are you okay?!”
“Sir Volf, what’s going on?!”
“Elementalist...”
The warriors, Deckel, and Mel were all there. And all of them looked confused.
“Mel, what happened out here?” I asked.
“I know not,” Mel answered, her usual unflappable nature gone. “The area suddenly grew dark.”
Apparently, even the people out here didn’t know what had happened. The only other person who could explain was...
“Where’s Ira?” I asked.
“Here,” said Mel. “I wanted her to evacuate, but...”
Estelle’s small form was shielded behind Mel. The goddess was truly the only person we had to rely on. Her face was sheet white, though.
“This...this is impossible...”
“Ira?”
Even after I spoke, she just kept staring up, muttering to herself.
This...might be tough...
“Johnnie, let’s retreat,” I said. “Mel, help us ferry everyone out.”
“Makoto?!” Anna exclaimed in shock.
Johnnie looked reluctant. “Sir Makoto...but...”
Mel simply nodded. “Very well.” Apparently, she was the only one with no qualms about fleeing.
It was frustrating to get so close and then retreat, but staying in this situation was not the best idea. We’d just have to regroup.
“I should inform you that there will be no withdrawal,” called a voice from above.
It was Bifrons—he looked down upon us, his white hair and tall frame highlighted against the backdrop of the moon. Out here, his aura felt far more menacing than it had in the castle.
Well, nighttime would make the miasma around Bifrons all the more potent. His intimidating presence caused the fighters from Labyrinthos to start backing off.
“I have summoned my subordinates to welcome you,” said Bifrons. “Wait patiently.”
As he spoke, the moon vanished.
Clouds...?
I thought it might be the Clouds of Darkness reforming, but that wasn’t the case. These shapes moved more irregularly than clouds, almost like a swarm of locusts. It took a while, but I soon realized that the things in the sky were monsters.
“All of them are...monsters?”
“We’re surrounded?!”
“But...”
The fighters sounded like they were in despair. If all of those swarming figures were monsters, then there were thousands, no, tens of thousands.
“Calling forth the night took quite a bit of power,” remarked Bifrons, “so I will leave the rest to them—”
Suddenly, Ira interrupted him. “Wait, Demon Lord Bifrons!”
“A priestess? I had thought that Sir Cain killed them all, but I suppose there was a survivor.”
“How... How did you do that?! That magic should take more power than a mortal can wield!”
The demon lord chuckled in response to her anger.
“It is power borrowed from his grace. The rules of this land, dictated by the Olympians’ will, remain as they were in antiquity. My million years of boredom in this world have not been wasted. The barrier between this realm and the divine realm where the gods look down on us with scorn—it will soon cease to be. We have no need for the gods and their bindings.”
“That’s not possible! Even Iblis cannot reverse day and night, that’s m—the Goddess of Fate’s domain!”
The demon lord just smirked meaningfully at her protest. Unlike the teleporting slash, he wasn’t going to reveal his methods this time. But I didn’t care about that right now—Ira’s statement was more important to me.
I bent over to whisper in her ear. “Ira. Ira.”
“M-Makoto Takatsuki?!”
Apparently, she hadn’t noticed me.
“I’m sure you can, right? So go ahead and do it.”
“Huh?” Her eyes widened.
“You can, right?” I asked again.
“I-I can’t!” she protested, shaking her head.
“But you said you could earlier...”
“That was...” she shifted closer to whisper, her voice rough. “If we directly interfere in the conflict here, the wicked deities, the Titanea, and the outer gods will do the same. A fight between the gods would wipe out the mortals!”
“I...see.” So she couldn’t really act. In other words, the mortals would have to manage something ourselves.
As we spoke, the monsters were getting closer and closer. They’d probably be on us within the minute. We were surrounded by beasts that thought of us as food—everyone seemed to be falling into despair.
Anna was clutching my sleeve tightly.
We don’t have enough time... I’ll just have to buy some.
I looked down at my hand, which was still glowing faintly blue.
Time for the last round.
I let out a short breath.
“Dia, please.”
“Are you sure, my liege? Your life...”
“Just do it.”
“Very well.” Despite the tense look on her face, she held her hands out.
Grand Ice Barrier.
A second later, huge walls and a ceiling, all made of ice, enclosed us. They were several meters thick and made with an Undyne’s mana, so not even the demon lord’s thralls would be able to break through easily.
Still, it was buying time at best. It would hold for...
“We have thirty minutes until it breaks,” Ira announced. She seemed to have regained her composure. And since she could see the future, I knew for sure that this was our time limit.
“Okay,” I said, “so let’s come up with a plan to— Wha?”
My vision suddenly went black. I lost my sense of balance.
“Hu...hhh?”
I realized belatedly that I was looking at the ground. Anna and Momo were holding me up.
“Makoto!”
“Sir Makoto!”
I...passed out...?
Fortunately, it seemed like I’d only been unconscious for a second.
“My liege...” Dia exhaled shakily. “That used all of your life.”
Ira’s eyes were wide. “Makoto Takatsuki, you have no lifespan remaining. You have days to live.”
Whew...I used too much.
If I was in the future, Noah would have been reading me the riot act. I felt kind of sad not to be hearing it. However, after a moment, the weight of people’s eyes shook me out of that train of thought. Johnnie, Volf, Julietta, and the other warriors gazed at me—Mel and the other ancient dragons as well. Anna and Momo’s eyes were teary.
I must have worried them all quite a bit.
“Let’s come up with a plan to escape,” I said, finishing my earlier thought.
“Are you, okay?” Johnnie asked. His usual neutral expression had been consumed by a worried look.
“Well, I’ve only got a few days of lifespan left. But we need to figure out how to survive today first,” I said, trying out a veneer of cheeriness. Did it work?
“Johnnie, you lead everyone. Mel, you give the ancient dragons their instructions, then...”
“I’ll be with you!” Momo insisted, grabbing onto me. “I’m not leaving you!”
I looked down at her white hair and red eyes. Momo was a vampire. She could slip into the army and manage to escape. She could even teleport. If it came to it, she could flee on her own.
“Sorry, Momo. Would you help me?”
“Of course I will! I’ll be with you until we die!”
I took a deep breath. I’d used up all of my lifespan, and I had barely any mana left. For now, I’d have to borrow mana from the water elementals and do whatever I could. Without Calm Mind, I was sure I would’ve already lost hope.
I peered upward. As I did, Johnnie came over.
“It seems we have relied too heavily on you,” he said. “I will assist. Anyone who wants to die with us, stay!”
“I’m with you, Chief!”
“We said together to the death!”
Many of the warriors put themselves forward.
This is bad! Johnnie had historically fought Iblis alongside the savior, and he still needed to do that. I couldn’t let him die here.
“No! You need to—”
“Sir Makoto,” he interrupted. “There are two certainties for a warrior: we will protect and we will die.”
“Johnnie...”
I could see the surety on his face.
“The town of Labyrinthos...is a good place. The ancient dragons’ assistance means that so many people can live there safely. Even if I fall here, my children will live on. I’ve led us for over a century. I’ve seen so-called heroes appear, challenge the demon lord, and lose, over and over. No, they never even reached the demon lord himself. And yet, we destroyed his castle and crossed blades with Bifrons in person. We may have been a step from victory...but it will make a great tale in the underworld! Isn’t that right, everyone?!”
The warriors all cheered in response to his rallying cry.
Crap... They were full of motivation now, but I wanted them all to run!
“We heroes can’t just escape and leave things to you and Momo,” Volf said.
“So this is where my life ends...” murmured Julietta. “I wish it could have been a little longer.”
“Julietta, you know you can run with Anna.”
“What are you saying?!” Anna exclaimed. “I’ll be fighting to the last too!”
“You’re still young, Anna. Olga entrusted you to us—you shouldn’t force yourself to fight.”
“Don’t even try it! I wouldn’t be a hero if I ran now! I might not be able to use the power of the Hero of Light, but I’ll fight as the Hero of Lightning until the end!”
“You’ve grown up so much, Annie,” Julietta acceded.
“Right, then there’s no need to say any more.”
Before I knew it, the heroes were bolstered and ready to fight.
No. Seriously. That’s not what I wanted! Anna’s the savior, so she has to survive!
“Everyone seems to have their fighting spirit!” Momo exclaimed.
“Come on, little one. You’re young—you can run.”
“Teacher Mel, shouldn’t you escape?”
“We ancient dragons are far stronger than humans. We won’t be defeated so easily.”
“Well, that goes for me too!” Momo insisted. “I’m a vampire, so no one’s going to beat me at night! I’ll show you that your training was worth it!”
“My, you sure are talking a big game. Go ahead and show me.”
“I will! Just watch!”
Mel and Momo too? What’s going on?!
“Makoto Takatsuki...seeing you so close to death seems to have spurred them all on,” said Ira.
“Spurred on or not, this is a problem.”
The goddess seemed to be the only one who understood how I was feeling.
We’re in trouble here, aren’t we?
Ten thousand monsters against a thousand of us. And we’d have to fight them in the middle of the night when the undead were strongest.
Just being fired up wasn’t going to solve this. What do I do...?
Ira put her head in her hands. “No, no no... It’s over. I’m never going to hear the end of this.”
“Wh-What do we do, my liege?? I want to help, but...how?”
Ira was despairing, and even Dia seemed lost. While we’d been talking, the barrier had begun to crack under the onslaught.
Less than ten minutes left...
We’re screwed.
I followed Ira’s example, letting my head drop into my hands. Then, suddenly, a screen with words appeared before my eyes.
RPG Player.
This bizarre skill had saved me over and over, and now, it was giving me an option.
I quickly read it.
“Huh?”
I frowned. Then I read it again. Several times.
Could I...do that?
I glanced at Ira next to me. Her head was still in her hands. She hadn’t noticed the choice.
Synchro with Ira?
Yes
No
That was the choice RPG Player was giving me.
If she reads it, she’ll definitely be against it. But honestly, I didn’t have time to worry about that. I didn’t have any other options.
Guess I’ll have to. Not that I’m eager to try it.
I remembered the agony of being burned all over when I tried to Synchro with Lucy—my lack of affinity with fire magic had made the ordeal pretty painful. I’d survived back then, but it’d been damn close.
I might technically have Fate Magic (Low Rank), but this is a goddess. I can’t even imagine what the penalty is going to be.
But...
The noises of the barrier cracking and the monsters around us made the decision for me. It wasn’t going to hold much longer.
“Ready!” Johnnie yelled. He was answered by a roar from the warriors.
Volf and Julietta were prepared to fight too. Mel and the other dragons weren’t showing any signs of running.
No other choice, then...
Just as I went to grab Ira’s hand, words appeared in the air again.
Is Calm Mind set to 100%?
Yes
No
I checked—99%. RPG Player was being pretty picky. Noah had warned me that using Calm Mind at 100% wasn’t a good idea, but...I’d have to go with it.
RPG Player, I’m trusting you.
I took a quiet breath and my vision suddenly drained of color. Sounds stopped reaching my ears. I lost all sense of panic, fear, or any other emotion.
With Calm Mind fully active, I reached out for Ira’s arm again and initiated Synchro.
◇ Anna’s Perspective ◇
Suddenly, Makoto grabbed the Priestess of Fate’s arm.
“Makoto, what are y—”
I couldn’t finish the sentence. A chill ran down my spine and I found myself backing away from him.
“S-Sir Makoto?” Momo stammered. She fell to the ground near him.
“M-Makoto Takatsuki?!” the priestess yelped. “What are you doing?!”
He made no reply.
“××××××”
I couldn’t hear what he said over the chaos. As I was trying to piece together the words, he suddenly started to glow in rainbow hues.
Wah?
Less than a second passed and then the light vanished. What in the...? Before I could even wonder what had actually happened, the situation changed again.
A deafening crack sounded from above. I peered up to see that Bifrons had sliced Makoto’s barrier to pieces with his massive scythe.
Monsters—led by the demon lord—poured in through the openings.
“Rather impressive,” said Bifrons. “However, it was not enough to stop us. Now then, shall we— Hm?”
The demon lord’s easy smile vanished when he saw Makoto.
“What curious mana. No... Is that ether? I sensed nothing of the sort earlier.” He looked suspiciously at Makoto, then gestured to the horde. “Go after that masked boy.”
Hundreds of monsters descended all at once. Makoto just stood there holding Estelle’s arm. Johnnie, Volf, and even I could only watch, unable to lend aid.
I tried to yell his name, but I soon realized that...I-I couldn’t speak?! And that wasn’t all—I couldn’t move.
What’s going on?!
Panicked, I tried desperately to shift even my fingertips, but it felt like I’d been completely fixed in place. Wait, no. My finger was moving slowly, almost like I was pushing through sand.
“Die!”
“Gya gya grah gya!!!”
The fastest of the monsters began their attacks. They were mere steps away from Makoto—their claws and fangs were closing in. Then...
They stopped dead, hanging in the air.
The rest of the attacking monsters froze one by one. It was like they’d all been pinned in the air, just like me. No, just like us. Not a single person had cried out at the bizarre sight before us. Johnnie and Volf couldn’t even move their mouths. Before I knew it, the tumult was silent, as if it had never been there.
“M-Makoto Takatsuki... Stop. Let go. If you...”
The priestess was the only one near him who could talk normally.
“What a surprise... Are you not an elementalist?” Bifrons asked. The rest of the monsters were warily hanging back. “Time Barrier Magic... The closer something is to you, the slower time progresses for it. That spell was rare even in the past. I believe this is the first time I’ve ever seen it.” Slowly, Bifrons swung his huge scythe. “It has a weakness, though.”
A brief instant later, the slash passed through Makoto’s chest.
The attack teleported?! Right, crap! The demon lord has the ability to ignore any distance between him and his opponent!
Makoto!
“Makoto Takatsuki?!”
I couldn’t voice my scream, but my mental yell overlapped with the priestess’s shout.
“Guk...”
Bright red blood burst from Makoto’s lips.
No...you can’t!!!
Move! I need to move! If I don’t...
“Well, that was rather anticlimactic,” Bifrons said. “My weapon is cursed with death. Taking its blade through the heart will kill without fail—this is the end for you. I suppose I should at least see your face before you expire.”
As he spoke, Makoto’s mask broke apart and fell away. The slash must have sliced through the mask as well as Makoto’s chest. His expressionless face was revealed.
“An average human. I had thought there might be some secret beneath the mask. Well then, I will just take your head and end—”
“Finally managed the Synchro,” Makoto said.
Huh?
The tone of his voice was the one he always used when talking to me. Despite the gaping wound in his chest, he was acting the same as ever.
He was okay! But...for some reason, there was a stirring in my heart.
It was just his usual calm voice.
Bifrons stared at Makoto. “So you can still speak... You are an oddly hardy human.”
“Hm? Oh, you mean this?” Makoto asked, pointing at the hole in his chest.
It was painful to even look at—a huge gash ran through his upper torso.
“Nothing living can remain alive after a slice from my scythe of death,” said Bifrons.
Even after hearing that, Makoto remained unbothered.
“It’s okay. I stopped time on the injury. I won’t die,” he said absently, wiping the blood from around his mouth. It was like he was just discussing the weather.
“Foolishness.” Bifrons smirked. “However much you slow time around it, you cannot be saved from that wound.”
Though the demon lord seemed amused, the pervading sense of ease was gone from his expression. Not surprising, considering how Makoto was acting. Regardless of his apparent impending doom, Makoto was just calmly looking around the area.
Then, his eyes met mine. I felt my breath hitch.
His gaze seemed to pass through me like I wasn’t even there. Looking into the depth of his eyes, I saw...me. Standing there, my body glowed in a rainbow of light.
“You reversed day and night on the continent. That’s an impressive spell, Demon Lord Bifrons,” Makoto remarked, an easy cadence to his voice.
This was weird. Bifrons’s spell had essentially prescribed our deaths, and yet, there was no sign of that tension in Makoto’s voice.
I was more scared of Makoto right now than the demon lord.
“It is a miracle granted to me through his grace,” the demon lord eventually replied. “It is not something I can use with impunity. But...how are you talking? Why are you not dead? Are you really human?”
The demon lord’s gaze was aghast, like he was looking at a horrifying sight. Well, Makoto was talking normally, even though his chest was split open by a gaping wound that was certainly fatal.
“I stopped time. I said that already, didn’t I?”
The demon lord’s eyes widened. “Impossible. You stopped time? A complete cessation of chronological progress is...impossible...”
“Okay then.”
Slowly, Makoto lifted his hand and spoke.
Time elementals.
“Ahhhhh! No, that breaks decree one thousand and twenty-one of the div—”
Estelle’s yell was cut off by a soft smile from Makoto.
“You can see the same future as me, right? So you won’t shake my hand off.”
“Right! You’re right! But still!”
The demon lord seemed lost and unable to follow the conversation between them. “What are you two...?”
I was lost too. I couldn’t understand what was going on with them at all.
“Time elementals, correct the space-time distortion,” Makoto said, pointing to the western sky.
What is he trying to do?
Suddenly...
“What the?!” yelled Bifrons.
I could see the sun.
The night sky was gradually lightening. As I was bathed in sunlight, I felt strength filling my body. Finally, I managed to speak.
“Ma...koto!”
He turned to me. “Ah, that makes sense, Anna. The time barrier isn’t enough to stop you from moving.”
“W-We need to get that wound healed first...” I pleaded.
There was still a huge slash through his chest. He ignored my statement, though.
In the distance, the sun was rising faster and faster. Shrieks filled the air. The demon lord’s followers were undead, and the cacophony was coming from his horde. The sun was like poison to them—undead couldn’t persist in the daylight.
“Stop it!” Bifrons yelled. He leveled his scythe at Makoto and slashed.
Makoto’s raised arm went flying, severed from his body.
I screamed. “Makoto!”
I didn’t know how many times I’d cried out, but Makoto’s expression didn’t even flicker.
“Unfortunately for you, I asked the time elementals to turn on the daylight. Cut me as much as you like—it’s pointless. If anything, hurting their elementalist is just spurring them on.”
Makoto’s tone was completely unconcerned even though his arm was missing and he had a massive hole in his chest.
I stared at him, but I couldn’t muster a single word.
“You’re mad,” Bifrons growled. Fear clouded his expression.
“Makoto Takatsuki!” Estelle yelled. “You can’t keep this up without ruining your mind and body!”
“Right... I’m...just about...at my limit...”
His voice suddenly started to weaken. The sun had just reached its zenith above us.
“Well, it’s done now. I’ll let the Synchro go.”
Makoto released Estelle’s arm. The moment he did, blood gushed from his stump.
He collapsed to the ground.
“S-Sir Makoto!”
“Makoto!”
Momo got to him quicker than I could. Her face was covered with tears.
“Momo...” Makoto wheezed. “The sunlight...is bad for you...”
Astonishingly enough, he seemed more concerned for her than himself.
“Sir Makoto! No... Don’t die. Please, don’t die!”
She was weeping at his side. Makoto’s lifeless eyes turned toward me, and I felt myself shudder.
“Ma...ko...to...?”
“Anna...the rest...is...up to you.”
Makoto’s eyelids fell, and he said no more.
“Teacheeeeerrrr!”
Momo’s scream filled the air.
B-But...
“Healing Magic: Revival!”
Estelle was at Makoto’s side, and she immediately cast healing magic on him. The bleeding stopped. Gradually, his wound closed.
“It’s okay! He’s still alive!” Estelle exclaimed. “Leave him with me and carry out your own duties!”
Her words brought me back to myself. Makoto’s request for me to defeat the demon lord replayed in my mind.
Shining sunlight poured down on me.
I need to finish this... I can’t waste the opportunity that Makoto almost killed himself for.
Peering around, I took in the scope of the situation. I needed to ensure that I knew where everything was. Our enemies—including the demon lord—had started to retreat.
It’s their fault!
My sword shone prismatically—I tightened my grip.
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