Chapter 7: Makoto Takatsuki Faces a Demon Lord
“That stupid girl!” the chief yelled. All of Rosalie’s children (Lucy included) wore troubled expressions. The hero and priestess—that is, Maximillian and Florna—had hard looks on their faces.
Immediately, I suggested chasing after her.
“Wait, Makoto,” Lucy interjected. “Teleport is mama’s specialty.”
“We could run after her and not manage to catch up,” Sasa pointed out. “I could even see us arriving at her current location...only to realize that she’s already gotten back home...”
The pair then explained just why everyone was gathered.
“So...all we can do is wait?” I asked.
“I struggle to imagine the Crimson Witch losing...” Janet muttered. This made sense—after all, Janet had seen the woman easily take out one of the demon lord’s aides.
“She is not invincible, though,” the chief countered. “Rosalie has said that she cannot beat the White Grandsage.”
“Plus, it was the Hero of Highland who defeated the demon lord Valac a century ago...” added another family member.
Clearly, the family as a whole was concerned for Rosalie. I’d also heard something that bore further questioning.
“The Grandsage is stronger than Rosalie?” I asked.
“Mom said that when they fought in the past...she lost...so, yes,” answered one of Lucy’s sisters.
“What?! Mama fought against the Grandsage?” Lucy exclaimed, shocked at her older sister’s words.
“Apparently, when she was married and living in Highland, she used fighting as a stress release when the class system got to be too much for her.”
“There were twenty matches between them...and mom ended up beaten to a pulp every time.”
I was amazed at the explanation from Lucy’s sisters, but...
Whoops, getting off-topic.
“So, have we decided our next moves?” I asked, redirecting the conversation back to the current situation.
Silence fell again.
As the country’s priestess, Florna spoke for the whole group. Our plan could be summed up by the following three points:
Springrogue’s forces would head for the Demon Lord’s Grave at noon today.
The safest move would be to join them.
The current plan would leave Rosalie alone until that time.
That last point was their main concern. I glanced toward my friends.
Lucy was engrossed in her thoughts, eyes downcast. It had been years since she’d been able to see her mother, so she was probably worried about Rosalie’s safety.
“Let’s set out ahead of the main forces,” I suggested.
“Makoto?” Lucy asked.
“You’re worried about your mom, right?”
“Y-Yeah...” Lucy was fretfully wringing her hands.
“So, we’ll leave before the rest.”
“W-Wait!” said a flustered Prince Leonardo. “You cannot go alone!”
“It’ll be fine. Sasa and I can use Stealth, so we’ll avoid the monsters. If Rosalie is there, we can have her use Teleport to send us on.” Plus, if we couldn’t find her, we could stay hidden until we met up with everyone else.
“That good with you?” I asked, directing the question at Lucy and Sasa.
“Sure,” Sasa replied lightly.
Thanks, Sasa.
After a moment, Lucy said, “Thank you, Makoto.”
“Wait.” Furiae waved her hand at me. “Aren’t you forgetting someone?”
“You’re holding down the fort with Florna,” I told her. She should be fairly safe if she sticks with the other priestess.
“You’re abandoning me again?” Furiae snapped, her eyes narrow and lidded.
“I mean, it’s the Demon Lord’s Grave. That’s not a good...” I trailed off. It was obviously dangerous. However, Furiae didn’t seem to be having any of it.
“I’ll be useful. You know that, right? Necromancy is my specialty, so I’m a good match for the monsters in the Forest of Fiends.” She poked me in the cheek, and then I realized that Twi was pawing my leg. You want in as well?
Even so...
I hummed. Since I was her guardian knight, I didn’t think I should be taking her to dangerous places.
“Nope. Definitely not.” I decided. “You stay back here.”
“What?!”
“Meow, meow!”
Priestess and cat alike both protested. So you can meow properly! Still, I don’t care how much you complain—you’re staying here.
“Right, guys, be ready to go in forty sec—”
The chief cut me off. “Wait, Hero of Roses.” He peered my way with a sharp gaze. “These are needless concerns. Rosalie is our family, so we shall accompany you!”
“We’ll guide you. There are shortcuts known to the elves.”
“We’ll be ready in moments.”
“Guys!” Lucy exclaimed at her siblings, her expression brightening suddenly.
In the end, half of our fighters went after Rosalie. The remaining forces were tasked with defending the village. Most of the fighters with us were male elven warriors (and many of them were Lucy’s brothers). There was also the Hero of Swaying Trees, Prince Leonardo, and Janet.
The chief would wait in Canaan so he could communicate with the other villages. He’d originally raved about coming with us, but his family had talked him down. Furiae and Florna were staying in the village, along with the majority of the female elves. Almost all elves were high rank mages, so the women were formidable as well.
Canaan’s defense should be fine...unless things went very wrong.
We had already left for the Forest of Fiends. I was almost holding my breath as we progressed quietly through the area. It wasn’t the same route I’d previously taken with Sasa; this was a shortcut to the Forest of Fiends that only the elf village knew. There were few monsters and it was a safe route...or, it should’ve been.
A thick mist lingered between the trees, even during the day. The massive branches of the demon trees—said to be over a millennium old—entwined into a canopy that blocked out the sun.
I felt something strange about it, though—the water elementals were restless.
“There are a lot of monsters,” Janet commented quietly. She had a long-range scouting skill, so we could trust her judgment.
“What do you think, Lucy?” I asked.
“Yeah... I’ve never seen the area this noisy.”
So even one of the locals felt a sense of unease. I could sense the tension of the warriors leading the way as we carefully progressed deeper into the forest.
That carried on for a while, when suddenly, a splitting pain assaulted my head.
What...?
It’s...Sense Danger?
Suddenly, the elves at the vanguard halted.
No... They haven’t just stopped...
They’d turned to stone. The instant I realized that, I cast.
“Water Magic: Mist!”
The spell conjured a thick blanket of fog, turning our vision pure white.
“Oh! How splendid!” came a jubilant voice. “I used Petrifying Gaze but once and found my vision blocked... The best response. I would gladly meet such a calm mage!”
I didn’t even need to ask who this was—I remembered him.
“I have yet to introduce myself. I am Setekh the Magic Eye, beholden to our great and powerful Iblis. I apologize for keeping you waiting, warriors of Springrogue!”
He was definitely excitable... Setekh the Magic Eye. The Eyes of Petrification, I suppose. He must have managed to regenerate them.
This had gotten annoying.
“Everyone, come forth!” he called loudly.
All around us, monsters began baying.
“We’re surrounded!” Lucy yelled. A moment later, I noticed as well—we were in the middle of an enemy swarm. Was this an ambush?
“Scatter!” Maximilian ordered. “We’ll be a target if we stop!”
Everyone started moving at once.
“Sasa! You take the prince!”
“Got it!”
She could use Stealth and carry him on her own.
“Let’s go, Lucy!” I grabbed hold of her hand and activated my own Stealth skill.
“W-Wai—”
“Be quiet,” I said, cutting off her protest.
We moved away, quietly, and as fast as possible. The area was surrounded, but the monsters didn’t form a literal wall. We could still get out of this.
“I’m over here, Hero of Springrogue.” Setekh guffawed. “Won’t you offer your name?”
I could hear his provocation. How did he know the hero was here? Was it his voice? I used Listen to try and ascertain, but I couldn’t hear any fighting, so everyone must have gotten out of the area. We needed to do the same.
Using my skill, I faintly detected some snippets of speech. “How boring... Sciulli hasn’t returned. His Majesty will soon...”
By soon, he means...tonight, during the full moon, right?
Was that actually true? I wasn’t so sure, but we needed to get away first. We progressed with bated breath under the cover of the thick mist and Stealth. Eventually, the footfalls and growls of the monsters died out. Scout also told me the monsters were far away, so we’d made it...
I let out a sigh, then turned to my friend.
“Lucy, we ma— Wh-What?”
“I apologize. You said not to speak.” The girl holding my hand seemed apologetic. The blonde girl. With sharp eyes.
Janet Ballantine.
I hadn’t grabbed hold of Lucy. The instant I realized, my blood ran cold.
Wh-Where is she?!
I told myself to relax, setting Calm Mind to the maximum.
This was Lucy’s birthplace. She knew the Great Forest and Wayward Woods well. She also knew how dangerous the Forest of Fiends was and how to hide. Her brothers were around too. If they had stuck together, they surely made it out.
There’s also Sasa and...the prince.
Sasa had survived and thrived in Labyrinthos, and she possessed powerful skills. She was looking after the prince, so everyone should be fine...
Should be fine.
Okay, everything was fine. I was calm.
“Hero Makoto of Roses. This was unavoidable, so let us return—”
“Let’s head for the Demon Lord’s Grave,” I interrupted.
“What?!” Janet demanded. “You realize that there are only two of us here...?”
“Maximilian said ‘scatter,’ not ‘retreat.’” Everyone should still be in the Forest of Fiends. Well...just as long as I hadn’t misheard his order.
“It will be hours before reinforcements arrive!” argued Janet. “What good will it do if we progress alone?!”
“Lucy’s probably headed that way,” I said. I knew she had a tendency to rush headlong at things when she got fired up, so she would keep on going out of worry for her mother. “Prince Leonardo also has a strong sense of responsibility. He won’t be willing to escape on his own.”
“I can understand that. Still, won’t your comrade Aya Sasaki suggest a retreat?”
“Nah...I kinda doubt that.”
Sasa would know what I’d do. We’d known each other for a long time, so she was pretty familiar with how I usually thought. So...if I ran, it would defy my usual behavior pattern and we wouldn’t be able to meet up.
“I know I’m being a bit selfish,” I said, “so I don’t mind if you head back.”
“Don’t mock me! I would never leave you and run off on my own. I was tasked by Princess Sophia with the protection of the heroes of Roses.”
Oops. I’d pissed her off. Honestly, though, I was glad to have Janet with me. The long-range Scout and her spear skills were really reassuring.
“Let’s go, then. I’ll use Stealth, so keep hold of me.”
“I thought you were a more careful man, but you jump into danger just like my brother,” I heard her murmur in quiet dissatisfaction.
Heh, Gerry, you got told off by your sister.
Then, the pair of goddesses spoke up—they’d recently made a habit of mentally commentating on my life.
You’re the same as Gerald, I heard Noah say.
Good luck, Makoooo, Eir added.
So, with that, Janet and I made our way slowly through the mist.
“Setekh regaining his Eyes of Petrification makes things much harder for us,” Janet said through clenched teeth.
“The people he turned to stone...will they be all right?” Some of them were Lucy’s brothers... Could they be restored? Perhaps with some item or spell...?
“Florna should be able to break the curse,” Janet replied.
“The priestess...”
Furiae’s face passed through my mind. Curses were her specialty. Had it been the wrong call for her to stay back? No—we needed her to be safe after the battle to restore the petrified people. It’d been good judgment. It must have been.
We carried further on in silence.
Hmmm, it’s really quiet.
“Are your knights okay?” I asked. The Pegasus Knights had split—half of them in the village, the other half with us. Though now, our faction was completely broken.
“There will be no issues. The North Cardinal Knights are prepared to lay down their lives to defeat the demon lord.”
I let out a stuttering sigh and a flat word of acknowledgment. That wasn’t what I’d meant. She was certainly a serious woman. In some ways, she reminded me of Princess Sophia.
“What bothers me is the demons lying in ambush,” she continued. “They seemed to know we were coming. Perhaps someone in Springrogue is feeding them information... What say you, Hero of Roses?”
A spy...was definitely something that would hinder us. It didn’t quite ring true, though.
“If it was a trap, he let us go pretty easily.” Even Maximillian had been there. Setekh should have been able to pursue us more vigorously to make sure he caught us.
“The minds of demons are confusing at best— Wait, Hero Makoto, stop.” Her Scout must have caught something. “There is a group of monsters ahead.”
“I haven’t picked up any— No, you’re right, there they are. A lot of them... They’re probably from Zagan’s subordinate...”
Which meant that the general—Jvāla of the Ten Fangs—would be there as well. Stealth didn’t work on high-rank demons, and there were thousands of monsters ahead. They were likely all ancient and all from the demon continent.
Right...going any farther is going to be difficult.
There were only two of us—an ultra rank knight and a mage apprentice.
“Hero Makoto...I cannot agree to charging them.”
“Don’t act like I’d tell you to commit suicide!” I griped. “We’re not fighting.”
What were we doing, though?
First things first—information gathering.
I activated Listen.
The monsters were noisy, but I needed to find out whether there was anything intelligible among them. Apparently, demons tended to enjoy intelligent conversation more as they gained higher ranks.
“Sir Setekh, my thanks for driving away those heroes.”
“Unfortunately, the witch was not present.”
“The rite for Sir Bifrons’s resurrection has safely been completed. However, I am impressed that Darkness Magic was usable, even during the day. The developments in magic over the past thousand years have been vast indeed.”
One of the voices was familiar... Setekh’s. However, there was something more important than his presence.
“Janet,” I whispered. “The resurrection has already happened.”
“I-Impossible! The sun should make that...”
The chief had said the same thing—he had been convinced the resurrection would take place during the night when demons were stronger.
“The ceremony will require some time until it can activate. Please guard the area until then, Sir Jvāla, Sir Setekh.”
“I pity any fool that challenges my army. Crimson Witch or not.”
This was the first time the voice from yesterday—Jvāla—had joined the conversation. And the first speaker...was probably Isaac, the archbishop of the Snake Sect.
“To think that you can use fate magic to see the future, Lord Isaac. Such power you possess.”
“Not at all, Sir Setekh. I am nothing before our great leader.” The man laughed.
Ha ha, I see. These three were reeeal chatty.
“At this rate, the demon lord will probably be back before night falls,” I whispered to Janet.
“Inconceivable...”
“Also, the ambush was because the archbishop—Isaac—can see the future,” I concluded.
The same as Furiae.
“So we don’t have a traitor...”
“Well, we might. The sect really likes scheming.”
“What do we do now?” she asked.
“Hmmm.” That was definitely the question.
The Demon Lord’s Grave was covered in high-rank demons and groups of monsters. Lucy and Sasa wouldn’t be here. And if those two weren’t here, then there was no reason for me to stick around either.
“Let’s head back and meet up with the people from Springrogue.”
If the worst came to pass, maybe it’d be best to summon Sakurai from Highland to deal with the resurrected demon lord. Actually, maybe Gerry would happily come marching over.
As I was considering this, something whipped over my head. Janet and I stiffened, but whatever it was plunged into the crowd of monsters. There was a low thud that shook the ground when it hit.
Suddenly, an explosion—a pillar of flames rocketed up. Not just one either, but many.
When I could finally comprehend what was happening, I saw countless balls of fire raining down.
Is that Lucy’s Meteo Rain? No...she can’t cast that many times...
“Rosalie! So you have arrived!”
“You sully our sacred lands with your presence, mage.”
“A champion of the heroes. Then we shall meet you in battle.”
Rosalie had apparently started an attack, and the demons were responding. Maybe she’d been listening to their conversation, just as we had. Each time a massive fireball landed, it engulfed part of the ground in flame. I couldn’t see anyone casting them either, so she must have been a fair distance away.
While that was happening, the incessant pillars of fire were setting trees alight. In response to the flames, monsters started acting out in shock. Though, being beasts in the demon lord’s army, they didn’t just scatter like normal animals would.
The smoke from the trees had already reached us, and the flames were spreading fast.
“Hero Makoto! The fire will get us if we stay here!”
“Right...let’s fall back.”
Getting caught up in Rosalie’s spell would be no laughing matter.
“Crafty, waiting for us to attack and then turning it back on us.” A fell wind whipped up, accompanied by a whirlpool of incredible mana. That had probably come from Jvāla. His mana was even stronger than Sciulli’s. Was Rosalie going to be all right?
“Lord Jvāla, if I may offer assista— Oh, what is this?”
An intense light filled the area just as Setekh spoke. Scorching heat followed immediately.
Sunlight...? No, something else.
In the harshness of the light, the mist faded.
“H-Hero Makoto?!” Janet yelped.
“Damn, we need to get out of here.”
Once the fog had parted, the sky was visible. However, it was red. The area above the Forest of Fiends was covered in burning crimson light. And the source? Giants, made entirely of fire.
Those giants surrounded us. In Highland, my single water giant had engulfed five thousand monsters. I would bet money on each one of these being a king rank spell—after all, the water giant had been a king rank, and I’d only managed to conjure it when Synchro’d with Undyne.
Above us, there were now several of these massive giants.
No way... No way in hell...
A low rank fireball was one thing, but each king rank fire giant required ridiculous levels of mana. And around us, I could feel enough mana for hundreds of them. Could a human even control that much mana?
She probably borrowed it from the elementals. It must have taken a fair bit of time to collect it all... Still, surrounding the forest with spells of that level...
It really brought home the gulf in power between Rosalie and me.
I suddenly snapped back to focus. This isn’t a situation where I should be spacing out.
“Let’s get going,” I said.
“We’re surrounded! We’ll never make it!” Janet cried out. “Thunder Lance!” She used a spear technique to blast a hole in the earth—it was just big enough for two people to fit inside.
“Go!” she yelled, pulling me by the hand into the pit. It was a tight squeeze, but if I wrapped my arms around her, the both of us could barely fit.
Fire Magic: March of the Fire Giants.
Rosalie’s voice reached my ears via Listen.
An instant later, all I could hear was roaring.
The ground shook, and the wind was rushing past from the sheer heat of the attack. If we’d been above ground...things wouldn’t have ended well. The eardrum-rattling roar of noise and superheated air missed us, surging above the hole.
Lucy and Sasa weren’t nearby, right? I’d rather believe that Rosalie wouldn’t have caught her daughter in friendly fire.
“What kind of spell was that...?” Janet’s breath ghosted over my cheek as she spoke.
“We should probably stay put for a bit,” I said.
“You are...rather close. Then again, there isn’t much choice.”
Her face reddened as she cast a sideways look my way. Calm Mind, do your thing. We were in the same position. I used Listen to distract myself and figure out what was going on outside.
There were explosions and cries from monsters, along with the sounds of something crumbling.
Yeah, no point...
That was when I noticed one of the fire giants looking toward us.
Janet and I yelped.
Silence simmered between the three of us for a good ten seconds. The intimidation and heat made it hard to breathe. Still, the giant didn’t seem to be directing malice toward us.
Can it tell friend from foe? I wondered.
Then, the giant left.
Ph-Phew. We didn’t get mistaken for monsters...
Explosions continued outside for a while.
“Her spell seems to be able to distinguish between monsters and people, so Lucy and Sasa wouldn’t have gotten caught in the attack. I can certainly see why she’s the number one mage on the continent.”
As I spoke, I looked over at Janet. She was just mutely opening and closing her mouth.
Is she hyperventilating?
“Janet?” I asked, lightly slapping her cheek.
She started. “I’m fine... Please stop hitting me.” She let out a deep sigh. “I truly thought I was about to die.” Her eyes looked exhausted.
“That spell was incredible. It’s really hot, though.” I tried to use my hand to fan my face. It didn’t do much of anything.
“How are you so calm?” she asked.
“I’m freaking out internally.”
“You certainly don’t look it...”
We kept chatting like that until we heard the magic ease off.
“It’s gotten quiet,” I observed. “I’m gonna check it out.”
“Be careful.”
Gingerly, I poked out of the hole and looked around.
The Forest of Fiends...was gone.
Every one of the trees had burned down. There wasn’t a monster to be seen.
That’s ridiculous, but...it doesn’t look to be dangerous anymore.
I stepped out.
“Wah, that’s hot!” The scorched plot beneath my feet was as hot as hell (literally). The trees had burned to ash. I pulled Janet out as well.
Oof, heavy... (Her armor.) I managed to help her up, and she just gaped at the sight.
Where the forest had once been, we could see way too far into the distance.
We should get out of here.
As I made that decision, a voice broke the silence. “Fools from Springrogue...? No, it would appear not. That armor makes me think you are from that wretch Abel’s country.”
Janet and I jolted at the malicious speech. I turned.
Behind us was a huge, jet-black centaur.
Crap, Jvāla. He survived her magic?!
“My army, entrusted to me by Lord Zagan... What a sight.”
Right—his monsters had all been destroyed. Rosalie was the one who’d done it, though. It didn’t seem to matter to him.
“I will crush you, scum.”
His massive hooves came down on us.
Dodge!
I grabbed Janet’s shoulder and used my skill to dodge. The place where we’d been standing moments ago was now home to a crater.
Then, there was a gust of wind, blasting ash all around us.
I yelped mentally. We were done for if that hit us.
“Thunder Lance!”
Janet’s spear bolted toward him, but he punched it negligently away.
“Worthless!”
Each time Jvāla kicked his back legs, the ground shook like an earthquake. His black body was covered in miasma of the same color, as well as vast amounts of mana. This creature was one of the right-hand demons to the rulers of the northern continent.
Yeah, there’s no fighting this.
I looked around. Water elementals had practically deserted the scorched plains that Rosalie had left behind.
My last hope was dashed. Which meant...
“Janet, use your most flashy spell.”
“Eh? U-Uh...but that won’t—”
“Just do it!”
“V-Very well. Sun Magic: Thunderbolt!”
Chantless ultra rank magic! The same spell Gerry used too. They’re definitely siblings.
At her words, a massive bolt of lightning dropped from the sky toward the black demon—
“Too slow.”
—and missed.
“He managed to dodge?”
“This is one of the demon lord’s direct subordinates,” she said, a sorrowful look on her face. “On our own, we can’t...”
No, we couldn’t beat him. However, I hadn’t asked for her spell so we could try and defeat Jvāla—the flashy magic would’ve been too obvious. In actuality...
We just needed to stall.
Water Magic: Mist.
I doubted it would work, but it was worth a shot. Our surroundings were immediately covered in dense fog.
“Do you think you can escape?!” Jvāla roared. The volume of his shout scattered the mist, and I saw his massive frame coming for us.
It didn’t work!
Dodge...
Jvāla’s attack left only a grazing blow, but it still sent us flying.
Hurry up already!
As if my mind had summoned my wish, a yell suddenly thundered through the air.
“Hah ha!”
Someone clad in red aura leaped forward and kicked the demon right on the crown of his head. At the same time, fire burst from the point of impact, immolating the centaur.
“Graaahhh!” he screamed as he burned.
Beside the flames, Rosalie landed lightly on the ground.
Whew. Thank goodness she’d arrived. I could relax.
“You okay, kids?” she asked teasingly.
“You’re a lifesaver,” I replied, while Janet couldn’t manage to string together a sentence.
However, the moment of respite did not last.
“Such pointless surprise attacks, Crimson Witch.” The jet-black demon stepped from the towering flames.
That blow hadn’t even damaged him?
“Sorry I’m late,” Rosalie remarked with an easy laugh. “That stony friend of yours took a while to deal with.”
She’d...taken out Setekh? I hadn’t even seen his eyes... Well, not that I could have either way.
“That useless fool... Still, it seems he managed to land a hit.”
“Your arm!” Janet suddenly yelled.
Indeed, Rosalie’s left arm was a hard, ashen gray. She’d been petrified?
“Man, I let my guard down a bit. I might have trained my magic resistance in the demon realm, but the legendary eyes still managed to get through it.” There was no sadness in her voice. If anything, she sounded entertained.
“Fool...exposing yourself like that,” Jvāla proclaimed, looking down at her.
“Hah! If you want to beat me, you’d better bring at least a demon lord. Call it a handicap!”
At least her confidence was still intact.
“That arrogance will be your undoing!” The fell wind from Jvāla approached Rosalie. She just smiled challengingly, glowing red and matching the breeze with her own. The shining winds clashed, shedding shock waves that headed toward Janet and me.
We knelt to make sure the overspill wouldn’t send us flying. A battle between the demon lord’s subordinate and the Crimson Witch was unfolding right in front of us...
It’s too fast, though! I can’t see a thing! I felt like a manga character who couldn’t keep up with the power creep... I glanced to Janet at my side.
“I-Incredible... Those movements!” Apparently, she could follow it. Well, that was an ultra rank knight for you. It was beyond a mage apprentice like me.
Since I wasn’t going to get anything out of watching the battle, I looked around our surroundings. The wreckage spanned almost as far as I could see—in the distance, I spotted a small flash of green. The Great Forest. Rosalie had apparently contained the destruction pretty well.
People seemed to have been drawn by the fighting, and I used Clairvoyance to take a look. This group wasn’t made up of monsters or demons, but of familiar people.
Sasa and Lucy! Prince Leonardo and Maximillian were there too, along with some of the elven warriors from Canaan.
Great, everyone was safe. None of them came rushing over, though. Everyone was gingerly picking their way across the scorched plains toward us.
The reason for their caution was...
Janet yelped from next to me, and when I turned, I saw dozens of pillars of fire and several explosions.
Rosalie sure doesn’t do half-measures.
I couldn’t see anything, but Listen picked up grunts and cries of dismay from Jvāla...along with extended spans of laughter from Rosalie.
I guess she’s a bit of a battle junkie? Either way, it looks like she’s got the advantage.
“Makoto!”
“Takatsuki!”
Lucy and Sasa called out for me—the noise of combat must have drawn them closer. Maximilian, Prince Leonardo, and all the other elves were with them.
“I’m glad you’re both safe,” I said. And that was exactly what I was feeling.
However, the smile on my face was...not matched by those two.
“Say, Aya. Makoto’s holding Janet’s hand.”
“Ha ha ha, don’t be silly, Lu. Janet doesn’t like Takatsuki.”
Hearing the conversation, Janet dropped my hand like it had scalded her. “D-Don’t misunderstand! It isn’t like that!”
“Right. I used Dodge and Janet took charge of the offense,” I explained honestly.
Lucy and Sasa gave ambivalent hums as they looked coldly at us.
Why?!
“Um! Makoto?” Prince Leonardo exclaimed, breaking through the awkward air. “Is the fight over there...between Rosalie and the demon army’s leader?!”
Nice one! You got us back on track.
“She’s fighting Jvāla—one of Bifrons’s subordinates. She seems to be doing better than...” I trailed off. “Oh.”
As I’d been speaking, a massive explosion drew our gazes. Then, a blackened corpse fell to the ground. A shining red figure who looked to be wreathed in magma stepped forward, standing where the other had fallen.
The red light soon faded away to reveal blonde hair, blue eyes, and a person who was very close to Lucy.
“Phew, he was quite the opponent.” Rosalie wore a satisfied expression. I couldn’t see any real injuries on her...apart from her petrified arm.
Wow, she beat him one-handed...
“Mama, your arm!” Lucy yelled.
“It’s fine,” Rosalie said soothingly. “I’ll just get Florna to fix it later.”
“Magnificent!” Maximilian exclaimed.
“Oh, Maxie, you brought everyone here? That’s a good lad.”
Whoa...she’s treating Springrogue’s hero like a kid.
Wait, whoops, that’s not the important thing here...
“Rosalie,” I called. “I heard from the demons that Bifrons’s resurrection has already taken place.”
Everyone present turned to stare, and they cried out in shock.
“Well, I did have a bit of a bad feeling...” Rosalie mused. “That’s why I burned it all down.” She gestured to the newly scorched clearing that had once been the Forest of Fiends, though she didn’t seem bothered by the loss.
Doesn’t that seem like a bit of an overreaction? Still...she’d certainly beat the demons to the punch.
“You could have said something, mama,” Lucy complained. “Grandpa was furious.”
“Ack. Guess I’ll be traveling for a while then,” she replied easily.
Just as things seemed to be relaxing, someone broke the calm.
“Ahh, I see... They were all worthless, useless trash.”
A man was suddenly standing in front of us. He wasn’t from Springrogue. Nor was he a demon. There was, however, something off about him.
“An undead...?” Sasa murmured. I’d thought the same. After all, the man’s neck was twisted off its axis by more than ninety degrees. A human could never have survived that.
“No. That’s a puppet being controlled,” Rosalie explained calmly. “The man before us isn’t the same as the one who’s speaking.”
“The Crimson Witch... I didn’t think you had returned. How unpleasant to run into you,” the broken-necked man spat hatefully.
“You’re...Archbishop Isaac from the Snake Sect, aren’t you?” I guessed. The man’s gaze swung to me.
“Hmph. The State-Authorized Hero of Roses... You seem to be a thorn in our side, no matter where we go.”
Apparently, I was on the money. Isaac was pulling his usual crap and staying out of sight. In contrast to the vitriolic words coming from his mouth, the puppet’s face was blank. He didn’t blink, just stared into the distance, and he moved like a doll—his mouth was the only part of him in motion. Even so, the anger was clear in Isaac’s voice.
“Well...no matter. You will all die here, with Springrogue soon to follow. It is inevitable.”
“I think not,” Maximilian denied shortly, gripping a greatsword that shone with light. The sword was called Clarent and was considered to be the strongest sword in Springrogue.
Yup, definitely a hero. That’s so cool!
Makoto, take this seriously, Noah interjected as my thoughts turned slightly frivolous.
Rosalie and the country’s hero are both here, though... Would I even be needed?
Be careful, Mako.
Eir? I thought back. She was usually so playful and flighty, but her warning had been utterly serious.
“You think you can destroy this country by yourself?” Rosalie asked.
The puppet’s mouth opened. However, it wasn’t an answer that left his lips.
I offer this to you, my lord Typhon.
Once that left his mouth, the controlled man began to cackle. His neck was still off-kilter as he gripped a small orb of metal in his hand. This orb was apple-shaped and decorated with the motif of two snakes intertwining. Soon, the thing began to glow.
“It’s been a while, Bifrons.”
In an instant, the man’s voice changed—he now sounded like a young boy whose voice had yet to break.
“Revival is impossible, though. Your soul aches.”
The voice was...familiar. I’d heard it before in the capital of Roses. And, I remembered Noah telling me who it belonged to...
“The Great Demon Lord Iblis...?”
Everyone whirled to look at me as I murmured the words.
“I’m sad you won’t remember me.”
“Makoto! Is this really Iblis’s voice?!” Prince Leonardo exclaimed.
“Fire Storm!” Without waiting for an answer, Rosalie launched her spell and immolated the broken-necked man.
“Yet your reincarnation is worth celebrating.”
The voice didn’t stop, though. Even as the man burned, it continued.
“Now, be reborn.”
Several strange, keening cries echoed across the scorched area. Strange globby creatures, black as tar, oozed over the ground. The offensive screeching was coming from them. Most eye-catching among them was a large monster that looked something like a hill. Its body was impaled with countless arms and legs that writhed like tentacles. Even looking at the creature was unpleasant.
“This is a blessing of both a wonderful new king and wonderful beasts!”
Even as the boy’s voice rose in proclamation, it cut out. All that was left were the profane monsters in front of us. An RPG Player selection screen drifted up in front of me.
Will you challenge Bifrons and these children, failures of Iblis?
Yes
No
I wasn’t sure what to think. Iblis...not another demon lord?
“Tch...blight monsters from a demon lord of an upper world? This is annoying...”
For the first time, I heard some unease in Rosalie’s voice.
◇ Janet Ballantine’s Perspective ◇
This happened several years ago.
We were in Highland Castle being taught by the Grandsage. The students were all heroes, priestesses, or other important people who would run the country in the future. I was nothing more than an ultra rank knight, but my brother Gerald had managed to get me included.
The white-robed sage floated through the air before us, looking at her students. “Listen up, children. A thousand years ago, your upbringing would have seen you ground to dust in an instant.”
“What, exactly? I’d be fine, you hag. My Hero of Lightning skill means I could ki—guh!”
“Call me teacher, brat.”
The Grandsage had kicked him. Honestly...big brother...
“Gerald,” Noelle chided. “Take this seriously.” She was called the reincarnation of Anna the Holy Mother...and she was my brother’s fiancée. We’d been close ever since I was young.
Lately though, Noelle and I had barely spoken... Even if I used to look up to her as an older sister...well, she was not my brother’s betrothed anymore.
“Grandsage, what abilities did the Great Demon Lord have?” I asked.
“Hmph, so your sister is better behaved. I’ll answer then. His most annoying abilities were Transmigration and Awakening.”
Noelle and I spoke at the same time.
“Transmigration and Awakening?”
“What kind of spells were they?”
“His subordinates kept coming back, even when we thought we’d killed them. That’s the first skill, Awakening,” answered the Grandsage.
“Like the undead?” I asked. Undead monsters were weak to sun magic, though. My brother or Noelle could easily take them down.
“They were not undead,” countered the Grandsage. “They were reborn. Awakening allowed the demon lord to mold them into even higher existences.”
“Higher existences?” we all asked in sync, questioning the unfamiliar term.
“You probably think our world is the only one out there, don’t you? Not so—it’s actually just one of an infinite number of realms. Iblis came from one of those other realms. The denizens of that world appear to be far stronger than the people of our own.”
I don’t get it... I thought. None of the others seemed to either.
“Hah! That’s bull. Other realm or not, we can just beat the crap out of him!”
My brother was a simple person. As far as he was concerned, strength was everything.
The Grandsage just laughed. “I like your fire, Gerald. However, those superior existences are terrifying. We inhabitants of the lower realms can’t even look at them. Doing so degrades our spirits.”
We all fell silent. We couldn’t even look at them? How was that fair? Was there even anything we could do?
“Well, heroes and priestesses would be fine thanks to the goddesses’ protection. Calming skills can also allow even normal people to withstand their presence.” The Grandsage paused, allowing us to absorb this information, before continuing. “Now, the Great Demon Lord’s Awakening could manifest higher beings, however, there was an annoying byproduct—blight monsters.”
Blight monsters were a type of monster that Iblis had commanded a thousand years ago. There were legions of them and they were all...wrong.
“Hag...Teacher. Where are the blight monsters?”
That was my brother—he didn’t repeat his earlier mistake.
“Iblis felt alone having come to our world from another,” the Grandsage explained. “He used Transmigration and Awakening to try and turn his subordinate monsters and demons into elevated existences like himself. The ones that failed became blight monsters—unsightly beasts that should not exist in this world.”
“So they don’t exist anymore?” I asked.
“There are a few still on the northern continent, but other than those, all of them were destroyed. As long as no more are created, you will never see one. I only know of Iblis himself as someone capable of using Transmigration.”
“Hm, so if the failures became blight monsters, what happened to the ones he succeeded in elevating?” My brother asked cheekily.
“They simply got stronger,” the Grandsage answered. “Setekh the Magic Eye was the most famous success. He was originally a pitiful undead, but Iblis rebirthed him into an upper-rank demon with a magic eye.”
“That...was one of the demons Abel the Savior destroyed, right?” Noelle asked.
“Indeed. Setekh with his Eyes of Petrification and Cain, the Wicked Deity’s Disciple, killed all heroes a thousand years ago...apart from Abel.”
That was a famous legend.
The demon lord Cain was known as “the Wicked Deity’s Disciple,” “the Mad Hero,” and “the Enemy of Humanity.” A thousand years ago, he killed many heroes single-handedly.
The legends told that Cain had no subordinates of his own for some reason—he just roamed the world killing heroes. Setekh was said to have been friendly with him, and according to what the Grandsage had just said, Setekh had been transmigrated by Iblis. Legends also told that Setekh had been strong enough to become of the demon lords but had always refused the appointment.
“Either way, Abel killed them, so you needn’t worry. The problem is the blight monsters—they lose their sense of self and do not even function as living creatures. They cannot even breed. However, though failures they may be, they are still higher-realm creatures. Challenging them recklessly will see you devoured. If you ever come across one, choose your partners carefully. The weak will just be eaten.”
We all nodded seriously.
“I can’t wait...” my brother said with a wide smile. He really did like to fight.
Recently, the reports of blight dragons in Labyrinthos had gotten him fired up. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been allowed to battle them—politics had gotten in the way, since Highland was hoping to give the otherworlder Hero of Light some legitimacy... My brother had been enraged.
Though...he’d been happily training to rematch the Hero of Roses lately...
“Put bluntly, your first call if you meet a blight monster should be to flee. The underworld miasma they possess erodes the mind, and they cannot be fought in a frontal attack. Heroes are a different matter, but normal people will have to get used to it more gradually.”
We all chorused back an acknowledgment. Yet despite her words, I couldn’t picture a beast like that. My brother or the Soleil Knights could surely defeat any terrifying monsters though. Besides, we had the Grandsage too.
Back then, I’d been so sure that we’d be fine...
◇
Presently, we were in the ruins of the Forest of Fiends. The air was thick and cloying, full of miasma. That wasn’t the only issue.
The unpleasant cacophony grated on my ears—cackling laughter and the screams of the dead. They were voices cursing all that lived, melding together into a discordant symphony.
I took in the area, moving only my eyes.
We were surrounded by black, dripping monsters with slime-like skin. They wriggled and writhed, morphing as they tried to become something...or perhaps give birth to something? Staring at them made my mind start to feel funny.
My head hurts... I can’t feel my hands and I’m shaking... That stench is awful as well... This must be the underworld miasma the Grandsage was talking about...
If I stayed here, I’d pass out sooner or later...
“Wind elementals, blow!” Rosalie cried, blasting the miasma away.
That helped me to recover slightly. I was no longer feeling like I wanted to die. When I tried to speak I could only manage inarticulate noises. Had I forgotten how to talk? How did I do it? Then, I felt a soft strike at my shoulder.
“Janet? Are you okay?” came a voice by my ear. That person pulled my shoulder toward them. I peered over. Hero Makoto of Roses, the man I’d been with earlier, was there.
Even surrounded by monsters, I relaxed at the sight of his face.
“U-Um...” I stammered.
“You look pale. Rest for a bit.”
My heartbeat slowed as I listened to his calm voice. He had me drink a restorative potion and I gradually calmed down. Then, I looked at everyone in the area.
Huh? What in the...
The elves from the village that had come to save us, and all my knights, were on their knees. Some of them had even passed out. The only ones still keeping their composure were Rosalie and Maximilian, the girl called Aya...and Makoto Takatsuki. Everyone else looked ill at the least.
“Hey, Lucy. Need some water?” he asked, moving away from me to support his comrade.
“Y-Yeah...”
You could have stayed with me for a little long— What am I thinking?!
I was the commander of the Pegasus Knights. I heaved myself to my feet to examine my comrades. All of them were at least conscious.
“Use your Serenity skills,” Rosalie instructed. “Also, keep your eyes away from the blight monsters. You should avoid looking at the demon lord in particular—it will poison your minds. Maxie, you have Freya’s sword, right?”
“I-I do.”
The two of them still seemed ready to fight. I couldn’t help but admire that.
“Can you release it?” she asked.
Heroes with their goddesses’ protection could “release” their patrons’ swords to draw out true power. There were only seven such blades in the world, and only the goddesses’ heroes could release them.
Gerald was putting in so much effort to gain usage of Caliburn.
“Of course!”
The dragonoid hero readied a sword even bigger than he was. The blade began to shine green, and it gave off a refreshing breeze.
“By Freya’s blessings,” he said. The words prompted a pleasant mist of mana to fill the area around him. The elves and knights—including me—relaxed at that.
Incredible... This is a hero’s power...
Heroes received blessings from their goddesses and stood above people as a symbol of hope. He must be able to defeat the demon lord... That’s probably what everyone else thought. Despite that...
“Hmm, that’s only around half of its potential power, right?” Rosalie asked, her voice hard.
“Y-Yes. I only managed to release the sword about a year ago...” Maximillian said apologetically. It seemed like more than enough power to me, but apparently, it wasn’t. I seemed to remember Gerald saying he could only draw seven-tenths of the potential power from Caliburn.
“It wouldn’t be a problem if I was at full power...” Rosalie explained. “But, I need to keep my mana going so Setekh’s curse won’t claim the rest of my body. I’m not currently at full power.” Rosalie’s face was troubled.
“What...?” The hero’s expression tightened at that.
“Why not teleport back to Canaan and get the priestess to heal you?” Hero Makoto asked.
That was right! That was an option!
“It won’t work. Even she will need time to undo a curse of this level. While she’s doing that, you’ll be wiped out.”
“I see...” he replied, slumping.
“You, Hero of Ice and Snow,” Rosalie called out. “Do you have your sword?”
“I do...but I cannot yet release Ascalon...”
“Well, that figures.”
As they spoke, the screeching of the monsters carried on.
Suddenly, I heard someone scream as a black, birdlike monster attacked. The “bird” had wings and a body, but no head. Instead, dozens of mouths were gaping across its flesh.
Was that a blight monster?!
“Sun Magic: Flash Arrow,” Rosalie cast. The spell pierced through—holes appeared throughout the monster and it writhed in agony.
I-It...wasn’t dead from that?
“This is bad,” Rosalie warned. “The monsters around us have been blighted by Iblis’s voice. They’ll be stronger than normal.”
“Rosalie, I will defeat Bifrons with this sword,” Maximilian said with surety.
“Hmm, but can you manage with only half its power...?” she mused.
“What other choice is there?!” he demanded.
“I could join you... But I’d be worried about the kids back here. Plus, I’ve only got the one arm.” Rosalie seemed worried for once, trying to decide whether to join the local hero against the demon lord or defeat the blight monsters.
“Ah, Rosalie? Would my treasure work?” the Hero of Roses interjected.
How is he so calm?
Maximilian refused. “Sir Makoto, I appreciate the offer, but you need a holy sword to defeat a demon lord.”
However, Rosalie’s expression changed.
“Hm? Hang on. Are you talking about that dagger?”
“I am. My goddess gave it to me.”
Rosalie glared steadily at it. “Show me its release.”
“What’s a release?”
“It doesn’t matter—just show me how strong it is.”
He sighed, scratching his head as he raised the blade. “Eir...help, please. Right, call it an advance...”
I could hear him mumble something, but not exactly what. When I moved closer to try and hear, I was rewarded with a faint voice in my head.
You’re such a needy boy, Mako.
I could see someone’s hand on the hero’s dagger...but then, I felt dizzy. It was a sense of pressure on an utterly different level to the blight monsters. My breath caught in my throat as fear crushed my chest. Then, a chill raced over my skin.
Wh-What the...?!
The blight monsters turned to us as one. They were all focused on Makoto Takatsuki...
On the one who would destroy them.
◇ Makoto Takatsuki’s Perspective ◇
I feel like everyone’s staring...
Rosalie, Maximilian, the other elves, Janet, her knights, and even the blight monsters surrounding us were all looking my way.
I do appreciate the help, Eir... But that might’ve been too much.
Just then, rain began falling from the sky.
Did the updrafts from Rosalie’s spells form clouds? I thought on it for a moment but decided that the wind likely wasn’t enough to cause this. Maybe the rain was a coincidence. Or...Eir doing me a solid...?
Either way, the rain was lucky for me—there were at least a few water elementals gathering around the area now.
“Hey!” Rosalie exclaimed with sparkling eyes. “How’d you do that?”
“Um...I asked Eir...” I replied vaguely. I glanced away, feeling awkward, though I wasn’t quite sure why. After all, it wasn’t like I’d done anything wrong. Maybe I felt this way because I’d asked Eir for help instead of Noah...?
“B-But...” a dazed Janet stammered. “I thought you were a State-Authorized Hero...?”
Oh, right... State-Authorized Heroes are basically ascended adventurers—they don’t have the goddess’s blessing like other heroes, so my dagger shouldn’t have this kind of power...
However, I didn’t think the group would let me fight without proving myself in some way.
“Was that...direct interference...rather than a blessing?” Rosalie mused. “Is that even possible?” Peering at my dagger, she placed a hand on her chin and a deep frown spread across her face.
Maximilian and Prince Leonardo were both wide-eyed and frozen.
“Is that dagger from the Godslayer?”
“Godslayer?” I parroted. I seemed to remember hearing Setekh say something similar.
“Takatsuki, what’s the Godslayer?” Sasa asked, poking her head out from behind me. She was actually a lamia, so being surrounded by the blight monsters didn’t bother her.
“I don’t actually know,” I admitted.
“Aya...the Godslayer is a fragment of a weapon used in Titanomachia...” explained Lucy. “Wait... That’s what your dagger is? Let me look.”
“Sure, here you go.” I handed over my blade, and Lucy and Sasa both inspected it closely, murmuring in amazement as they did.
While they poured over it, the prince looked up at me. “Makoto, where did you get that dagger?”
“Umm, from...my goddess,” I answered, keeping the truth about the type of goddess unspoken. If I wasn’t cautious concerning what I said about Eir, he’d find out later. I’d need to be careful.
The Crimson Witch suddenly burst into laughter.
“Rosalie?”
“You’re the best! We’re killing a demon lord, but you brought a weapon to kill a god? That’ll be more than enough.”
Maximilian seemed utterly bewildered. “R-Rosalie? Will Sir Makoto be joining us?”
“Well, there’s an advantage in numbers, right?” She then turned to Sasa. “You’ll be fine too, right?”
“Yup, I’ll back Takatsuki up!” she said, swinging around the Fierce Deity’s Hammer (which was currently over two meters long). I hadn’t seen it in a while.
“I-Is that...the Fierce Deity’s Hammer from a thousand years ago?” I heard Janet ask in shock. “Someone’s wielding it?”
I doubted anyone but Sasa even could use it. That thing was heavy.
“You need to be careful, though,” Rosalie told me. “If you get too close to blight monsters who’ve been reincarnated into superior existences, then you won’t be able to stand up against their miasma. Only heroes with blessings can stand up to their touch. Well, Aya over there would probably be fine too.”
Rosalie’s look over at Sasa was meaningful. After all, she knew my friend was a lamia, though she didn’t seem interested in outing her for it. The more strong allies we had, the better.
“Maxie has a blessing and Aya’s race makes her more resilient. So, Mr. Boyfriend, what’re you doing?”
“Hmm, let’s think.”
Fighting up close out of the question. My stats were too pitiful for that...
Wait right there! Why aren’t you asking me?! Noah demanded.
Well...do you have a suggestion?
Guh, if I wasn’t sealed away here, I would!
Eir started giggling. What about asking me, then? I’ll let you change over without a penalty charge.
I’m not converting. Still, it looks like Noah can’t help this time...
F-Five years! Noah blurted out. If you give me five years of lifespan, I’ll give you a divine rank barrier!
Suicide magic? I didn’t think you wanted me to use that...
W-Well, I can’t help otherwise!
How long would that barrier last, powered by five years of my lifespan?
There was a long pause.
Th-Thirty minutes, Noah mumbled.
That’s it?! Well, I suppose I can’t get in close to attack without a barrier... I would just need to take it on the chin.
“I think I’ll be able to manage the miasma,” I told Rosalie.
“Oh? How?”
How indeed, Noah? Oh, like this, maybe?
I pressed the blade of the dagger into my arm and let blood start to flow. Then, I began to pray.
Noah, I offer this to you.
I gave a silent grunt as I felt the lifespan getting ripped from my body.
All right! Here we go, Makoto! Noah cheered. Then, her tone immediately changed—a beautiful voice echoed in my ears.
By my name as Goddess Noah—protect Makoto, Divine Armor.
My surroundings were softly enveloped in dim light. This was divine rank magic? It was...less dramatic than I’d—
Suddenly, screeches and yells split the air. Eck, the monsters really didn’t like that... The warped demon lord with countless eyes all over its body had every one of them fixed on me. Gross.
“Whoa, forbidden magic.” Rosalie grinned at me. Guess it was pretty clear that I was using suicide magic.
“W-We don’t have much time, so let’s go,” I said, trying to prevent an interrogation.
“There’s so much to ask...but yep, we’re short on time!” Rosalie agreed. “You heroes can deal with the demon lord. Lucy and I will take out the blight monsters!” She threw an arm around Lucy’s shoulders.
“What? Mama?” Lucy was still unsteady on her feet from the miasma. She probably felt much safer with her mother, though.
“U-Um!” the prince interjected. “Makoto, I’ll come with you!”
Oops. Yeah, he was a hero too. I just...
“Leo, you stay with me,” Rosalie instructed, refusing his request.
“But...”
“You’ll be in the way,” she replied bluntly.
He hung his head in shame.
Personally, I was happier with him staying beside Lucy and her mom. I glanced over at Janet and got a nod in return. She’d help protect him too. Even if she did still look kind of unwell...
With all of that settled, Sasa and I rushed toward the demon lord alongside Maximillian.
“Lucy, we’re going to cast together,” said Rosalie. “You should be able to use a saint rank spell or two at this point.”
“Wha... Saint rank? But I only have a skill for king rank!”
“What’s that supposed to mean?! Considering who your parents are, saint rank should be nothing! I’ll demonstrate—make sure you pay attention.”
“What?! Now?!”
My Listen skill carried the cute conversation between mother and daughter to me. You’re going to be using saint rank magic, Lucy... You’ve grown so much.
“Mama! That’s hot! Why’s it hot?!”
Rosalie chuckled. “Your mana’s perfect. It’s more fire-aligned than mine. Ahh, I’m getting chills.”
“Mama, this is getting away from us! It’s scary! The hell are you trying to do?!”
“We’re going to start with Synchro and the seventh saint rank.”
“What, just like that?! Wait, I need to get ready.”
“Sure, you get a countdown. Three, two, one, go!”
The sheer energy of those two seemed to have pulled the blight monsters’ attention. However, it did sound like they were having fun. Everything was fine, just as long as they didn’t go too far and lose control of the spell...
We were nearly at our battleground.
Compared to the other blight monsters, the one before us was aberrant. It was as big as a seven—maybe even an eight—story building. The body was covered in black tentacles, and its form slowly shifted over time. This was the lingering remnant of Bifrons, reborn through the transmigration. As we neared, I could see that its tentacles seemed to end in hands.
“Huh? It’s grabbing the others,” said Sasa.
I followed Sasa’s pointing finger and saw that the massive ex-demon lord’s tentacles had wrapped around nearby blight monsters. They screeched pitifully as they were dragged into the demon lord’s bloated body.
“It...ate them?” I asked.
“Yes,” Maximilian confirmed. “It can absorb things if they get too close.”
What happened to the miasma being the problem, Rosalie?
“Takatsuki! Monsters!”
On top of all of that, several blight monsters were advancing on us.
“We’ll need to deal with them first,” I said.
“Understood!” Maximilian readied his massive sword.
Hurricane Blade!
As he swung, a huge twister spun around the monsters, slicing them to ribbons.
“Hi-yah!” Sasa cried, slamming her massive hammer into one of the monsters and blasting it backward.
She was dealing with the fast ones. As for me...
“It’s huge.”
A massive boar-shaped monster—about three times bigger than an African elephant—was lumbering toward me. If it’d been just a boar, things would’ve been fine...but for some reason, it had a human face.
Bleh, that’s gross!
“×××××(Hey, elementals,)” I called out.
“×××(Heyyy!)”
Water Elemental Unity.
I pulled together the water elementals with my dagger and used them to form a blade of mana. Turning to the massive monster, I leveled my dagger, and let the energy scythe out.
Mana ripped through the beast—the monster’s flesh split apart and flew back.
Even so, the mana blade was too weak, so it didn’t outright kill the blight boar. Sasa or Maximillian can finish it off, I decided.
For the next little while, I warded off monsters as they attacked us.
“Watch out!”
Out of nowhere, a huge arm snatched me away from where I was standing, scooping me up in an evasive leap.
Guh!
Right where I’d been moments before, a ginormous black monster fell. The impact split the ground, even gouging out a crater.
Too close... Noah’s barrier or not, I didn’t want that thing landing on me.
“Th-Thanks, Maximilian.”
“Look sharp, Sir Makoto.” The manly dragonoid hero was glaring out at the monsters. So cool!
“Takatsuki! You’re okay!” Sasa called as she ran to me. It seemed like the other blight monsters had mostly been dealt with.
“Hmm. That one was headed for Rosalie,” Maximilian pointed out.
The dark form of the huge monster was unbalanced. Above the torso, it had three heads and more than a dozen arms. However, its lower half was like an immense horse with eight legs.
“Did that monster...use to be a subordinate of Zagan’s?” I asked. “The one Rosalie defeated—Jvāla?”
“It seems so. At least, judging from its appearance.”
Would Rosalie be okay? In addition to fighting, she was tasked with protecting the elves and the prince. And certainly, becoming a blight monster would have made Jvāla stronger...
“Sasa. We’ll be fine here—would you go help Lucy and the prince?”
“Hm? I mean, I can...but are you staying here? It’s dangerous.”
“I’ll be okay for another twenty minutes.” That’s how much longer Noah’s barrier would hold out.
“Got it. I’ll see you soon.” With that, she rocketed off toward Rosalie.
“Sasa!” I yelled. “Don’t push yourself too much! Let Rosalie help with the stronger enemies!”
“Riiight.”
I guess she heard me. Then again, with her extra lives, she’d probably be fine regardless.
“Maximilian,” I called out. “I’ll keep an eye on our surroundings, so you go for the demon lord.”
“Very well!” he proclaimed, hefting his goddess’s blade. Soon, a dense layer of mana covered him. The sword glowed with a green light and started emitting wind.
While he was getting ready, I kept watch to make sure none of the blight monsters blindsided us. The ones that’d been close to the demon lord were mostly dealt with, but the rest were crowded around Rosalie. Occasionally, a billowing cross of fire would bloom in the sky.
It seemed like they were fine.
As I observed the scene, Maximilian was gathering mana in his sword.
Is it some sort of special attack? I wondered. I glanced his way, and then...
The wind suddenly stopped.
Wah?
The raging gale... His mana... All of it had suddenly gone quiescent.
“Maximilian?” I asked.
There was no reply.
“Did something hap—”
As I turned to look, my mouth snapped shut.
Where the Hero of Swaying Trees had been standing, there was now a large, petrified statue.
How?!
“Hello, human! Goodbye, human!”
Setekh... I was sure Rosalie had defeated him...but he was in front of us once again. Just like the last time I saw him, there were cracks running across his skin, but now, he had a pair of bloodred eyes glowing brightly in his sockets.
Those were the legendary Eyes of Petrification!
We locked gazes for a moment. Setekh peered at me oddly.
Uh? What’s going on? The silence stretched further as Setekh tilted his head at me. I guess I should try attacking?
Water Elemental Unity: Water Blade.
I sent forth a wave of water from my mana blade.
“Whoa!” Setekh arched back into a bridge position to dodge it. Did he think this was The Matrix? Regardless, he sure seemed relaxed.
“Th-That’s strange... Why aren’t you stone...?” he murmured. “Well, no matter! Time for a direct attack!”
He was fast, just as fast as Sasa or Gerald—maybe even faster! His jet-black claws closed in on me, ready to swipe through the rest of my life.
D-Dodge!
Damn it! Not enough!
There was a bizarre “fwahn” sound as his claws bounced off the space surrounding my body.
Both of us gasped in shock.
“A-Again!” he yelled in a fluster. However, “fwaahhhn,” was all his wicked claws managed to accomplish. It was like they had smacked into a cushion a dozen or so centimeters away from my skin.
Must be Noah’s armor. The protection was just as good as I’d expected for having cost me years off my life. The sound effect was kinda dumb, but I was still wrapped in an invisible cushion.
You could even survive atmospheric reentry! I heard Noah say smugly. I could see her puffing up in my mind’s eye. Seriously, wow!
“I-Impossible. My Eyes of Petrification do nothing, and my attacks cannot reach you...” Setekh slumped to the ground in despair.
I’m shocked too, buddy. Overall, I was conflicted about what to do. Setekh was a major enemy of ours. I glanced over at the life-size statue of Maximillian. I’ll get Furiae to fix you later, I promised mentally, so just hang in there!
Then, I looked up at “Bifrons.” Even now, the beast was an overwhelming presence. I quickly decided that this...thing...had to be taken out first. Readying my dagger, I approached the building-sized monster.
“W-Wait!” cried Setekh in anguish. “If you are the Wicked Deity Noah’s disciple, why are you standing against us?! Did she not fight against the heroes of the Sacred Deities a millennium ago?!”
Ugh, he caught me.
Setekh hadn’t possessed eyes when we last met, so this was the first time he’d seen me.
“Sorry, but I can’t ally with Iblis this time.” I wouldn’t follow the same path as my predecessor.
“But why not?!”
Why? Well, if I remember right, Noah mentioned...
“A thousand years ago, I believe your god betrayed mine.”
Right, Noah?
That’s right! Noah confirmed. That damned Typhon tricked me! I won’t trust him again!
Yup, he lied to Noah a thousand years ago. Well, she does seem like the type to fall for scams like that.
What?! exclaimed Noah, sounding offended.
Pfft, he sure told you.
Shut it, Eir! I’ll smack you!
Ha ha, your punches feel more like tickles since you’re sealed away!
Mrrgh!
Goddesses, pipe down! You’re killing the tension!
“I see... Typhon broke the pact with Noah...” Setekh’s shoulders slumped. “I was so looking forward to fighting alongside another disciple of hers...” His voice sounded almost grieving as he fell back into nostalgia. The look on his face made me feel kind of guilty, but I didn’t say anything and just kept walking toward Bifrons.
“Modern-day disciple of Noah,” Setekh said. “Sir Bifrons was once known as the most beautiful scion among the demons.”
“Oh?” I hadn’t known that. Now, he was just a grotesque tentacle monster. Not pretty at all.
“Yet, he has been reduced to this pitiful form,” lamented Setekh. “I had originally heard that he would be resurrected as he once was...by Archbishop Isaac. This outcome is far from what I expected...”
Oh, so this had blindsided Setekh too. He must have been fairly shocked...expecting to meet his old superior only to see this monster instead.
“Are you going to try and stop me from killing it?” Setekh seemed oddly placid, so I felt the need to ask him.
“This isn’t the Bifrons I knew... Besides, I can’t even touch you. Never have I felt more powerless than at this moment. I will at least watch over him until his last.”
I paused for a second, then replied, “I appreciate it.” If Setekh wanted to give up and stay out of the way, I wasn’t going to complain. Though, I still had no idea how I was going to actually take Bifrons out.
Makoto, there should be a core in the middle of that huge body. Eir is helping out with the dagger, so stab forward and destroy its body.
Was that really the only way? Destroying this writhing mass of tentacles? A dagger wouldn’t be able to penetrate deep enough to strike at the core of something this size...
I’ll have to attack from the inside.
I sighed. There was no better plan, and I was running out of time...
Hundreds of the tentacles tried to grab me as I approached, but they were all repelled by Noah’s armor before they even got close. Even so, they still surrounded the barrier. Was this really going to work?
“Y-You’re just walking on in?!” came Setekh’s flabbergasted demand. “I think even I would be eaten if he caught me... Then again, with Noah’s blessing... Hah, I could never measure up.”
Noah chortled. Keep coming with the prai—no, we don’t have the time! Hurry!
Oh, right. The time limit. Still, she was playing around...
“Okay, off we go!” Time to defeat the demon lord! I readied my dagger again.
“Noah’s disciple!” Setekh called out. “I doubt he is conscious anymore...but give Bifrons my regards, would you?”
I nodded slightly in response as I carried on through the tentacles. The massive monster opened up an equally massive mouth. It was utterly dark inside, like an entrance to hell.
Scary! Calm Mind, Calm Mind.
In we go.
I jumped into the abyss...and was swallowed by the darkness.
Nothing... I can’t see anything...
So this was the inside of a monster’s body... Up until now, I had (obviously) never been eaten by a monster. I’d expected it to be much more painful, but the divine armor meant I didn’t really feel anything.
The...ground...underfoot was soft and hard to walk on. Bifrons’s body coiled around me—the armor deflected it.
Well, let’s give this a try.
Sacrificial Magic: Offering.
I slashed at my surroundings as I channeled the wish to Eir, but nothing happened.
Mako, you need to find Bifrons’s body and stab it, she told me.
But it’s pitch black! I can’t see anything.
Just keep going straight ahead.
It’s not like I can even tell what “ahead” is.
Just let yourself get pulled along, Noah instructed.
I decided to trust Noah and carried along through the darkness. Something grumbled in the void, a groaning hatred. Was I still even in the same world? Or had I fallen to hell?
Suddenly, something appeared in front of me.
What the...?
Scenes suddenly sprung up around me, seeming almost hologram-like. Visions of war, of demons being persecuted. Young children were sold as slaves; images of corpses piled up around my feet. It was far from pleasant to look at.
It’s probably some mental attack, I decided as I continued pressing forward. Most of the corpses vanished.
The scenes changed.
They now depicted a young boy. He was alone in class, doing nothing but playing games. He had no friends.
This was...me?
The image... It was me...as a child...
What in the world?
Was this pulled from my memories? It was true that, as a kid, I didn’t do much other than game. I didn’t particularly enjoy seeing it, but what was the point?
Noah? I heard Eir ask. Isn’t this that spell? That one that turns humans into husks of themselves after seconds of exposure?
It is. Though it’s pointless to use on Makoto.
Whoa! Eir exclaimed. Mental influences really don’t do anything to him.
That wasn’t something I could just ignore... A spell like that was a huge deal.
Don’t worry about it, Noah told me.
She said that, but I couldn’t help but fret. However, in time, the images of my past vanished, and the darkness closed in once more.
This was getting tiring. Also, Bifrons’s body was way too big.
A short time later, I noticed that something white had appeared in the darkness. I slowly approached it.
It was a person. They had pale skin and snow-white hair. Their eyes were closed, apparently in sleep—or maybe death. Though their beauty was that of a woman, their physique was definitely male.
This beautiful man was held aloft by countless black hands.
That’s Bifrons, Noah said.
Take him out☆, Eir cheered happily.
That’s easy for you to say... I didn’t want to just attack some guy in his sleep.
But...if the demon lord came back, so many people would die... As a professional hero, I had to take him down.
Sorry, Setekh.
Sacrificial Magic: Offering.
I prayed to Eir and readied my dagger. Yet, just as I was about to thrust it into the man’s chest, his eyes flicked open, and he caught my wrist.
Damn, he was awake. Was I too careless? I hurriedly pulled my dagger back and moved away.
The demon lord’s open eyes were blank. His gaze was unfocused, and he didn’t seem to be looking at anything. Apparently, Setekh was right in assuming that he’d lost himself.
His eyes roved around for a while, and then he spoke. “How long...has passed...since I fought Althena’s hero? Why...is this my body?” His tone was inarticulate, and he probably wouldn’t be much for discussion.
What to do?
As I was considering my options, his eyes met mine, and his expression changed.
“Why are you here?”
Huh?
He was clearly antagonistic toward me. Actually, murderous was probably more accurate. I could feel the pressure coming from him even through Noah’s armor. Sweat trickled down my cheek. Our surroundings flared up with an ominous red glow.
Now that he was conscious, the mass of mana around us was now under the demon lord’s control. In this space, he was the highest existence.
He’s still got his sanity, Setekh... I thought.
His body was in tatters, though. It didn’t seem like he had any of his four limbs left. Still, the menace pouring off him was palpable, and far beyond any other enemy I’d encountered.
“No...you aren’t him... You can’t be...”
I looked questioningly at Bifrons as his menace abated and his expression turned pensive. His terrifying looks now seemed more sad.
“Who are...you, human?”
“Um, the hero who’s come to kill you...” I answered.
“The...hero?” he asked, seeming puzzled. “A hero... He wasn’t a hero... Then...you are different people... Telling humans apart is...difficult...”
Hmm, maybe he had lost his mind? This wasn’t a proper conversation.
“Human...who am I?”
What’s with the tricky question?
“The demon lord...Bifrons...right?” I asked hesitantly.
“Bifrons... That is my name...but I am not...long for this world... The transmigration has...failed...” The demon lord stared distantly at me. His body, held up by the black hands, had no limbs and was gradually being eaten away. “Still...this is a pitiful...mimicry... He must...have tried to imitate Iblis’s transmigration...”
“Oh, really?” I asked. Transmigration was way beyond anything I could understand.
What are you playing at?! Kill him!
Noah?
She’s right, Mako. He’s weak right now—use the power I gave you! Eir urged.
My time limit was thinning out. I needed to finish it now.
I held my dagger in both hands.
Eir, I off—
“You...are a wicked deity’s disciple, are you not...? Why are you borrowing strength from the Sacred Deities...?”
Instantly, he’d detected my allegiance to Noah, and Eir’s technique.
“How did you—?”
“It’s written...all over you. I fought alongside one of you before... If you wish to destroy me...you need not use that technique. I suppose the Sacred Deity tricked you? She must have...said you needed her technique to defeat a demon lord...?”
Noah and I both let out noises of surprise.
“Souls slain by that technique and offered up to a Sacred Deity...are reborn as loyal servants of the goddesses. Considering my long history as a demon lord...I would rather avoid such a fate... Besides...a wicked deity made that dagger of yours, along with that anima armor you are covered in. That...is more than enough to destroy me. You do not need Eir’s rite.”
Ach, I’m found out☆, Eir chirped. Apparently, Bifrons was telling the truth.
You knew but tricked us!
Of course I did☆ If I got a demon lord’s soul, I could make a really strong hero. Aww, there goes my chance to birth the strongest hero in Roses...
Damn, that’s cold... She was plotting all that?
You used my Makoto! accused Noah.
It’s your fault for not noticing.
Wait right there! I’m gonna beat the crap out of you.
Ahhhh!
Things were really noisy in my head. I turned back to the demon lord and quietly readied the blade. “You’re not...going to resist?” I asked.
The man’s expression was bored as he answered my question with another. “Disciple...what is your goal?”
“To free Noah from the Seafloor Temple.” Though admittedly, I had plenty of other goals.
The demon lord offered a simple word of acknowledgment before explaining. “My mind is soon to fade...and when it does, I will be naught but a blighted beast. Destruction would be more pleasant... If you do so...you can take the magicite that forms the source of the Undead King’s power. You may use it as you wish... I do not want...to become a dog of the Sacred Deities.”
“Got it...” I answered after a pause. It seemed like I’d manage the mission one way or another. He was pretty understanding... I was honestly surprised that he was such a gentleman.
“Though, if you were one of their heroes...I’d fight to my last breath.” He grinned.
Yup, he was a scary one.
Oh, right, I need to pass the message on.
“Setekh sends his regards.”
“Setekh...? I remember that name... Oh, him?”
Good for you, Setekh, he remembered you!
“Still loyal despite working him so hard...the fool.”
“Hey, that’s...”
Right, time to kill him.
“Disciple. I have a message.”
“A message?” I asked warily.
“You were loyal. Show that loyalty to another great ally in the future. Tell...Setekh that.”
I could feel a faint amount of gratitude in his words.
“I’ll tell him when I see him.” If Setekh was still waiting, I would pass along the message.
“Do it... My mind is almost gone.”
“Got it.” I centered myself and gripped the dagger. Then, I took several steps forward—
—and thrust the dagger, covered in Noah’s anima, into the demon lord’s chest.
A massive blast of mana blew me back, and a chorus of damnable howling ripped through the air.
The demon lord’s body vanished.
A stone about the size of my fist rolled along the floor.
Hot!
The stone was pulsing, and not metaphorically either. This...was the demon lord’s magicite?
Humans call it a philosopher’s stone, Noah informed me.
Aww, I could have made him into such a powerful hero... muttered Eir.
This was...a philosopher’s stone. I’d heard that they sold for a fortune—enough money to live in luxury for generations.
It’s not like you’re struggling for money.
True. I didn’t have anything to use it for right now, though. I’d probably talk it over with Fujiyan.
Just then, sunlight splashed across my face, breaking through the darkness.
So bright...
The body was falling apart. Isaac’s reincarnation—failed and deformed—decayed around me until only the philosopher’s stone and I were left behind.
Noah, Eir, it’s over. I imagined they were still watching.
Well done, Makoto.
You’re so reliable, Mako!!!
They’d been a large part of this victory.
Just then, I felt someone’s eyes on me.
“Disciple? So it’s over...” Setekh had waited. He was definitely a loyal person. “Rest well, Bifrons,” he murmured, kneeling toward the empty space.
“He had a message.”
“You talked with him?” Setekh’s shoulders shuddered as he turned around.
“He said, ‘You were loyal. Show that loyalty to another great ally in the future.’”
Hearing my words, his voice began to shake. “I don’t deserve it. The praise is more than I earned...lowly as I am...”
Though I didn’t understand the context, it looked like I’d just told him something good. He was technically an enemy, though.
“So what are you doing now?” I asked him. “Are you going to fight me?”
“I would never! In fact...I would much rather be your ally!” Setekh declared.
“Noah’s not going to let me ally with demons...”
That’s right. Fuck demons!
Flipping the bird is obscene, Noah.
Apparently, she hadn’t forgiven or forgotten being tricked a thousand years ago. But...she’d been tricked by Eir just now. It struck me that she was perhaps a bit too easy to trick.
“Guh, Noah’s disciples are all zealots...” grumbled Setekh. “Cain was always saying ‘My goddess’s words are law!’”
Hmm, I’m not so sure about that. Her charm didn’t work on me, so I thought things between us were at least a little different.
“Then I shall wait until Noah changes her mi—” He suddenly cut himself off.
“What’s up?”
“U-Um...disciple. Ah...” His red eyes had gone wide and he was pointing at me.
“You’re turning to stone!”
“What?”
Damn, I was! It was getting harder to move!
“I thought you were immune?!” cried Setekh.
“Ah, the time limit ran out.” Noah’s armor had worn off.
“It’s going so fast! You’re a hero, so why aren’t you resistant? I didn’t manage to get you with a surprise attack like Springrogue’s hero.”
My resistance was a big fat zero. That’s why.
“Can you undo it?” I asked, figuring that it made sense to ask the person with the magic eyes.
I couldn’t move my legs anymore. So this was what petrification felt like...
“W-Wait a minute... I can activate the curse, but unraveling it...” As he spoke, he hurriedly wrapped a cloth over his eyes.
“You can’t control it?”
“Bifrons was always scolding me for it! My eyes turn everything I see to stone...friend or foe alike. That’s why I was always on my own...and why I was so happy to speak to Cain since it didn’t work on him.”
Oh, so that’s the reasoning. He’d been a loner before meeting up with Noah’s old disciple. Setekh was strong, but not really demon lord material.
I could hear footsteps getting closer.
“Makoto!”
“Takatsuki!”
“Mr. Boyfriend!”
Oh, they were all safe. They must have defeated the rest of the blight monsters.
“Rosalie’s on her way,” I told Setekh. She was a battle maniac, so she’d probably attack first, and ask questions later if she saw him.
“Gah! I can’t beat that witch! I wish we could have talked for longer...”
Setekh looked around with the cloth over his eyes, but surely, he couldn’t see...
“Before I go, tell me your name, disciple of Noah!”
“Oh, I never said?” Thinking back, I hadn’t introduced myself. Man, where were my manners? “My name is Mak—”
That was when my mouth stopped moving. The curse was too quick.
No, your resistance is too low.
Damn...my stats are making life harder even now, huh?
“I-I’ll get your name next time!”
My mouth was stone now, so I couldn’t reply. His parting shot was kind of bizarre, but he did rush away right after. I could see Lucy and Sasa racing over. Neither of them looked particularly hurt.
Everyone was safe, then.
Man...I’m so...tired...
I could hear cracking noises inside myself. This must have been what petrification sounded like. It was kinda chilling.
Then...I lost consciousness.
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